I’ve been wanting to take photos of this marvellous old school for some time. Built in the old colonial style, its white buildings are clearly visible when traveling to the Matopos.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodes_Estate_Preparatory_School
Pictured above are the boarding hostels which are now for both boys and girls.
The wing on the left is the girl’s hostel, the main entrance on the right.
What a lovely view from the hostels – the Matopos very close by – perfect playground for energetic boys at boarding school.
Across the lawns is this stunning chapel. When I took the pic below, the sun was streaming into the round window in the front gable.
Please excuse this pic! My interiors are not very good! Dito, the image below….the dining hall!
I’m much better at taking exterior shots! This, below, is the dining hall at REPS.
I didn’t realise that REPS was such a small school. From the Kezi Road, it seemed to be a large complex. In fact, many of the buildings belong to the Matopos Research Station. REPS only has about 120 pupils! Of which about 80 are boarders. The classrooms are built around a quadrangle, very much in the colonial style.
The school hall (above.)
This last photo is a building now used as a library. It’s built with iron sheeting walls. Anyone who grew up in Zimbabwe will recall these buildings – many of the government offices were initially built this way, as were railway housing, offices and sheds. This building is likely to be one of the oldest buildings in the complex.
I hope you enjoyed this walk around an historic school with me. If you did, please comment below or click the *follow* button to receive posts in your email.
Although I saw the pics on FB this week this is even better having the explanation of the different buildings.
The old tin building reminds me of the camp houses we lived in the first 5 yrs we arrived in Rhodesia. Dad worked with Roads Department and our house was a metal frame with pressed board walls and tin roof, concrete base floor. It was dis assembled each time we moved site.
Yes that is exactly the type of building – it was used all over when developing the country
Looks lovely. Thank you.
Thanks for your visit
Thanks for this post!
Thanks for the visit and comment
Good pictures, especially the first two, and informative as always.
Thank you. Ive been eyeing the school, over against a hill range, every time Ive gone to Matopos! Im very lucky to have had a chance to take photos.
Thank you for these photos. My father was one of the first students to go to that school. Did they still have the honours boards up?
I took a few photos of the two boards at the front – but there are lots all around the dining hall. Your father must have gone there much the same time as my father in law who was born in 1927 and this older brothers
I will try and look for an old photo of when my dad (Tom Wallice) was there in the early/mid 1920’s!! Thank you so much .. the school looks amazing. Would love to know if they have an old register.
That would be lovely. I am sure they would have a register – tradition appears to be very important there
Amazing pictures, I was a student there in 78 and 79. It looks exactly the same. Brilliant to see the old girl is still well cared for. Thanks
Its still lovely – according to the teacher who took me about, animals still visit in the early morning – a kudu just the other day, he said – browsing happily close by.
Hi, I went to REPS in 1964-66 and loved it there. Sunday evening supper was usually sadza and a rich mince gravy, accompanied by dates, cheese and spring onions. I live in Australia now but last year went back to Zim and to see the school. Unfortunately the drought was still on so there was not a blade of grass anywhere around the school. Things have improved since then by the look of your lovely photos. Cheers, Pete Silcock.
Thank you for your visit to my blog. I am glad I waited for the rains – things look so much better with a green background! The whole school was painted and spruced up recently – so I am lucky to have these shots for old boys like yourself.
My best childhood friends, four boys, all went to REPS.
Lots of people did – my father in law for instance, went there before they went back to the UK
Nice one Frankie. Not only are your photos excellent but they form a marvellous record from a time rapidly being overtaken by the modern world.
Lovely… brings back such beautiful memories. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful memories. A very proud and great school. Thank you for posting the photographs.
Thanks for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment – the school is still going strong and I am glad I was allowed to take these photos which serve as reminders to ex-pupils
I went to school there from 1956 to 1960. Wonderful memories. Headmaster was Mr. McLaren
Its in such a lovely setting
Nothin wrong with your interior photos! Love the old beams. V atmospheric.
I find my interiors don’t look square! – I have to learn to get the right angles – Ive always thought the dining room photo is too dark, but when I tried to lighten it, it looked washed out
Wow thank you Frankie, awesome photos and awesome memories. What a brilliant and beautiful school that was. I was there 1964 to 1968.
Kind regards
Kenny Lucas
Thanks for your comment – it is still a beautiful school and wild animals still graze on their lawns!
Such memories your photos bring back. I was there from 1943 to 1948. I remember the weekends when we were allowed to wander the surrounding countryside . Visiting places like “unknown- the three sisters ” lovley photos thank you.
Many thanks for your visit and comment – I’ve always seen this school from the road and wanted to go in and take photos – I was very lucky to get this opportunity.