The Clubs Formation

Northern History | History

 

Although Northern United Hockey Club has multiple distinct origins, its earliest existence as an independent entity is best traced to 1930, when the Wellington Technical College Hockey Club was formed.


In 1927, before the club was formed, Wellington Technical College (now Wellington High School) entered a hockey team controlled by E. G. Cousins in the intermediate grade. Wellington Technical College was prompted to create this hockey team by an influx of teachers to the school who had formerly played the sport together for the Varsity Club. The college was the first post-primary school in Wellington to create its own hockey team, predating Wellington College's first attempt by a few years.


The first Wellington Technical College Old Boys' team was entered into the Men's Third Grade in 1929, but it was in 1930 that Allan A. Kirk united the Old Boys' side with the school's four teams, thus founding the Wellington Technical College Hockey Club. By 1934, this club had grown sufficiently in both strength and numbers to win the Wellington Club Championship. The club's bank balance that year, the earliest now known, was four pounds, ten shillings and zero pence. In 1935 the club entered its first team in the Senior A grade of the men's club competition.


During the war years Tech Old Boys continued to field teams. These sides were inevitably greatly depleted, but pupils, masters and friends of the college proffered their assistance when numbers were required. Sadly, the club's numbers were not entirely replenished immediately following the war as several Technical Old Boys lost their lives during World War Two. A. C. Carr, club secretary and treasurer for the majority of the war's duration (and subsequently club president and then club patron), stated in a history prepared for the club's Silver Jubilee that, 'we did lose many good friends and players through that period of our history which, in its darkest days, meant that we who had been left to follow on might now play in peace and assurance of good sportsmanship by virtue of their sacrifice on the field of battle.' The club was unable to compile an accurate Roll of Honour for those members lost, but the Technical Old Boys Memorial Cup was established in 1949 to pay homage to them, and continues to be annually awarded to the club team that finishes highest in its grade.


In 1950 Tech Old Boys won its first and only men's Senior A championship, sharing the honour with Karori Hockey Club. During the early '50s the club's contribution to Wellington hockey was indubitable; ten of the 1950 championship side were selected to play for Wellington, and in 1952 club-member Mr G. J. M. Eeles was appointed chairman of the Wellington Hockey Association. Tech Old Boys' maturity as a hockey club was further evident in the 'highly successful' dinner it held for its Silver Jubilee in 1955.

 

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