In 1936 when the school first opened 205 students enrolled. Francis Pringle was one of these students. Below is his story.

I was born on the 21st of December 1922 in a small maternity hospital in Dunedin that exists today, repurposed as student accommodation, but then called El Nido Maternity Home.

We were a family of Francis’s. My parents were Frances Alice and Francis Adam. My four sisters were all Frances, as was I. Of course, we were all known by our second names: Ada, Doris, Gladys, Noel and Audrey.

My mother’s family were Weatherall’s, from Northern England. They had come to New Zealand via Canada and Australia, searching for gold and a better way of life, and settled on the gold fields of Otago, near Roxburgh. My great grandfather, John Weatherall, was born in Liverpool, England in the 1830’s. As a young man he completed an apprenticeship as a tinplate worker before heading off to Canada, and then Australia. In Sydney he married his childhood sweetheart, Eliza Kelshaw, and together they headed to Bendigo where they started a family. It was here that my grandfather was born.

Also, John Weatherall, my grandfather lived on a farm in Ettrick, somewhere between Millers Flat and Roxburgh when I was a child. As a younger man he had been well known as a journalist, running two local newspapers. When I knew him, he was living like a hermit, in a little hut with a dirt floor. I remember him well with his big, long grey beard. His bush hut was at the far end of the farm his son was running. One of the family would bring him meals each day. I heard lots about it but didn’t get to taste the rabbit stew he was famous for. My grandmother had died young, at just 46 so, being the fifth of their seven children, my mother had to look after the two younger girls.

My father's family came from Scotland in the 1800s, settled on the land, raised sheep and grew vegetables in the Milton area. My grandfather, Adam Pringle, was born in Selkirk, Scotland in 1859 and came to New Zealand as a child with his parents who settled in Otago. They raised sheep and grew vegetables. When Adam grew up, he worked as a shepherd and later ran a market garden and orchard. He married Margaret Borthwick Smith and together they ran the market garden and orchard while Margaret ran a boarding house. My father was the eldest of their three children. As the children got older, my grandparents sold fruit and vegetables from a horse drawn cart and in later years moved to Dunedin and bought a grocery business at Cargill’s Corner, South Dunedin.

Life was not easy for my parents. Gold had not brought the wealth my grandparents were hoping for and farming was tough. My father sold vegetables but added confectionary to his stock in order to draw the people in. Competition was fierce. Days in the shop were long and his one day off each week was spent tending his own veggie garden. My mother helped out in the shop while running a boarding house in the home in which we lived. At times money was scarce but in spite of this I was given every opportunity to get the best education. 

When I was about twelve I started fixing cords. I liked pulling things apart and I had watched an electrician repairing cords and saw how easy it was and wanted to have a go. I always wanted to know how things worked so I pulled things apart. When Mum first got a portable electric sewing machine I pulled it apart to see how the speed control worked. I did manage to get it back together. Around this time I had my own chickens that I fed with scraps from the kitchen and garden. I would sell any eggs they laid to Mum for my pocket money. We lived very close to Forbury Primary School so I walked to and from school every day and came home for dinner in the middle of the day. I remember there was a Wireless Club at school but I couldn’t join because we didn’t have the money to pay for bits and pieces needed. Two friends and I made a trolley from old pram parts, and we would have a lot of fun with it pushing each other round the streets and through the park on it. For three years I played Tenor Horn in the school band. There were about twenty boys in it that year and in the holidays we toured through Central Otago to raise money for local schools. I turned thirteen while we were away. No one woke up to the fact that I wasn’t musical. I probably kept in time but I don’t know if I got all the right notes. The conductor never said anything so I must have been pretty near it.

I attended Forbury Primary School, had one year at Otago Boys' High School and then attended King's High School from its opening in 1936 till 1940. There was not a great deal of choice with what subjects we did ~ just two options, Commercial or Professional. For one year we all did Latin, History and Geography and from then on I chose Professional: Chemistry, Physics, Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry and English. I was reasonably good at Math's and one year I did get a prize for it. In the fifth form we sat University Entrance and most students went back to do another year before going on to University. By the time we reached upper sixth there were just eight of us left in the class. Most boys had left to find work. Of the ones I remember there was Noel Dunbar, a real bright spark who became a professor at Canberra University; Fergie Brown; a boy whose last name was Houston; Ron Keller who joined the Airforce and died in an accident overseas; Derek Wood who became a Doctor and died very young also. We didn’t have graduation ceremonies back then, not like nowadays – graduating even from kindergarten.

During the holidays I often stayed with my aunt and uncle in Millers Flat. My cousin and I would be given the job of delivering fresh milk from the cow in large cans by bicycle, ladling it into billy cans when we came to each house. We would also sometimes have to set the traps to catch the rabbits for my grandfathers rabbit stew. To visit my cousins we would all travel in the back of dads work van - four or five kids, with no seats let alone seatbelts. 

I started playing Hockey because my friends did but quickly changing to Rugby at King's High School when I realised they were all wanting to play Soccer. I enjoyed Rugby because the boys always seemed to play as a team and work together. My Rugby days were varied. I started in the forwards. Then I was centre for the 1st XV; I was congratulated for my performance at a curtain raiser match at Carisbrooke; then I was kicked off the team for being too light (along with two mates) and then I played mostly in the backs in the 2nd XV.
In 1986 I attended the 50th Anniversary of King's High School and noticed the extra taps in all the showers of the changing sheds. In my day it was cold showers only. Noel Dunbar and I won the championship at Fives two years in a row. It’s like squash but you use your hand not a racquet. Its played on a court similar to squash with an end wall and two side walls. It’s a very strenuous, fast game.

I was always interested in financial matters, so probably would have decided to be an accountant but one of our teachers, Mr Wyn Woods suggested I look into Engineering as I was good at Maths. It seemed to be the career with the most integrity, so that was the path I chose. First year was at the University of Otago and for the next three years I was at the University of Canterbury, living away from home, which meant things were tight financially.
We had to do nine months workshop training over the three years, in the holidays which involved working with metal lathes and I got paid a pittance, (£2 a week minus tax in the workshop and I could have got £5 a week with plenty of overtime at the wool-sheds where I had worked before). Workshop training at various places took up most of my holidays.
I do have good memories of my University days. I became friends with a young man who was unable to hear or speak. He invited me to watch and learn while he processed colour film. We spent many hours in his dark room processing photos and eventually I was able to set up my own dark room.

I was always trying to find ways to save money so one holiday a mate and I decided to save our train fare and ride our bikes home from Christchurch to Dunedin. The first night we slept under a haystack. The second day we gave up just past Oamaru and caught the train from there. The wind was so strong we were peddling to get down the steep hills. We had already come 150 miles and had about the same distance still to go. At the end of our first year of University we were required to do three months Army training to get ready to sail to Egypt and be available for the war effort. Then the authorities decided the greater need was for trained engineers so we were sent back to University to finish our studies. During the three months Army training I learned to drive, in a three ton truck. There was no such thing as a sincro-mesh clutch in those days. We had to learn to double de-clutch up and down the gears. My first year at the University of Canterbury was made very difficult as we were three weeks late starting the University year. I had to work very hard to catch up, but the hard work paid off and I earned a pass with honours in my final year.

My Army Career
I must admit to being rather embarrassed about my war service. At the end of my first year at the University of Otago I went in to the Army for three months training which was compulsory for all 18 year old's. We left Dunedin by train for Burnham Army Camp outside of Christchurch, on the 11th November 1941 and had barely reached Port Chalmers when the train stopped for two minutes silence for Remembrance Day.

Japan then came into the war so our 3 months was extended indefinitely. Under New Zealand’s rules concerning conscription we should have remained in service but at the end of March 1942 all Engineering and Science students were sent back to civilian life to continue their University studies. It meant we were starting University about a month late which made life rather difficult but I survived the exams somehow. Each year the Director of National Service appealed against our serving in the armed services and so eventually I completed my studies. We were then asked for our preferences, Army, Public Service etc and so on 4th January 1945, I went into the Army at Trentham Camp, just out of Wellington. After vigorous training, which included such important tasks as unloading ships at Wellington Wharf while the wharfies regathered their strength lazing in the sun, we eventually embarked for Egypt with the 15th Reinforcements, in April 1945.

Our first port of call on route to Egypt was Melbourne where we were all looking forward to stretching our legs on shore by participating in the Anzac Day March, but it was not to be. Melbourne didn’t want us off the ship!!!

Next port was Colombo (Ceylon) where we got three hours leave; shopping was hopeless with a mere 10 rupees (£1) to spend. Back on the ship we went. The next day was Victory in Europe Day (VE day) which we celebrated with a one pint bottle of beer per soldier. Next stop was Egypt where we started specialised training, such as learning to build Bailey Bridges which we did at Ismailia on the Suez Canal, at the Royal Engineer’s Training School. Bailey Bridges were used extensively throughout the war to replace the many bridges that were bombed by the Germans. They were quick and easy to erect and the materials were easily transported.

We were still in Egypt when Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) occurred and eventually we moved to Italy to join the rest of the New Zealand Division. We were mainly in Florence, firstly in tents and then in an incomplete new University building, which was good enough to provide shelter for us. Somehow we managed to get hold of a Table Tennis table, bats and balls so we played quite a bit of Table Tennis. There were two or three of us that competed for the top ranking, taking equal turns in that position. It was a lot of fun and helped make our time there a pleasant one.

It was only a short while till we were sent on to Japan, to the devastation of the bombing of Hiroshima. We were there with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force and I was posted to a small detachment of Engineers with the Divisional Cavalry Regiment, stationed at what had been the Head Quarters of the One man Submarine Base near Hirao. These submarines were used as a suicide bomb. One did actually get into Sydney Harbour past the defences but I don’t think any of them did any damage. They were loaded up with explosives so they could just go and hit something and blow themselves up in order to do as much damage as possible.

Yamagoochi was our main base and we were a little farther on. We passed through Hiroshima on the train to get to Hirao. The whole area was just flattened; everything had been completely wiped out. You could see the odd chimney here and there and that was about all.

Here, among other things we built bridges, repaired buildings etc. What we did was make the camp comfortable for the people who came after us. During our time we didn’t get leave, we didn’t go to Tokyo, and we didn’t get to see very much at all. We were mainly getting the quarters into order by putting in things such as hot water systems to make it comfortable. By the time it was in order, it was time for us to go. We did have some nasty jobs to do like fixing up septic tanks. But in our detachment we were pretty well off because we had a little motor-boat for official purposes that we were able to use for pleasure too. We didn’t have any skis but made a float that we could pull behind the boat, almost like skis.

I was offered a chance to have a further stint in Japan which would have enabled me to go to an Officer Cadet Training Unit but most of us thought the sooner we got back to civilian life the better. After I’d finished my engineering degree I hadn’t had much chance to do any practical work so there seemed no point in delaying it another six months. 

We had a Japanese girl in the office in Hirao who did the typing. She spoke English well and was very nice. One of the local men, a brick layer, was building an underground shaft out of brick and when he’d finished it, it went round and round like a spiral instead of being layers on top of each other. He was dumbfounded. He did speak a bit of English.

It was difficult taking photos in Japan but I had bought a second hand camera from another soldier when I was in Italy - a Kodak Retina, single lens reflex camera, quite small, with bellows. It was not quite as small as a vest pocket but not much bigger than it. Most of my photos were taken on that. Back then all film was black and white and quite hard to get hold of.

I still wonder why we were kept at University and out of the Army for so long. Our Engineering training was not made use of and it did not enhance our promotion prospects. I finished up with the rank of temporary Lance Sergeant and substantive rank of Lance Corporal. I did do a little bit of Engineering for our officer in charge, Captain Frank Boxall, (a Carpenter in civilian life). He would give me his Royal Engineer’s Reconnaissance Handbook and send me out on his behalf.

It was August 1946 when I finally arrived home. We were given a free train journey for ourselves and one other so I took my Mother by train through to the North Island and back and we had a wonderful time together seeing the sights.

My working life
It was August 1946 when I finally arrived home. I was looking around for work, visiting places I’d been during my University days when a gentleman I’d worked for spotted me and offered to call the city Engineer at that time, who just happened to have a position available. I worked with City Engineers for 18 months and it was in this job that I met Dorothy. She was one of the tracers, who in those days was required to hand draw all the details on our engineering plans, complete with wording for titles and all other aspects of the plans.

After several weeks I plucked up enough courage to ask Dorothy out and from that day on we went to the movies every Saturday night until we were married in September 1948. While planning our wedding an engineering job in Queensland was offered to me, and Dorothy and I decided to bring the wedding forward so I could accept the offer. I had to accept a reduction in pay but it meant I would be on the field learning from the ground up and not having to be in an administrative role unable to learn from experience.

We were married in Roslyn Presbyterian Church, had three weeks honeymoon at Mount Cook, and got ready to sail to Melbourne. The only way we could get to Australia at that time was on a freight ship under troop ship conditions: female and male dormitories, hammock style beds. We left New Zealand from Port Chalmers, first stopping in Wellington before crossing the Tasman to Melbourne. We disembarked in Melbourne and flew in a small plane to Archerfield in Brisbane to start our new life together. I can remember riding on a bus into town from the airport, seeing all those funny houses up on stilts and thinking “What have we come to”.

Our first accommodation in Brisbane was one of these funny houses on stilts. We had to share a bathroom with two nurses as well as the owner and her two children, and the only toilet for the two flats as well as the main house was a long drop down in the back yard. Before retiring each night I had to check the toilet for spiders and snakes so it was safe for Dorothy.

We didn’t waste any time in looking into other possibilities and it wasn’t too long till we were able to buy a new house being built on the outskirts of Brisbane. It was small but adequate for our needs. After we moved in there was still a great deal of work to do to bring it up to standard: a driveway had to be put in, gardens made, windows put in the kitchen so Dorothy could see the view from there. I put in a chemical toilet so that it could be part of the house and not at the bottom of the garden, I built a swing for the children in the back yard. We lived there for ten years and by the time our four girls were growing up and just about all at school, the house was getting a bit small so we looked for something larger.

I was with Mullhollands, that first job, for about 19 years. To start with I was mainly doing design work on a variety of Engineering projects including Water Supply, Sewerage, Roads, Bridges, Aerodromes, and Swimming Pools, mostly on supervision of construction. My work took me over a large area of southern Queensland – towns like Hughenden, Winton, Longreach, Roma, St. George, Dirranbandi, Bollon, Mitchell, Injune, Goondiwindi, Laidley, Ipswich, Stanthorpe, Kenilworth, Gympie. When we had left New Zealand the city of Dunedin was already fully sewered. And here we were in Queensland where there were very few country towns sewered and the city of Brisbane was just 30% sewered. There was no shortage of work for me.

With all the travelling, I spent a lot of time away from home, and it was tough on the family. I tried a couple of other jobs and finally In September 1968, I accepted the position of Senior Construction Engineer in Sewerage with John Wilson and Partners and worked with them for twenty years, eight of these as a partner in the business, running the Sunshine Coast branch. I did enjoy my years as an engineer. There were lots of frustrations towards the end, especially in dealings with Shire Council staff but that is all part of life. All in all it was a very satisfying career.

After commuting from Brisbane to the Coast for two years we sold our Brisbane home, bought a small cottage just north of Cooroy and set about making gardens, building carport and workshop, adding rooms to make room for all the family to visit, and for Dorothy to paint, and built a tennis court. That tennis court was a great achievement. A hands on labour of love over several years. It was played on several times a week as well as on many family occasions and I myself played every week till I was 92. In the later years we even had lights put in so we could play at night.

My retirement years were always busy. I drove Dorothy to places she had chosen to paint and to many events where she exhibited her work. She was a very talented water colourist and exhibited widely, in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast. We volunteered for Meals on Wheels in Pomona from its inception, we joined the local PROBUS Club and frequented their many social events. I kept up membership with the local Masonic Lodge and regularly ran events to raise funds so that local young people would have better academic opportunities. Most of these clubs needed someone to do their books. I never lost my love for numbers and looked after their books for many many years. I became interested in share investment and joined the Independent Retirees Association so I could learn as much as I could. For many many years I kept an eye on my investment portfolio and did very well out of it.

Dorothy and I had fifty three years of happy marriage, four daughters, fourteen grandchildren and umpteen great grand children. My wife died just before her 81st birthday after an intense fight with cancer. It was the first time in her life she was ever sick. I nursed her at home until the end so we didn’t have to be apart and the family could all be around. It was a sad but very precious time. I decided to treat each of my daughters to a holiday so I was able to do some of the travelling Dorothy and I had planned. We sailed on a ship down the Danube, yachted in the beautiful Whitsundays, flew to the Kimberley District to see the sights by boat, small plane and bus, and went as far north and west by bus in Queensland from the city of Cairns.

I now live with my eldest daughter who takes very good care of me in her home. I have one daughter who lives in Adelaide who comes to visit when she can, one daughter who lives in Brisbane who I see most weeks and another who lives here on the Sunshine Coast who visits every other day as long as she is not travelling. My grandchildren visit when they can with their children. I consider myself to be very fortunate.

I think coming to Australia was probably the best thing that ever happened. I consider myself fortunate to have had the years I did at King's High School and to have had teachers who headed me in the right direction for a successful career. I will always treasure my kiwi background but have enjoyed the Australian way of life immensely.

Sadly, Francis passed away at the beginning of November, not quite reaching his 100th birthday. We thank his family for allowing us to share his story.