Chronicle-1971

visit to relatives in the U.K. in 1973. Address: 371 Blackburn Road,Red Hill, Natal. F.R.C.(Eric)Groom (37-40) wrote the following letter reminiscing about the days when Kearsney moved from Stanger to Botha's Hill. "I consider myself one of the fortunate few who had the privilege of attending Kearsney College up at Kearsney and at Botha's Hill. What a thrill it was to hear that plans were being prepared for a new Kearsney College at Botha's Hill. "1 can still picture Mr. Reece coming into our class room to tell us about the project. He described in detail the layout ofthe buildings,etc. We were all mostenthus iastic and so in June, 1939 we had our last look around Kearsney up Stanger way.Sure we were sad to leave our happy surrounds - the cane fields, mango groves, lost cricket balls in the gum trees on the sloping side of the only playing field we all used. Very Happy Days indeed. "And so we moved to Botha's Hill- with Kearsney College situated on a very bleak hilltop amongst some straggly wattle trees and long course grass - no estab lished lawns or grass-on the playing field or surrounds to the building, and being fully exposed to all the elements that Natal had to offer, we soon became accustomed to accepting the dust, mist, wind and rain. "1 wonder how many of the 1940 scholars remember the violent storm that hit us like a bomb one weekend in May, when 255mm of torrential rain poured down on us - savagely lashed by extremely strong winds. "What chaos met our eyes on Monday morning: The school barracks had completely disappeared; the roof of the garages had lifted and was pinned high up against the steel water tower; the water tank (still waiting to be installed) was eventually found battered and bent in the Umhlatuzana River below Botha's Hill Station; fifty odd wattle trees uprooted; the main Durban road blocked with other uprooted trees; all electrical instal lations at the College were blown down; a dormitory roof that leaked to such an extent that the boys stepped from their beds into deep water(must have been over at Finningley as we in Gillingham did not deserve that fate) which eventually flowed down the passage and stairs and out through the main entrance;our gallant Minister who could not make himself heard against the roar of the wind during Sunday Morning Service; our dusty field and surrounds now a quagmire of mud - ankle deep; no drinking water-or water to wash behind the ears. Problems of hygiene can well be imagined. Drink ing water had to be collected from private tanks nearby. "Kearsney today is very much more protected so I have little feat that my son Ian will experience the incon venience we endured during our storm in May, 1940." A. C. (Jack) Gage (51-56) is still living at Ficksburg, O.F.S. and working in Lesotho where he is a partner in an agency business and director of a trading store. He plays golf and squash and recommends the Casino in Maseru to all the "bad" old boys. G. M.(Graydon) Garbut (38-44) is technical service officer covering fertilizer and pesticides for African Explosives and Chemical Industries (Rhodesia) Ltd. He lives in Umvukwes,60 miles north west of Salisbury. Hesees Brian Dykes(48-52)who isfarming in Centenary and also Wilf Letcher(44-49)who is farming in Tengwe. K. W.(Zane) Gray (55-59) has just completed a Psy chology course at Rhodes University and is assistant housemaster at St. Aidan's College, Grahamstown. He represents Eastern Province both at cross-country and athletics and holds the E.P. record for the 3000 metres Steeplechase. K.R.(Ken)Gamble (60-64) works for John Orrs Natal and has recently been transferred to Pietermaritzburg as a buyer for several departments. He last year had a wonderful buying trip to the Far East. He plays golf regularly with Robbie Wright (60-64), Ralph Heming (60-64), Pat Foster (61-64) and Vemon Stuart (61-64). He has just completed his final year of C.I.S. studies. 110 J. L. (Laurie) Good (31-35) is Johannesburg Branch Manager of the South African Mutual Fire 8c General Insurance Company.His hobbies are woodworking and public speaking. Address: 140 Bagley Terrace, Valerie Dene,Johannesburg. John Gebbie(56-59)is Senior Draughtsman in the draw ing office of Ove-Arup,British Engineering firm in Cape Town. Don Gray (45-49) is Manager of African Life, Pieter maritzburg. C.M.C.(Crispin)Hemson(59-64)is teaching English at Weston Agricultural College near Mooi River since his return from Queen's College,Cambridge,where he took his Certificate ofEducation.He metone ortwo Old Boys at Cambridge including Brian Williams(57-62),who was acquitted on charges arising from a minor demonstration at a hotel holding a Pro-Greek dinner. He found the social life at Cambridge tremendous, although students are still sometimes clique-ish, unlike other European students. He spent two weeks in Italy learning Italian and visiting classical sites. He was rather depressed by the prejudice,disorder and shallowness ofSouth African life on his return. David Hemson(57-62)is at present completing an M.A. thesis on Labour Pool with reference to dockworkers, after working in Johannesburg at the Institute of Race Relations editing Race Relations News.Has been doing wide and varied research in Johannesburg,Durban and Pretoria, was up on charges on three acts after a demon stratiion Johannesburg in May,1970, but the case was withdrawn. He is now back at Botha's Hill. Jonathan Hemson (59-64). Living at Botha's Hill, is a systems analyst for Alpha Computer Bureau, which is linked with S.A. Clothing, in Durban. He intended to pay a brief visit to Italy and the U.K. last year. B. T. Hellet (63-68) has joined the many wanderers overseas. After leaving school he joined Barclays Bank and stayed there until June, 1971 when he flew to London with a friend and they are now touring the Continent in a converted Volkswagen Kombi. Brian anticipates returning to this country later this year. Dr.David (Div) Hall (47-52) studied and worked at the University of California, and at John Hopkin's Medical School, Baltimore. He is now a reader in Cell Biology at the University of London,King's College. He's working on iron-sulphur proteins in such diverse organisms as bacteria, plants and adrenal glands. He travels a lot in Europe and the U.S.A. and still plays squash,swims and sails. Address: King's College, 68 Half Moon Lane, London,S.E.2. D.G.(Doug) Hudson (36-38) is proprietor of the Bed ford Inn,Port Shepstone. B.G.(Bas)Hagemann (46-49)has given up Civil Engin eering Contracting to do Sugar Farming. He has four children.Theeldest daughter is atEpworth and the eldest son due to go to Kearsney in 1972. He is likely to be the first of the third generation of scholars as Basil's father E. A. Hagemann, was there from 1922-25. Haldane Howieson(63-67)has justcompleted his second year of study for a Pharmacy Diploma at the Wits Technical College. He sees a number of Old Boys, including Brian Dowley (64-68), Tony Martin (66-67), Alan Grant (64-68) and Jeff Meyerson (61-65). P.S.(Peter) Hirsch (65-69)found his year in the army a complete waste of time and was looking forward to starting on his B.Com.degree at the University of Natal in Durban. B. G. (Brian) Howlett (49-50) Managing Director of Chilgard Knitwear (Pty) Ltd.,plays golf, badminton and

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