David Lockwood Quail, the 13th headmaster of Jeppe High School for Boys, passed away on January 6, 2026, following a long illness. He was 89 years old. He and Claire had recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.
David came to Jeppe as a boy in 1950 and matriculated in 1954 as Head Boy of the School and Head of Tsessebe House. He was a very good sportsman. In his final year he played for the 1st XV, which produced Jeppe’s second unbeaten season, including a record 20-6 win over King Edward VII School (KES). In the School Magazine he was described as having “good hands, a good eye for a gap and who runs strongly. Very good tackler.” He also played for the 1st cricket team in his matric year.
After completing his degree at Wits and his teaching diploma at the Johannesburg College of Education (JCE), David was appointed to teach Latin at KES, where he also threw himself into the extra-mural sports programme. He was known to the KES boys as “Birdie” Quail.
Claire remembers that “we loved our time at KES. We had no children at that stage so I could watch Under 14 cricket and rugby matches. We had much socialising with parents, many of whom remained friends long after their boys had left school. David loved the annual cricket match of Wits staff vs KES staff.
“And we made some wonderful forever-friendships: Hugh Wilson, also a Latin teacher and a 50-year KES legend, boarded with us in Norwood; and John Hurry, the 1st XI cricket coach, who urged David to play better squash and who took me to the ballet at the Civic Theatre because David wouldn’t! There were many more friendships in that wonderful staffroom. Bruce and Jan McMurray became lifelong friends; we had many dinners and holidays together.”
After several happy years at KES, David moved to his alma mater in 1966. That first spell at Jeppe lasted just three years. He taught Latin and was assistant coach to George Kilian of the 1967 1st rugby team that had an outstanding season, losing only to Dale College in their final fixture.
Also in 1967, Bruce McMurray coached the KES 1st XV when his friend David was coaching the Jeppe first team (Jeppe won 16-9). Later each served his school as Headmaster over the period from the late 1970s to the late 1990s. The close relationship between KES and Jeppe owes much to relationships like this.
While teaching, David completed a BEd (Hons) at Wits and was appointed to JCE as a lecturer in 1969.
Former JCE Rector Prof Graham Hall, also a Jeppe Old Boy, recalls that “David’s lectures on the Theory of Education were well received by the students, who valued the way he related theory to his own teaching experience”.
Claire remembers that “David loved being at JCE. He was enormously intellectually stimulated by the many wonderful staff. After a few weeks of being there, he commented that the many of the women students were attractive and didn’t wear lipstick. I decided this was a hint for me, so I stopped using lipstick – which didn’t meet with his approval at all! So I gave up trying to compete with 20-year-olds”.
David enjoyed JCE not least because a slightly more flexible timetable enabled him to devote more time to playing squash.
He played top-level squash from 1965, including competing in the World Amateur Championships. He made provincial teams and was selected to represent South Africa on a tour to the UK. He was later appointed coach of the national teams that played in the World Championships in 1976 and in 1993. He was at one time the vice-chairman of the SA Squash Association.
David was at JCE until 1978 when he was appointed Headmaster of Jeppe High School for Boys.
In August 1990 the National Party government allowed state schools to admit pupils of all races for the first time in the country’s history. The transition from all-white to multiracial admission took parents, governing bodies and principals into uncharted territory.
The great South African boys’ schools like Jeppe, KES, Pretoria Boys’ High and Parktown were among those who showed the way, and they not only survived but thrived in the new environment.
Day-to-day executive management of the integration process (in addition to all the normal stresses and strains of headmastership) was akin to working on an aircraft while it was flying.
David was one of the last of the boys’ school headmaster titans who bridged the old and new eras. They drew on their collegial networks and vast experience and led their often-nervous school communities with cool nerve and courage, embracing change while preserving what was valuable in their schools’ traditions. This was by no means an inevitable achievement: it depended on men like David Quail.
As Headmaster, David’s leadership qualities were tested and not found wanting in the “Dalton Affair”. Always a controversial character, James Dalton (later a Springbok) was at a centre of a heated dispute that induced the boys of Jeppe to go on an unprecedented strike.
In the 1990 season, in Dalton’s last year at school, Jeppe played neighbours Athlone Boys’ High. “We were leading by about 40 points with 15 minutes to go,” recalls Jake White, “when Dalton was tackled into touch, landing among their Old Boys.” The incident exploded into a huge free-for-all, involving the Old Boys of both schools.
A disciplinary committee suspended Dalton for one game. The problem was that the next match, marked as part of Jeppe’s centenary celebrations, was at home against KES. Dalton’s presence was seen as crucial to Jeppe’s chances. “I must have had phone calls from ten schools,” says White, “offering to play us on the Wednesday, so that Dalton could serve out his suspension and play against KES on the Saturday.”
However, Headmaster Quail refused on principle to cancel the suspension or allow a midweek game. After much debate among boys and parents, Dalton was persuaded to address the school, and he asked the boys to end the strike. The big match went ahead and was won 16-3 by KES. There was some consolation in the return fixture at KES: with Dalton back in the side, Jeppe won 12-9.
There were many notable improvements at the school in the 19 years that David was headmaster. Among the physical developments he oversaw were the purchase of the Sable and Roan/Droste properties and their incorporation as boarding houses; the erection of the four squash courts; the acquisition of Centenary House and the closure of Robinson Street. Most significantly, the school’s enrolment grew from 750 boys to more than 1 000 during his tenure.
After retiring as Headmaster in 1997, David went into politics. Claire had been a stalwart of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and its predecessors, serving for many years as a Johannesburg city councillor. David was elected to the provincial legislature and served from 1999 to 2009 as the DA’s Shadow MEC for Education. He was known as a hard-working MPL who did his homework, paid attention to detail and insisted – sometimes impatiently – on holding the executive to account. Backed by his considerable experience, he was a formidable and respected legislator.
On the news of his passing, the DA paid tribute to his “unwavering commitment to help shape the future of Gauteng. He fought hard to address challenges in the education sector, such as classroom shortages, school fee hikes, and registration problems. David will be remembered by those who worked alongside him as a great public servant who epitomised duty, professionalism, and willingness to engage constructively in the interests of the public”.
David Quail’s life and legacy are inseparable from Jeppe High School for Boys. He is synonymous with much of what has shaped the school into what it is today. His contribution to the school was profound and enduring. He influenced generations of boys, staff, and families, and his impact continues to be felt across our community.
