There are an estimated 4,500 alumni scattered across the globe — in London, Johannesburg, Sydney, Auckland, Houston, Harare and beyond — who still carry this school quietly in their hearts. Thornhill shaped who we are: our grit, our wit, our lifelong bonds forged under the wide Midlands sky. The school is still there. The children are still learning. They deserve the same magnificent institution we were privileged to attend. It is time — long past time — to give something back.
It is an elephant — so we will eat it one bite at a time. A secure precast wall costs about $57 a metre. Take one metre, ten, or a hundred. Or give $50–$60 a month until it is done. Every payment goes straight to the supplier.
A school forged in the spirit of the Royal Air Force — through hardship to the stars. Seven decades of shaping minds, building character, producing citizens of the world.
Thornhill High School is located at 656 Harare Road, Gweru, Zimbabwe. Founded in January 1955 on the Thornhill Air Force Base in what was then Gwelo, Rhodesia, the school moved to its current site in 1958 and has shaped generations ever since.
The school's motto, Per Spinas Ad Culmina — "Through the Thorns to the Summit" — was composed by Frank Taylor, drawing deliberately on the RAF's own motto Per Ardua Ad Astra. Both speak of triumph through adversity.
The school has boarding facilities in Cranwell House and Halton House, and offers a full academic and sporting curriculum including hockey, cricket, football, volleyball, netball and rugby.
Thornhill has maintained a pass rate of over 70% every year. Notable alumni include former head boy Stanislaus Matoreva, who graduated from Harvard University, and Tapuwanashe Allin, Miss Africa Princess 2019.
Seven decades of stories, of struggle and triumph, of masters and pupils who gave everything to this institution.
Thornhill High School opened on the Thornhill Air Force Base in Gwelo in January 1955. The first Headmaster was Mr Phil Todd, known as "Toofy," leading a founding staff of just four: Mr W "Doodles" Viljoen, Mr Frank Taylor — who gave the school its immortal motto — and Miss Christine Roberts.
Classes were held in corrugated-iron prefabs. Assemblies took place in an Operations Room with maps on the walls. Gymnasium was conducted in a hangar. Cricket nets were laid on concrete foundations of former barrack rooms.
In January 1958, the school packed its bags and moved to its present site. John Rowlands, the groundsman, laid out the grounds and playing fields that would define the school's character for generations.
1960 introduced the distinctive colours blazer. The First Rugby XV had a brilliant season, winning 12 of 14 fixtures. By 1960, Upper Sixth pupils from Chaplin were attending Thornhill for science, and Thornhill pupils going to Chaplin for arts — a cross-pollination that continues to shape both schools' characters.
The long-awaited swimming pool opened in 1970. Musical productions flourished: "South Pacific" in 1971, "Oliver!" in 1973, "Annie Get Your Gun" in 1974. In 1972, Thornhill was designated Zimbabwe's first Agricultural High School — a bold experiment that proved the school's capacity to lead.
As newly independent Zimbabwe opened formerly white schools to pupils of all races, Thornhill adapted and maintained its academic standards. In 1984, the first Black head boy and head girl were appointed. In 1985, Noel Gocha became the school's first Black headmaster.
The school celebrated its Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2005, its Diamond Jubilee (60 years) in 2015, and in 2025 marked its extraordinary Platinum Jubilee (70 years) with events in Harare (26–28 September) and London (12 July).
Thornhill alumni span the globe — from Gweru to London, Johannesburg to Sydney, Auckland to Houston. This is your network. This is your home.
You walked those corridors. You studied under that Midlands sky. You forged friendships that decade after decade have refused to fade. The children in those same classrooms today deserve the same magnificent institution you attended — but they cannot build it alone. Neither can their teachers. Neither can their parents. Only we can. Four thousand five hundred alumni, spread across ten countries, each giving the smallest possible amount. Not charity. Not obligation. An investment in the legacy that formed us.
Every THS alumnus and alumna. One dollar a month. Automated, frictionless, permanent. £1 in the UK. R10 in South Africa. $1 AUD in Australia. One EcoCash dollar in Zimbabwe. At 300 active members: $3,600 a year — without a single fundraiser.
Join the InitiativeTHSAA UK — alumni across England, Wales and Scotland. Monthly meetups and the annual London reunion.
Join UK ChapterTHS SA — alumni across Joburg, Cape Town, Durban and beyond. A vibrant diaspora community.
Join SA ChapterTHS Australia — alumni across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane. The Southern Hemisphere contingent.
Join AU ChapterTHS New Zealand — alumni in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and beyond. The Kiwi contingent, proudly Thornhill.
Join NZ ChapterTHS North America — alumni from Houston to Toronto. The furthest eagles, still flying the THS colours.
Join North AmericaThe professional network — mentorship, opportunities, and cross-industry connections globally.
Join Business GroupThrough the Thorns Townhall — the main community forum for school business, debates and decisions.
Join TownhallThe lads' network — banter, reunions, old boys' stories and the spirit of Thornhill brotherhood.
Join Boys HangoutFor rugby men past and present. The Eagles fly on — carrying the fighting spirit of Thornhill on every pitch.
Join Rugby EaglesTHS Zimbabwe — alumni based in Harare, Bulawayo and the Midlands. Closest to the roots.
Join Zimbabwe ChapterThe Townhall is where our community makes its decisions — transparent, democratic, belonging to all.
The Thornhill Townhall is built for speed and action — an agile fundraising community that works alongside the Thornhill High School Alumni Association, not beneath it. The Association carries the institutional weight: the constitution, the statutes, and the formal structures of the organisation. The Townhall respects that entirely. What the Townhall brings is momentum. When the Association has a project, a priority, or a budget that needs backing, the Townhall is the first call — a creative, resourceful partner ready to fundraise, mobilise and deliver. The Townhall is not a replacement for the Association, and it does not answer to it. It answers to the mission. Both bodies share the same north star: a stronger, better-resourced Thornhill High School for every generation that walks through its gates.
Every purchase supports the THS School Fund. Wear the gold. Carry the crest.
From Gweru to London, Johannesburg to Sydney. Mark your diary.
Seventy years of Thornhill — from the archives to Prize Day 2026. Tap any photo to enlarge, or press play to watch the videos.



















































Three sharp quizzes. History, geography, Latin. How much Thornhill is still in you?
Three in-depth psychometric profiles. Each takes 5–8 minutes. Your results are instantly shareable.
Because THS people are never too serious to have a laugh.
Match all 8 pairs. Fewer moves = better score. Prove those Thornhill study sessions meant something.
Spin to discover your THS alter-ego. Prefect, Rugger, Drama King, or The Legend?
Classic Thornhill scenes. Caption them. React. Share. Repeat.
The school needs a secure 900 metre perimeter fence, 1.8 m high. It is an elephant — we will eat it one bite at a time. Take as many metres as you can afford.
The school is asking its alumni to partner on a perimeter fence. The aim is simple: a safer place to learn.
Control who comes in and out of the school grounds.
Safeguard buildings, equipment and infrastructure.
A clear, secure boundary around the backyard.
Alumni and school building something together.
Every metre is $57. Choose what you can, and tell us below so your name goes on the wall.
Small and steady beats big and rare. Set up a standing order or a monthly EcoCash payment and keep it going until the last metre is built.
A planning estimate for 900 m × 1.8 m, with a 30% contingency for price changes and surprises.
| Item | US$ |
|---|---|
| Wall panels & posts | $20,394 |
| Foundations & concrete | $3,705 |
| Labour & erection | $5,400 |
| Top security wire | $1,040 |
| Gates (2 vehicle, 3 pedestrian) | $1,660 |
| Site clearing | $1,200 |
| Delivery | $3,500 |
| Supervision & site security | $2,000 |
| Sundries | $400 |
| Subtotal | $39,299 |
| Contingency (30%) | $11,790 |
| TOTAL | $51,089 |
This is an estimate, not a supplier quote. Figures will be replaced by real quotes from the selected suppliers. Payments go directly to suppliers, never through individuals. Not included: survey, drawings or permit fees, VAT/IMTT.
Cheapest and fastest, but cut-and-sell theft is the risk. It happened before.
No scrap value, hard to cut, and can be built in stages as money arrives.
Longest-lasting but the dearest and slowest, and most exposed to cement prices.
Each bite is $5,677 and stands on its own. As soon as one is funded it can be built.
Pay first or pledge first. Either way, tell us below so your metres are recorded in your name.
Thornhill High School · Alumni Liaison Office — Mrs A. Matanga
Questions? Sacha Robinson (Digital Strategy Director) · WhatsApp +44 7352 998 917
Every name below is published. Every prize below has a face behind it. On the morning of Prize Giving Day, a child will walk onto that stage and be handed something that somebody chose to pay for. The only question left is whose name is on it.
Ranked by value committed. Cash gifts fund the prizes; in‑kind gifts fund the kit, the trophies and the website you are reading this on.
The school has written to the Alumni Association to thank every supporter of the Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremony.
On behalf of the School Administration, Staff, Learners and School Development Committee of Thornhill High School, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for your generous contribution towards our Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremony.
Your support greatly contributed to the success of the event and demonstrated the strong bond that continues to exist between Thornhill High School and its former students. We deeply appreciate your commitment to supporting the school and celebrating the achievements of our learners.
We value your continued partnership and support, and we look forward to working together in the development of our school and the advancement of our learners.
Thank you once again for your generosity and unwavering support.
Gifts that never appear on a bank statement but are felt on the field, in the workshop and on this very page.
A prize can be sponsored from as little as $20. Tell us what you would like to back — a subject prize, a trophy, a set of kit, or simply an amount — and your name joins the standings above.
Prefer to speak to someone? Message the Prize Giving Day desk on WhatsApp →
Parents and guardians are being asked to decide on the construction of an additional classroom block. It takes thirty seconds and it is counted.
A formal consultation of the Thornhill High School parent body. One response per parent or guardian.
There has been a persistent shortage of classrooms for our learners, which has been drawn to parents' attention before. In view of this recurring problem, the school suggests the construction of an additional block to alleviate the shortage.
As parents and guardians, your input to this suggestion is very vital. Kindly indicate whether or not you support this move by selecting the appropriate box below.
Your response is recorded by the school and delivered to Mrs A Matanga, who is collating the parent body's decision. Fields marked required must be completed for the vote to be valid.
Whether you are reconnecting, donating, or submitting a story — we want to hear from you.