Boarders ‘Knockdown Wall’
In 2007 the buildings built in the 1960s that were home to Wilson, Faulkner and Loton House were demolished. These buildings were located essentially where the Forrest Library now stands on campus today.
At the time, a farewell celebration in the form of a ‘Knockdown Party’ was held. Invitations were sent to those who lived in Wilson, Faulkner or Loton prior to 2004, when the boarders moved into their new boarding facility. Included in the invitation was the opportunity to ‘buy a brick’. Purchasers would have their name inscribed on one of the old boarding house bricks which would then be set into a ‘perpetual wall’ in honour of the memories created in the old boarding house. A total of 150 bricks each with names of the respective donors inscribed onto the brick, now form a feature in ‘The Knockdown Wall’.
Boarding House History
When Hale School moved to Wembley Downs in 1961, two boarding houses were created, Faulkner House after Headmaster Frederick Faulkner (1889-14); Wilson House after Headmaster Matthew Wilson (1915 – 28). A third boarding house, Loton House, then followed in 1966. Loton House was named after Old Boy Ernest Thorley Loton (1906-12) who served as a Board of Governor for twenty-four years. Amongst other key projects, he was closely involved in the negotiations with the State Government for the sale of the leasehold of the Havelock Street school site. It was only after the sale of this site that the current Wembley Downs Campus could be developed.
These boarding houses provided accommodation for Hale boarders for over 40 years. In the early 2000s, it was decided that new boarding facilities were needed. Faulkner and Wilson House were to be rebuilt and Loton House was to become a Day House.
The boarding houses of Wilson, Faulkner and Loton closed their doors as a boarding facility on 3 December, the last day of the last term of 2004.
Above: Selection of photos of the ‘Knockdown Party’ and the Boarders ‘Knockdown Wall’.
Boarding Houses Today
Although the original boarding house facility on the Wembley Downs campus closed late 2004, construction work was already in its finishing stages on a new boarding facility. The new senior boarding house was officially opened on Sunday 30 January 2005 in time for the start of the new school year. The Senior Boarding House, home to Faulkner and Wilson is now situated on the east side of the school, across the lawn and down the hill from the main administration building. Loton became a Day House in 2005.
