1964 CLASS REUNION Founders Day weekend 12th, 13th and 14th March 2004
*** AN EVENING OF THE STARS ***

Grant House 1962
click to enlarge
AWESOME PICTURE WHEN ENLARGED
 

28th May 2010
Dear Martin, Thanks for your condolences expressed in your note.  Sorry to be so long in responding, but Merle and I went to East London to look after my sister-in-law's farm whilst they were away for 2 months in the States.  Early in our stay, Merle's condition deteriorated and after a brief stay in St Dom's, she went to a better home!  But I went on with our assignment, and returned only this past week.  My Dad also died exactly a month after Merle, and I was involved with similar arrangements for a second time. Best wishes to all the Old Graemians! Regards and greetings, Don Munday

25th May 2010
Hi Martin  Just to confirm received email. What a fantastic site. Only went through briefly. Name of Peter Martin jumped out at me Was this "squeeler" Martin? In our class and  a friend said he  thought had a house at St francis. Also Theo Oetley. Those "mad" Oetly bros  Stamping on the Ants  Brings back many memories. Tks again and when I get back will be in touch.
Peter and Sue Page.

18th May 2010
Hi Marty, Thanks for all the news. Always nice  receiving a bit of news from you . Great. Keep it up. Congratulations on the first grandchild. I'm sure there will be many more. Have just returned from Sydney Australia were I visited my son and family. Just a pity to have to travel so far just to see ones children and grandchildren. A few guys have tried to start a Graemean old boys club here in Cape Town. (Bellville to be exact) but I have not attended as yet. Please give my fondest regards to all our old school pals when you see them. Kindest regards Ceddy (Cedric Miller) 'Sekkie from the Strand).....................

18th May 2010
Thanks for passing this news on. I am presently in the USA visiting my grandchildren ( I have 5!!!  3 girls and 2 boys so you have some catch up). I always read these notes with sadness and joy. Sadness that you won't ever see people like Lennie again but joy in that we are in contact and had such a great time at school. Regards, Royden

 

Here are the pictures taken at the Friday night dinner. IF you look hard and cast your mind back, then recognition comes in...Click on each picture to make it larger.

Guest of Honour Meneer Ernie Hobbs.."Gor..." Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make angry...	Mr Don Munday Younger than before	Mr Louis Nel The "coir mat" TC chicks man "Jissie, man chaps"	The bunch James Dyer speaking	Pops Benyon Grahamstown
Barry Reid "His comb was always longer than his socks"	Cedric Miller "Looks better than in '64"	Denis Chapman "A smile says it all"	Denton Francis UnRoadWorthy until year 2000	Douggie Brown Rustenburg Mining Consultant
Doug Pashley now at Sundays River	Gladwin Morton & Royden Vice	James Dyer Check the halo !	Neilen Locke The Judge	Neil Robey VW Metallurgist
Richard Peddle "Almost unchanged"	Ronald Beard East London	Royden Vice	Stephen du Toit Retired Injured	Tony Perry now in Jo'burg
Martin Kruger and Barry Reid old Port Alfred pals	James Dyer holds the floor	Jimmy and Ceddy at Martin's home in PE	Jimmy and Martin watching Super12 rugby

6th June 2005
And a speedy reply from Patrick Phillips
Hi Martin, When you see Jan this week, tell him I say hi. I was always in awe of his academic achievements. Not that I ever applied myself to my own studies!!!
Cheers, Patrick Phillips, Recruitment & Selection Officer, Rhodes University

6th June 2005
Nice long letter from Clair Fichardt

Dear Martin, Today, Sunday afternoon at 4.30pm, I'm writing to you from Madrid. Yesterday afternoon, while packing my bags getting ready to depart from my home on Cape Town, my step-son called me to his pc and showed me your website. Just imagine my surprise!!!!!!!!

Reading through all your correspondence took me back to 1961 when I came to Graeme for my last 2 years of schooling. Suddenly names long since forgotten came flooding back to me - what ever happended to Adri Leurs (my dorm prefect in ' 91), Mac McLaughlin, Bullseyes Emslie, Kingsley Amm etc. just to name a few. As a newpot to Grant House (in Std 9 nogal) I had to fag for Frank Schoeman, and all went well till I refused to wash his snotty hankiese!

Your photos are exellent. When we enlarged the 1962 Grant House photo from your website, it didn't take my family long to spot me seated on the extreme left front.

I really regret that I never re-visited the "old school" now reverted back to VGHS. At one stage in the ' 70's it was all orgainzed for me to hire a 6 seater aircraft and fly down from Benoni for the annual celebrations with Peter Tudge and David Graham, but that was all cancelled when SAA called me out on a long overseas flight, and that was that till 1992 when I finally took my wife to see my old school. The high points of the visit to Grahamstown were staying at the Cock Inn with Peter Tudge and stopping at the Pig on our way to Port Alfred - stopped at midday for a quick beer and ony got away at 3.30pm! The low point was seeing just how different the "new" school was from the beautiful virginia creeper-covered elegant red brick shool I remembered!

About some of the names mentioned by you and Des Cooney. I well remember the day Des flew in the cockpit of the SAA B737 and we chatted about old times. Another who flew with me was David Craig, a 1962 matriculant who became vice principal of  Rondebosch School in Cape Town. I also met Bokkie Venter a couple of times while he was working at the PE airport. The only teacher I ever met while flying was Herman Giliomee - now of political analyst fame. The only other chaps I've bumped into over the years are Eric Kent (at a rugby test) Warren Simpson, Drew Hunter, Billy Kempen, and before his death, Clive Truter. To backtrack a bit, after leaving school and completing flying training, I was posted to Cape Town for 4 years. In that time I met Clive and Ingrid a number of times, as well as MC and his wife. Clive, being the active athlete and in the SAP, was always flying around the country to various athletic meetings and we saw quite a lot of each other. In later years, after Mrs Marais death, I contacted MC, but he had become quite reclusive and wouldn't even come out to watch a Provincial game at Newlands. By comparison, how is dear old Ernie Hobbs? I notice you say he is from the Cape - I would appreciate getting his address and catching up with him. In 1999, while on a 10,000km 4x4 trip, I met Gladwin Morton in Etosha, but I have subsequently lost his contact details, so I would appreciate meeting him as well. I also wander what happened to Don Fulton, Lennie Harvey, Tony Gush, Dirk Baker, Ian Muir, David Duncan and their likes.

Back to when I saw Des - shortly after he flew with me I was transferred to the Training Section in SAA and became a Training and Check Captain on B737's, and subsequently B747's. Then I got drafted into the Pilots' Association where I became President and Chairman from 1991 - 1995. In 1999 I moved onto the new B747 -400. In June 2000 I went on loan to Korean Air for three years and finally retired from SAA late 2003. Right now I'm contracted to Iberian Airlines as a Training and Check Captain on the B 747-400, operating out of Madrid to Cuba and Tenerife. So here I am after 42 years in aviation (35 of which in SAA) and still loving it! Aviation fuel runs thick in the Fichardt veins - my cousin, Gustav Fichardt, was an Airforce pilot, my father a private and corporate pilot, and my eldest son, Boyd, after doing his first flight in SAA with me, has moved on and is a Captain flying the Airbus 330 for Emirates out of Dubai.

I've finally settled my place of abode after spells of living in Benoni, Winston Park (near Pinetown), Morningside (Durbs) & Kempton Park. My wife's vision, impeccible taste and renovation abilities are solely responsible for me now living in the most wonderful old thatched roofed, rather large but very elegant, cottage with 2 guest cottages attached and situated on 6000 sq metres of land, high up in the Disa River Valley in Hout Bay. In fact, after the recent good rains, the river, which passes through the bottom of my property, is once again flowing strongly for the first time in 3 years. Anyone interested, see: www.riverlea-retreat.co.za and you'll see what it's like to live in "Heaven on Earth." This isn't a sales pitch - I'd really like to make contact with the guys from Graeme - I remember arriving at Graeme, totally bilingual after linguistic grounding at Grey College, Bloemfontein and Outeniqua Hoerskool in George. In George my fluent English was too much for PW Botha's woodcutting brigade, so I was a "Fxxxxn Engelsman" and at Graeme my fluent Afrikaans had me dubbed a "Dutchman & Rockspider." The only one who appreciated my Afrikaans was Ernie Hobbs! In truth, guys, I'm just a perfect speciman of a South African "pavement special."

Regards to all, and Martin, I remember you well from your photo - Barry too, but not from his hair!

Clair Fichardt.

grylion69@yahoo.com

clair@riverlea-retreat.co.za

PS. I'm sure you guys had a great re-union. I think I'll have to wait till 2012 for our 50th!

28th October 2004
Another nice long letter from Ronnie and Squeak Futter and family
Dear Martin,
I apologise for not having replied sooner, but we have been away 3 week-ends out of 5 and only just getting back to normality. Lovely to have received your e-mail and photo, but firstly, let me say that it was nice to hear news of Priscilla. Please give her my best wishes if she remembers is. Please let me know what her news is and of her children as well. I want to add something to your e-mail where you weren't sure where Francious van Niekerk as ended up. Well, Jackie, that you mention, I am in regular e-mail contact with her and she mentioned that he is a vet in Humansdorp, so hope that clears that up. Jackie lives in Walmer, and married Dolf Holm also from the Albany area. Did you perhaps see the T.V. programme which had coverage (bad chose of a word) of the Bathurst bare bums. Someone in Bathurst has put together a 2005 calendar with some young chap and some not so young chaps at the Bathurst Agricultural Museum doing the shoot. Very entertaining.!!! How is our friend Denton? Please give him our best and perhaps he also needs our e-mail address!!!!! To be fair I think he is in contact with Don. One of the three week-ends that we were away was in Durban and we spent time with Don and also a night with Gill and Vinc. It was such a happy time and we so enjoyed catching up with them. We had a huge hail storm last night and so many of my precious flowers got damaged, so I had better go and do a tidy up. Hope all goes well with you - are you going to P.A. for Xmas? Ronnie's parents, 85 and 84 respectively will be spending Xmas with us which will be nice. With Love, The Futters

27th October 2004
Nice long letter from Des Cooney
Hi Martin
Thank you for the latest snippet this week. Although I was not at Grant House many of the names mentioned brought back many memories. I wish I had a pound (remember them) for every time MC Marais ordered me to have my haircut (my hair is still on the longish side). Don Fulton was a great fullback and I remember him (I think I was playing in my first game for the first team in 1962) missing a fairly straight forward penalty that would have given us a one-point victory over Dale. I think they had H.O de Villiers in their side that year and they subsequently went through the season unbeaten. I think I know who you mean when you talk about "a Toffee-kind of guy". After pushing against him in practices (he was so strong) any other opponents in actual matches seemed weak by comparison. You mention the late Piet Botha (it was actually Peter, his father was English-speaking) who became headboy. We were great buddies and I saw him every now and again. The last time was about 10 or 12 years ago when I stayed with him for a few days in East London. I last saw Clair Fichardt (he was my prop partner in the '62 team) about the same time. He was (or still is, perhaps ) an airline pilot and I sat up front with him for some of the time on a flight from Cape Town to Durban. I saw the late Peter Tudge on a few occasions many years ago when I was with the Daily Dispatch (Andrew Hunter was also on the Dispatch at the time) when he was playing provincial cricket for Northern or North Eastern Transvaal. I remember the Douglas Kew tragedy and if I remember correctly he had a pretty sister, Heather, who I think also came from Port Alfred. And of course I remember Denton (a very clean-cut youngster!) and his brother Errol who if I remember correctly was a robust second team lock? Thanks once again for the latest e-mail and perhaps some of the above is news (probably not). Cheers for now, Des Cooney

18th October 2004
A speedy reply from Jan DuP
Dear Martin
Thanks for the letter & photo. Enjoyed that very much I have a email address that has more room for attachments dupjan7@yahoo.com.
Thanks, Jan du Plessis

5th July 2004
Thanks to Ceddy for sending the article about Harvey Drew to me today. Click on the picture below to enlarge the image and read the article.

23rd March 2004
Read letter from Mr. Ernie Hobbs - in .pdf format (You'll need Acrobat reader), or click here to view as a normal web page.
Can you believe that Douggie Brown drove down from Rustenburg for our reunion, had dinner with us all...then promptly turned around and drove back to attend a family wedding in Welkom the very next day ! Man ! They made 'em good in '64.
12th Mar 2004
WIE   DOEN   WAT   WANNEER   HOE   WAAR   OM TE
Martin Kruger, Mr. Ernie Hobbs and Gladwin Morton - PE airport 12th March 2004 - then everybody gathered at Peter Tudge's (+)  Cockhouse in Grahamstown for dinner.
Then it came to pass that 20-odd men, many of whom had not seen each other for over 40 years, shook hands, made merry, chatted, joked, recalled tales from the past - and peace was all around. Neil (Beans) Robey looks almost exactly the same, Barry Reed does not. In fact Barry has grown taller, right through his (previously expansive) hairline. First up, looking lean and mean - fit as the proverbial fiddle - were Pops Benyon and Louis Nel. (One L.) Jissie chaps, come on now, chaps...Then everybody had a few-minutes slot telling who/what/where they have done in life. There were no sad tales. Success emerged in varying manners and measures - the pure fact that more than half of the 1964 class made it to the gathering, speaks volumes for the manner in which our initial disciplinary education was nurtured into us.  (Ummm well, sort of...) Extreme thanks to Jimmy Dyer and Douggie Brown who saw fit to come and spend time with their 1964 family. And Barry Reid, Denis Chapman and Richard Peddle who drove down from Pretoria. Ceddy Miller, up from Cape Town. Royden for initiating the event. Neilen who drove from Umtata !

Scribe, Martin:      and mugshot

 

 

2nd June 2008
Hi, Martin – there are definitely some faces in that picture that look familiar. I should dig out my 1963 Grant House picture and compare. Were you perhaps in the East dormitory in ’63? I remember fagging there for a boy called Harvey Drew. I was in Middle West, with an odd assortment of characters including Mike Smith and Kevin Heny (they were in the beds nearest to me), Mike Hobbs, Johnny Neaves, the Timm cousins Donald and Tony (alias Tackies), Errol Cherry and several others whose names will no doubt come to mind when I think about it. When I lived in Queenstown I knew Johnny’s in-laws and occasionally met his wife (she would visit them without him). She told me once that Johnny would sit in front of the TV whenever Mike Hobbs was presenting and say: “I hate you, Mike Hobbs!” Frank Rumboll was a housemaster (he used to stand smoking in the dormitories, begging us not to split on him to the boss), and of course it was M C Marais’s last year. I only went to Graeme because MC and my dad had been rugby buddies at UCT. I was quite fond of his daughter Ingrid (I believe she lives in PE, but I have not tracked her down), and Mrs Marais used to give me Norwegian stamps. I was the only boy who would sit in the diningroom on Saturday afternoons working on my stamp collection. After fagging for Harvey, I fagged for Spotty Wicks for a while. When I worked in East London I met up with him and his then fiancée (they must have been married for about 33 or 34 years by now). He was most embarrassed when I called him Spotty, and insisted that I call him Clyde. My last fagging position was with Piet Botha, who was headboy at the time. He was quite rude to me one night when he discovered that my dad was involved in the Progressive Party. Piet called me a kaffirboetie for that! I was friendly with Jonathan Ossher, but I blew the whistle on his suicidal tendencies and after that he spent a year at Fort England. He finished his schooling at Muir College, and after qualifying at Rhodes went back to Muir to teach. But after seven years teaching English there, he packed it in and took a post at Riebeek College teaching accounting to the girls. He found it less stressful. He is still there. Jon sends me e-mails – some of them are quite funny, but a lot of them I delete. He says other people send them to him, and he doesn’t know what else to do with them. One I deleted in the past week had a subject line “Surgery in crisis under Manto Tshabalala-Msimang”. The first picture showed a woman with her arm in a sling, but with a foot showing out of the sling. The second showed a guy expressing shock while looking at himself in a mirror, because instead of a nose he had a penis. Rather silly. I see that your Grant House picture is at Martinsguesthouse – your place of business, I presume. I have visited the Kowie on odd occasions down the years, but never really got to know the place. Perhaps I should pop in on you sometime. Ciao, Mike Oettle mike.oettle@gmail.com

From: John Smuts      jpsmuts@gmail.com
Sent: 17th May 2008
Dear Martin, I am John Smuts left Graeme in Std 9 during 1965. Might be an interesting story. I stayed with the du Plessis's at Arlington Boarding House. It was enjoyable reading all the letters of most known friends. I will like to get photo's of the school days as all my Graemians were damaged. I have addressed a few e-mails to some of the contacts and hope to get a reply. Regards, John Smuts

Nice hearing from you, John. Take care....Martin

From: Maggie Burgess   isburgess@xtra.co.nz
Sent: 16th May 2008
Hi Martin Just stumbled over your website and went on a trip down memory lane! Wow, old Grahamstown and the Kowie certainly sticks in all our memories even though we are scattered all over the planet. I saw names like Ian Bodill (Blacky) who now lives in Auss – he used to walk past our flat in Goldswain Street up to the boarding house everyday and he played rugby with my cousin Howard Edge who unfortunately is not with us anymore – great loss. I remember Ossher Bros and remember the smell inside the shop of products that we didn’t usually buy, but it was the place my mother went when she couldn’t find what she wanted elsewhere. Kenny Agombar is in Pretoria (I saw reference to him) my sister lives there and was in touch with him and his family for a while. Avro Randall, all the farmers names that were so familiar to me as my dad used to know everyone in the district. He used to sell the old Massey Ferguson tractors and was well-known for his tea drinking (really) – many a bush can thank my dad for its evolution.
I went to VGJS and then to the Assumption Convent and was in the same class as Don Bradfield’s daughter, Barbara and of course can I remember everyone . . . the brain is a bit slow these days. I worked for the old travel agency in Grahamstown called Tom Tits, first started by Tom Knowles – I wonder if anyone remembers him? A great guy and that wheelchair did nothing to deter his amazing spirit. He taught me what I needed to know in that business and for that I have always been grateful. Patrick Phillips – who used to run the PA branch also worked in Grahamstown and I know is still at Rhodes doing his thing. Patrick if you read this get in touch . . . Just so many memories of people and places and so nice to hear that we are all still getting on with life all over the place. I married and moved to Fish Hoek and then to Kroonstad for four years and then we moved to New Zealand. I’ve got four great kids – two of each who are growing too fast for me. I remember wonderful holidays at the Kowie – we went and stayed at The Links Hotel one year – it was the year my mother fell asleep on the beach, dad was fishing and no one really knew about ultra violet rays and I ended up with a severe case of sunburn keeping the ‘residents’ awake at the hotel as I yelled and cried through the night. After a fishing day, dad would take us to swim at The Lagoon –which was where I learned to swim. If we didn’t go to DO stuff at the beach we would invariably end up going on our usual Saturday or Sunday afternoon drive which ended at the beach café for a cream soda float and tea for the folks of course, a walk along the pier and then home again. I remember the harsh winds whipping up the sand as we walked back to the car after a day on the beach and running as best we could because the sand was burning our feet. Good memories. The village shops were always different to Grahamstown and we used to go and have a bit of a window shop as well. Trevor Reed’s butchery is one I can recall and the chemist. Must say that as I sit here writing the memories are dim, but never completely gone. Every time I meet someone from the old district we sit and chew the fat and recall every tiny detail we can. Life has hurried along and we have all left behind the memories that built our lives but we don’t forget. I will keep your site bookmarked and do a bit more reading when I can, but I also wanted to thank you for keeping us in touch with our roots and reminding us of people and friends that we used to know. Have fun – I think you do and keep up the site, we need to touch base sometimes.
Kind regards Maggie Burgess (nee Margaret Shepherd)
Hi Maggie, wow, some memorable names you have in your memory bank. Howard Edge was a very good flyhalf. Yep, heard from Patrick, albeit some time ago. Tom Knowles was at a retirement village here in Summerstrand a few years ago. Wonderful to hear from you...Martin

From: David Ossher [mailto:dbo@intercansa.com]
Sent: 21 February 2008 02:28 PM
Hello Martin What a fabulous website on google, I was looking for something else and up it popped….. great reading!! My never to be forgotten days at Graeme ended in 1952…that’s really a long time ago but they were in the era of the good old days. We lived in Donkin Street, across the road from Arlington where I was “forced” to do my homework during the boarders late afternoon prep time. The head honcho at Arlington at that time was Mr Lister who had three daughters, I reckon they must have grown into very wise and tough young ladies having grown up with 30-40 randy young bloods living in very close proximity and ogling every move they made. Who knows what else went on with those three damsels. Grant House was up the road at that time and I can recount many a good time spent there gaaning aan and smoking Mills Specials with the guys (no grass in those days). I was the culprit who was wrongly accused by Alex Junor (Headmaster) of causing his old Ford to suddenly develop fits and starts. Actually it was the introduction of sugar to his petrol tank that gave his engine a serious bout of indigestion and reflux. Needless to say I can still feel the six bites his cane took out of my bum and him saying to me in his broad Scot’s accent “This will teach you a lesson never to be forgotten” and believe me he was dead right.  Metrowich, our maths master swore he saw me doing the foul deed, actually I think Ernie Rothman was one of those involved.  I have recently turned 73, am living in Cape Town, have been involved in the export of canned fruit, fruit juices and juice concentrates for the past 50 years and am still hard at it, will no doubt have to join the SRC (Septogenarian Retirement Club) one these days. My dad had the Ossher Bros shop on the market square, he was there for 65 years and I believe it still trades under the same name. That’s where I learned to speak Xhosa and still do to the surprise of many of our indigenous brethren. Please put me on your mailing list and keep me updated with Graeme affairs. Sincerely, David Ossher

Hi David

How great to hear from a young man with such enthusiasm. I am copying to a gent by the name of Louis van Heerden who was there shortly before - or after you.

I clearly remember Ossher Bros. One of the really traditional shoppes. Great hearing from you - keep cookin'     Martin

6th December 2007 Peter Martin (Muddle) passed away in Australia after a battle with cancer over the last year.

9th May 2007
Hi Martin. You don’t know me but I happened to come across a note from one “Mark” mentioning a number of names I know vaguely. I am really interested in tracing Kenny Agombar. He and I shared a room in some fleepit in PE many yonks ago when we were at banking school and I am interested in getting in touch with him if you can help with an e-mail address. In the same note I saw the name Sue Randall. I knew a Sue Randall from Port Alfred (there were two sisters). I think her father was a chicken/egg farmer……….be this the same young lady? Would appreciate hearing from you. Reagrds Graham Steyn Mobile: 083 325 5705 Home: 039 975 1556 margjs@icon.co.za
Hello Graham, How nice hearing from you. Kenny Agombar and I were tellers together at Standard Bank in Grahamstown. Now THERE was a good guy, HUH. Haven't seen him for YEARS, sorry. Yes, you have the correct Sue Randall. Her Dad was AVRO Randall and had this massive chicken and egg farm. I know, because my Dad put in all their electricity for them. Aish...you bring back good memories...Cheers, keep cookin'...Martin

25 April 2007
Hi Martin, Found this web site by accident - spent a lot of time reading all the letters. I left Graeme in 1954 (Now 72) My mother was one of the last VG class that matriculated at Graeme and when she died aged 90 was the oldest female old Graemian.!! Spent most of my life since then as a teacher in Cape Town, managed to get out of the rat-race by taking the package in 1989 and have never looked back. Started at Graeme in 1945 and except for a break in Std 6 when we moved to Zululand for a year I spent the rest of my time at the Old Graeme of the winding stairs ( I can still repeat the school song - wonder what it means to the present generation.) Neilen Locke was in junior school when I left - I had a lot to do with his father Eugene while I was at Rhodes. Ernie Rothman was with us until he dropped out in Std 8. My headmasters were Alex Junior - the ultimate gentleman - and O.B. Taylor. Wonder how many of my generation are still around!! My friends and I often rode down to Kowie from Grahamstown, slept on the dunes. Regards Louis van Heerden zs1lvh@absamail.co.za
Hi Louis, Thanks for the email. Yeah, my fathers never passed thru the Drostdy Gates either...Keep well, cheers Martin

Martin
5th March 2007
Hi Martin, I have had such fun this afternoon going through all the letters and photo. I take the liberty to write in as well!! The relationship between VG and Graemians was always a good one. I see many faces that meant ‘something special’ to me while at school. I would love to know what happened to Alan Baxter …. Boy did I have a crush on him … with his short ‘shorts throwing that baton around!! This was a crush that he knew nothing about till later when we met briefly. I would love to know where he is and what path his life took. I know that he was with Jimmy and Douggie in the same year and that they all boarded together. If you know it would be great just to say hi.
Thanks, Sandy Wilson (nee Dawe) sister to Keith Dawe.
Aaaah Sandy, you really had me reaching back into the furthest recesses on my poor old mind on this one. Keith Dawe - played hockey ? Right ? Quiet, unassuming lad. Something to do with the Methodist Church or similar ? Always the gentleman. How good hearing from you, thanks so much for writing. Keep well, Martin

28th February 2007
Hello Martin, Talk about a blast from the past. I have just been going through you website. I remember all the old faces. Two weeks ago I was in PE on business and made contact with Jonathan Ossher. I had last seen him in 1962. I am enclosing a recent photo of myself. I left Graeme at the end of ’62 after my Dad died. I got caught up in the part-time forces and finished with the rank of Lt Colonel. I have a BSc (Ind Chem) and an MBA. My interest in Chemistry was fuelled by Mr “Cabbage” Terblanche. Dudley Schroeder I remember but they are not fond memories. Dr Bobbins the School Inspector said that I should continue with Latin in Std 7, but Dudley was the teacher so I took Bookkeeping and Commercial Arithmetic instead. I remember in 1960 the Afrikaans exemption for Rhodesian scholars was rescinded. At the end of that year I got 29%. Ma Toerien re-marked my paper and I scraped through with 33.3%. I will write again. Dennis G Edgar - Quality Manager, Concor Technicrete  dennis@concor.co.za  
Hi Dennis, Oh I am so glad you responded. You know the world population is booming, but us old Graemians are declining in numbers. Not that I have any particular fond reminisces of the school and it's teachers (Exception: Ernie Hobbs) but hell, we were a fine bunch of people in those days. Thanks for the photo, I'm going to forward it to my Uncle Denton Francis, who got married in 2000 and then retired a few years ago. You must remember him. If I recall correctly, Dudley Schroeder's wife smoked a long african pipe. Maybe she was the best part of him. Certainly better looking. Cheers pal...keep smiling, Martin

27th February 2007
Hi there Martin, I have a faint recollection of a pocket zobo I was given at one stage that I guarded with my life. I think it disappeared many moons ago. I also lost all contact with my once upon a time nickname and cannot even remember how I got it-perhaps it was when I was caught sleeping in class when old "Dush" was busy with us. (dead as a dodo) Thinking back that is now approx 43 years ago and by the way I turned 60 today. I left school after 1963 (std 9-I got my Matric later) and joined the SAPS where I was for the next 36 years and left with the rank of Lieut-Colonel in Cape Town. Then it still was the SAP Force not SAP Service. I enjoyed most of my time there as I was involved in all the specialized units in the investigation of crime. I managed to travel far and wide in SA also visiting countries like Switzerland, France, UK (several times), Isle of Man, Verduz in Liechenstein, Chile, Brazil and Argentina. The places certain individuals stash their money etc etc. and like to try and creep away. I have three sons-all doing well-2 are overseas- 3 grand daughters and my wife Margie and I have a home at 6 Francolin Road, West Beach, Port Alfred. Unfortunately I work in East London and am hardly ever in Port Alfred at this stage. Enough about me. Tell me how life has been treating you-It seems you a doing very well. I will come have a beer with you when in PE again and you must make a plan to visit PA. Cheers for now, Neil
DODO, my china - was wondering where on earth you are. I'm rushing to catch the plane to Durban, my son Junior
www.juniorkruger.co.za
is racing in the support race to the A1GP. Back on Monday - will chat more then. REALLY GREAT hearing from you, pal....
We're in PE, Cheers - by the way, what's the time on Pearson's Zobo ?...Martin
Hi Martin, What a surprise-one of my colleagues referred me to this website knowing I was at Graeme and seeing my name in the column. I also stay in Port Alfred but am contracting in East London until the end of this year when I think I will be retiring for good. Will get back to you soon with a longer note and more info. Sorry to hear about Neilen Locke- I worked with him for some time in the Transkei during the Commissions of Inquiry. I am actually on my way to Port Alfred for the weekend. Contact you soon-Go well, Cheers, Neil Pearson
npearson@siu.org.za

26th February 2007
Hi Martin, came across your site a couple of years ago and read the articles and all subsequent correspondence with great interest. Passed your site on to Alan Weyers, who I see has written to you recently. That is I, Mike “Mac” McDonnell – Brothers Charles (67) and Brian (same year as Cheeky Watson, whatever that was). Many of the names and faces are familiar, as I started at Graeme as a very small, scared boarder at Arlington in 1961, and saw many guys come and go. Guys from your era that were there during my stay at Arlington (61-64) were Richard Prowse – (His Wife’s name was Ruth), Richard Peddle, obviously Jan Du Plessis and all his brothers. Strange but cannot remember Royden being there, do remember Gavin Watson though. MC Marais was headmaster (Cricket is a strange game…) and I remember Clive Truter and MC’s daughter Ingrid. Saw Rowles, Attie Maree and Geldinghuis come & go as headmasters. Was taught by Titch Searl, Jack Siebert, Doesh ?? Frank Rumbol, Don Munday etc. Started smoking in about standard 5 and used to puff Luckies plain (19 cents a packet) in the old Swimming Pool area as well as at the Wood Work centre. Recon I must hold some sort of record for being caught smoking. One of the first to smoke a Gunston plain as Mike Coetzer’s old man got some at the Market from Rhodesia (he was the Auctioneer). In standard 7 I went to the boarding house that was the first house on the right on the main drag as you came into Grahamstown from PE – Dud Schroeder & his wife were the hostel Masters. Used to bunk out just about every night and go visit Alan’s (Weyers) old man at the Cathcart Arms hotel to smoke and talk horse. It was from there that Brian Pitt & I got expelled by Slabbert & Attie Maree at the end of the third term in standard 8. We both ended up at the Futters boarding house, with Louis Nel, Jean Hobbs and Elsibie Vos (VG Afrikaans teacher). Others there were Denise Yendall, Clive Alcock and a couple of other girls whose names escape me. Used to “borrow” Oz Futters Vespa/Lambretta and it was also there that Donny & Ronny attempted to teach me to drive in their Borgward Isabella (remember the Castelaine? brothers, all rode Borgwards?). Always walked to school with the Coetzers, the late Davy Muddle, Leroy Webster and of course Donny Futter. Many plans were made and futures planned. Louis used to buy Brian & me beers at the Vic. Fabian Jerome & his brother stayed over the road. Kevin Heney joined us the next year and brazenly lit up in the room the first day he was there. Never forgot that - What a boytjie. Royden Vice was very friendly with Ronnie and came over often.  It was during the third term that Clive Alcock & I ended up crashing his Morris Minor at the bottom of Blaukrantz Pass, when the brakes failed and we moered into the 44 gallon drums filled with rocks at the bottom – the new bridge was still under construction. Never forget Gappy May’s father jumping out his car (we had overtaken them on the way down at a hell of a speed), and crapping on Clive for going so fast. Clive was sitting there spitting out teeth and pieces thereof , as he had blixemed his mouth on the centre of the steering wheel and had done some serious damage to his lips etc. and tried to explain what had happened. We hiked back to the Settlers Hospital to get stitched up. Still got the scars – no seat belts in those days. As far as I know the wreck is still on the Yendalls farm, near the Tractor Tyres. At the end of 67 we were asked not to come back to the boarding house – I went to Jo’burg and Brian went to Plumstead High. I came back to Graeme at the beginning of the third term in order to concentrate on passing matric, on the basis that I had to promise to behave. Was at Meredith Hostel – a new place close to Grant House. Actually managed to stay out of trouble and pass matric, much to everyone’s surprise, including my own. That was in 68. Went to the Navy the next year with Butch Richardson, Geoff Pool and a bunch of other Graemians. Had a ball. Used to bump into Mike (Uckle) Hobbs in Johannesburg before he became rich & famous (he used to ride a motorbike). Became a keen motorcyclist and have remained so till this day. Married quite young and have two adult sons as a result. Divorced my first wife, lost my second wife to breast cancer and am married again, much to my surprise, believe me. Now living in Brisbane Australia, where the rest of my family have lived since the early seventies (I resisted the urge to come out till 2004). Have contacted Peter Martin in Perth and welcome any old Gramian who happens to be in the area to give me a shout. “Those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end…Regards, Mike Mike.McDonnell@leicon.com.au
 

16th February 2007
Hi Martin, great website, especially the Graeme Boys section, absolutely great to see the faces and hear about some of the guys and teachers like Louis Nel and Don Munday. You were about three years ahead of me at Graeme, I was in the same era as Bertie Burchell, Dave Pledger, Peter Page, Ian Forbes, Knockie Wakeford (whose mom worked with my dad at Digby and Francis Estate Agents for years) Nigel Wakeford and others. I was at Arlington hostel when Richard Prowse and (unless my doddering memory is on the fritz) Louise met and Royden Vice was the senior at our table in the dining room. And I see Dave Alcock quite often when I am in PE, I usually just pop into the shop for a 'howzit'. I found you website through Mike MacDonnell who is in OZ and I made contact with him through Alan Weyer who run historic tours in Grahamstown. The last week has been a phenomenal week of 'remembering' and revisiting 'long long ago and far far away'. Really a great experience, I'll keep popping back to see what's/who's new and perhaps give you a call for a milkshake sometime. Take care
Alan Weyers    alanw@ixweb.co.za
Hey Alan, great hearing from you, pal. Saw Peter Page a month or so ago when he retired down to the Kowie. I believe he goes to tourism meetings by canoe. That's the way to go. Would that be "Mac" MacDonnell that you're talking about in Ozland ? Yebo - keep smiling, cheers....
27th July 2006 - Mr. Don Munday -  dmunday@mweb.co.za     
Dear Martin, Thank you so much for keeping me in touch with all of the latest news as it relates to the Old Boys of your particular vintage. I have appreciated it in spite of the relative silence from my end! (I did not miss the challenge in one of your letters). So sad to hear of the passing of Neilen. I did pick up that he was ill, and I should have contacted you to find out the details as I could have visited him as both my wife and I have walked the same road in the recent past, and are in remission (I would say, we are perfectly well) and continue to live our lives without a thought of how ill we have been. I do not understand how that some people survive and others not, but we are just grateful to God, and leave it all to Him. As a result of my being on your mailing list, two old boys have contacted me, one from Australia and the other from Gauteng. The chap from Gauteng (Rowland Hickling) was in the Hostel in 1960, my first year of teaching. He was in my science class and I took him to Sunday School in the dreaded brown Beetle. It was good to get pictures of how he looked whilst at school, and the now version! I would have walked past him in the street without the least recognition! It was super to have been at your 40 year reunion. I must tell you that I went to my own Matric 50 year reunion in the same year, at Cambridge High School in East London. It was not such a great turnout, but it was good to see some of the old friends from yesteryear. There was at least one fellow whom I knew well, but failed to recognise him 50 years down the track! I met J.C.E Bouwer the other day at oncology: Mr Bouwer, who taught geography at Graeme College 1959 - 1965/66? Not sure if he is known to you. He too is looking well for an 80 year old. Thanks for the news that keeps on arriving, and please be so kind as to pass on my greetings to the men of Graeme, and thank you too for your kindness to me at the time of reunion. Yours sincerely, Don Munday.
Dear Don, how wonderful and thoughtful of you to keep in touch...it is really appreciated. Yes, I remember Mr. Bouwer. As further attestation to faith in life, good friend Denton Francis has cast aside his quill and papyrus and now has an email address. This is sandent@lantic.net and I'll be forwarding your email to him too. Thanks again, kind regards, Martin.

20th July 2006
Such sad news. Neilen Locke passes away from cancer.

15th June 2006 - Rowland Hickling -  rodis@iafrica.com
Hello Martin, Whilst my tenure at Graeme was but a short one, 1958 to 1960....read more of a great letter from Rowland, click here to read.
Hi Rowland, good to hear from you - Matt (Chris) Heywood and I communicate daily - he's in Dubai. Nice hearing from you. Cheers, Martin

10th April 2006 - Julian Robey - Jock.Robey@mhs7.tns.co.za   
Hi Martin, I was tooling around on google and came up with the old Graeme site. Absolutely amazing. Finished at Graeme in 1966 and as you can see live now in Kimberley where I am a geologist with De Beers. Will write a longer note in due course but would love to be put in touch with some old friends………….stay well…..Julian (Jock) Robey - JvA Robey, De Beers Group Services, Resource Delivery Group, Wesselton Village,
PO Box 47, Kimberley. 8300 Tel +27-(0)53-8386316     Fax +27-(0)53-8386308    Cell +27-(0)83 3789978
Julian ! Hey man, great to hear from you. Did you look at the Grant House picture from 1962 ? You got a big smile on your face - as if you just made a joke about Molly Moore. Keep smiling - really great to hear from you !!!!!!!! Cheers Martin
27 March 2006 - Alan McIver - alanmciver@icon.co.za   
Its been such a long time and great to reestablish contact with old friends. I got your contact details from Paul Griffiths and it occurred to me that we have lots to talk about. I will be in PE for virtually the entire day on Friday and have wheels so don’t worry about that. What time would suit you? Regards and looking forward to seeing you again.
Hi Alan, How great to hear from you ! Gee whiz, wasn't life good in the days when your family lived at the Killarney Hotel and we lived around the corner. Wow - the days seemed so full...exploring on foot (barefoot usually) - your sister, Moira (?) my sister Priscilla. And your Mom, Betty (?). We used to call you Allie, if you remember. Funnily enough Ronnie Field saw my web pages the other day and contacted me. First contact in about 40 years -  he still sounds exactly the same. Being such a refined cricket player, did you go on to further honours after leaving Graeme ? I remembered Tich Searle having great faith in you as a batsman. Wife Tracey says you're going to PE on Friday (where do you live now ?) - would be great to have a cup of coffee/tea/whatever with you.

26 January 2006
There's a website called www.sareunited.com and some lads have put their names on there for free. I did a search for Graeme College, school leavers 1963 to 1965 and this is what I came up with. Hey Neil (Dodo) if you see this, please give us a shout. And what's the time on your Zobo ? And Prof. De Beer, and Dennis Edgar - great to see you guys still around. Mike Oettle...the thinking man, of great depth. Lawrence Boxall - left arm bowler if I remember correctly. James Lavery bowled left arm spin I think.

16th December 2005 - Peter Martin - pwmartin@iinet.net.au
G'day Martin, Thanks for the e-mail and for keeping us all informed. It is amazing nobody knew Bags has been living in Kenton for all those years. I will be travelling to SA sometime before July 2006 to visit my Mom in Grahamstown. We are planning a visit to SA over Christmas next year and will be spending most of our time in Kowie with Royden & Naomi Vice. Hopefully we will be able to catch up over a few beers. Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2006. Peter.
Hey Pete - great hearing from you. With Bagnall coming out of retirement we've got a new addition to our email list. Maybe you guys will get together when you're in Kowie again.

16th December 2005 - Ronnie Bagnall Kelly - rkelly1@telkomsa.net
Hi Martin, Thanks for the reply and the invite to visit... I might just pop in and say hello... The " BAGS " name came from Toffee, when he discovered my middle name was Bagnall...not Bagshaw... Cawood used to yell at me " Bagshaw you Whore !!! " That call continued into the army and many such calls would be heard in those days... You have a great website and I spent quite a while reading and scanning through names. I become very nostalgic especially when I read of guys who have passed on and, in the one case, the ex-wife writing in and talking about her late husband. I am referring to a note about Nyoffie Pittaway, whom I never met. ( At least I don't think so...) By the way, " Tick " Barnard is still alive and kicking and now living in Kenton... in case Dave Alcock would like to visit him.. I too could never get a grip on Tick !!! Re: Ronnie Futter... He and I clashed in the day-boy-boarder game and he lost his front teeth and I lost my knees.!! I bumped into Ronnie & Squeak in my wife's shop in Kenton many years later and he gave me hell for knocking his teeth out. Little did he know that I had never been able to use my knee again properly. I had a double knee replacement three weeks ago. I could go on and on about your website.. But suffice to say I will revisit and revisit for a while to come. Thanks and best wishes. I will pop in some time.
Kind regards Ronnie Kelly a.k.a. Bags
At present I am known as Gert Smit a.k.a Gene Rockwell, because of my crutches....
Wheee - Gene Rockwell - and the song "Heart" - Club 505 Hillbrow - Budgie van Reenen bumming Texan plain...long time ago...

15th December 2005 - Ronnie Kelly - aka BAGS - rkelly1@telkomsa.net
Hi Martin, I have been living in Kenton for the past 25 years and have not been aware that you are living in Port Alfred. Unless of course I am going senile... I stumbled upon your re-union website by chance and how nice it was to see old faces and read up-to-date accounts of school mates from the past...I would like to ask if anyone has any news on Sam Cawood.?? Best wishes to all who read this and remember good times. Kind regards Ronnie Kelly
P.O.Box 7, KENTON ON SEA. 6191 SOUTH AFRICA - Mobile: +27 824507771 - Phone: +27 64 81 393 - Fax: +27 0800 64 82545

18th Sep 2005
Arthur Maree and his wife stayed here for the weekend
16th Sep 2005
Jan and Pat Du Plessis, now resident in Abu Dhabi send some pictures...
Dear Martin,

Sorry for the delay in sending the photos. Pat has compressed the pictures rather a lot and if you want them less compressed please let me know. I have at last managed to get connected. Our email was down from here because a sinking ship apparently severed two cables simultaneously. Hope all is well. We are slowly settling down here. The job seems to demand a lot more than I thought at first. The UAE is a much better place to work than Saudi.
Regrettably Jan's wife Pat took the pictures, so she doesn't appear here...Can you send us a pic please Pat....

Martin, Jan, Denton Tracey, a pal, Sandy (Denton's wife)

Martin, wife Tracey

Martin, Jan, Denton

September
Gladwin Morton and wife Val spent a night with us...

www.martinkruger.com

email: martin@response.co.za with info to include here...

DOWNLOAD the DINNER POWERPOINT PRESENTATION here (2 megs)

Read about the The Build-Up here