In November 1863, Thomas Johnston arrived at the new College at Newington House to take up the post of ‘Head Master’,

Johnston had been recruited by Wesleyan churchmen visiting England and left for Australia in August. It had originally been hoped that a head master, along with an assistant master, would be recruited in time for the College’s opening in July. When it was clear that this would not happen, however, the young Rev James Egan Moulton had been persuaded to take up the role of Head for the time being and get classes operating.

Johnston was described as a fine classical scholar with a passion for accuracy and precision. As Head Master, he had overall charge of teaching, under the direction of the President, who was in charge of the College as a whole. Johnston also taught the senior ‘division’ of the school: at this early stage, it was divided into just three such classes. He had a particular love of Latin, which was at the centre of the Classics based education of the time, and is credited with setting a firm early foundation for the school’s academic achievements. Johnston had lost a leg in an accident in England, and used a wooden one. It was said that this gave the boys warning of his approach on the wooden floors of the school buildings.

Our earliest financial records show that Johnston was engaged at a salary of £200 per annum and also received reimbursement of his travelling expenses of £81. Later he sought an increase in salary to £300 and better furniture for his room. He got only the furniture, and his relationship with the Wesleyan Committee of Education and then the new College Council deteriorated. In April 1866, the Council determined to dispense with his services at the end of the year. His successor, George Metcalfe, was engaged at £300 per annum.

Johnston’s surname is spelled in three different ways in the early school records, but ‘Johnston’ seems most likely to be correct. His name is commemorated in Johnstone House, the additional ‘e’ reflecting the form of his name commonly used when the House was established in 1954.