The first board of Marlborough High School met on 13 November 1899. Three acres on Stephenson Street were purchased for £600 and another were donated by Thomas Carter, taking the grounds through to Francis Street. Dr John Innes was appointed the first Head Teacher. The school opened in the Church Of NativitySunday School building on Alfred Street, on 26 March 1900, with 18 pupils attending on the first day. The cornerstone for the first school building on the Stephenson Street site was laid on 22 September 1900. Marlborough High School was co-educational and fee paying with free places to those who could not afford it but who had proved themselves able in the proficiency examination. The change in name from Marlborough High School to Marlborough College was made in 1919. In 1926 Mr Stewart was awarded a travelling scholarship to visit junior high schools in Canada and the United States. The department of education was interested in incorporating a Junior High into the College structure. In 1927 an intermediate was established on the site with 275 pupils taking the total roll to 557. The intermediate continued on the site until 1957, when roll pressures required the establishment of Bohally Intermediate on Mclauchlan Street. In 1963 the Marlborough Girls' College was founded and Marlborough Boys' College continued on the original site. The first official discussion on the division of the college having taken place in June 1947. Mr Insull the Principal at the time suggested that “the time would come when the board would have to consider the question of separate boys’ and girls’ schools … and that the girls school might be established on the other side of town ".
X Static FM89
was a radio station in the Marlborough Region of New Zealand which originated as a Marlborough College-based radio station, X-Static FM operated by The X-Static Society. The station was based at the College and broadcast on 89FM with the callsign 2STA. Two years earlier the school ran a temporary radio station as part of a school fundraiser called Artyfacts FM. This station was the first FM broadcast in the South Island. X- Static went on air in February 1986 and only operated on a part-time basis during school lunch times and some evenings. The station was rebranded as Marlborough's 89FM in 1988 and remained at Marlborough Boys' College until 1989 when the station moved to new premises at the BlenheimPost Office Building; by this time the station was broadcasting from 6AM to 12AM. In 1990 the X-Static Society in partnership with Fifeshire FM from Nelson launched a new station Sounds 93FM using a commercial frequency purchased at auction from the government. Sounds FM broadcast in both Picton, Blenheim and Kaikoura.
Marlborough High School building development 1900–1919
1901 – Old School Building opened
1902 – Nosworthy House purchased as Headmaster residence or Rectory
1910 – Tower added to old school
1910 – First gymnasium built
The College is located off Stephenson Street, with a large white building housing the English, maths and languages departments on the street front. In 2003–04 a new hall was built to the rear of the complex, and the music department was updated to include new music suites. It has a small swimming pool and is located in the vicinity of St Mary's church.
