Timaru Boys' High School (also known as TBHS), established in 1880, is a single sex state (public) secondary school located in the port city of Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand. TBHS caters for years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 19 years).
At the beginning of the 2026 school year, the school had more than 800 students.
Contents
Enrolment
As of July 2026, Timaru Boys' High School has roll of 808 students, of which 133 (16.5%) identify as Māori.
As of 2026, the school has an Equity Index of 457, placing it amongst schools whose students have average socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to deciles 5 and 6 under the former socio-economic decile system).
Traditions
There are four houses, each named after a former rector and led by a house captain. Every one in the school competes in inter-house programs to earn points for their house. These include cross country, athletics, swimming sports, singing, volleyball, basketball and quadball tournaments. The houses compete annually for the Cleland Cup.
Sport
TBHS plays in 5 traditional interschool fixtures:
Christchurch Boys' High School
St Andrew's College, Christchurch
Otago Boys' High School
Waitaki Boys' High School. This is the longest running non-stop inter-school fixture in New Zealand.
John McGlashan College. This fixture begun in 2018.
Rugby
The Timaru Boys' High School 1st XV competes in the Miles Toyota 1st XV Boys' Premiership and the South Island Boys' Schools Rugby Competition.
The 1st XV made it into the finals of the UC Cup for the first time in the 2017 season.
Thomas House boarding hostel
The Thomas House boarding hostel is attached to and is an integral part of the school. Built in 1907, Thomas House, named after the school's first rector, welcomed in its first eight boarders in 1908. In 2010 it held just over 80 boarders; by 2017, Thomas House reached capacity with 119 boarders. Thomas House has several wings. The Fraser Wing from 1962 is named after Hanson Fraser, who chaired the board of governors for two decades. The Jubilee Wing from 1984 commemorates the 75th jubilee of the boarding hostel. The Manning Wing commemorates several members of the Manning family who worked at the boarding hostel. The Lindsay Wing commemorates two cousins of the same name who both represented New Zealand internationally in 1928: David Lindsay went to the Olympics as a swimmer and Dave Lindsay was a member of the 1928 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa. In March 2019, Lewis Wing was opened which was named after Old Boy Peter Lewis.
Notable alumni
Academia
Harold Williams (1876–1928), linguist
John Hattie (b. 1950), education academic
The arts
Michael Houstoun (b 1952), concert pianist
Kevin Smith (1963–2002), actor
Jeff Wassmann (b 1958), artist
Mika Haka (b 1962), performance artist
Business
Sir Roy McKenzie (1922–2007), businessman & philanthropist
Medicine
Sir John Staveley (1914-2006), haematologist, pathologist, and a pioneer in the field of blood transfusion services
Public service
Thomas Burnett (1877–1941), MP for Temuka (1919–1941)
Frank Kitts (1912–1979), Wellington mayor and MP
Sir Ivor Richardson (1930–2014), Privy Councillor and jurist
Jim Sutton (b 1941), MP for Waitaki, Timaru, Aoraki, and List MP, and cabinet minister
James Meager (b 1986 or 1987), MP for Rangitata (2023–present)
Sport
Jack Lovelock (1910–1949), athlete, 1936 Olympic 1500m champion
George T. A. Adkins (1910–1976), All Black (uncapped) 1935–1936
Dick Tayler (b 1948), athlete, 1974 Commonwealth Games 10,000m Champion
Craig Cumming (b 1975), New Zealand cricket player 2003–2007
Brendan Laney (b 1973), Scotland rugby player 2001–2004
Isaac Ross (b 1984), All Black 2009
Archie Strang (1908–1969), All Black 1928–1931
Hayden Paddon (b 1987), motorsport, World Rally Championship driver, 2007–present
Marc Ryan (b 1982), cycling, bronze medallist at 2008 Olympics and 2012 Olympics
Hamish Bennett (b 1987), New Zealand cricket player 2010–present
Aki Seiuli (b 1992), professional rugby player 2012–present
Tomas Walsh (b 1992), athlete, shot put bronze medallist at 2016 Olympics
Lachie Grant (1908–1969), All Black 1947–1951
Cullen Grace (b 1999), All Black 2020–present