Archive #39/65: The leaders of the College Council from 1976 to 1989

He served in the Fleet air arm in WWII, based in Canada and England – Service No. 8215 Sub Lieutenant (a) FAA RNZNNR 1837 Squadron. Mr Tod married Nona Blackmore in 1948. Nona’s family had a long association with the College as the House of Blackmore was the first official school outfitter. They had four children: Michael (Lindisfarne, 1963-1967), Sue (Iona College, 1965-1969), Andrew (Lindisfarne, 1968-1972) and Peter (Lindisfarne, 1970-1974).

Mr Maurice Tod was a very loyal, committed and dedicated member of the Lindisfarne community. He served on the Parents’ Association and the College Council both as a member and as an office holder. His excellent people skills, when combined with his considered, thoughtful and forward-thinking style of decision-making, saw him establish himself as a well-respected member of the Lindisfarne community. Mr Tod in his time on the Council strived to ensure that the College operated in a business-like and professional manner. He had the ability to see the big picture, and one of his many permanent legacies was the establishment of the Endowment Fund, which went a long way to facilitating the College’s future development.

Throughout a significant part of his life he maintained a close affinity and interest in Lindisfarne College as a parent of three boys, a member of the Parents’ Association and as a governor of the school. Maurice Tod made a major contribution to the Lindisfarne we know today.

Rodney Gordon Thompson (1987 – 1989, Lindisfarne College Chairman #5)

Mr Rodney Thompson was educated at PakiPaki School and Hastings High School. He was a second-generation farmer and at the age of 18 years old, he took over the family farm on the death of his father. Rodney married Annette Sherwood and they had four children: Mark (Lindisfarne 1975-1980), Jamie (Lindisfarne 1980-1983), David (Lindisfarne 1981-1984) and Philippa (Iona College 1982-1985).

Rodney served for several years on the Presbyterian Social Services (now Presbyterian Support East Coast) and was involved on the committee of the Scott Foundation distributing funds to families in need of financial assistance. A committed family man, Mr Thompson considered his children his greatest asset and their education was very important to him. He was appointed as the fifth Chairman of the College Council, having previously been a highly successful and innovative Chairman of the Parents’ Association. His democratic leadership style, which encouraged discussion and debate, had seen major advances in the Building and Grounds Development Programme.

In September 1987, following an intense fundraising campaign, Mr Thompson officiated at the opening of the College Gymnasium. He was also responsible for initiating the Distance Boarding Scholarship. Mr Thompson and his Council worked hard to ensure that the best possible conditions were provided for both the boys and the Staff. He personally ensured that the College’s essential character was maintained and preserved, in order that the four Cornerstones of the College philosophy could be fulfilled. A loyal, committed and dedicated member of the Lindisfarne community, Rodney Thompson continued to maintain a keen interest and close involvement with Lindisfarne College until his death in 2016.

Mr Douglas Callum Kirkpatrick (1982 – 1986, Lindisfarne College Council Chairman #4)

Mr Alex Kirkpatrick’s son, Callum Kirkpatrick was born in Hastings in 1928. Educated at New Plymouth Boys’ High School, Mr C Kirkpatrick returned to Hastings in 1946. He married Glenda Hilton and raised three children; Alexander (Lindisfarne, 1972-1976), Catherine and Andrew (Lindisfarne, 1977-1983).

Mr. Kirkpatrick was a Fellow of the Society of Chartered Accountants and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Management. He joined the accountancy firm Rainbow and Hobbs in 1946 and spent over 50 years with the partnership through its varied eras to that of its current profile as Dent Robertson.

He also served 18 years as a Director of the Reserve Bank. With his experience as an astute businessman he provided wise, clear headed leadership of the College, steering it through a dramatic period of expansion. He had always ensured that the educational facilities had kept pace with the increase in the numbers of boys and Staff, while at the same time, taking pride in the fact that through prudent management of College affairs, Lindisfarne’s fees were the lowest of any Independent School in the Country. Ordained an elder of St Andrew’s Church in Hastings in 1956, at the comparatively young age of 28, he served in various courts of the Presbyterian Church for more than 30 years.

His services to the community were recognised with the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in 1978, an honour which was followed by a CMG in 1982 for services to the forest industry.