The special focus of the next edition of the Bagpipe will be on OA’s who have taken art as a subject and gone on to pursue art as a career or as a serious hobby. To start the ball rolling, Mac noted in the Sunday Times early this year an article on CYRIL COETZEE (E7379), who had been commissioned to paint a portrait of President Mandela, a gift to the President from his legal counsel and friend of 40 years, Advocate George Bizos, SC. Cyril won a Vita Award in 1993. The portrait of Arthur Cotton which hangs in the foyer of the College administration building is also one of his works.

So all of you out there who wield a brush for purposes other than interior decoration, let us know what you are doing with your talents!
Another apology!!
Difficulties in production have once again resulted in a very late Bagpipe. The production team are investigating ways of overcoming the problems, and sincerely hope that you will receive the 1997 Bagpipe before the end of this year. Some of the news in this edition can only be described as very dated, but we have tried to include news of interest even if it is rather out of date. We hope that the bumper size of this edition goes some way to making up for this. In the immortal words seen so often on our TV screens, we are working on the problem. Normal service will be restored as soon as possible.

PHILIP BATEMAN (X5963) is a director of companies and journalist and lives in Bishopscourt, Cape Town. He lectures in direct marketing, is writing several books simultaneously and is financial columnist for Woman’s Value. An article of his in The Reader’s Digest was voted the most significant of the month by readers and Dullah Omar, Minister of Justice, responded to his speech at the press launch. He recently married a “beautiful, talented and intellectually brilliant” lass (ex Rodean), Caroline Gale, who is parenting and fiction editor at Woman’s Value. Best man was JULIAN BARTLETT (M6771), now practising as an attorney in Johannesburg, and also at the wedding was Philip’s brother ANTHONY (X5659), who came from London for the wedding, GRENVILL WILKINSON (A5964), and Jenny Macdonald (nee Bryant DSG +/- 1964). He sees from time to time STAN HANNATH (G6064), and COLIN PALMER (U5862) who’s a computer boffin at Reader’s Digest and who also serves on the executive of the SA Direct Marketing Association. One of his long-term book projects is on unusual South African links with overseas events and people (especially UK ones) such as the Titanic, Mt Everest, Tutenkhamun’s tomb opening, the Burke and Hare body snatchers, Churchill’s SA wartime staff etc. The book includes OA James Greathead who helped create the London underground in 1890. If there are any OA’s who can provide any more of these fascinating links, Philip would be interest in hearing from you. Write to Box 15410, Vlaeberg 8108. Fax (021) 642241.

JOHN PARKINSON (U5760) is married to Cherry, and describes himself as a Third World Agricultural Consultant. He has been based in Bedfordshire, UK, since 1981 (Mac: he must have a lot on his hands teaching those Bedfordshire farmers 3rd world farming methods!) They have three sons. John finished a 6 month spell in Cumbria setting up a Christian Centre, running a conference-cum-teaching set-up, but is now freelancing again as an agricultural consultant.

PAUL THESEN (E7979) left College because of illness and was the youngest recipient of a heart in the world at the time, under the deft hands of Prof Chris Barnard and his team. He is now fully recovered and leads a normal life, enjoying motorcross, karate, skydiving and running marathons. He represented SA in the World transplant Olympics, swimming, but because of political pressure, the team was boycotted.

He finished his schooling at Woodridge College and became a helicopter shottist in a game capture and relocation company in Botswana and Malawi. He went on to Rhodes to do photographic journalism, but a change of plans saw him joining the family business in Knysna, as a Property developer, specialising in resorts and township development.

After two years in the Air Force, ADRIAN HART (E8487) studied for his B Com at UPE. He majored in Business Economics and Industrial Psychology, which will stand him in good stead for his farming career! He spent 6 months on a cane and citrus farm near Komatiepoort. After sweating it out in the heat, he decided to head for the highlands near Hogsback, and is now farming Happy Valley with his father HUGH E6468) and brother NICHOLAS (E8588).

Other young Old Andreans in the Cathcart district are: MICK CORDNER (U8084), and RICHARD BOWKER (U8387). Other Old Andreans on the Happy Valley Road in the Cathcart district are: TONY HART (U4548), his son BOBSY (U7782); JULIAN BOWKER (U4953), his son ROBERT (U7578); JOHN BOWKER (U4649) and his son RICHARD (U8387); Hugh Hart, his sons Adrian and Nicholas; and TED WELSH (U4851).

MERVYN WINGFIELD (U5762) has completed a two year consulting assignment in Japan, which has been a fascinating experience and a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to a totally different culture. Mervyn has been helping a Japanese computer company with the restructuring of their computer systems. Normally home is Cambridge in the UK.

Other OA’s that he keeps in contact with are brother ROBERT (U6368) who works for Boeing in Seattle, cousin ANTHONY KENNY (U5357) who is now a judge in the UK, COLIN PALMER (U5762) who is into computers in Cape Town, TOM BRAMWELL-JONES (A5863) and JOHN RATCLIFFE (M5660).

CHRIS HOOD (E5861) writes that his younger son started at SAC in 1994, and the family now uses any excuse to drive to Grahamstown. They have a small holiday house at Bushmans, and he has also opened a Quantity Surveying office in Grahamstown to complement his office in Newlands.

No news from the ’72 leavers in the 1994 Bagpipe prompted ROB NEVIN (X6872) to write. He has been living in Johannesburg for the past 6 years and has a son at KES. Rob is the Operational Director of a black hair care manufacturing company with 3 salon and retail outlets. Les Shone (U5659) goes to the same church as Rob. Rob comments on the fact that many ‘85-’90 OA’s are living overseas and hopes that they will return as the new SA needs the expertise of Old Andreans.

At 82, LEN HOWELL (A2731) has won the local Southern Free State Bowls Championships for the 9th time.
TONY MACRAE (M7680) is currently working for a large retail organisation as the Industrial Relations Executive. His spare time is taken up with an MBA at WBS and counting coins late at night — his wife Claire is the owner of a Super Snacks Franchise which keeps them both busy.

Tony writes, “ I’m astounded that ‘TIC’ DE JAGER (G7680) acquired a masters degree in Construction Management. We “played” very hard at school, especially in matric, which I thought may have wiped out the brain cells! (Mac - at school, Tic’s forte was destruction!) NEIL CHAN-HENRY (E7780) is also in the UK and JOHN MACKAY (A7780) is living in California! Sadly GUY MONKS (U7680) was killed in a head-on collision. He was a very successful businessman (Area Manager for Alnet) and sportsman (silver medal in the Comrades) in the Eastern Cape. Guy has many close and good friends — especially in the OA community. We shall all miss him deeply.” (Guy was engaged to Leslie Ginn, ex-DSG)
News of REB JONES (X4245), is that having given up farming after 40 years and recently retiring as Grower’s Rep from the Tobacco Sales Floors, he is now totally retired and living in Marondera amongst the happy band of OA school mates that farm in the area. In the area, STUART PATTISON (U7175) was 1996 Tobacco Grower of the Year.

MALISE GRAHAM (A4547) returned to Kansas City from Antalya, Turkey early in October ’93 and spent the first 6 weeks (he blew a gasket) recovering from a triple Hernia op! Since the end of November, he has spent in total 3 months in Lima, Peru on a World Bank Project, drawing up bidding documents to allow the local Water and Sewerage authority to be privatised.

ALAN HOBSON (E7478) writes from Johannesburg, where he has been for the last ten years, that he represents Cravateur Ties in his own business, and they manufactured the World Rugby Cup ties. He says he has managed to get ROB SLOMAN (E7478) to play hockey with him. Rob is with AECI explosives, and has a keen interest in game farming. He sends news of other OA’s: HARRY DARE (X7579) is with Douglas Green Bellingham (Mac: When was he at College?) and is jogging crazy, having done the Comrades. NEIL BOUSTRED (U7377) is an ear, nose and throat specialist. Brother JONATHAN HOBSON (U7074) is a Methodist minister in Virginia, and is trout fishing crazy! FELIX HOBSON (A7175) is with the Dept of Agriculture in Stutterheim. He has four boys, keeping up the Hobson tradition. COLIN HOBSON (G7579) is in Verwoerdburg, a computer boffin, having moved there after lecturing at Rhodes. Father NIGEL HOBSON (U4650) decided to chase all his OA friends around the globe, and went via Alaska to see JOHN MALCOMESS (4649) in Vancouver.MARTHINUS (Fanie II) VAN RENSBURG (U3740) (he explains that his elder brother Peter was Fanie, and the three younger brothers were then Fanie II, Fanie III, and Fanie IV) wrote to tell Mac of his travels over the last 54 years. It seems that in his matric year he was awarded the Louis Botha Afrikaans Essay Prize, but instead of a whole bookcase full of books that his brother had received 2 years earlier (for the £25 prize), Martinus received a certificate reading “Anno hoc Salvatoris MCMXL patria bello implicata huiscemodi libellos libenter acceperunt qui in studiis Praestiterunt ....” Fortunately there was an English translation on the back, from which he learnt that he had donated his prize to War Funds.

The subject of the essay was “Die Waarde van ‘n uitgebreide wÍreldreis wat leersaamheid betref.” Now in 1937 Doc Craven (who taught at College) had been vice-Captain of the Springbok team that toured Australia and New Zealand, and Martinus had been fascinated by the stories he had read about New Zealand. In his essay, his imaginary trip would take him through Australia and New Zealand; and, as he was halfway round the world he would continue to America, Britain, Europe, India, Lourenco Marques and the Victoria Falls. Over the years he has been to every one of those places, the first trip materialising courtesy of Jan Smuts and Adolph Hitler, only 4 years later. It took him 32 years to reach Australia and New Zealand, 42 years for America, 25 for Britain and part of Europe, and so on, but recently, some 54 years later, he finally completed the chain, and visited India, with the trip culminating in a flight 19 500 feet up the side of Mount Everest. He says that the world map of his travel routes still shows a large void in Russia and China. If his knees hold out, he still hopes to see Moscow and the Great Wall of China. (Mac: why not take a space shuttle? You can see the Great Wall from up there!)

News from another far flung corner of the world comes from HUGH BARTIS (U8183), who writes from Portland, Oregon, that he completed a masters degree in Geography from Ohio University, and has travelled extensively in North America, picking up many speeding tickets in his car travels through some 30 states! In June 1994 he relocated to Portland, where he took up an internship with Pacific GIS, a non-profit organisation. Their mission is to develop public access geographic information systems (GIS) and the capacity of local organisations to use this technology for conservation-based development. A GIS is a combination of hardware (computers, printers, plotters, etc.) and software, which enables the user to capture, store, analyse and manipulate data. His own project entails introducing GIS to the high schools, and he is also responsible for designing modules, or exercises based on the software package that is donated to the schools, and the curriculi for grades 9 to 12 which geography or social studies teachers could use, to get them started.

He also gives news of DAN BARTIS (G8183) who is teaching in East London, and SELWYN BLIGNAUT (M8083), who is working with his father in an undertaking business. Both are married, and Dan has one child.

He finishes by requesting information about OA’s and their activities on the West Coast, including Arizona. He gives his fax number: (503) 222-1517.
News of RUSSELL SEARLE (E8893) is that he passed all his exams in Human Movement studies, but has changed direction to studying for the commercial world. In athletics he achieved both Western Province Senior and Junior colours, winning the WP U19 400m title, and the Stellenbosch senior and junior titles. He is under the coach who trains Ockert Britz.

RON MORKEL (U6064) moved to Ireland in 1978 from their ranch in Kwe Kwe, Zimbabwe, and started a full-time taxidermy business. His work was highly regarded, and he was commissioned by the National Natural History Museum in Dublin, as well as the Irish Tourist Board. In 1988 he and his wife, Ruth, moved to Kissimmee, Florida, and started their own taxidermy studio. Photos of their taxidermy mounts are often mistaken for live animals. International recognition of the excellence of their work is shown by their work having been voted “Best of Show” by members of Safari Club International.

SWANEE MOOLMAN, who taught at College from 1942 to 1946, and well-known as the man behind College’s privileged use of the shack near Humansdorp, writes with great affection of the years he spent as a teacher at College. He often sees TERRY STEVENS (A4042) when he visits his doctor son in Uitenhage, and also JOHN JAMES KELLY (U4548) who owns the VW motors in Uitenhage.

He reminisces about his contemporaries on the staff: Jock Cawse (“one of the finest gentlemen this universe has ever seen”), GW Lucas, Arthur Knowling, Ashley Brooker, Charles Fortune, KWJ Lawrie (“in my time he still wore a brown suit which, he very proudly claimed, had been tailored in Cambridge in 1898, the year he left...”), Laurie Graham, Jan du Plessis, Ernie and Dup Murrell, and a lady, one Ione Stocks, who was “very easy on the eye”. He tells of a boy laughing in Dup’s class one day. When Dup asked him the reason, he said, “Sir, you think I am a bloody fool, but you just wait and see when my brother comes to College next year: he is much worse than I am ...”
Swanee was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Old Andrean Club at the 1995 AGM.
DENIS TAYLOR (A3841) writes that as he tries to encourage youngsters to stick to mathematics instead of succumbing to easier options, his mind turns nostalgically to “Drac” Lucas. “One bit of advice I never forgot,” he writes, “related to solving ‘riders” in geometry. When stuck he regaled us to remember Psalm 121: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hill from whence cometh my salvation’. i.e. look up and check what you are required to prove. Also recalled is his dismissal of the class with the words, ‘See you again tomorrow at 10 a.m. D.V.W.P.’

SIMON UPFILL-BROWN (U6670) writes that he and his family moved into a new home in Houston, Texas, last July. They contracted the renovations themselves, so got to know people like the painter and the Gas company rather well. He adds that they have plenty of space for visitors. His tel/fax no. is (713) 461-1446 (H) and (713) 452-5951 (W).

FRED LOVEMORE (E4447) sent us this wonderful tribute to Charles Fortune:
Upper Field. A Wednesday afternoon, late March, 1944. Under 14C and D Divisions in an inter-divisional match.
The bowler bowls. The bat connects. The ball rises almost straight up. There is a cry of “Catch it! Catch it!” A fielder aligns himself beneath the plummeting ball. There is a slap as the ball strikes his hands. The feat is met with shouts and whistles as the bowler rushes up and leaps upon the back of the successful fielder, clenching his fist and shaking it in an unrestrained demonstration of triumph. Others of the side flock round in a back-slapping mob, cheering loudly in uninhibited rejoicing.
The lone batsman glances disconsolately at his partner and then at the rejoicing nearby. He begins the lonely walk to the narrow verandah of the physics and chemistry labs overlooking the field. He has not taken more than a dozen steps when suddenly the figure of Charles A.F. Fortune Esquire materialises as if from nowhere, and walks determinedly towards him.
“Just a minute, my boy. Come back with me, will you?”
The boy turns and follows. “Now listen here, you fellows. Gather round all of you, will you?”
Rejoicing tails off rapidly as heads turn slowly at the sound of the authoritative voice.
“Now, look here, you fellows, when you’re playing cricket ... in a game of cricket you don’t behave in this unseemly manner. Cricket is a gentleman’s game and is meant to be played with dignity and quiet determination. You don’t carry on ... you don’t behave like barbarians at a fertility dance, yelling and leaping on anyone nearest to you. Have some... have some... consideration for the batsman. And remember he has also been sharing the game with you. Without him, there would have been no game at all. For heaven’s sake, chaps, do allow him to retire ... with ... with some dignity, and with his self esteem still intact. Don’t give him a humiliating send-off with your unrestrained exuberance at his bad luck. Remember, yes, remember, you’ll be batting next time round.”
Having spoken, he glares at the young faces about him from beneath dark, bushy eyebrows.
As if he were Admiral Lord Nelson himself, Charles Fortune turns slowly and walks with stiff dignity from the field, up the stone steps, and on past the tuckshop. The batsman smiles slowly, nods to himself, and begins to walk lightly towards the physics lab. He rolls his bat into the air, and catches it deftly again.
“Good old CAFF!” he breathes to himself.
I was that unfortunate batsman; and those are virtually the identical words used originally, especially the “barbarians at a fertility dance”. Two years later that man became my physics master. Whether or not he ever liked me, I shall never know because he seemed to delight in taunting me by comparing me with my two older cousins Eric and John Weeks (both OA’s) and wondering what they would think of me if ever they found out how dumb I could be by not knowing, amongst others, what is meant by “the moment of a couple” or what ohms stood for (On His Majesty’s Service, an expression once used on official letters going free through the postal system; now replaced by Official/Amptelik).
Nevertheless, even in these modern times when international cricketers themselves seem unable to restrain their exuberance when a wicket tumbles or a batsman is caught, I always think of Charles Fortune and his reference to barbarians at a fertility dance.
During my last evening at College, having said goodbye to some of the masters, I was crossing Upper Field and, of course, Charles Fortune’s house beside it. I determined to walk on but a still, small voice suggested that I say goodbye to Mr and Mrs Fortune. I hesitated, then walked on again but stopped after a few paces. “Yes, why not!” I thought. And so, I did. Even my dumb senses told me that Mr Fortune was perhaps the most surprised man south of the line when he opened the door at my knock and saw me standing there.
He invited me in, not without a noticeable measure of warmth, and putting his arm round my shoulders, announced me to Mrs Fortune and another master and his wife there. When he saw me off at the door afterwards, he said to me: “Listen here, my boy. Even if you don’t make physics in the matric, it doesn’t mean to say that you won’t be able to deal a pack of cards.”
In tribute to Charles Fortune for doing what he has done for cricket and for promoting physics at College, I thought you might enjoy the yarn about the “fertility dance”, and by the way, I did not pass physics in the matric!
Fred C.H. Lovemore
Fred also sent us a list of names which was the roll list for Espin in the third term of 1944. Though over 50 years have passed, Fred can still recite the list.
DR FRANK HEWITT (Day3235) sent Mac a long and fascinating account of his career, unfortunately too long to publish in much detail here. Having written matric at the age of 16, he completed a BSc and MSc at Rhodes in just four years, and so was able to join SIR BASIL SCH÷NLAND’S (D0710) team of five that had just built a highly improvised radar in the Bernard Price Institute, Johannesburg, based on the most sketchy information provided by Britain on this most secret device. Schönland arranged later for him to visit the UK to study centimetric radar, the technological breakthrough that had such a profound influence on the course of the war. At the end of the war Schönland established the CSIR, and put Frank Hewitt in charge of a “Telecommunications Research Laboratory”. A long and distinguished career at the CSIR, then followed, with considerable involvement in, amongst other things, communications, radar, astronomy, and the American satellite and Deep Space tracking programmes. He retired from the CSIR in 1980, having been Deputy President for 8 years, and having been honoured with honorary Doctorates from Rhodes and Wits universities.
His wife is Canadian born, and they have recently emigrated to Canada, following one of their sons who has settled in British Columbia.
Another OA who emigrated to Canada is VINCE LOCKWOOD (A5962), who moved with his family to Vancouver Island. Son RICHARD (A9293), though never a star rugby player at College, was put straight into his new school’s 1st XV, on the basis that, “if you are from South Africa you must be good”! He did well in rugby and rowing at his Canadian school. Latest news of Vince is that he has since moved to the UK.
JOHN MICHAEL TAWSE (E7378) writes from the Lammergeier Private Nature Reserve, near Lady Grey, where he and his wife Linda are involved in the Lammergeier and Mountain Gospel Outreach, and Adventure Encounter Trails. They are in the process of developing an eco-tourism enterprise in the form of the adventure trails, in the Witteberg mountain range. Many opportunities exist for those keen on the outdoors, with activities that include hiking, fell running, birding, trout fishing, and mountaineering. He adds that the Gospel of Jesus Christ becomes easier to convey in the mountains of his creation.
BRUCE RUSH (X9094) is at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, while GRAHAME (X8487), our 1994 Douglas Smith Scholar at Cambridge, went up to the Edinburgh Festival last year, acting in a university production. KERRY (X5559), their father, emigrated to New Zealand in late 1994. He writes that New Zealand is currently a pleasant place to live. He has to write NZ attorney admission exams before he can practise. He has found it interesting looking at English law and the changes the Kiwis have made to it.
PETER ANDERSON (A5458) writes about the College “slave bell”, following a circular from Lettie Rivett about upgrading the area round the bell.
He comments that he thinks there is an inaccuracy in the wording on the stone at the foot of the bell. “If I remember correctly, the wording says that the bell has stood in that position always. My memory is of the bell standing on the Upper House lawn opposite the Drill Hall. It was moved to its present position at the time of the Centenary. In fact its current position is over the site of an old well. This was uncovered when the Centenary Hall was being built. The grader levelling the site nearly disappeared into the abyss. Rex Woods was teaching us Latin at the time, and we came out of Kettlewell to gape. If my memory serves me well — though I now think that it was Ronald Currey teaching us. He was busy writing the history of College and many of our Latin lessons were just an update on the chapter that he had just written — just as fascinating as Cicero.”
(Mac — The wording on the bell reads: “This bell hung in the gable of the original school building. It was removed to this site in 1942”. As “this site” could not have been the Centenary Hall in 1942, it may well have been moved to the Upper lawn in 1942. Clearly the plaque was not altered at the time of the Centenary.)
DAVID CAMPBELL (E5458) has sent us news of his three sons. ALASTAIR (E8185) and RORY (E8387) are both qualified CA’s, and both got married last year. TUDOR MAXWELL (M8387) was best man to Rory and Christie, and Alastair married the granddaughter of Anton Murray, Cathy Hyslop, sister of DAVID HYSLOP (U8589), so both weddings had strong OA connections. (David adds that they had to forgive Alastair for marrying someone with connections to Upper!) CHRIS CAMPBELL (E8589) is a graphic design artist and also has plans to go to London.
PETER UNITE (G6367) sends news of the Unite clan. John (G6164) is living in Australia, running his own “High Tech” business. DAVIE (G6468), FELIX (G6768), and Peter are all living in Cape Town, and running their own businesses: Peter deals with self storage (small lock up storerooms), Davie has a clothing factory manufacturing for Woolworths, and Felix runs river adventures, car hire, tourism, conference tours and accommodation. All three are actively racing canoes and cycling. This year they went to Botswana, when the Limpopo flooded, and with Rob MacLean (ex staff) joined Keith Scott (M6569) on his farm and did four days down the Limpopo, being harassed all the way by aggressive hippos, and attacked repeatedly by crocodiles. An OA team, comprising Keith Anderson (M7982) Peter Unite, Anthony Wilson (M7477) and John Almon paddled in the 1994 Zambezi International Raft Racing Challenge. Assisted by Avis (Grenville Wilson (M6772) and John Sheen (X6165)) with transport, the team fared unexpectedly well. John Almon (U6771) and Peter Unite ran the Paris Marathon together in 1995. All four Unites have an annual pilgrimage when they race the Berg River Marathon together each year. Peter adds: “This is the madness that was bred into us at College! Actually a fulfilment of the dreams dreamed while gazing out of the window during Latin classes on sleepy afternoons in the Kettlewell block.”
RICHARD DEW (G8082) wrote from the UK to say that it was a little far to come to Grahamstown for the Reunion weekend! He is now teaching at Poole Grammar School, which he describes as a day school for rather academic boys, very different from his previous school, but the boys are keen on sport and expected to do well. He teaches Physical Education and the Humanities, but anyone who remembers him from his College days will not be surprised to hear that his particular area of responsibility is rugby! He is also still playing in the first team for the Bournemouth Rugby Club, and enjoying the beer sampling after the matches. He still manages to play a fair amount of tennis, and sails whenever he can.
He adds that he really enjoys teaching, and is to be a Head of Year (a bit like a housemaster) next term, but would still like to spend another year or two abroad, so if anyone would like to consider a teaching exchange, he should get in touch, and perhaps they could do a swop. (His address: Glenwood, Pitmore Lane, Sway, Hants, SO4 16BW.)
After qualifying as a ski-boat skipper, ocean going yacht skipper, and P.A.D.I. diving instructor, MARK GILBERT (G9195) is spending 6 months teaching yachting and scuba diving at a camp in the Florida Keys. Thereafter he joins a number of OA’s doing a B. Business Science at UCT this year.
In response to Mac’s suggestion that ex-members of the Pipe Band make the effort to write in and tell their news, GRAEME FULLER (U6064) writes: Pierre Lombard (D/M6063), Hugh Morton (D/G6063) and I joined the Pipe Band in 1960, following in the footsteps of Patrick Terry (D5962), who managed to raise the standard of piping at College by teaching himself from textbooks, an almost impossible task. Grahamstown seemed more isolated then and the first available help from outside came in 1963, when Rob Coss, formerly of the Pietermarizburg Callies, came to Rhodes. We seldom went further than the Bathurst Show and we attended only one gathering (in PE) whilst I was in the band. Dave Morrell, piper and later Drum Major, is now Professor of Anaesthesia in Johannesburg and a major participant in medical politics. I learned side drumming from Gerald Hall, JJ Chapman and Tony Mullins who is now an Orthopaedic Surgeon. The bass and tenor drummers included Ward Hobson, DJ Comyn (now an anaesthetist) and Andrew Girdwood (now a gastro-enterologist). Martin (Jock) Lewer Allen, Pipe Major in 1959. became a Neurosurgeon and so did I, so the College Pipe Band is well represented in the medical profession.
The next generation of pipers featured Chris Terry, who went on to greater heights than all the others and is still South Africa’s top piper and the present Pipe Band Instructor at College. His piping contemporaries were Neil Hosack, Andrew Nelson and Brian Longmore, followed by Martin Braae. Drummers of the same period included Rob Featherstone, father of a recent Pipe Major, Andrew Cuthbert and David Kirby. Michael Ainslie, a tenor drummer, was later killed as a Major in the Rhodesian Army. Peter Terry broke with family tradition and became a bass drummer. After leaving school, Andrew Girdwood and I went to Oudtshoorn and Grahamstown for military training, and were then posted to First City. We attended a camp in Queenstown in 1967, and, with Hugh Morton, formed the nucleus of a regimental Pipe Band. Peter Terry, David Kirby and I played drums for the presentation of new Colours to First City on Rhodes Great Field in 1969, and in 1971 Martin Braae, David Kirby and I, all students at UCT, wore specially made full dress tunics when we represented First City in a massed Pipe Band in Cape Town. All the SA Scottish units were present at a parade to celebrate 10 years as a republic.
In 1974 my wife and I began a 4 year stay in Edinburgh, where we were visited by both Pat and Chris Terry and their wives. Our daughter, born in Scotland, later learned Highland Dancing, and this led to Thomas, our son, getting taught on the pipe chanter from the age of 10. He joined the band of 1 Medical Battalion in Durban, which I now administer, and insisted he should be sent to College to have tuition from Chris Terry. The results have certainly exceeded our expectations, if not our hopes, and his piping continues to improve. He still plays with the Medical band when in Durban and has taken part in two Durban Tattoos. We recently spent an enjoyable Easter weekend at the Eastern Cape Gathering and it is nice to see the College band looking so strong. Long may it continue to do so!
From BRUCE STEELE-GRAY (A6266): “While looking for the loo at Heathrow, I spied a chap wearing an OA blazer bearing down on me — I couldn’t resist stopping him although I had no idea who he was, but discovered with great joy that we had been in the Pipe Band together — ROGER BERESFORD (G63-67). He is now a Captain with Air Malta and would love to see any OA’s passing that way and would be glad to receive the Bagpipe, c/o Air Malta.”
GEORGE SYMONS (M4851) is another who responded to the call to ex Pipe Band members to write in, and he sent this long and fascinating account of his time in the band and thereafter.
Reminiscences of a Piper:
I first saw the College Band, bagpipes, drums and bugles, marching up the Cradock Road as I watched transfixed, arms draped on the bloudraad strands between the sneezewood poles of the school house fence. That was probably in 1944 when I was a 9 year old ‘newboy fag’ at Prep. Having fallen heavily under the influence of my Scottish maternal grandparents, and having fallen desperately in ‘love’ with a very pretty blond Highland lass whom I had watched dancing the sword dance at a Church fete a year before leaving for Grahamstown, I determined then and there that one day I would play the pipes in the College Band and march up the Cradock Road in a kilt like those fellows I hero-worshipped that day. And that I would, one day too, learn to play the pipes for all the pretty girls doing the ‘Swords’ and the ‘Fling’ at Presbyterian Church Fetes.
My first year at College was a let down. No New Boy was allowed to become a member of the band. Second year: my friend Stuart Lamb (M4851) who claimed pure Scottish ancestry, was allowed to join - I was not. This did not deter me! Campkin-Smith (X4751) was the head piper, sergeant’s stripes if I remember correctly. Kindly, he bore with my nagging and tutored me passing on what he could about the pipes during those evening hours on Lower field when ‘practising’ was allowed. He taught me the band’s two standard marches which were called “Courie-Urie” (a confused contraction of the real name of the tune) and “The Cock of the North”, using what I later discovered was an extremely oversimplified fingering. Apparently no-one knew about/bothered with grace notes either, and it seemed as though not a single stave of bagpipe music existed in Grahamstown. The more experienced members simply taught newcomers by “ear”. It was considered de rigueur to tune the drones slightly out of tune so that they ‘beat’ (thrummed rather than hummed). I was never made aware that the drones should be tuned to the chanter nor that the chanters in each and every set of pipes should be tuned in unison!! The somewhat jarring sound was very distinctive!!! And I suppose quite stirring considering that once the Pipes were classed as a weapon of war! This also explained why the bugles produced rather more of the music on parades than did the pipes. It was considered a mark of prowess for the drummers to break the vellums, particularly the bass drummer, through the pounding out as loudly as possible of the time, to keep the detachment in step. College on parade was a tribute to the Jungle drums of the Congo. The entire valley reverberated. Kingswood’s brass band was cowed into a lower order of noise.
During the Easter holidays that year, which I and my parents and siblings spent at Gonubie Mouth, I met Campkin-Smith, also on holiday there. He bewitched me even more by playing for me a few very scratchy 78 records of some Scottish Regimental Band - It became seriously obvious to me that College Band was not generating the kind of music that anyone knowledgeable should expect of a pipe band.
December 1950. During the holidays I attended a small Highland Gathering held on the playing fields of Jeppe High School in Johannesburg. The hints garnered from those scratchy records were reinforced and multiplied. What marvellous sounds - properly tuned pipes on an open field! I was inspired. I met “Dutchy” Martin, a teacher of Bagpipe music, and enrolled for a crash course. My indulgent parents bought me a set of pipes, a practice chanter and several books of pipe music. I learned the correct fingering, about grace notes, how to read music, how to tune a set of pipes and one tune (a march) in the 6 weeks before I returned to College. In the interim I had driven my entire family to the edge of insanity by practising for up to ten to twelve hours a day - every day. Back at College I was nothing if not enthusiastic!
Year three at College: Supplications to Captain Browning initially made no impression. Anyone wanting to join the band that badly was undoubtedly a lazy laggard wanting to get out of proper cadets. Eventually, I was auditioned - and allowed to join. I set about proselytizing, preaching the gospel of “Ceol Mor” (Gaelic for the “grand music”). I sort of “unstitched” the fabric of what was the established “tradition” of those years and tried to move the piping into a new and rather more acceptable era. An uphill battle - marginal success.
1951: Lamb was promoted to sergeant piper. However he stood down after a few weeks and I became the leading piper - I don’t think I was ever given rank. A few converts accepted my attempts to teach proper playing - some, who shall remain nameless, opted out. An example: Delville Wood Parade: Only Myhill (M4852) and myself had reeds in our chanters. I populated the ranks with volunteers, so that we seemed to have six pipers on parade - the other four had wedges of blotting paper in their chanters and a few, who seemed able to keep a steady-ish pressure in the bags, had tenor drone reeds installed. I seem to remember there were no bass drone reeds available except my own. As the column of route detachment approached the Cathedral and Church Square I shouted out “Gibraltar” and Myhill and Symons (me) with a full core of drummers (the bass drummer had learned to “feather” his strokes and make the drum sing) led the cadet corps into the Square to the dubiously appropriate “79th’s Farewell to Gibraltar” - two parts only, as Myhill had not mastered the third and fourth. It was music of a sort and I was happy.
Ashley Brooker, my Housemaster and not the greatest bagpipe fan, congratulated me on Monday morning saying that he’d never heard the band sound so good. The probable sarcasm only filtered through to me years later.
Also in 1951, having started a Scottish Dancing class at the suggestion of “Choom” Sutherland, I was asked to organise a dancing display for Speech Day. I arranged for ex-Pipe Major “Dutchy” Martin my bagpipe tutor in Johannesburg to come down with my parents to play for some of the dancing, chiefly those “turns” in which I was a fairly prominent performer. Four College boys and eight DSG girls took part. Mr Martin was somewhat bemused by the form of the dances taught to us by the redoubtable Miss MacAllister and said so volubly - but I suppose it went off quite well. Allegations that those College types taking part must be “soft” turned into a chorus of a different hue when we four lads were invited to be the first four males to attend DSG Guild Night Supper, do our dancing bit, then stay on to watch a film (The Blue Lamp) sitting in the back row of the gallery in the very enjoyable company of our partners. The projector having stuck in the silent (16 frames p.m.) mode caused the film to last exactly 150% of the normal time. I had to “break in” via the kitchen window at Mullins to get in at about 1am, the house doors having been locked at the normal time - about 10pm. I had spent the pretty wonderful evening in the company of a comely wench named (aha!!! No names etc) and a certain College Prefect and Rugby Colours holder from Upper (his names escapes me) was not very thrilled to hear about that. The end of that year - matric and the excitement of leaving school.
Bunyard (D/U5154) apparently took over as Pipe Major in 1952. Some years later I re-met him, I think at the Centenary Celebrations, and he was kind enough to remark that through my efforts the Band had begun to move forward to eventually reach the heights that it has under tutelage of a much higher order than I ever reached or aspired to.
In 1952, having passed my matric reasonably well and having toured Britain and Europe with my parents, I returned and joined the Second Battalion Transvaal Scottish Pipes and Drums (as a regimental pipe band is/was correctly called). We won a number of competitions, vying with the Germiston Caledonian Society’s Pipe Band to be the best in the country. We toured to Durban and Rhodesia. I won a series of gold, silver and bronze medals in various individual competitions. I was asked to be the official piper to play for the World Champion Highland dancer who toured the Southern Transvaal under the aegis of the Caledonian Societies. (Incidentally he queried how I had developed the empathy he said I evidenced with the dancer, in my playing - I explained I’d learned to dance at College. He made me demonstrate the Sword Dance (which is, after all, a war dance of victory and the way I did it made my feet bleed!! “Nowt soft about that lad”.) He suggested I took up dancing seriously as he felt I could go on to be a champion. (Blimey! I declined the offer.) I was nominated to represent the Transvaal Scottish in “The March of 1000 Pipers” up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh to celebrate the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II but couldn’t go as the funds were not made available ( the Nats didn’t fall for such fripperies and jingoistic endeavours).
Through the intervention of Rev Hugh Harker I was asked by Ronald Currey to be guest Piper at the dancing display on Lower Field during the Centenary Celebrations - which invitation I was proud to accept and was proud to wear the full regalia of a Transvaal Scottish Piper with the Colonel’s permission. (Perhaps not the best of my musical efforts as we had had not time to rehearse.) But an honour nevertheless.
One of the proudest moments of my life was when my late son, Alan Edly Symons (Mu7275) gave me, as a Christmas present, the record made of the College Pipe Band under the direction of C I Terry in 1977. I treasure it for two reasons: because I think it a wonderful effort and a vindication of my ambitions for the Band way back when and also as it is a link to my son, Alan, who was killed in a shark attack on 3 May 1979 when in his final year as a Electrical Engineering student at Wits.
I gave up playing the Pipes when I married an English girl who had become allergic to having to look cool and charming, smiling the while, while up to 12 puffed up and self important pipers, primed to the eyebrows with uisgebaugh, were all doing their different things in what was usually a small room - a probably anti-social event that we used to think of as a cÈilidh - a kind of barbaric Scottish soirÈe - good clean inebriated fun. A noise only a true Highlander, deep in his cups, could enjoy. Remember, if that ever happens to you - it is OK to put your fingers in your ears - you will then really hear the music - and not the noise.
Another response connected to the Pipe Band was from JOHN HENRY CLOETE (U6165), who writes, “I was the bass drummer in the pipe band in 1965. How this happened remains a mystery to me to this day. As I recollect, my friend Andrew Girdwood (also from Bedford) came to me at the end of 1964 and asked if I would like to take over his job in the band. Having spent most Saturday mornings of my life doing extra cadets on Upper Field to the delight of all and sundry wasting their fathers’ hard-earned money on pies and cokes, I naturally jumped at his offer. Brian Longmore, the Drum Major for ’65 had no objection (we sort of kept it an “Upper thing”), none of the masters were consulted and the leopard skin and other paraphernalia were duly transferred to me.
Squadron Leader GORDON REEKIE (X5862) visited South Africa after 33 years away, and he and his wife Laura travelled 6500 kms in 22 days visiting Pretoria, Johannesburg, the Drakensberg, Durban, Port Shepstone, and down the coast to Cape Town, then returning via the Garden route to Grahamstown, the Transkei, Durban, and Johannesburg. He says that College hasn’t changed much except for a few new buildings!
After school he joined the RAF, and has had a marvellous career as a fighter/bomber pilot, and is still flying. He has flown Hunters and Phantoms operationally and is now instructing RAF, German and Italian aircrew on the Tornado, the aircraft used by the RAF during the Gulf war. He is one of the top RAF pilots with some 7000 hours flying, all on fighters. His flying career has taken him all over the world from Hong Kong and Singapore the Middle East, most of Europe and America and Canada. He has never been on a desk job in his 30 years in the RAF, and has enjoyed every moment of it. The RAF gave him ample opportunity for sport. He represented the RAF at tennis and squash, and is the current Veterans tennis champion, but golf is slowly taking over, and he plays off a handicap of 9. He is also a Wimbledon umpire and has been officiating there for the last 17 years. (Mac: John MacEnroe might have been more polite if he’d known Gordon was Captain of boxing at College!)
WAYNE HENDRY (U8790) writes that after completing his military training, he worked as a Professional Hunter in Zimbabwe. After this he was a horseback trails guide before going to Cape Town to study nature conservation. On completion of his studies he joined the Natal Parks Board and spent a year in the St Lucia/Sodwana Bay region.
At present he has gone back to the hunting and safari business and is based in the NW Province. He now conducts hunting, fishing, and photographic safaris in South Africa,/Zimbabwe/Botswana/Kenya/Tanzania/Mozambique, and adds, for the safari of a lifetime, book with Melorani Safaris (Box 318, Zeerust 2865)!
His brother, KEITH (U8488), also completed his national service training and thereafter worked for Cape Nature Conservation on the West Coast. He then joined Wayne in Zimbabwe where they worked for the same organisation. He has since left Zimbabwe and has been working in Tanzania as a professional hunter for the past two years.
BRYCE DAKIN (U8083) is married to Bella (Bryant, DSG7983), and they have two daughters. He is a director of their family business, which has been established for some 35 years; they are manufacturers’ representatives, making and selling commodities in the Eastern Cape and Border on behalf of manufacturers all over South Africa. Bella is a qualified nurse, but she then went on to gain a BA at UPE. At present she is “Director of Domestic Affairs”, and will continue until the children progress to DSG. He adds “We were both regarded as ultra rebels during those times, so all those folk who thought that Bella and I would be missing from society and serving time in Correctional Supervision Centres, BEWARE, our children are on their way.” (Mac: we are recruiting new teachers from among the ranks of the professional hunters ...)
GREG GILLETT (E8387) has been working as an Outward Bound instructor in North Carolina for the past 4 years, after obtaining a BA in English at UCT, and then doing a copywriting course with AAA in Cape Town. He took courses in the North Carolina mountains and rivers in the summer, and kayak/canoe trips in the Everglades/Gulf of Mexico in the winter. Younger brother GILES (E8590) obtained a B Comm (Auditing and Accounts) at UCT, and spent 2 seasons in Birmingham where he played cricket as a club professional for Blossomfield Club in Solihull, while working for an international paper company in their finance and marketing division. He came back last summer and played for WP(B), but has decided to give cricket a break, and has joined Greg in the USA. They have now gone to New Zealand for a few months, armed with 2 mountain bikes, working for Outward Bound some of the time. MATHEW (E8791) finished his GDA at UCT last year and sat for his CA Board exams in March/April. He is doing his articles with KPMG in Cape Town, and has passed the auditing paper of his board exam. Father RUSTY GILLETT (E5457) writes that he is enjoying farming: blueberries are coming on well, and he hopes to have a crop at the end of 1997. He took up a morning job in Tzaneen in January. He and his wife recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, and both made it to the summit. They then enjoyed a week safari of the Serengheti and Ngorogoro crater.
BRIAN (JOLLER) MENTIS (A6064) has carried on his eventful life after leaving College, living in the UK, Australia and the USA, flying, parachuting, smashing cars, microlighting, etc. He is married to Rowan, a Scot, (“Female!” he adds.) (Mac: Phew!) and like his brothers CLIVE (A5862) and ROY (A6771), is a director of the family manufacturing business. He has 3 sons, ANDREW (A8994), who is studying Business Science at UCT and achieved a half blue for rowing, LOUIS (A9195), who is having a year off jolling in Cape Town! and MARTIN who should finish at College in 1997.
PATRICK TYRRELL (M7881) is now living in New Zealand, and has been married for a year. They are expecting their first child later in the year. He has met only one other OA, EDWARD BISHOP (G7781), who is living in Napier for 9 months, when he will return to British Columbia, Canada, where he lives permanently.
PIERS HOWARTH (M7375), Assistant Branch Manager for the Simmonds Street branch of SA Eagle, recently won the prestigious Bob Cox prize for the highest results in the ACII and FCII exams. This follows his earlier success in winning the Institute’s prize in 1991 for topping the Associate list. He has been studying solidly for the last six years, and attributes his success to a disciplined approach — he works out a study plan, fitting this around his social life, and then sticking to it. (Mac: What? The social life?)
DAVID DIERING (X6568) has been sent to Zimbabwe by the Anglo American Gold Division, and is currently General Manager of the Bindura Nickel Corporation. He and his wife have three children — Richard (X9094), currently studying at UCT, and Stephen and Robert who are in Merriman at present.
ALASTAIR WEIR (A5559) is presently Deputy Headmaster of Rondebosch Boys’ Prep School. He studied at Rhodes (BA), UCT (BEd), and Graaff-Reinet Training College (PTC). He also taught at Selborne Primary in East London for 3 years, Queen’s Junior School Queenstown for 5 years, and Pinelands Primary, Cape Town, for 10 years.
CHRISTOPHER NORTON (G8690) played rugby for Oxford against Cambridge at Twickenham in December last year. His brother ANTHONY (G8387) has recently returned from Oxford, having completed an M.Litt on aspects of the non-existent Law of Privacy in England. His interrogators for his last Viva were Professor Carter from Oxford and Professor David Feldman from Cambridge, who has in fact published a book on the subject. At the end of the oral, Professor Feldman told him that, although they had come to different conclusions in respect of different aspects of the Law of Privacy, in view of Anthony’s thesis he intended revising certain chapters of his book.
Mac received a card headed “A Mullinsean Meander”, which read as follows (dated 5.1.96) : “The English cricket team may have gone to the dogs yesterday — but then so did a bunch of OAs with a strong Mullins flavour. Rob Anderson (A5862), wife Cynthia and family, David, Michael and Catherine are hosting his nephews Hugh (A8892), Richard (A9094) and Beth (DSG96) in Herne Hill, South London. Their father is MICK RIVETT-CARNAC (A5963). All are part of the Mullins clan. DOC CALDWELL (M5862) is holidaying in England with his family too — wife Pat children Andrew Gillian and Ian. He bumped into the WINCKWORTHS by chance at Victoria Station after Xmas: Stuart (M6164), Andrew (G9595) — also from KZ-Natal, and had a drink with classmate MERVYN WINGFIELD (U5862) on New Year’s Eve in Cambridge. He then phoned Rob — also a classmate and incidentally a twin — both born 14/6/44.
Caldwell and Anderson met near London Bridge and discussed famous authors with East Cape relevance in the George, a Dickensian pub. They then met the mob at the Catford Greyhound stadium and all had a wonderful evening following these very swift dogs. Great excitement occurred when it was noted that a trainer in the 3rd race was David Mullins Esq. (Mac: not the ostrich breeder!) Heavy bets were placed on his canine, which duly ran last. He had dogs in most of the remaining races. They did exceptionally badly. In the only hurdles event the Mullins mutt sat down resolutely at the first jump and bayed at the rest of the pack. In the penultimate race you-know-who’s dog came 6th out of 6 again and had the effrontery to chew the stuffing out of the synthetic hare. Chicanery is suspected, even substance abuse, because in the 6th race Rob had organised a group sweepstake. He drew Rickety Rover, the Mullins boy, and he romped home. It seems that a lot of persons other than the OA contingent were dying to meet David Mullins. However his dog in the last race was scratched and he was noted to be towing his dog box towards the Dartford Tunnel at some speed.
It was a grand get together. Perhaps the next London OA dinner could be held at a similar venue. No guesses as to who might be a suitable guest speaker.
Yours faithfully
A roving OA racing correspondent
PETER BETTS (M6468) writes: In my current job as Director of Liaison and Marketing (at College), I speak to many local OA’s, many of them farmers from Albany. The winter months are always devoted to hunting, and some of the stories are legend. Two stories from the 1996 season are especially poignant. DAVE MULLINS (E6872), ostrich farmer of note (Mac: not the dog trainer!), attended a hunt at one of Walter Currie’s (U7578) farms better known as “Die Gat” with about 10 other OA farmers to hunt kudu. Dave waited all day and was hoping for a big bull to keep his farm in biltong until next season. His patience was running out when he became aware of a large beast approaching. The bushes opened and out stepped the biggest warthog seen for many years in the Eastern Cape. The OA’s stood around the fallen warthog and one of them remarked that it looked like “Prang” Morton in a bad mood!
Walter Currie then attended a hunt on John White’s (U7074) farm “Hilton”, and shot a kudu bull which, believe it or not, he carried out of the kloof and up a mountain all by himself, which probably makes him the strongest OA ever!!
Dave Mullins had the honour of excelling himself again in a hunting story when the matric examinations were on. During the first paper 2 pigeons interrupted the pupils writing in the Drill Hall, and Dave, as the Admin Manager, promised to chase them out by the time the students started writing their second paper at 9.00 a.m. the next day. He was there at 7.00 a.m., and threw stones and other objects (Mac: and some four-lettered abuse, no doubt) at the fleeing birds who would not oblige by flying out through the open doors. Dave was desperate and came to my office and said, “ ‘Bomber’ Betts, let’s go and get your shotgun, the kids are writing in half an hour!” Dave took the 12-bore and calmly shot a poor bird off a rafter in the Drill Hall. The feathers and noise were incredible, and in no time at all several masters rushed into the hall. The Third World war had started! (Mac: the Third World has been at war for centuries!) The other bird was last seen flying past Port Alfred after fleeing through the cloud of feathers and out of the door.
Peter Betts likes to consider himself a bit of a hunter, and was lucky enough to win a kudu on a raffle donated by Alex Pringle (U6872). The bull was huge and was a great experience especially because 2 years previously Peter fell out of a tree on Chris Bowker’s (M6974) farm while on another hunt. The kudu got away that time!!
ARIE BLACQUI»RE (Staff5172) writes that he is a founder member of his local Probus Club (An “association of retired professional and business personnel in localised clubs throughout the world”), and last year served as its president. One OA is a member: Stewart Hosford (M2729). Arie says that at the Kwazulu-Natal Probus Association’s AGM in Durban recently he came across two other OA’s: Fred Wally (A2934) (who featured in the last Bagpipe) and Bob Mills (U4447). The new chairman of the Association is Walter Eastman, an Old Kingswoodian.
MARTIN OOSTHUIZEN (E6266) wrote some time ago in connection with a book that his wife, Marguerite (Poland) was busy with, asking for possible information. In the hope that such information might still be of use to her, Mac includes Martin’s letter below.
My wife, Marguerite, has an abiding interest in College history and is busy with a book loosely based on the 1908-1918 era. She has spent rather a lot of time bothering you in the last year for information but I’m writing on her behalf to ask if any OA’s out there have records — photos, letters, diaries, memoirs or personal recollections — in which the following gentlemen might feature. Anyone who would care to contact her in this regard could write to 6 Robertson Avenue, Kloof 3610 or telephone (031) 7645095:
1. Charles R Winton Fraser*
2. Ronald Currie * (Mac: Currey?)
3. Bevil Rudd *
4. Norman McGregor *
5. Arnaud EM Jansen *
6. DD Morton *
7. Guy WH Nicholson *
8. John S Dennison Clark *
9. St John and James Matthews *
10. Robert and Gavin Graham *
11. Herbert O Cullingworth *
12. Tom Parkes
13. Norman Tanner
14. J Ivan MacKay *
15. John B Anderson *
16. James RH McIntosh *
17. E Halse
18. Clement Tunbridge
19. John Rivers Greathead *
20 . Ockert Fourie
21. Harold Lotter
22. John Higham
23. C and L Lanham
24. Valentine Robinson *
25. ? Bettington
26. Arthur Graham Green *
27. AJ Gardner
28. PM Tudhope
29. Alan Fitzpatrick
30. Graham Munro
31. Eric Henderson
32. Neville Hutton
* Information especially important
She is interested in anything and anyone from the era, even if the name isn’t mentioned above. Recollections of Upper from that time would be particularly welcome. “
(Mac notes that there were six Bettingtons in the early years at College, though only one who falls into the period given: Aylmer Fitzwarren Bettington, who left in 1912, and was killed on active service in 1917. There were no Bettingtons at College after this.)
RICK HUDSON (X6164) sent Mac an update on his career since leaving College. After a BSc in Electrical Engineering at UCT, he spent several years at Cambridge as the Douglas Smith Scholar doing a PhD in electron optics. He spent much of his spare time climbing mountains in Greenland, the Alps, Pakistan and India. He and his wife Phillipa emigrated to Canada in 1978, climbing more mountains on the way (Mac: wouldn’t it have been easier to fly?) He worked in Calgary for 3 years, mostly in oil exploration in the high Arctic. (Mac: he obviously thrives on a depleted oxygen supply!) He moved to Vancouver Island in 1981, and started Polar Tech Ltd. He was bought out in 1987, but engineered a reverse take-over of the parent company (Applied Microsystems Ltd — underwater electronics). He sold this in 1993. He was adjunct professor at University of Victoria from 1991 to 1995, and is currently a management consultant and author (fiction and non fiction). He is married to Phillipa, and they have two children.
JOHN MALCOMESS (A4649) writes that, having discovered that there were no fewer than 6 OAs, 3 Old Kingswoodians and 3 Old DSG girls on Vancouver Island, where he also lives, arranged a get-together, and were motivated by the last Bagpipe to call themselves the Society of Old Andreans and Kingswoodians (SOAKS). It was a great day and they shared many happy memories of schooldays. Those present were Vince Lockwood (A5861), Richard Lockwood (A9193), Chris Muller (U5962), John Malcomess (A4649), Rick Hudson (X6164). The only ODSG girl present was Angie Lockwood, while Peter, Susan and Nicky Gosling represented OK. He hopes to make this an annual event, so if any other old boys/girls would like to join them, they should contact him. (Mac: presumably you’ll find him listed under SOAK in the telephone directory!)
He responded to the call for past members of the Pipe Band to write in, as he was a piper in the band from 1946 to 1949, but sadly never played thereafter. He writes that after a Jurisprudence degree at Trinity, Oxford, he returned to SA in 1954, and joined the family business. he left to run his own business, and in 1977 became a Member of Parliament. He did not stand for re-election in 1989, at which stage he was chief whip of the Democratic Party. In that year they emigrated to Canada, where they had a married daughter. They were subsequently joined by two more daughters and families, though Fiona (ODSG) and her family have since gone back to a family farm in Viljoenskroon. He now has 2 grandsons at school in Grahamstown, Andrew Whitfield in Merriman at College, and brother Ben at Prep. (Mac: with the exchange rate the way it is, how about a few grandsons from Canada?)
AG (JOS) DRIVER (U5255) writes that the last time he was mentioned in the Bagpipe (1994), it elicited a call from Tompie Whittle in Johannesburg and Tudor Lacey in Tucson Arizona. He suggests that the phone numbers of OAs writing in should be published. (Mac: sounds like a lonely hearts club! We’ll be happy to oblige, but we’re not responsible for any calls you may receive from creditors!) Jos adds, “Book me a room for the 150th anniversary in 2005!”
ROSS JAMES (M5559) writes “Following contacts remade at the Mullins House 75 year celebrations last year in Grahamstown, Rob Parker (M5455) visited Cape Town with his wife Anne prior to their return to Perth, Australia.
“Some of Rob’s fellow pupils from St Andrew’s Prep/SAC and other fellow OA’s and wives met at Dick and Margaret Ratcliffe’s (M5458) home on 26 February to reminisce — Ed Milne (M5458), Ant Milne (M5559), Ross James (M5559), Michael Brien (M4849), David Campbell (E5458), Gordon Pringle (E5458), David de Keller (X5458), Graham McPherson (X5458), Keith Hall (D/X5458), David Cattell (A5458), and Steyn Rivett-Carnac (A5559).” (Mac: wow! that’s a reunion all by itself! The Liaison Office at College is proud of you!) Rob and Anne’s address in Perth will be 283 B Nicholson Road, Shenton, West Australia 6008. Tel (619) 327 5699.
ROB CROLY (A5963) responds to a query as to the whereabouts of Colin Croly that he is in London, where he has been since the early 70’s, and is a partner in the law firm Barlow, Lyde and Gilbert. Rob himself is in Johannesburg, where he is MD for the Lindsay Saker group of dealerships in Gauteng.
Mac was amused to receive a response from BRIAN BOOTH, who doesn’t remember when he was at College. (For your information, Brian, you were here from 1969 to 1973, in Armstrong!) He gives his address as Pink Gin Beach (Mac: perhaps that explains it!), Point Saline, Grenada, West Indies. He writes that he is financial controller of Liberty Club Limited, who own La Source, a new luxury resort on the island of Granada (for which he sent a brochure. One line that caught Mac’s eye was “you simply don’t need any money.” This suits Mac, who never has any. But Mac wonders then why Brian is financial controller.) He has been there since 1993. He continues that he ran a travel agency in Cape Town, where he caught the travel bug. After a BSc Hons from Plymouth University he spent a few years as general manager with Australian Fisheries in Tasmania, and worked in the UK with receivers as area accountant administering insolvent hotels (Mac: Aha! Good training for the post of financial controller!!)
News of recent leavers ROB VAN SELM (G9194) and NICK CLOGG (E8689) is that they were selected for the SA Students hockey side after last year’s intervarsity tournament.
TIM ASKEW (A6670) is Regional Manager (Africa) for the Export Development Corporation of Canada. His headquarters are in Ottowa.
RODERICK BEAUMONT (M6569) was awarded the prize for the best Civil Engineer in South Africa as well as the best Water Engineer. This is evidently the highest accolade an engineer can receive, and was announced at a huge dinner at the Carlton Hotel, where the entire engineering world convenes.
JOHN KEELING (A4042) responds that he was in the College Pipe Band, and was taught to play the pipes by Jack Ruck (M3741). He asks if Jack is any relation to Myles Ruck (A6972) who featured in Bagpipe No. 23. (Mac: Myles is Jack’s son.) He continues: “My main memory of learning to play the pipes was that the bag of my pipes had a large hole in it, thus giving me considerable lung power! After that I could play the pipes for hours!
“I was most interested in VG Deary’s cycle trips as I remember well almost everyone mentioned in the article. It was also wonderful to read news of Johnny Weeks, although mention of his two sons made me realise that I was at College well over 50 years ago!
“Recently my sister an her husband Mick Pollock (M3942) were staying with my wife (ex DSG) and me, and we had a cruise down the River Rhone, but we didn’t meet any OAs in France!”
MIKE ETHELSTON (X5054) writes: Forty years of my personal history would be both boring and difficult to encapsulate in a short space. Suffice it to say that, in my first year, I made my first acquaintance with the Headmaster (Ronald Currey) on a Sunday morning outside Graeme, when the brakes on my bicycle failed as he was crossing the road. On Monday morning I really got to know him better — or at least my rear did — four of the best. Our Housemaster was Charles Fortune — a great man, who had the reputation of giving the hardest “cuts” of any master at the College. After leaving, I spent two years with the Royal Marines, including a year on Christmas Island for the H Bomb tests. Thereafter, four years on the London Stock Exchange and returned to South Africa in 1960. Married Wendy, have three children, one in Hong Kong, one in new Zealand, and one currently somewhere in Africa in a four wheel drive vehicle! We are living in Durban where I am the regional Manager Public Sector for ABSA Commercial Banks. This entails dealing with Provincial and Local Government. 3rd Tier Educational Institutions, RSC’s and Water Corporations.
CHRIS ROLFE (A8589) spent a year working for Standard Corporate and merchant Bank in the Corporate Finance Division after he had completed a four year liberal arts degree at Princeton, before realising that ultimately he should work for himself, so he left and started a business with Andrew Boustred (U8185). He reports that they are doing very well. They are approved agents for the Camel Trophy products which they supply to various retail outlets in the country.
CRAIG HAMMOND (X8790) recently graduated from Sheffield University with a BSc (Hons) in hotel and Catering Management (4 year Sandwich Degree). (Mac: 4 years to learn how to make sandwiches?) He is currently working on board the Queen Elizabeth II Cunard Cruise Ship as a “Five Star Deluxe Silver Service Waiter”. The ship is 13 stories high, has 9 bars, 5 restaurants, a gym, hairdressers, a nightclub, spa and indoor swimming pool, outdoor pool, sundeck and miles of open decks. It is today’s biggest and fastest Transatlantic cruise liner, and “definitely the only place to work as a waiter, with New York, Bermuda, the Mediterranean and the world passing by.” He adds that it is hard work, 14 hours a day, 7 days a week for 3 month contracts and a pocket full of cash.
Brother Paul (X8589) is an assistant Manager of a JD Wotherspoon Public House in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and moves to manager of his own pub in the near future. He graduated with the same degree as Craig, but a year earlier.
Craig also gives news of a baby son born to his fiancee Anna and himself. He writes: we were engaged in June 1996 and a year later our bouncing baby son Daniel was born.” (Mac: that takes some doing. At the time of going to press, June 1997 is still in the future!)
STUART WINCKWORTH (M6164) has left teaching after 17 years at Michaelhouse, and is now running his own business. He has bought a tiny bottle store (Mac: tiny bottles?) in the hamlet of Rosetta, while his wife, Fran, has become Headmistress of Nottingham Road Primary School, where they now live. Their daughters continue at Epworth, and son Andrew (G9595) has completed 1st year BSc at Natal University. He played hockey for the 3rd XI and runs socially. Stuart says OA’s on the way to the Natal coast should take the old road from Mooi River and use the opportunity to buy cold beer on route! (Mac: in normal size bottles I hope!)
NICK ASHBY (NICK NORTIER) (G8183) has been carving out a career for himself in the acting world. TV viewers might remember seeing him in “Whirlpool” a few years ago. This year he is taking a lead role in the play “Old Boys”, written by Anthony Akerman, winner of the 1995/1996 FNB Vita SouthAfrican Playwright of the Year Award “Old Boys” is set against the background of an exclusive private school in Natal. (The author was himself a pupil at Michaelhouse during the 1960s.)
The play should be of interest to OA's. Dates of performances are given below.
Grahamstown Main Festival 7, 8 & 9 July
The Civic Theatre, Jhb 16 July to 23 August
State Theatre Pta, 26 August to 13 September
RAY TURPIN (U6267) is resident in Lusaka, Zambia, where he is Operations Manager for Standard Bank. He is married with two sons. He says that, although his tennis racquet is becoming shorter and the tennis court larger, he is still giving youngsters like Andrew Fletcher (E7681) a hard time — on and off the court. He adds that Mark Stokes (M8790) and his brother Andrew (M8993) buy him the odd beer. He recalls the “Arsie Clapham big bang” vividly — he even remembers that he was sitting next to Bruce Parker (U6266).
The account of Tony Knight and the Ocean Wanderer in the previous Bagpipe reminded ANTHONY DE WET (A4346) of a cruise from Vega (N Spain) to Holland in a 19 metre schooner, skippered by one Wiebe Bosma, and crewed by himself, Malcolm Fraser (E4245), his brother in law, and a young Dutchman. They encountered 4 storms, and the Fastnet race to the north was cancelled, but Wiebe, whom he describes as “huge, and looks like a Springbok prop forward” is scared of nothing, so they sailed in gale force winds under full sail for 8 days, through 4 to 5 metre waves, with the boat heeling over close to 500. Under these conditions cooking and sleeping were impossible apart from a few lulls. Anthony loved it, and still sails. For the last 6 years he has lived in Plett, after his second son, Andrew, took over the family farm. He ends: “I walk and play bad tennis and work on nuclear and unified field theory (any comments ‘Mac’?)” (Mac: nuclear and unified field theory? Sounds like an attempt to combine rugby and hockey on one field - the result is likely to be nuclear!) 1997 Reunions and future reunions
The 1997 midyear reunion will be for the 1972 OAs (25 years) plus the 1985, 1986 and 1987 group (10 - 12 years out of school. From 1998 onwards, the intention is that the 25 year group and the 10 year group will have their midyear reunion, but this will be postponed for a year if there is a house reunion that year. Armstrong House will be celebrating its centenary in 1998, and there will be a big midyear bash for that occasion, so all you Armstrong OAs please diarise that date. (The relevant 10 and 25 year reunion will be postponed to 1999, and held together with the 10 and 25 year leaver group of 1999.) Other dates to note are: St Andrew’s Tide 1997 (November) : 50 year reunion for 1947 leavers. July 2002 Espin 100th anniversary reunion. Details to follow.
The Register
A monumental task, involving a number of people over several years, has enabled us to update the College Register, last printed in 1959. The old register has been entirely retyped (by Mrs Monica Kara and Mrs Judy Smith), and then to this has been added the period of 1959 to 1994. Much of the information contained in the old register has been updated. (Those who have been involved with the task include Felicity Cotton, Monica Kara, Caroline Kennard, Joy Rennie, Judy Smith, Griff Mullins, and Roger Clark.)
Many OAs might like copies of this. Reprinting it is obviously costly, and the printed version is also immediately out of date. The intention is to keep it up to date on an annual basis, and probably to aim to reprint up-to-date copies on request every five years. In this electronic age, however, a cheaper and perhaps more satisfactory solution is to provide the information on computer diskette instead. A search for a particular name by computer is much quicker than trying to look it up in a printed book.
Therefore anyone wishing to order a printed copy of the register (It is in A4 format, photocopy quality, with cardboard covers and a cloth strip glued onto the back as binding) should do so by writing to the Liaison Office, and placing an order by the end of June 1997. The price will be R60, plus postage. Printing will be done during the August holiday, so get your order in now, or wait 5 years!
Anyone wishing rather to have the text on computer disk should apply to Mac, stating the preferred format. (We should be able to supply it in WordPerfect 5.1, Multimate 4, Ami Pro 3, WordPerfect 6 for Windows, or Word 6 for Windows. It can probably also be supplied as straight ASCII text.) Layout will of course not correspond to the layout of the printed version, which has been done in PageMaker 5. Other formats can probably also be catered for. The computer disk version can be ordered at any time, at a cost of R10 (including postage).

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