Dr Hylton Le Grice CNZM., OBE
– named Old Boy of the Year 2013
T
he President of the King’s School
Old Boys’ Association, Richard
Hall, was delighted to welcome
some 100 guests to the Annual Awards
Dinner held in the Dining Room on
Thursday 15th August.
Richard Hall said it
was a privilege on behalf of the Headmaster
and the King’s School Old Boys to honour
Dr Hylton Le Grice as distinguished Old
Boy of the Year for 2013. Hylton served on
the King’s School Board of Governors from
1974-1989 and is currently a member of the
Court of Members. In welcoming family,
friends and Old Boys, the President added
how pleased he was to meet with the group
of younger Old Boys from King’s College
and Auckland Grammar who also attended.
School
Hylton began as a day boy at King’s School
in Form IVA in 1944. During that year he
won recognition as a runner coming a close
second in the junior age group Steeplechase,
finishing one second behind the winner. A
quote from the yearbook of 1944:
“As the runners swung into the straight,
Bull was identified about 20 yards ahead.
At the same time, Le Grice was seen to
detach himself from the bunch and begin
to chase Bull seriously. He gained ground
steadily and ran right up to Bull, where for
a time he stayed… Bull pulled a sprint out
at the last. Le Grice ran hard, but could not
quite make it.”
In 1945 Hylton won the under 11 years
cup for Athletics and came 1st equal in the
Junior High Jump. In 1946 his last year at
school, he was a House Prefect in Bruce,
a member of the Chapel Choir and of the
First XV.
Hylton went on to St John’s House at King’s
College. As a promising all round school
boy and sportsman, he was struck down by
a severe attack of poliomyelitis at the age
of 15. After a prolonged illness and a year
in hospital, he managed with courage and
determination to regain moderate mobility
and to lead an active life, albeit with
continued physical challenges.
Hylton has had a long and distinguished
career as an eye surgeon, University
teacher, healthcare administrator, company
director, board member and chair of private
and public institutions. He established the
undergraduate teaching programme in
ophthalmology at the Auckland School of
Medicine and for 20 years was a consultant
surgeon at Auckland Hospital. He is a past
President of the Ophthalmological Society
of NZ and for eight years was a ministerial
appointee to the Opticians Board. For 18
years from 1984 to 2002 Hylton served on
the Board of Directors of Southern Cross
Healthcare as a Director, Deputy Chair
and Chairman.
Hylton was elected a Fellow of the Institute
of Directors for service to business; he was
a long standing member of the Council and
later President of the Auckland Medico
Legal Society. From 1970 to 1998 he
served for 28 years as honorary surgeon to
Auckland Cricket.
His many roles have seen him twice
awarded with a high Royal Honour- Officer
of the British Empire (OBE) and Companion
of the NZ Order of Merit (CNZM).
At the Awards dinner Dr Le Grice said
walking through the gates to begin his
school life at King’s changed his life for
ever. “I was taught to try my hardest and
to accept success with humility and defeat
with grace.” He spoke of his gratitude for
his family, respect for his teachers, Christian
principles, traditions and integrity. He went
on to say, “One of the great privileges of
my life was to graduate in medicine - to
understand in intimate detail the workings
of the human body - to be a surgeon and to
use the knowledge every day.”
Music has been another great passion for
Dr Le Grice and he spoke of it also during
his speech, “Classical Music expresses for us
the whole gamut of human emotion which
it is almost impossible to find words for. I
congratulate our outstanding Headmaster,
Tony Sissons for making it compulsory
for every intermediate and senior boy to
play an instrument at this school, and to
place such an emphasis on music within an
already comprehensive curriculum.”
As the dinner came to its conclusion, Dr Le
Grice left us with the following thoughts
about his affection and appreciation of
King’s School:
“What I have always thought about society
is having a small but critical mass of people
who can guide that society in a positive
direction. I truly believe that King’s is part
of that critical mass proving that in our
society there is a place for the values that it
espouses. As is written in our school song,
may King’s School flourish forever.”
Virtus Pollet
Angela and Hylton Le Grice and Julie and Tony Sissons
Dr Hylton Le Grice CNZM.,OBE.,M.B.Ch.B.,FRCS
(Eng).,FRACS.,FRANZCO
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