Kingston College is a all-male secondary school located in Kingston, Jamaica. It occupies two campuses: The Melbourne Park campus on Upper Elletson road and the larger North Street (Clovelly Park) campus. Some 1900 students are enrolled. The school is noted for its strong academic and sports tradition. It also boasts a world class boys’ choir, the Kingston College Chapel Choir that has given concerts across the island and around the world.

History

Kingston College was founded in 1925 by Bishop of Jamaica, Dr. G.F.C. DeCarteret with Bishop

Percival Gibson Percival William Gibson (15 September 1893 – 3 April 1970) was the Anglican Bishop of Jamaica from 1955 until 1967. He was educated at St. George's College and London University and ordained in 1918. His first posts were curacies at Golden Gro ...

as the first headmaster. The school was envisioned as a remedy for the social deformity in which poor black boys were allowed primary education only. The school, Kingston College, was created primarily to provide poor black boys, who otherwise would not have the opportunity, with a secondary education. The founder was convinced that there was a treasury of untapped talent among the black working and lower middle classes. Kingston College would nurture that talent and so take to another level the uncompleted process of full Emancipation that begun in 1838. K.C., as the school became known, admitted any boy, black or not, born in wedlock or not, who could satisfy the entrance requirements and pay the affordable fees. Kingston College began at 114 ¾ East (corner of East St. and North St.) The school was declared open on April 16, 1925, with forty-nine students. Today the school is located at 2A North Street, Kingston. In 1963 the Melbourne Campus (13 Upper Elleston Road, Kingston C.S.O.) was purchased from the Melbourne Cricket Club. The Melbourne Campus is now home to 7th, 8th, 9th Grade (1st, 2nd and 3rd Form). The school's color, purple was chosen because it is the color worn by Christian Bishops, the color used by the Greeks to honor their Olympic champions and the color of the leading Empire in History – Rome. The color purple ties to kings and queens date back to ancient world, where it was prized for its bold hues and often reserved for the upper crust..

Motto

The school's motto is in Latin: ''Fortis Cadere Cedere Non Potest'', which translates to ''The Brave May Fall But Never Yield''.

Crest

The crest bears the colors purple and white which represents the Episcopal colours. Purple was the colour of the Roman Empire and was used by the Greeks to honour their Olympic heroes. The pineapple symbolizes the field of labor and fruitfulness, The dog, the animal of loyalty, fidelity and watchfulness. The book represents the Bible and academics.

Rhodes Scholars

Rhodes Scholars from the college include: * John Luce Ramson, 1934 * L. L. Murad, 1937 * Evan Astley Morris, 1949 * Delroy Chuck, 1973 *

Stephen Vasciannie Stephen Charles Vasciannie is a Jamaican law professor. Formerly Deputy Solicitor-General and principal of the Norman Manley Law School, Vasciannie served as Jamaica's Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary to the United States from 2012 up to ...

, 1978

Athletic and academic championships

The college has won a number of athletic and academic championships in Jamaica. ;Track and field * Boys Champs - 33 ;Education/general knowledge * School's Challenge Quiz - 11 ;Cricket * Sunlight Cup - 23 * Spalding Cup - 9 * Tappin Cup - 6 * Geddes Cup - 3 * Minor Cup - 3 * JIIC - 1 ;Football * Manning Cup - 15 * Oliver Shield - 9 * Walker Cup - 9 ; Rugby League U16 - 2 ;Hockey * Henriques Shield - 6 ;Tennis * Gibson Cup - 14 * Alexander Cup - 4 * JA. Mutual Shield - 3 * Interscholastic Cup - 1 ;Basketball * Schools KO Comp. - 16 * Senior League - 15 * Junior Div. - 10 * Junior KO - 8 ;Swimming * Simpson Shield - 4 ;Table tennis * Kelall Cup - 23 * Burger Cup - 16 ;Lacrosse Taino Cup - 2

Notable alumni

Politics and law

, law professor, Jamaica Ambassador to the United States *

Delroy Chuck Delroy Chuck is a Jamaican lawyer, journalist and politician. He is currently (2016) the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Saint Andrew North Eastern and the Minister of Justice. Chuck previously served as the Minister of Just ...

, lawyer, journalist and politician; Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Saint Andrew North Eastern *

N. Nick Perry Noah Nickolas Perry (born August 1, 1950) is an American politician and diplomat who has served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to Jamaica, United States ambassador to Jamaica since 2022. He served as a member of the New York Stat ...

, member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

Arts and culture

* Barrington Watson, Jamaican master painter *

Basil Watson Basil Watson, CD (born 1958), is a Jamaican sculptor. He is the son of painter Barrington Watson,Housen, Claudine.'Balance' on the Beach", ''The Jamaica Gleaner'', 26 November 2006. and the brother of sculptor Raymond Watson.

, Jamaican sculptor and painter *

Orlando Patterson Horace Orlando Patterson (born 5 June 1940) is a Jamaican historical and cultural sociologist known for his work regarding issues of race and slavery in the United States and Jamaica, as well as the sociology of development. He is the John Cowl ...

, historical and cultural sociologist * Paul Campbell, film actor *

Donovan Germain Donovan Germain (born 7 March 1952 in Jamaica) is a reggae producer, one of the most successful of the digital era. Biography Germain's entry into the music industry was via his record shop in New York City in the 1970s.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The V ...

, music producer, founder and head of Penthouse Records * Lloyd Lovindeer, Jamaican song writer and singer

Military

Vincent R. Stewart Vincent Raymond Stewart (born May 11, 1958) is a retired Jamaican American lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps who most recently served as Deputy Commander at United States Cyber Command. He previously served as the 20th Director ...

, Lieutenant General US Marine Corps, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency

Sports

Lennox Miller Lennox Valencia Miller (8 October 1946 in Kingston, Jamaica – 8 November 2004 in Pasadena, California) was a champion runner and father of Inger Miller. Representing Jamaica, Miller won the silver medal in the 100 meters in the 1968 Summ ...

, Olympic silver and bronze medalist *

Akeem Bloomfield Akeem Bloomfield (born 11 October 1997) is a Jamaican track and field athlete specializing in sprint events. Career Running for Auburn University under coach Henry Rolle, he finished second in the 400 meters at the 2018 NCAA Championships behi ...

, World Athletics Championships silver medalist * Michael Holding, former

West Indies Cricket Team The West Indies cricket team, nicknamed the Windies, is a multi-national men's cricket team representing the mainly Commonwealth Caribbean, English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean region and administered by Cricket West I ...

player *

Marlon Samuels Marlon Nathaniel Samuels (born 5 February 1981) is a former Jamaican cricketer who played internationally for the West Indies in all three formats, and a former ODI captain. He is a right-handed middle order batsman and an off-spinner. He was a ...

, former West Indies Cricket Team player *

Robert Samuels Robert George Samuels (born 13 March 1971, in Kingston, Jamaica) is a former West Indian cricketer who played in six Tests and eight ODIs from 1996 to 1997. Career An opening batsman, Samuels scored 125 in his second Test against New Zealand ...

, former West Indies Cricket Team player *

Allan Cole Allan Cole (November 19, 1943 – March 29, 2019) was an American author and television writer, who wrote or co-wrote nearly thirty books. The son of a CIA operative, Cole was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Europe, the Middl ...

, former football player and manager of

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

and

The Wailers ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

Omar McLeod Omar McLeod (born 25 April 1994) is a Jamaican professional hurdler and sprinter competing in the 60 m hurdles and 110 m hurdles. In the latter event, he is the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 World champion. He was NCAA indoor champion in ...

, 110m hurdle Olympic and World champion *

Clive Barriffe Clive Barriffe (born 1955) is a Jamaican former track and field athlete who competed in the 400 metres hurdles and the 4×400 metres relay. He was the silver medallist with the Jamaican relay team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, running in a team i ...

, 400 metres hurdles and the 4×400 metres relay athlete *

Romario Williams Romario Garfield Williams (born 15 August 1994) is a Jamaican professional footballer who plays as a forward for USL Championship side Colorado Springs Switchbacks. He is named after the legendary Brazilian footballer, Romário. Club career Y ...

, footballer *

Hansle Parchment Hansle Parchment (born 17 June 1990) is a Jamaican track and field athlete, competing in the 110 metres hurdles. He is the reigning Olympic champion in the event. Parchment is an alumnus of the University of the West Indies, Kingston and won a ...

, 110m hurdle Olympic Champion

References

External links

Official website
{{Schools in Jamaica , state = collapsed Schools in Jamaica