The 1896 Club is Huntley’s community of regular givers — Old Boys and Girls, parents, grandparents and friends who give steadily, in whatever amount suits them, so the school can put support wherever it’s needed most.
1896
Charles Mather and Basil Wilson founded Huntley in the Rangitikei
70%+
of the funds behind the 1952 move to a Board of Trustees came from Old Boys and parents
1965–72
an entire rebuild of the school, funded the same way
Huntley is now the longest continuously run boarding preparatory school in the country — a history made possible, at every stage, by the generosity of the people around it. The 1896 Club carries that same spirit of giving forward today.
From the Huntley archives
School fees cover the cost of running Huntley day to day. The things that shape what a Huntley education actually feels like — better classrooms, a scholarship for a child who couldn’t otherwise attend, grounds and buildings that last — depend on gifts.
Pledges to the 1896 Club are paid into the Huntley School Endowment Trust and professionally invested, so every gift keeps working for the school long after it’s made. The Trust then directs that support wherever the need is greatest.
Suggested pledges, built around the year it all began
$18.96 a month · $189.60 a month · $1,896 a year
Any amount, at any frequency, is welcome — there’s no minimum, and every donation, small or large, makes a difference.
Individuals can claim a one-third tax credit on their gifts — so a $189.60 monthly pledge costs around $126 once your credit is back. Companies can claim gifts as a deduction.
There are two ways to join. Choose whichever suits you — either way, you’re a member for life.
1
Set up a regular gift
Give a set amount on a regular basis, whatever the amount and however often suits you. You’re a member from your very first payment.
2
Give $250 or more in a calendar year
All your gifts to Huntley in a calendar year add up — whether to the Club, Capital Projects, the Picket Fence or Scholarships. Once they reach $250, you’re a member.
Gifts made since the Club began in 2025 count towards membership. Event tickets, such as the Gala and Golf Day, are a purchase rather than a gift, so they don’t count.
Every member receives
With thanks to the members of the 1896 Club. Being listed is entirely your choice — we’ll only include your name if you’d like us to.
Sam Barclay
Henry Blackley
Henry Boon
Finlay Cairncross
Simon Cairncross
Harry Clinton-Baker
Rob Craig
Nicki Crowley
Sam and Rebecca Edwards
Andrew Jefferd
Dave Leary
Duncan Matthews
David Mayne
Daisy Whisker
Fred Whisker
Milly Whisker
Alan Willis
Tyla Worsley-Darragh
To set up your pledge, or to talk about a gift in any form, please contact Annabel Whisker, our Alumni & Donations Co-ordinator. She’ll take care of everything.
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