Methodist Boys’ School

One sweltering July day in 1897, a Royal Navy admiral, Dr. William T. Kensett, made a life-altering decision. He left the battleship HMS Orion to establish a church and a school for the Tamil community in Kuala Lumpur. This marked the humble beginnings of what we now know as the Methodist Boys’ School. The Methodist Boys’ School initially started as the Anglo-Tamil School in a small wooden shophouse. It stood at the intersection of Batu Road and Java Street, a location now lost to time. In 1899, Rev. Abraham took the helm as the first headmaster, guiding a modest staff of four teachers. The school officially became a government-aided institution. A few years later, the Methodist Boys’ School found a new home in the unlikely setting of a former pork market on Malacca Street, under the leadership of Rev. W. E. Horley. This move also opened the school’s doors to students of all races, a significant step in its evolution. However, the dilapidated condition of the market building forced the school to relocate several times, prompted by the sanitary board. Finally, in 1904, the Methodist Boys’ School settled on Petaling Hill, its current location. Within just eight months, the community rallied to raise enough funds for a new building. Two wings and a playing field were added. This rapid development reflects the community’s commitment to education and their belief in the Methodist Boys’ School’s mission. Methodist Boys’ School’s journey didn’t end there. The school’s name, by the way, caused a bit of confusion over the years. Some referred to it as “Horley School,” after Rev. Horley. Others mistakenly thought it was named after the Chinese word for marble, a popular game among students at the time. Fast forward to 2008, the Methodist Boys’ School received further recognition, being awarded cluster school status by the Ministry of Education. From its humble beginnings in a shophouse to its current esteemed status, Methodist Boys’ School has consistently served as a beacon of education in Kuala Lumpur.