About the OCA

Founded in the early days of BBC, the Old Collegians’ Association was established to foster a strong fellowship between Old Boys and the College, to ensure traditions are maintained and to provide networking opportunities for members through reunions, social functions and BBC activities.

If you would like to find out more, please get in touch with the Old Collegians Association.

History of the OCA

Informal contacts between Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC) and its Old Boys were formalised at a meeting in the Masters Common Room at Clayfield on Friday, 27 August 1920 with the formation of the BBC Old Collegians’ Association (OCA).

The founder of BBC, Mr Arthur ‘Barney’ Rudd OBE, chaired this meeting, which was also attended by W Renton (1904-06), J C Capper (1912-16), W L Boyd (1916-19), N M Grimes (1917-20), and S B Snow (second master). It was decided that Rudd would draw up provisional articles of association to be submitted to a general meeting to be held on 13 September.

At the general meeting Rudd was elected the first president of the OCA. The vice-presidents were Messrs W L Boyd, H E H Ferguson and A Littledike. The treasurer was W Renton and the secretaries were C W Hughes and E J Lancaster. Messrs C H Cleghorn, L Davy, R Graham and A J Randall were councillors.

In addition to keeping Old Collegians in touch with each other and fostering fellowship, the primary objective named in the first OCA constitution was to support the College by funding scholarships for sons of Old Collegians and by providing endowments. They also promised to foster an interest in matters of national importance through lectures, published papers and discussions.

All Old Boys of the College and masters of at least two years standing were eligible to join. The annual subscription was seven shillings and sixpence, payable in advance. The creation of the OCA helped, at a pivotal time in the development of the College, to engender a sense of tradition and permanency in the College community. Consequently, the Old Collegians played a seminal role, during those formative years, in creating the ethos and value system of BBC.