NORRIE, WILLIAM was born in 1843 in Scotland, and educated at Greenock Academy and Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, graduating M.A. with high honours in classics. He taught at Greenock Academy, the Edinburgh Institution and Merchiston Castle School. In 1875 he was classical master in Dr A. H. Bryce's collegiate school in Edinburgh, when he was selected as headmaster of the Otago Boys High School. As the culmination of a public controversy as to the jurisdiction of the education board inspectors, Norrie refused to allow them to examine the school. Eventually strained relations between the headmaster and the board led to his resignation (Oct 1877). He returned to England (1878) and was appointed headmaster of the undenominational schools at Kimberley, South Africa.

Otago H.S.O.B. Reg.; Otago Daily Times, 13 Mar 1875; 5 Apr 1875, 28 Aug 1877, 3 Aug 1933 (p)

Reference: Volume 2, page 67

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