Ian Symonds – a man whose contribution to Scots College extends back to when he first enrolled as a pupil in 1946, and then after an outstanding record as Dux, Senior Science Scholar, Prefect, sporting achievements in rugby, athletics, and boxing, in due time continued that involvement through being a member of the Scots Collegians Association, leading on to being a member of the Board of Governors of the College.

The dates shown on the plaque for Ian from 1956–2015 clearly indicate the many years following his education where he contributed in so many ways to ensure that Scots would not only continue to provide those features which have marked it as a prime example of an independent boys school, and which during those years would go on to reach the stage where it has become a leading example and contender for the best Presbyterian church school throughout the country.

Without listing Ian’s contribution and commitment to Scots year by year, his initial involvement was through becoming a member of Scots Collegians Association, moving on to a year as President of the Scots Collegians Association in 1977/78. This duly lead to being appointed to the College Board from 1977 continuing through to 1996, serving as Deputy Chairman from 1988–1990, and culminating in being elected Chairman from 1991–1996. In a statement recording Ian’s service and commitment outside Scots, it is described that “when you think of Ian, you readily think of words such as loyal, hard-working, committed, kind, and generous.”

This statement goes on to state that “ Ian was always happy to give of his time and in his own quiet way a master of constructive criticism. Ian taught us not to waste words and always focus on the heart of the argument."

These attributes were clearly to the fore during his time on the College Board, and the many challenges he faced. At the time of his standing down as Chairman, a very fitting statement records Ian’s contribution – “the College owes a debt to Ian Symonds whose dedication and sound judgement guided the deliberations of successive boards during the early and mid 1990’s, a period when the security of independent schools was far from clear.”

Not ready to stand aside following his significant contribution as a Board member and then Chairman, he continued this close involvement to the furthering of the special nature of Scots by becoming a founding member of the Scots Foundation, and serving as Chairman from 1998–2000.

Alongside this commitment to the College, Ian gave of his time more widely within the community with service to St John’s Church on the Board of Managers and as an Elder.  Also during this time, Ian served on the Queen Margaret College Board of Governors, and from 1994–2000 on the Independent Schools Council.

After this lengthy period of service to the College and to education both locally and more widely, Ian continued to make a major contribution to the Wellington community following his appointment as a JP in 1992. Once again his hard-work, willingness to serve and generous nature was to the fore when besides the regular duties as a JP, Ian served on the Wellington and Porirua District Court panels. A particular role was a Visiting Justice to prisons, an experience often described as humbling, but one where prison staff remember Ian with respect for his fairness and willingness to listen.

And then in more recent years, Ian was a nominated adult, which meant he was available to support a young person in police custody who did not have family or whānau to accompany them. His attributes and willingness as a JP lead to him being a member of the Wellington JP Council, and serving a term as President from 2003–2005, and then in 2011 he was elected as a Life Member.

This service to the community in these roles, and alongside his significant commitment to ensuring independent education was strongly based, Ian was recognised in 2009 by being awarded the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) – this accolade reflects the service that Ian gave without hesitation.

Ian Symonds, a man with a strong Christian faith, widely travelled, a lover of music, and a man who never hesitated to remind us to, “use as many of the seconds which life gives us every day, as in the bank of time, what you lose each day, cannot be recovered the next day.”

Written by George Fairbairn (Scots Collegians Secretary, 2016)