Paul Hadfield Retires after 41 Years at SPSC

Old scholars who have been at St Peter’s College in the period 1984 to 2024 will remember Mr Paul Hadfield who retires after 41 years’ exceptional service at the end of this year.

Our research suggests that there are only three teachers who have worked at St Peter’s College for longer than 41 years.

Perhaps this is an appropriate time to consider Paul’s enormous contribution to the life of our School where he has had a powerful influence on the lives of thousands of boys in many areas of School life.

Image: Paul Hadfield 1996 magazine.

Paul Hadfield studied at the University of South Australia (1978-1982) in Physics and Maths where his Physics Lecturers included Dr Brian Webber and Dr Richard Parham, outstanding teachers, who had written some excellent Physics textbooks. Paul’s first year of teaching was in 1983 when he had some challenging short term contracts at schools in the northern suburbs of Adelaide including Elizabeth West, Salisbury North, Salisbury East and Northfield High School. He was appointed at the young age of 23 to teach Physics and Maths at St Peter’s College at the beginning of 1984.  Dr Brian Webber was Deputy Head of St Peter’s College in the period 1980-1983. He was later Headmaster of Prince Alfred College. He could see Paul’s potential as a Physics Teacher and how he would contribute to the co-curricular programme and the wider life of the School.

Paul’s main subject was Physics and he also took some Maths at the Junior levels. Talking to Paul about his first few years here, he has great respect for former Headmaster Dr AJ Shinkfield and his Deputy Dr BJ Webber who gave him the opportunity to join the St Peter’s staff at a young age. Paul also has great respect for an excellent colleague in Stephen Webber, Brian’s son. They taught Physics together for 17 years. Paul became Head of Physics in 1988 and was later Head of Science 2008-2011. Paul passed on his interest in Physics to thousands of boys who were taught by him. The results in Physics have been outstanding.

He became CAS (Community, Action, Service) Coordinator in the IB programme in 2006. In 2012 after the retirement of Mr Chris Taylor he became IB Diploma Coordinator. He has often travelled overseas to lead workshops for IB Physics teachers.

Paul was an Assistant in Hawkes House from 1993 to 1995 and the Head of Young House for eight years from 1996 to 2003. When he retired from Young House at the end of 2003, the School magazine recorded: “Under his guidance, the House has blossomed and is now particularly strong in its fortieth year. Mr Hadfield’s approachability, devotion and warm, reassuring manner have enabled him to assist all the boys in developing their strengths and talents, in whatever direction they lie. For this dedication, the boys at Young are extremely grateful."


Image: Young House 2003

Paul has been Water Polo Coordinator. In the summer he coached Water Polo and Swimming. In the winter he took Cross Country Running, Football and Basketball. He has led several water polo tours to destinations that have included New Zealand, Sydney, Melbourne and Hawaii.

Image: Cross Country Team -1989

Image: Open Swimming/Water Polo - 1988

Image: 2003 Open A Water Polo Team
Image: 1996 Open A Water Polo & NZ Touring team

Paul took ten “Saints to Fiji” trips and six to “Saints to Cambodia” trips. All of these were concerned with service learning.  The first trip to Fiji was in April 2006. Chris Taylor and Paul Hadfield took 12 boys. They built a house as part of the Rotahomes project with the aim of establishing housing for the poor in Fiji. On the ten trips to Fiji they used their spare luggage allowance to take substantial quantities of clothes, sporting goods, toys, craft materials, exercise and reading books. These goods were well received, especially the rugby, netball and soccer balls.

Image: Paul Hadfield (left) and Chris Taylor (right) lead the first “Saints to Fiji venture” in 2006, building houses at the Rotahomes site - 'Koroipita'.

As well as coaching at our School, Paul has coached various SPOC water polo teams for over 15 years.

For the last four years (2021-2024) a SPOC water polo team and a St Peter’s College team have competed for the Paul Hadfield Cup.  The SPOC Connect website says: “Paul Hadfield was and continues to be an integral member of the St Peter’s water polo community, having coached the 1st VII team for over two decades, and SPOC Water Polo couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to honour him than hosting a game between current and former Saints boys”.  Jack Duggan (FLL 2018) has written: “Many of the boys currently playing at SPOC have fond memories of their time playing under Paul Hadfield at school, and his contribution to water polo at St Peter’s cannot be overstated.” SPOC won the initial Water Polo Old Scholars Intercollegiate match v Prince Alfred College in November 2021. In 2023 Paul was made an Honorary Member of the St Peter’s Old Collegians’ Association.


Image: Paul Hadfield (far right) at 2023 SPOC Annual General Meeting

Those of us who have worked closely with Paul in teaching Physics or in the House context have appreciated the support he has given us. Paul has two children (Luke, an old scholar (YNG 2003), born in 1986, and Megan born in 1989) and seven grandchildren. For recreation he enjoys holidays on Yorke Peninsula, fishing and spending time with family. We wish him all the best for his well-earned retirement.

Image: P Hadfield (in the centre of the middle row). Staff v Prefects Football Match 1988 School Magazine. 

Surely it is people like Mr Paul Hadfield, an outstanding Physics teacher, who has also contributed so generously in many different areas of school life outside the classroom that have helped make our school exceptional?

Researched and written by David Docwra
David Docwra retired from St Peter’s College in December 2015 after 37 years’ service and is fondly remembered by many as a dedicated teacher, a committed coach of squash, cricket and soccer, and most especially as a passionate Head of Hawkes House for 21 years. David remains connected to St Peter’s College and regularly provides historical articles for the St Peter’s Old Collegians’ newsletters. In 2023 David was made an Honorary Member of the St Peter’s Old Collegians’ Association.