Latest News
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Obituary: Ronald Desmond Mayhill (Ron) ’37
RONALD DESMOND MAYHILL (RON) ’37 DFC, L.d’H, MA, Flt Lt RNZAF 75 NZ Squadron Staff Member 1956-1983 Outstanding and distinguished Grammar Old Boy, Ron Mayhill passed away on Thursday 9 July 2020, aged 96. Ron Mayhill attended Auckland Grammar School from 1937 to 1941. He was third in class in the Senior Latin form in 1941 gaining...
RONALD DESMOND MAYHILL (RON) ’37 DFC, L.d’H, MA, Flt Lt RNZAF 75 NZ Squadron
Staff Member 1956-1983
Outstanding and distinguished Grammar Old Boy, Ron Mayhill passed away on Thursday 9 July 2020, aged 96.
Ron Mayhill attended Auckland Grammar School from 1937 to 1941. He was third in class in the Senior Latin form in 1941 gaining the certificate in Latin and in French. He also received a Senior Home Nursing Certificate and was captain of the 4th Grade A Hockey team.
He enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force at the age of 18 and was later posted as a bomb aimer and observer in the RAF's 75 squadron in England. His first active day of duty was on D-Day when the Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France by carrying out beach landings in Normandy.
Ron was wounded in 1944 after his aircraft was hit and he was temporarily blinded in one eye by shrapnel, but he insisted that the captain continue their mission and the crew went on to complete a successful bombing run, while showing outstanding courage and devotion to duty. Click here to hear Ron in the video series Memories of Service talk about his time during World War 2.
He returned home at the end of the war in 1945 at the age of 21 and went on to graduate with a BA 1952, MA (Hons) 1954, Auckland University College. Ron Mayhill taught Geography at Auckland Grammar School from 1956 to 1983. During that time he was appointed the Head of Geography and Master in Charge of Hockey.
Ron contributed extensively outside of the classroom through the sport of hockey. This extended to being a member of the Auckland Hockey Association. As a player he was an Auckland Hockey representative and he coached Auckland Grammar, the Auckland Colts and New Zealand Universities.
Ron Mayhill is recognised as a long serving master after his 28-year tenure at the School. As Mr Mayhill retired, the 9th Headmaster, Sir John Graham, described him as being respected throughout the country for his scholarship and professionalism. R.D Mayhill was someone who served his School with great distinction.
Ron was the author of four publications ‘Frontier Forsaken’ in 1947 an outline history of the Cook Islands, ‘New Zealand Geography’ in 1966, ‘Atlas for New Zealand’ in 1970 and in 1991 ‘Bombs on Target’.
He was a former president of the New Zealand Bomber Command and he contributed greatly to the community and country. He was a mentor and great icon to the younger generation.
R.D Mayhill was appointed as Knight of the national order of the Legion of Honour in 2015. The Legion of Honour is France's highest award and recognises the efforts of veterans who fought in World War II and helped to facilitate the liberation of France.
Auckland Grammar School and the Auckland Grammar School Old Boys’ Association extends its sympathies to Mr Mayhill’s family and acknowledges Mr Mayhill’s extensive service to the School and a life well led.
The flag on the Main Block of Auckland Grammar School will be flown at half-mast as a sign of respect.
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Minister's Plate Competition 2020
The Minister’s Plate Music Competition was held on Tuesday 23 June 2202. The competition is a well established tradition within the Grammar community and recognises the achievement of the finest solo musicians at the School. Finalists from each of the Junior and Senior division heats competed for their respective plates. Well done to all the finalists: *Junior...
The Minister’s Plate Music Competition was held on Tuesday 23 June 2202. The competition is a well established tradition within the Grammar community and recognises the achievement of the finest solo musicians at the School. Finalists from each of the Junior and Senior division heats competed for their respective plates.
Well done to all the finalists:
Junior Music Plate
- P. Zhai (guitar)
- S.S. Wheeler (clarinet)
- W. Wang (cello)
- T. Yi (piano)
- J. Cheung (piano)
Winner: J.Cheung of 3A
He played Nocturne in E-Flat Major, by F. Chopin and Presto alla tedesca, in G, Op.79 by L. van Beethoven. Both of these pieces are very difficult but Cheung made it look effortless. His showmanship, confidence and maturity put him one step ahead of his competitors.
Minister's Plate
- R. Gan (violin)
- K. Oyamada (trombone)
- S. Park (clarinet)
- B.J. Ross (voice)
- J. Xu (piano)
- A.J.A. Raby (tenor saxophone)
- D.L. Fleming (cello)
Winner: D.L Fleming 6A
D.L. Fleming played Tarantella, Op.33, by D. Popper (Accompanied by: David Kelly on piano). Again a very difficult piece played with ease. It was strong final performance for the night, that could not be faulted.
The Adjudicator for this year was Old Boy Mathew Fieldes '85. He had an extremely tough job due to the very high level of talent this year
Mat has recently returned to New Zealand after working in New York for 25 years as a freelance Electric and Acoustic Bassist in an extensive career which has produced four Grammy nominated albums. Following study at Auckland Grammar School and Auckland University, Mat earned his Master’s degree from The Juilliard School where he studied with Eugene Levinson, Principal Bass of the New York Philharmonic.
Mat tours extensively as solo bassist for “Absolute Ensemble”, an electro-acoustic crossover chamber orchestra, which performs at major venues worldwide and received a Grammy nomina-tion in 2001. Recent appearances include the Sydney Opera House, Koln Philharmonie, London Barbican, Concertgebouw, Theatre des Champs Elysees, Megaron Athens, Sejong Center Seoul and residencies at Bremen and Adelaide Festivals.
As an Orchestral and Chamber musician he has played with the New Zealand Symphony, Auck-land Philharmonia Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Auckland Philharmonia, Brooklyn Phil-harmonic, Key West Symphony (Principal), Long Island Philharmonic, Westchester Symphony, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, New Zealand String Quartet, New Zealand Trio, Continuum, Bronx Arts Ensemble and has recently appeared in major festivals in Mexico City, Bremen, El Paso, Adelaide and Montpellier.
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Students graphic design tool sold at School
Onecut are competing in their second year of the Young Enterprise Scheme in 2020 after a successful year in 2019. The group made the National Finals in Wellington at the end of the year last year, and although they did not place in the top 3,they have made significant developments in the creation of their...
Onecut are competing in their second year of the Young Enterprise Scheme in 2020 after a successful year in 2019. The group made the National Finals in Wellington at the end of the year last year, and although they did not place in the top 3,they have made significant developments in the creation of their innovative product, the “Synergy 45” which is an architectural and graphic design multi-use tool.
The quality of the product and the integrity of the group has allowed them to maximise opportunities, including the opportunity presented by the School and the School Shop to stock the Synergy 45 graphic tools.
The group are in the middle of production of their new tool; the Synergy 30 (they have a prototype), which will hopefully allow them to maximise opportunities in the YES competition this year. The new prototype is likely to be in full production within the next 6 months.
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Letters for Healthcare Workers
On Tuesday 9 June some students from the Interact group dropped off letters of thanks and appreciation to the healthcare workers at Auckland City Hospital. The letters main purpose is to bring joy to the workers at Auckland City Hospital and show them that everyone at Grammar and in New Zealand appreciates their hard work...
On Tuesday 9 June some students from the Interact group dropped off letters of thanks and appreciation to the healthcare workers at Auckland City Hospital.
The letters main purpose is to bring joy to the workers at Auckland City Hospital and show them that everyone at Grammar and in New Zealand appreciates their hard work and was thinking of them during the pandemic.
This thoughtful idea was organised by interact group member, Isaac Mellis-Glynn of 6A who's mother is healthcare worker that continued to work during the lockdown.
The COVID-19 Pandemic was a very strange, slightly scary and really tough time for everyone and the healthcare workers continued to work extremely hard to save lives whilst putting their own lives at risk. Like Isaac, many other students of essential workers witnessed some of the struggles that their loved ones went through during this time and these letters were a great opportunity to express and show what their hard work meant to them.
If you are heading to Auckland City Hospital please do check out the letters. There are over 100 letters from Form 3 – Form 7 Students at Grammar.
Thank you, Healthcare workers, for your courage and hard work. We appreciate you and everything that you do for your community and for New Zealand.
