Tup Radford – a name that has been synonymous with Scots College from the day he first enrolled in the primary school in 1938, through to the 21st century, when he has continued to acknowledge and support the school without any fanfare, but with a commitment to ensure that young men have every opportunity to succeed not only academically, but also across the wider sporting field.

Tup’s years at Scots, which included the full period of World War II, would have been a time of uncertainty and difficulty, with the Headmaster during this period on active service along with, no doubt, other staff and particularly earlier Past Students. Despite this, Tup excelled in every aspect of school life during those years, particularly on the sporting field, where he was not only in the 1st XV rugby team in 1944/45, and was also senior swimming champion, senior athletics champion, senior tennis champion, a piper in the Pipe Band, and a Sergeant in the Army Cadets. Present day pupils may well ask when Tup found time for his academic studies, which obviously were not forgotten. Tup’s name appears regularly in the various histories written on Scots – senior gymnast champion in 1944, winner of the Didsbury Cup in 1945, and a great photo taken on VE Day in 1945, of Tup and 4 other pipers jumping for joy with other pipers at 2am at the celebrations in Wellington to mark this memorable occasion. Photos of the third and fourth language class in 1942 and the 1st XV rugby team in 1945 show his full involvement across all aspects of school life.

A more recent reference in the centenary history paints a picture of Tup’s memories of a noted teacher (Kay Wadham) during his time at Scots. Despite receiving the cane for an endeavour for which Kay was not amused. Tup notes that “Kay was the best teacher I had, despite not enjoying him much” and recalling how he liked to teach sitting on the oil heaters in the classroom.

Clearly Tup’s endeavours were rightly rewarded when he gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Victoria University of Wellington after 3 years’ study in 1948, then a Master of Business Science in Retailing from New York University in 1951/52, after which he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1950 for further study in the USA.

Tup’s direct and continuing involvement and link to Scots after his college years started first as parent to Alistair when he became a pupil, with no doubt participation along with Gillian on the Parents’ Committee, through to being elected a member of the College Board, and then progressing to being a Trustee and the first Patron of the Scots College Foundation. With these very close links, and with Tup’s love of sailing and involvement with boating activities and enjoyment on the water, this eventuated in the founding and sponsorship in 2003 of the “Arthur ‘Tup’ Radford Inter-Collegiate Yachting Academy” (TRIYA) based at Evans Bay. This included six 420 class yachts named after the College houses and with its own purpose-built shed. Sailing was clearly in Tup’s blood – for over 25 years, he sailed in Flying Fifteens, serving as President of the NZ Flying Fifteen Association, with no doubt having success in many events and championships. He will have helped many younger sailors, and not only those from Scots, to progress in their sailing skills through his commitment and willingness to be supportive. The benefits coming from TRIYA may well have helped New Zealand to punch above its weight in yachting on the world stage.

And not wishing to forget the academic side of schooling, in 2015, Tup provided for a Science scholarship to be known as the "Arthur Radford Science Scholarship." This legacy scholarship provides financial support to a Year 11 student who without such support may not otherwise be able to attend the College. The successful recipient must represent the ideals of the College and must also have a significant talent in the area of natural and universal sciences, in particular physics. To date, 4 student have benefited from this scholarship.

Over the years, Tup Radford was a very well-known identity in the Wellington retail scene, through being an Executive Director of Radford’s from 1963, the furniture and household business, first in Manners Street, and then Tory Street, through to its closing in 2006. He served on the Retail Traders Society, was President of the NZ Retailers Federation and the NZ College of Retailing.

Tup moved north in 2000 to live at Tutukaka, and although many miles from Wellington, that strong link to Scots College remained and a close attachment to the development and progress of the College was always not far from his mind. Successive Headmasters and Board Chairmen have always valued his knowledge and understanding of the role and place of Scots as a strong school founded on the principles of the Presbyterian Church. Tup’s years at Scots clearly show that the school motto came through “let education make the all-round man." In sporting activities, within broad academic areas, with support and assistance to others, Tup has very ably demonstrated why his name should be added to the Garden of Honour at Scots College.

Scots College Past Students are honoured that Tup Radford, who came to the College as a young boy in 1938, is now being appropriately recognised for his contribution to the College through many and various tangible means, and for his name to be so known to future generations of pupils at Scots.