Phone +27 33 342 1838 | ||
Address 324 Bulwer St, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa Similar Cordwalles Preparato School F, Epworth School, Maritzburg College, Athlone Primary School, Scottsville Primary School | ||
Merchiston preparatory school tag rugby festival 1 june 2013
Merchiston Preparatory School was founded in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in 1892. It was founded by Miss Agnes Rowe and Miss Elizabeth Allan who were inspired by Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Pupils
Merchiston Preparatory School is a boys' preparatory school which offers day-schooling from Grade RR to Grade 7 and boarding for Grade 3 to Grade 7. Merchiston is an established feeder school for Maritzburg College.
Motto
The school's motto is Ready Aye Ready. Again, it is closely based on the Merchiston Castle School motto of Ready Ay Ready. This motto means "ready, yes, ready"
Anecdotes
"During the early and mid 1980s, the playing fields were flooded to the boys' knee height. Usually it took a couple weeks to subside. Because of the nearby Msunduzi River, we often saw the Dusi Canoe Marathon canoeists. If my memory serves me correctly, the last race was held around 1985. After that, the race started lower down the river and then stopped altogether. In the afternoons, some of the girls would escape from the girls' school across the road to visit the boys."
"Almost always after the ground was wet, earthworms would deposit mud in little piles on the playing fields early in the mornings. At some point, some young lads would gather long sticks from the poplar trees and mould these mud deposits on the end of the sticks (which in some cases were over three metres long) and deftly whip them towards their enemies. This was known as a sport of Claylighties. It stung when that mud hit its mark! There was a more vicious version of this game that is best left secret. Many boys were seriously injured by it."
"It is as a result of the semi-annual flooding of the school fields that Merchiston Prep boys became famously known as "Merchie Mud Rats". What boy in his right mind does not want to get wet and dirty? Ready? Aye, ready." - A. Shattock, past pupil (1984-1985)