Hodges before Hodges

Hodges House was named after Charles Henry Hodges, Shore’s second headmaster, but the establishment and early running of the house can be credited to Shore’s unofficial chaplain at the time, Reverend David Davies. Davies was born in Wales in 1859, on the 1st of September, and came to Australia in 1888. His first appointment in Australia was as Chaplain and Maths Master for The Kings’ School before moving to Shore a few years later.

At Shore, Davies wore several hats: the unofficial chaplain a Mathematics Master and played a considerable role in the early development of football and athletics programs. In 1903, when the school’s growing number of pupils began to place pressure on School House (at that time, the only boarding house), Davies opened up his residence, “Cartref,” to boarders. “Cartef” was located at 29 Bay Road, on the corner of Bay Road and Harriot Street, and featured extensive gardens and lawns.

After 23 years of teaching at Shore and taking in boarders, David Davies retired and sold his property to the school, which became a permanent boarding house named Hodges House. However, it only operated for 4 more years before Hodges House was re-established in its current location, and its original site on Bay Street was virtually forgotten. This boarding house lost in history still stands at 29 Bay Road, a reminder of our past, a “Hodges before Hodges.”

Oscar Kanaley (10HS)