Established in 1901 by the Revd Horace Henry Dixon, TSS is the oldest Anglican boys' boarding school in Queensland and the only all-boys boarding school on the Gold Coast.[3] The school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1305 students from early learning to Year 12, including 276 boarders from Years 7 to 12.[4]
The Southport School was established in 1901 by the Revd (later Rt Revd) Horace Dixon. The land was originally owned by Benjamin and Ann Spendelove.[9] The Spendelove family continued to make a contribution to the school, providing boxing coaching for many years.[citation needed]
The first boarding houses (Delpratt, McKinley and Thorold) were established in 1907 and 1908.[citation needed]
The Southport School has the third oldest school boat club in Queensland, having first started rowing in 1905.[10] This followed Brisbane Grammar School and Ipswich Grammar School first having a rowing contest in 1891.
Headmasters
Horace H. Dixon and son
The following is a list of the headmasters of the school.[citation needed]
The Southport School utilises a house system. The Senior School is divided vertically into the twelve houses: eight day boy houses and four boarding houses. The Preparatory School is divided into four houses. The Senior Houses are:[11]
Name
Day/boarding
Colours
Atkinson
Day
Biddle
Boarding
Delpratt
Boarding
Kaiser
Day
Maughan
Day
McKinley
Boarding
Melbourne
Day
Radcliffe
Day
Surman
Day
Thorold
Boarding
Turnock
Day
Walker
Day
Rogers
Boarding year 7 only
Musgrave
Prep-day
Shepherd
Prep-day
Dixon
Prep-day
Mitre
Prep-day
The three original houses – Delpratt, McKinley and Thorold – were founded in 1909, 1909 and 1908, respectively. The inaugural house shield competition was held in 1910, won by McKinley. The additional day houses were added in the 1970s and 1980s, and the fourth boarding house, Biddle, added in 1988. The most successful house in the House Shield competition has been Thorold House, achieving its 40th House Shield victory in 2014; McKinley had won 31 house shields and Delpratt 21 as of 2014.[citation needed]
The Old Southportonians Association (OSA) is the alumni organisation for Old Boys of the school.[12] The OSA celebrated its 100 years as a recognised body in 2007.
The two surviving buildings of the Pacific Cable Station were relocated to the school in 1982 for use as the school's music department. Largely untouched from their original form, they are listed on the Gold Coast Local Heritage Register.[13]
^"TSS Prospectus"(PDF). Enrolment Information. The Southport School. Archived from the original(PDF) on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
^ ab"The Southport School". Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
^"AHISA Schools". Queensland. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
