Leake House, in the Boys' Prep is named after Charles Hobson Leake.
Charles Hobson Leake was one of the founding members of the St Stithians College Trust. He was a fellow Methodist of William Mountstephens and Albert Collins, the founding donors of the funds to purchase the Driefontein Farm portion and establish the College. Leake attended the Official Opening of the College and laid the Foundation Stone that is embedded in the wall of the Chapel facing the Chapel Quad. Leake served as Chairman of the Trust until his death in 1957.
Apart from all the work that he did for the College, Leake made a huge contribution to the welfare of the poorer citizens of Johannesburg. He established the Rand Aid Association to support the downtrodden and the aged and served as its Chairman for 30 years. This organisation is still extant today and serving the wider community. Boys in the College still visit Jordan House as part of their Community Engagement contribution. Details of his work with Rand Aid can be found in the documents in this online archive.
One of the Rand Aid buildings was named Mount Collins House in memory of his friends, our founders.
Leake's life and contribution is epitomised in one of the quotations included in his Album 1:
“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;
Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
Who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it;
Who has left the world better than he found it,
Whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
Whose life was an inspiration;
Whose memory a benediction.”
Bessie Anderson Stanley c.1905
Published
Draft
Leake Collection: Documents box
Most of the images are in the order in which they occur in the album.
The full contents of the ledger and the Wesleyan Trust file have not been digitised.
Documents presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Historical collection
Copyright St Stithians College unless indicated otherwise.
"A field cornet is a term formerly used in South Africa for either a local government official or a military officer. [...] As such, a field cornet performed important functions in administrative, judicial and police matters. In addition, in peacetime the field cornet was the head of the militia, was responsible for maintaining law and order in his area, and was tasked with supervising the handover of postal items on arrival in his district." [Source: Wikipedia]
As the only authority permitted to appoint further field cornets, it was Lombard that certified Leake in this capacity.
Published
1896 CHL Field Cornet certificate.
Issued at the time that Dutch was still used as the official language of the Transvaal Republic.
"The rank of field cornet (veldkornet) was used for the senior officer of a ward or sub-district in the independent republican states of the Transvaal and Oranje-Vrystaat in late 19th century South Africa. They were elected by the commandos of their ward for periods of three years." (Source: Wikipedia)
Document presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
"During 1914, General Jan Smuts, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, tabled legislation in the Parliament of the Union of South Africa, introducing income tax in the country, with the Income Tax Act of 1914". [Source: Wikipedia]
Income tax is a tax collected by the Receiver of Revenue, which also had the responsibility at the time for issuing licences.
Published
1906 CHL Firearm licence
The licence was issued to Leake for a Hollis double-barreled shotgun, indicative of the safety atmosphere of the early years of Johannesburg.
Document presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Body established by Methodists in Johannesburg with the aim of raising funds to build a church.
Published
1907 - 1910 Wesleyan Church Trust record book containing loose items relating to the Wesleyan Trust and the Million Shilling fund-raising effort.
It would appear that the fund-raising effort mirrored that of a similar one in London at the same time. According to the letters and other records in the ledger, the intention of the local fund was aimed at a church to be built on the corner of Kerk and von Wielligh Streets in Johannesburg.
The full contents of the ledger have not been digitised.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Johannesburg started as a dusty mining camp in 1886, but grew so rapidly that by the following year it established a municipality and appointed a mayor.
Published
1922 CHL Certificate of competence to drive a motor car No: 23055, issued in the name of C H Leake.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Former province of South Africa from the time of Union in 1910 up until the eve of the democratic election in April, 1994.
Published
1922 CHL Drivers licence issued in the name of CH Leake.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
The Union of South Africa was established through the unification of the former Boer and British colonial territories. It was known as the Union of South Africa until it was declared a Republic on the 31st May 1961.
Published
1937 CHL Licence to possess a firearm 58852. Issued by the Union in terms of the Arms and Ammunition Act, 1937.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Leake House, in the Boys' Prep is named after Charles Hobson Leake.
Charles Hobson Leake was one of the founding members of the St Stithians College Trust. He was a fellow Methodist of William Mountstephens and Albert Collins, the founding donors of the funds to purchase the Driefontein Farm portion and establish the College. Leake attended the Official Opening of the College and laid the Foundation Stone that is embedded in the wall of the Chapel facing the Chapel Quad. Leake served as Chairman of the Trust until his death in 1957.
Apart from all the work that he did for the College, Leake made a huge contribution to the welfare of the poorer citizens of Johannesburg. He established the Rand Aid Association to support the downtrodden and the aged and served as its Chairman for 30 years. This organisation is still extant today and serving the wider community. Boys in the College still visit Jordan House as part of their Community Engagement contribution. Details of his work with Rand Aid can be found in the documents in this online archive.
One of the Rand Aid buildings was named Mount Collins House in memory of his friends, our founders.
Leake's life and contribution is epitomised in one of the quotations included in his Album 1:
“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;
Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
Who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it;
Who has left the world better than he found it,
Whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
Whose life was an inspiration;
Whose memory a benediction.”
Bessie Anderson Stanley c.1905
Published
1942 - 1947 CHL Financial ledger (Analysis book), containing hand-written records of all payments.
The whole ledge has not been digitised.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
The Union of South Africa was established through the unification of the former Boer and British colonial territories. It was known as the Union of South Africa until it was declared a Republic on the 31st May 1961.
Published
1943 Petrol Control permit
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Charitable organisation founded by Charles Leake.
Published
1955 Rand Aid Association letter to C H Leake 30th August 1955
The letter includes an extract from a tribute to Leake for his work with the Association by the Minister of Social Welfare, Mr J J Serfontein.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
"Johannesburg came into being on 20 September 1886 and took at least 10 years to resemble something that could be called a town. It took another year before the first mayor, a magistrate, was appointed." [Source: https://www.joburg.org.za/]
Published
1956 Johannesburg. Office of the Mayor letter to C H Leake 27th September 1956 regarding the award of a medal to Leake.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
"Johannesburg came into being on 20 September 1886 and took at least 10 years to resemble something that could be called a town. It took another year before the first mayor, a magistrate, was appointed." [Source: https://www.joburg.org.za/]
Published
1956 Johannesburg. Office of the Mayor letter to C H Leake 20th September 1956 regarding the award of a medal to Leake.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
Charles Hobson Leake Esq. J P [biographical notes providing his birth date, spouse, residence, employment and associative details.
The biographical notes appear to have been compiled and written for a display as the 3 pages are edged with old sellotape marks.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
Charles Hobson Leake Esq. J P [biographical notes providing his birth date, spouse, residence, employment and associative details.]
The biographical notes appear to have been compiled and written for a display as the 3 pages are edged with old sellotape marks.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
Charles Hobson Leake Esq. J P [biographical notes providing his birth date, spouse, residence, employment and associative details.]
The biographical notes appear to have been compiled and written for a display as the 3 pages are edged with old sellotape marks.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
Charles Hobson Leake Esq. J P [biographical notes providing his birth date, spouse, residence, employment and associative details.]
The biographical notes appear to have been compiled and written for a display as the 3 pages are edged with old sellotape marks.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
Chas. H. Leake Esq. J P [writing folder].
The initials "J P" following his name indicate that he held the rank of Justice of the Peace.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
W Hosken etc. [document]
The purpose of the document is not indicated and it is undated. It contains a list of names including those of the College founders, Collins and Mountstephens and early Trustees such as DF Corlett, C H Leake and his brother E O Leake. It also refers to the [Methodist] Central Hall and may well relate to the efforts to raise funds for the building of a Methodist Church in Johannesburg.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
This item may be part of Item 003 above which contains other loose items relating to the raising of funds for a Church.
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
Prose writing, unidentified. Sellotape marks indicate that the document could have been displayed at some stage. Similar items are included in the Leake Collection albums.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College
Used in instances where the creator of the item cannot immediately be identified.
Published
Prose writing, unidentified. Sellotape marks indicate that the document could have been displayed at some stage. Similar items are included in the Leake Collection albums.
Part of the collection presented to the college after the death of Leake in 1957.
Leake collection
Copyright St Stithians College