What is the history of King George V secondary school?

Answer 1

Well, there are two George V schools. One is in Hong Kong, the other is in Seremban, Malaysia.

Hong Kong: King George V school opened in 1894 on Nathan Road and was named "Kowloon College". It was just one small building. Soon after it was renamed The Kowloon British School. In 1902, Sir Robert Hotung paid for a nicer building to be built. In the late 1920's the school reached 300 students and the issue arose of too little space. So, in 1936 the new school opened in the hills of Homatin. In August of 1940, Japan started to threaten the British Empire, so the government decided it would be best to move many of the Europeans from Hong Kong, as the Japanese would have severely persecuted them. So, the school closed because there was no one to teach. Right after it closed the school became a hospital for soldiers. When Hong Kong surrendered on Christmas Day, 1941, all the Europeans were sent to POW camps, including many former students. During the war the Japanese used the building, too. When the surrender was announced in 1945 the Japanese left the building with the leader holding his sword before him.

The Union flag was almost immeadiately raised on the flagpole (most likely the first British flag to be flown in Hong Kong after the war). After the war the RAF used the school as a military hospital, too. In summer 1946 the school finally re-opened. Unfortunately there were only 79 students who attended, though. In 1947, the school was opened to students of all nationalities. In 1948 it was renamed King George the Fifth school in honor of His Majest King George the Fifth (1865-1836).

Malaysia: King George the Fifth school opened in Seremban on January 15, 1923 in an old train station. School days went from 9:40 Am to 2:45 PM so the school boys could take the morning train to school and take the afternoon train back home. In October 1926 they started building a new building for the school. On April 23, 1928 the school was officially opened, with many important Colonial and Imperial figures in attendance. Soon after the school was named King George School in honor of the then-King (1865-1936). Originally, there were only 9 teachers and 125 Malay boys. Soon after WWII started the Australian Army took over the school's premises, but soon after it fell to the Japanese army. Throughout the occupation the Japanese used it as their local Military Police Headquarters. It is believed that the dressing rooms behind the stage in the hall were actually used as torture chambers by the Japanese. After the British regained control over their old colony they used the school as an army hospital for about six months. In 1954 the Primary and secondary sections of the school split. In 1968 the truckstop was expanded. Soon after the school built a new sports complex with a 25-meter swimming pool. In 1990 the old truckstop was demolished and a four-story complex was built in its place. In 1993 the first female students were allowed to attend.