On 1st March 1855, the Madras Parental Academic Institution and Doveton College were established at Vepery within the local limits of Madras and was opened for commencement of study.
Capt. John Doveton was an Anglo Indian. Doveton is an illustrious name often mentioned in the history of the campaigns of Afghanistan, Mysore and Central India.
John was neglected by his relatives of the house to which he belonged. One of his uncles, while making enquiries after his own dead brother Michael, (John's father) found that his brother's son (John Doveton) was a poor, friendless, orphan at a charity school in Madras. He succeeded in obtaining for his nephew a commission in the Army of the Nizam of Hyderabad.
John's service dated from 21st March 1817. He rose to be Captain Commandant of the Seventh Regiment of Infantry, a rank next to that of a Brigadier.
John Doveton inherited a large fortune. He resigned his commission and went to London where he died on 15th October 1853.
John Doveton took a great interest in the education of the community and bequeathed ?0,000 for this purpose. This sum was equally divided between the Parental Academy at Calcutta, the name of which was then changed to Doveton College and another founded at Madras, the Doveton Protestant College.
Peter Carstairs was the Trustee and sole surviving executor of the Last Will and Testment of John Doveton. Peter Carstairs was based in Madras and was a merchant and an agent. He was Chairman of the first Appointed Trustees of the Madras Protestant College Trust. If it were not for this gentleman who actually carried out the wishes of John Doveton, these Doveton institutions would not have come into existence.
There have been several name changes from the Madras Parental Academy and Doveton College to the Madras Doveton Institution and Protestant College. It now goes under the name and style of the Doveton Corrie Protestant Schools' Association, governed by the Madras Doveton Protestant College Trust Deed, which embodies the Last Will and Testament of the late John Doveton.
The Doveton Girls' School was opened in 1856 and came into the present building in 1888. The Bishop Corrie High School, founded in 1836 amalgamated with Doveton Protestant College on 1st January 1928 bringing about another name change to Doveton Corrie.
A few years later Bishop Corrie started to function again at George Town but the name Corrie remained with Doveton.
Linked educationally at that time with the Doveton Corrie Protestant High School were a group of middle Schools. They were:
- The Bishop Corrie Middle School in North George Town
- The Christ Church Middle School
- The Civil Orphan Asylum, now known as St. George's School
- The St. Thomas Mount United School
All these had their own management, but regular meetings of representatives of the staff of all these schools were held under the Chairmanship of the Doveton Boy's School, in which matters affecting the general curriculum and educational efficiency were discussed with Doveton Corrie taken as their standard.
For several years right upto the year 1955 there were no additions to the Doveton Corrie Schools till the purchase of the property at 8, General Collins Road by the Doveton Corrie Protestant Schools Association from Mr. Howard Oakley on 29th January 1955. The Board of Governors at that time purchased this property for educational purpose. On 15th July 1955 the Oakley Nursery School was established. On 1st April 2001 the name was changed as Doveton Oakley, which comprises of a nursery and catering school.
The present management felt the necessity of starting another school to cater to boys in and around Vepery area because of the increasing need for accommodation in our schools. On 14th June 1993 the Doveton Matriculation School was started.
The management under the chairmanship of Mr. J.D. Bornshin launched out on an 82 lakh programme for the construction with all amenities for a separate building for the Matriculation School. The foundation tablet was laid by Dr. C. Palanivelu, Director of School Education. The Matriculation School started in 1993. During the dynamic Presidency of Mr. H.E. Willkins, the school has been upgraded to Higher Secondary level since July 1997 and the Nursery Section was introduced with effect from June 2002.
