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Bagpipe 2011.Pmd 2010 to 2011 No. 32 In the last edition Mac commented that there had been a scanty response, resulting in a short Bagpipe. This time the response has been impressive! In particular it is good to have news of so many younger OAs. Brian Hobson (Mu38/42) wonders whether any of Hugh Roberts (Me43/46) writes: Was in the Cape his contemporaries can shed light on a shooting issue. during late Spring and early Summer. There to attend a He writes: Before WW2 there was a shield, called the round of funerals and an 80th birthday for one of the Empire Shield, for small-bore shooting, which was younger ones and a discovery of relatives known and competed for by all the schools in the British Empire as only known of and of their many delightful grandchildren it was then, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New and great-grandchildren. Good to see how many people Zealand and South Africa. I believe College won it several down there have an attachment or some sort of times, but in 1937, if my memory serves me right, it was connection with College. And while at Helderberg Village won by College with a “Possible”, i.e., every shot in the in Somerset West visited Richard Boustred and Didi (nee bull. This was an outstanding sporting achievement, and Cullinan). Richard making a good recovery from an yet College seems to have no record of it. The College operation for a serious back problem, and Gerry Jooste Mag for November 1937 gives the scores for the Empire and Jean (nee van der Riet) who are both well. All of Shield shoot as 559/560, and says that the score was us with the facement of unconfirmed, but that, if it were to be confirmed it would Annie Dominoes be a new record, beating the old record by 7 shots, which and probably had been set by College in 1934. I was at Prep at the never to play time, but I remember seeing the targets, and there was rugby or swim one shot that had just shaved the bull, either just in, or the English just out. Could it be that, modestly, initially College had Channel for a first not claimed it as a bull, but, when try and not the targets were submitted to the particularly bothered authorities, it was confirmed as by the fact. We all a bull, and the score then 560/ being in our Golden 560, a “Possible”? Are there any ................ Years! Keep up the good work. O.A.s from that era still out there Prof Malcolm Bowie (Me42/45) paid College a visit who can throw any light on this recently. He writes: matter? Then, my memory I recently attended the reopening and blessing of tells me that, because this score Merriman House following its restoration. The occasion could not be improved on, the was attended by the Headmaster, The Housemaster, authorities reduced the size of the College Council members, parents and other interested bull. This is confirmed in the Mag members of College community. Not surprisingly I was of 1938, where it says that results were disappointing, the only “original” 1942 newboy at the event - after all because of the reduced size of the bull. (Mac: that’s not 69 years have passed since I first entered the then newly a lot of bull...) Why would they have reduced the size of renamed Merriman House (ex Lower House). the bull, unless somebody had achieved the impossible, I am glad I did attend. The house has been re- a “Possible”. This achievement should not be forgotten. arranged and redecorated almost beyond recognition. 1 My wife and I were greeted by two of the current memory) the comment is made inhabitants. Two more courteous and pleasant individuals that he should have been would be hard to imagine and they were kind and diligent awarded the VC for his bravery. in ensuring we saw all the changes and improvements He unfortunately died tragically that had been wrought. Incidentally and relatively young. they took care to see that the 82 + yr old OA did not fall down the George Symons (Mu48/51) sent us stairs. It was a privilege to this: While cleaning up my “Footprints meet them as well as the in the Sands of Time” I have unearthed some 8mm Cine Head of House who films which I took circa 1949/1951 while at College. My is obviously a father, being a leader of note. keen amateur film The new maker, gave me a Merriman is not cine camera to record only expertly my College Days. Some of restored but those 8mm films may have appears to be in “survived” in indifferent storage good hands. conditions - some, I seem to It seems that OA authors abound. Fred Lovemore remember in black and white - and (E44/47) says: Speaking of opportunities and books, others in colour.... I no longer have a projector to now when I stopped farming and moved to Johannesburg in check - neither their condition nor the content thereof! 1964, I changed jobs a few times at first and finally ended Among them too there might be films taken by my son up lecturing at UNISA (in the Department of Financial Alan Edly Symons who was at College (Mu72/75). Alan Management) and stayed until my official retirement in in his final year at Wits (Architecture) was lost in a diving 1995, followed by another five years, a total of 22 years. accident (officially held to have been a shark attack - but During that time I obtained my M.Com after which be- there were questions about faulty valves in the scuba gan a period of opportunity when I wrote a number of gear (whatever) being the real reason for his books (besides a host of study guides for our students, disappearance on his first ever sea dive at M’bibi on the plus other relevant articles). north Natal coast.) The first was a novel, entitled “The Race is not to the If there is any interest in the Andrean Community in Swift” (words from Ecclesiastes 9:11), having a copy of this record.... or parts of it - I will go about fear, lying and cheating, sex, into what is possible regarding rescuing, copying and / drug dealing, and general dissipation or transferring the record (as much as may be until one day the hero is rescued by salvageable)?? Unfortunately - at this time of my life - I an entity called the Whisper (the Still Small Voice). After many attempts to publish the book, I eventually put it onto Amazon.com in October 2011. The next book was “The ABC of Financial Management”, directed at the uninformed student/reader (Mac: sales must now be running into millions...!), and published by Van Schaik Publishers, Pretoria: 2nd edition, 2003. The latest book, entitled “The Prayer of Moses: The Moses Formula” was self-published through Crink, Pretoria, and is available only to prospective readers in cannot offer to bear the costs of doing so. The situation Africa from: [email protected] or is compounded too by the fact that I am now resident in [email protected] or phones the UK (on the Isle of Wight!) 0861668368 and 021 918 8811. For readers outside Stephen ‘Doc’ Malan (A48/51) writes with news Africa, the book is available on Amazon.com. The Moses of himself and others: On leaving College with a bunch “formula” is found in Exodus 14:13-14 and provides of close mates - Michael McCrum (A49/52) ex Director instructions for patterns of behaviour in dealing with at AAC now an ordained Minister living in the UK, difficult times and other emergencies. (Mac: what does Stephen Thomas (E48/51) Farmer now retired living in it say about dealing with Malema?) Grahamstown, Andrew Duthie (A48/52) died sadly in Neil Cullinan (U46/50) adds: Did you know that 1996 in the UK & James Farquharson (A48/49) was a Brian Moyanhan had written a book about Freddy pilot based in Australia who has also passed away. I Spencer Chapman, Head of College after Ronald Curry, started working for The Shell Co in Johannesburg but entitled “Jungle Soldier the story of Freddy Spencer after 2 1/2 years there I spent the next 2 years [1954/6] Chapman”? It is an excellent book. In the foreword (from touring in Europe. On return to SA I pursued a marketing 2 career in the computer industry starting in Johannesburg footplate by the crew of a 15BR with Burroughs Machines [original mechanical at Alicedale and enjoying a accounting machines] through to Mainframe computers ride to the next siding. The & the early days of PCs. We relocated to Cape Town in two engines tackling the 1993 & were involved in a family business for a couple incline out of Alicedale at of years followed by owning a Guest House in Bishops full throttle with clouds of Court. Our son Michael (A78/83) was a prefect & got black smoke swirling his colours for rowing. Tragically he died in 1989 around the cabs and the returning to Rhodes & a rowing camp at College. We glow of fireboxes as the have two married daughters & 7 Grandchildren, one firemen constantly stoked their living in the UK & the other married to James Rawbone- charges, was the thrill of a lifetime – Viljoen (A75/80) who have 2 boys wisely, I was not asked to drive. booked for Armstrong in 2013 & Lorraine (Moon) Mullins (dA49/53) has just 2015. [Undoubtedly I will get completed a history of Prep covering the period 1885 involved with College again in the to 2010, and entitled “I’ll Sing future] You One, Oh!”.
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