R. K. von Goldstein

Major R.K. von Goldstein MBE
von Goldstein as headmaster
Personal details
Born	Ralph Kenneth von Goldstein (1909-07-25)25 July 1909 Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	18 March 1979(1979-03-18) (aged 69) Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Alma mater	University of Cambridge
Occupation	Educationist military officer
Known for	being headmaster of Bishop Cotton School, Shimla
Military service
Branch/service	British Indian Army
Years of service	1941-1946
Rank	Major
Unit	Army Ordnance Corps
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	War Medal
Service number	E.C.5460

Major Ralph Kenneth von Goldstein, MBE (25 July 1909 - 18 March 1979) ^{[1] [2]} was an Indian educationist. He is primarily known for his stint as the headmaster of the Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, from 1963 till 1976. ^{[3] [4]}

Biography

Background

R.K. von Goldstein belonged to the von Goldstein family, which had had a long association with Shimla. ^{[1] [5]} From 1876 until the year of his death in 1892, Felix von Goldstein was Director of Music to the Viceroys of India. ^{[6] [7]} Felix von Goldstein acquired much wealth, as evident from his purchase of two major properties of 19th century Shimla, Benmore and Wildflower Hall. ^[8] The association of his descendants with Shimla ended with R.K. von Goldstein's death in 1979. ^[1]

His brother, Colonel Frank Adolph von Goldstein (1908-1978), ^[9] also studied at Bishop Cotton School. ^[10] Frank von Goldstein later served as the second headmaster of Yadavindra Public School, Patiala from 1950 to 1968. ^[11] In his memory, the school holds the Colonel Frank von Goldstein Memorial Debate. ^{[12] [13]}

Education

An aerial view of the Bishop Cotton School, Shimla

R.K. von Goldstein initially studied at Lawrence College in Murree. He then attended Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, where he was the house captain of Ibbetson House in 1927. ^[14] After school, he went on to study at Cambridge University, where also he was elected into the Hawks Club. ^[15] . He was later honoured with an M.A. (Cantab) degree. ^[16]

Career

R.K. von Goldstein served as a Major in the Army Ordnance Corps of the British Indian Army during the Second World War and was awarded the War Service Award. He was also appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the 1946 Birthday Honours. ^{[15] [17]}

R.K. von Goldstein and Benazir Bhutto at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla (1972)

He taught at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla in the 1930s, and after that he went on to teach at Aitchison College in Lahore. ^[3] He became the vice principal at Aitchison, where a house was subsequently named in his honour. ^[18] He returned to Bishop Cotton as headmaster in 1963, a position he held until 1976. ^{[15] [19]} In 1972, Benazir Bhutto visited Bishop Cotton while R.K. von Goldstein was the headmaster. ^{[20] [21]} He is the only Old Cottonian who has been headmaster at the school. ^{[22] [23]}

Memorials

In his memory, the school holds The Major R.K. von Goldstein Memorial Cricket Tournament. ^{[24] [25] [26]}

Reference

1. Bhasin, Raja (1992). Simla, the Summer Capital of British India. Viking. ISBN   978-0-670-84728-0.
2. "Ralph Kenneth Von Goldstein". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
3. Verma, Naveen (25 September 2011). "Upholding tradition in modern times". The Tribune (India). Retrieved 25 November 2025.
4. Joshi, Shriniwas (30 January 2008). "Far From The Madding Crowd". The Tribune. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
5. Buck, Edward John (1904). Simla, past and present. University of California Libraries. Calcutta, Thacker, Spink.
6. "Felix Carl Heinrich Von Goldstein (1834-1892)". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
7. "8 August 1849 - End May 1927". valmayukuk.tripod.com. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
8. Russell, Anthony (2016). I Think I Know Who I Am: the anatomy of a family. Lulu.com. pp. 61–63. ISBN   978-1-326-89270-8.
9. "Frank Adolph Von Goldstein". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
10. "LIST OF DISTINGUISHED OCs". www.oldcottonians.org. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
11. Singh, Roopinder. "YPS: 50-year-old institution with a century-old heritage". www.roopinder.com. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
12. "30th Col Frank Von Goldstein Memorial Debate: Mohali Yadavindra Public School pips Patiala team". The Tribune. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
13. "YPS wins Col Frank Von Goldstein English debate contest". Hindustan Times. 12 October 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
14. "Ibbetson House". Bishop Cotton Shimla. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
15. "Newsletter – Apr-May 2006". Old Cottonians Association. 1 April 2006. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012.
16. "Mitre News Letter Vol 3 August 2005" (PDF). Old Cottonians Association. 3 September 2005.
17. "Page 2775 | Supplement 37598, 4 June 1946 | London ..." The Gazette. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
18. "House Heads Junior School - Aitchison College". aitchison.edu.pk. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
19. "Forged in steel | Tea 'N' Teas" . Retrieved 26 November 2025.
20. "1972 – Benazir Bhutto with Mr R K von Goldstein | Old Cottonians Association". 20 September 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
21. "History of failed agreements: Why Shimla is no longer a 'summit' destination". The Week. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
22. "Newsletter – Sept-Oct 2006". Old Cottonians Association. September 2006. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
23. "Headmaster's Lodge". Bishop Cotton Shimla. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
24. Bybishopcotton. "Bishop Cotton School team rejoice win at 20th Cricket Contest, Shimla – Bishop Cotton School" . Retrieved 28 May 2024.
25. "Sports". Bishop Cotton School, Shimla. Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
26. DHNS. "Bishop Cotton Boys' School wins Shimla tourney". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 9 May 2024.