Launceston Church Grammar School

The school was established on 15 June 1846, with Henry Plow Kane being appointed as its first headmaster. Initially, the school operated from temporary premises located at the North-East corner of George and Elizabeth Streets. However, it soon started constructing its own building behind St John's Church. This marked the beginning of a strong and enduring relationship between St John's Church and Launceston Church Grammar School. On the day after the school opened, 24 boys of different ages were enrolled. At that time, Launceston was described as a small town with a population of approximately 8000 people, resembling more of a scattered village. In 1848, the first Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, Francis Russell Nixon, visited the school, and a special event was organized in his honor. This tradition continues to this day, with the current bishop of Tasmania visiting the school annually as the official visitor. Over the past 50 years, the school has achieved significant milestones. One of these milestones was the transition to co-education in 1972. However, it is worth noting that even a century earlier, in 1872, two girls named Edith Savigny and Mary Archer had attended Grammar for several years. In 1899, the school had an enrollment of 150 boys and one girl named Joyce Wilkinson. Additionally, in 1921, Charlie Irvine, the daughter of the Matron Mrs. Irvine, also became a student at the school. In 1983, Grammar merged with the Broadland House Church of England Girls' Grammar School, which had its origins in the 1840s. As a tribute to Broadland House, a memorial window was installed in St John's Church.