Travelling

I am shocked but unsurprised to see that it now the day before Advent and I have added nothng to my story. I am reminded to do this by a recent interfaith event where I was a reader and storyteller in the Human library and I told my Mr Pewa story. I had not intended to recount my travels in 1972 in detail as there are videos from the movies and my diary. However I think it was such a formative experience and the start of my real education as a person. I quickly learnt that what mattered was where you were sleeping that night and what you were going to be able to afford to eat. Museums and galleries came third in priority although I did go to nearly everything I wanted to see. The trip was carefully planned based around flights between countries with 3 nights in youth hostels and then pensiones in between. I kept with in budget pretty well. Being alone I met lots of people and received invitations e.g. come and teach my sons English from Armenians, come and stay in my flat, play the organ next Sunday as well and you can stay (in Naples). It was a very different world!
It was only a few years ago doing the enneagram I realised that I am a gourmand. I like to have new experiences and don't usually want to return to places. It is interesting to read Paul Theroux returning after many years to Malawi. It is bittersweet in many ways to look back. Here I was after a happy childhood leaving home and having at last to fend for myself! I had been brought up on English cooking. What would I eat? As it turned out most things! 

Leaving

It is Holy Saturday 2017 and I have realised that not much writing has been going on! I am beginning to see that this story may have its difficult aspects. I have certainly had some disappointments amidst much love and joy and it will not be easy to recount them. Good Friday always bring back memories both of home and the dreadful end of 19 years at Our Lady of the Annunciation, Addiscombe and since then the sad end of much at Westminster cathedral. Strange that the Reproaches should have been the bone of contention! Or perhaps not! Being a Christian was never going to be easy.
I am now nearing recounting the departure from South Africa.I have tried to convey what my world was like. I was certainly somewhat naive and I needed to have my eyes opened. I was also obsessed with London and England reading the Listener every week from cover to cover and listening to BBC World service and seeing many films especially Ealing comedies. In fact I once spoke at a pre-Prom talk describing England as a golden land whereas in fact the 50s were pretty grim. The 70s saw much racism and discrimination. I was shocked by the comments I heard in the staff room in England - we would never have spoken like that in Johannesburg. Yes Afrikaans people might be overtly racist but it as rare to hear English speaking people be so racist. Well at least in the circles where I worked. In fact South Africans are usually very polite.
I did not want this story to be a diary or a travel log but I am afraid the blog format tends to make it like that!
Leaving home was a major step which had been well-planned. Mum always said she kicked me out of the nest. I doubt if I would  have become the man I am now if I had stayed in Johannesburg. I would probably have been a bachelor bringing washing home every Sunday! I knew very little about cooking and had been brought up on English roast dinners so how would I survive! I quickly learnt that what mattered was where you were sleeping and where you would eat. Sight-seeing came second exciting as it was! Ann was under strict instructions not to cry at the airport as I knew I would struggle not to cry myself! Harriet was in tears when I left. I know Dad really missed me at church and at home. But I knew I was doing the right thing. I had saved up living at home while at university and in the library for 3 years and I told the immigration people I had enough money to come home. I knew I had no intention of doing so. I also had a British passport and in fact let my South African one lapse. I was a dual citizen having arrived in 1947. I promised to write every week (as Dad did to York) and I kept my promise sending movies and tapes as well as letters. 

Mr Pewa

The Rhodesian holiday was called a Flame Lily holiday and was based around one plane which flew from destination to destination. We flew over the Victoria Falls which was amazing and visited a crocodile farm. Kariba dam and Wankie reserve were impressive. We stayed at Troutbeck Inn after visiting Salisbury.
I have searched my diaries but cannot find a reference to the most important encounter which I have often recounted. Mr Pewa was the doyen of the library service highly respected by all and he in fact retired on my watch in 1971. He invited me to tea and I accepted. I struggled to drink tea with condensed milk! I asked how many lived in his 4 room house and he said 16. I was shocked and asked why. He said there was nowhere else for them to go. I said "Mr Pewa you will soon retire. We think you and your wife deserve a proper retirement." I went home and told Mum I could no longer live in this country where the elderly were not respected and denied privacy.
My eyes had been opened! I am very frank in my diary about the difficulties I was facing at work and express my relief on being asked to move to the music library as assistant to Shona Wallis. I knew her well as Maurice and I borrowed records and scores. It was indeed a happy year. Rudolf in the record library proved to be a tricky colleague - he was once attacked by an irate Italian and I suspect much of it was his fault! I became the youngest president ever of the Guild of Church Musicians and enjoyed my role.
I continued with my UNISA honours degree in English trying to balance the demands of work, church choir, church youth group,  concerts, organ practice including the Widor Toccata and friends. I mention several people and Lynette Stagg proved to be a good friend. On page 85 Dad describes passing his FTCL exam for which I turned the pages and advised on balance. Revd Peter Gordon died - a wonderful preacher and kind man. I still have books his wife Ann gave me.
By the end of 1971 I was getting ready to leave recording Anna Russell on cassettes to take with me and noting good films and books. I gave Death in Venice an A. In September I went to see "Othello" at St John's a bold move by Walter Andrewes. I gave it B+ and commented that Desdemona was weak and the crowd scenes a little stilted. Mark Wilson was there and John Alexander enjoyed it very much. My departure date was March 16 1972 and the whole trip was planned around flights right up to arriving in London on October 1st. Page 87 and the final holiday together in Plettenberg Bay.

Kontarsky signed the library Stockhausen score

1970

Fascinated by lute workshop of Mr van dear Geest. I seem to have got on well with Miss Kennedy and Miss Smith the big boss and James Winter including visiting him at home when he hurt his leg. On Easter Day I played for a 7.30 am communion service at St Mark's and there was a family service at which we sang "Blessed be the God and Father" and Mr Hawkridge preached using a flannelboard. I took Ann to see "Viva Max" with Peter Ustinov who was very funny. From my diary it is clear that I was being sent on relief to White libraries and taken away from my real job! I comment on being exhausted clearing up filthy books. The major problem was knowing if libraries were open at all. All I had was the phone and occasional visits with new books and requested books. There was a fuss because I got Mr Makhudu to drive some deliveries to relieve me. Apollo 13 safely landed April 17. Ken Hogg is mentioned - he joined the Guild and later became a priest.
On May 1 two lorries collided and a metal frame fell on the Landrover. I did not realise until later that the back lights had been smashed. Miss Smith and Mrs Hill were encouraging me. I was doing my best to negotiate with staff who wanted more money and I anted to bring in some changes. On one day I drove 83 miles. I mention Rosemary, Sandra and Becky but I do not recall any interest n them apart from as people. They were studying English honours with me at Unisa involving occasional trips to Pretoria. I record an inquest where the 3 Staff ended up asking each other for forgiveness so maybe my fairness paid off. There were lots of problems with the Coloured branches and then cuts came including telephones which were essential! Went to see the play Sleuth a clever 2 handler. Dad played a trial Sunday at the cathedral and I went to hear the others play including Trott and Bebington. Mr Makhudu proved to be a real pain. Staff were unreliable and I had to move Fordsburg library. I learnt a lot from all this and had to several library moves later in my career! Also how to handle difficult staff. I went to see Midnight cowboy which was considered very daring. I thought is tasteful and not sordid or offensive. The respectable lost all sympathy at the end particularly the
 curious looking at the dead Ratso at the end. I was furious as Bryars got the cathedral job. The next day we flew to Rhodesia. We did see leopards and lots of elephants and roan and sable antelopes. 

Soweto

I have already noted some turning points in my life. The trip to England in 1952 and the concert by the Vienna philharmonic in Salzburg were definitely life changing moments. Add to this a growing desire to be independent. Wonderful as they were Mum and Dad were both very strong characters and Mum always said she pushed me out of the nest. Otherwise I would probably never have married and continued returning home regularly for food and no doubt washing! None of us could see that the bubble would burst eventually and I was about to have my eyes opened.

1970 began with attending a Mass at St Mary's cathedral with the Bishop and clergy falling all over each other which I comment was medieval popery with incense and bicycle type bells. I did love all this at school but of course it was done decently and in order! Helen Joseph a notable campaigner against the government said she would support Dad in his application to become cathedral organist. This did not succeed mainly through ffrench-Beytagh's being away. We had a holiday at  Champagne castle involving walks and I think I had a go at bowls but not horse riding. Our table won the quiz because I knew the zoology questions in the last round. Many got a tummy bug and it rained.
Before we went away I was longing to be moved from the branch HQ job and I was duly appointed as Non-European branch organiser.. Note  the title as I was in charge of 14 libraries for Africans, Coloureds and Indians. I shadows my predecessor Claire Wiltshire for a week. She had found a librarian dead in front of a library. There were murders very weekend. Maurice queued 4 and a half hours for SABC orchestra season tickets at th Civic theatre. I note my frustration with Essie Aremband who was too demanding and fussy. There were too many people thinking they were in charge and arguing for position in that office! I went for the tea with the Mayor who was fairly interested. I was a combination of boss, delivery man of books and pay and referee. We had a weekly meeting of the librarians and they fought cat and dog over every little thing dividing along racial lines. I was assure that I was very safe as any attack on me would be immediately reports by police spies. The one Asian librarian at Lenasia 20 miles away was determined to get me to make political comments which I never did. the really stupid thing was having to wear a white coat over my safari suit (shorts) which got filthy every day. Could I wear a brown coat Mum asked? No that was for the Non-Europeans as they were called! I was not doing my back any favours lugging heavy boxes about in and out of a white Landrover. The next week I had a collision - the cops came but drove past! When I phoned again on a landline they came after 45 minutes and monad at me for not stopping them. "We don't have time to look for accidents!"

I was very scathing about the SABC orchestra concerts in my diary. Dad told off Maurice for being "too critical and spoiling it for others" but of course Maurice was right but perhaps h would have done well to choose his audience for his remarks! Knud Nielsen came to give organ recitals from Copenhagen with his wife Myrli - they were charming and we took them to Pretoria. I proposed a toast to the guests at the Guild dinner and my jokes went down well. (page 74 for the start of the Guild)

All the staff were called Mr. Mr Makhudu was my assistant and said to me "Mr Woodhouse you're a good man" . "I try to be" "You will never understand us because you do not speak our language".
He was so right. How much better it would have been to learn Zulu instead of Latin with the dreaded Spike.Or instead of French at university.
I went to a Lent group with Miss Laver and Dad - she did not like his unorthodox comments! Bosmont library was burgled twice leading to lots of for fillings. I went to the cathedral to hear the wonderful Donald Coggan who I met later in London. He was then Archbishop of York and spoke magnificently on the spiritual and physical hunger of the world with the population growing by 8000 every hour. 

Rhodesia

In August 1970 we visited Rhodesia page 82. The flight over the Victoria Falls really was the flight of angels and we loved the wildlife especially at Wankie. We saw the Kariba dam and stayed at Troutbeck Inn. We remarked on how much more easily whites spoke to blacks even to banter. Dad "Do you phone the elephants to tell them we are coming?"
page 85 I turned the pages for Dad playing his FTCL at St Mary's cathedral. I often turned for him and learned a great deal through this. It is sometimes harder to turn than to play! On this page Dad talks about Heather Brokenshire who sadly died in 2016 and the Gordons. page 87 describes the choir Christmas card of 1971. In 1970 I read 51 books including a number of modern novels and plays for the degree.
The photos show the Victoria Falls and the trip to the crocodile farm nearby.

Here is the photo for the Christmas card at St Mark's. I am in the back row  second in and then after the tall man is Len Cherry, John Alexander and Reg Leeman. Second row second in on left is Mum and 3rd from right is Ann next to Heather Brokenshire. The RSCM and GCM badges are on display. 

Library

My South African driving licence. The council paid for my lessons as they wanted me to work in Soweto. 

My 1969 diary reveals that we holidayed in Ramsgate swimming at Uvongo beach. I worked on completing my bibliography for my librarianship diploma an index of obituaries in "The Star" 1900-2. It was only in 1970 that I read Trevor Huddleston's "Naught for your comfort" and the poor response "You are wrong Father Huddleston" by Alexander Steward.  I began work at branch headquarters of Johannesburg public library. The council paid for driving lessons much of it on a simulator. I had already driven round Hyde Park corner when I passed first time! I had listened to Dad at dinner each evening talking about the office and I never wanted to work in an office and there I was in an office. Jennifer started by saying the desk was hers.I said No it is mine. I won in the end as she resigned! James Winter was in charge and I was his No. 2 and Essie Aremband was the advisor on book choices. We used to read the new novels as we knew many would be banned. Mostly they were pretty tame! Famously the Government censors had banned Black beauty at one stage! Anything where the colour bar was crossed was suspect. I also used to go on relief to branches especially in the Northern part of the city. Here my student days paid off. In overall charge was Miss Smith an expert on Africana ably assisted by Miss Kennedy whose father had been City librarian. It was an excellent service and great training ground. Lynette and Miss Meg Laver were also working there. I have some amusing letters from her. In June 1969 I played for Mayoral Sunday in Dad's absence.(page 67). I record listening to the BBC proms including the last night and noting that Parry had been reinstated. I only read 38 books in 1969 due to reading magazines and reviews. Theatre good and 6 As at the cinema. BBC plays much better than SABC's efforts. We had a neighbour who played Ravel's Bolero incessantly when I was studying in my bedroom so I used to listen to the radio and records a lot to try and blot out the sound! 

Europe 1968

January 1965 we went by steam train to East London and the car went on the train as well. We stayed at Palm Springs Kidds Beach Ann and I sharing a room. I mention trips to the cathedral and Rhodes university at Grahamstown. I derived much pleasure from reading the BBC Listener magazine and was most upset when it was discontinued. I had grown up with "The Eagle" and general knowledge comics. Our next door neighbours at Palm Springs were the Brookes a Pentecostal minister and they had 5 daughters whose names spelt Hope and Joy. Hazel, Olwyn, Pauline, Elwin and Joy.
On 7 June 65 I record hearing the Voice of America broadcast of the landing of James McDivitt and Edward White the second man to walk in space. In July I took part in a church census of Mayfair.  I seem to have had lunch with Felicity quite often - she was on the History of Art course with me. We went to the art gallery to see St Thomas by El Greco and the attendant told me people stuck chewing gum on the pictures! I did a talk on ecumensim for the youth fellowship.
1965 ended with me working at Orange Grove CNA and a good carol service at St Mark's.
1966 was memorable for the visit of Robert Kennedy. He said

Yet many of the world's great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man. A young monk began the Protestant Reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World, and 32 year old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal. "Give me a place to stand," said Archimedes, "and I will move the world." These men moved the world, and so can we all.

”

The notable phrase "ripple of hope" came shortly thereafter:

“

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice. He sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest wall of oppression and resistance." This was at the University of Cape Town and I was astonished to find these words near his grave in Washington D.C. I appear not to have my diaries for 1966 and 1967. I think that about this time I first encounterd Maurice Sherman, His brother was a music critic and Maurice had a large collection of records, I would go to his flat in Yeoville and we would listen to music with the scores from the excellent music library in the City. He introduced me to Bruckner, Mahler and Wagner. Mum and I would go to SABC orchestral concerts. On one occasion Anton Hartman attempted to conduct a Bruckner symphony. It was so slow that it beat all recordings we knew for length and a lady dropped a box of mint imperials in the slow movement. Maurice and I got the giggles and had to leave - a merciful release! On one occasion he put his arms round me. I did not lke this at all as I had been obsessed by T.E.Lawrence who refused all bodily contact. The Shermans were Jewish but I do not recall much discussion about religion.

On page 79 Dad introduces Dean ffrench-Beytagh. I have his book and I met him later on Westminster bridge in the 70s. He was then at St Vedast Foster Lane - something of a failed character I think. He goes on to talk about the 7 week 1968 trip to Europe. I have my little book with notes from this trip plus Mum's diary. We visited 15 countries Angola, Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, England, Austria, Yugoslavia, Italy, Switzerland and France. page 80 mentions the Salzburg concert with the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Karl Bohm with Daniel Barenboim playing the Brahms piano concerto no.1 This was the moment I knew I had to be in Europe. The SABC orchestra was very poor and the conducting by Anton Hartman truly awful. Edgar Cree did his best and the audiences were willing to accept anything. I had a great time in Paris. My day in London 18th August   featured the National gallery, Tate gallery, meeting Alan and Rosemary Hall, Proms queue too long so went to Swan lake at Royal Festival Hall.
In 1967 I read 75 books mostly English literature for the degree but a smattering of books about nature, royalty and history. In 1966 it was 64. In 1968 I read 62 including 9 set books.
The trip to Europe seems to have been unsettling but also galvanised me to save up. By staying at home I was able to save. Having completed my degree I began an honours degree in English with the University of South Africa by correspondence. I did not find this easy despite Michael Leighton Fr John's son who was a university lecturer in English. I did eventually complete the degree. I only read 38 books in 1969. This was the time that I worked as a student at Johannesburg public library. I had done an aptitude test which came out with librarian or university lecturer as top careers for me. I loved working in the library meeting the public and helping people find books and information. This experience stood me in good stead when I went to work there full-time. In the meantime I returned to Wits to do a postgraduate diploma in librarianship. This was solidly based on the British system. Ranganathan bored us but we learnt a lot. This was when I met Lynn Stagg again - I first met her in 1965.

My graduation on 1st April 1967 B.A. and Lynette Stagg graduated with me. 

In 1967 I wrote to "The Star" newspaper about the SABC's ridiculous habit of translating the titles of musical works into Afrikaans. It was published but there was no change of policy. 

Wits

The three year degree went well. I loved English and History of Art was a revelation. At school there had been annual trips to Europe and prints were on display in every classroom but nobody ever told us we were looking at great art! How sad! Perhaps it was thought boys were not interested in art. Sister Wendy had been at Wits the year before I did the course and I did meet her at St John's Upper Norwood. She was tough as old boots. We learnt from slides and books. We were sent to the Johannesburg Art gallery in Joubert Park and told to look for what we liked. I recall being very open to all periods. I did not like the Egyptians or the Romans much and hated the surrealists and pre-Raphaelites. I cannot recall our lecturers at all. French for 2 years was pretty disastrous but I managed a pass. I was a very conscientious student going to lectures and producing essays on time. I do not recall tutorials. I could have done a B Mus but Professor Ulmont Schneider  was considered a charlatan. Joburg had it's fair share of musical charlatans! Schneider told Elizabeth Connell she was a mezzo and she became a great soprano. Colin Hartley from my class did a B Mus but he was always distant. Even after Elizabeth's funeral in Kew for which I served he was distant. John East keeps in touch with him and he occasionally comes up from Deal for concerts like the Proms.
Jan 3 1964 I record my first shave with my new battery Philishave - I was 16. I record Sung eucharist at St George's cathedral Cape Town and the botanical gardens and S.A.Museum where I istened to Bushmen music and National Gallery.We visited a lot of places in the Cape and I took cines. My matric was first class Maths B (unbelievable) C English, Latin, Science, Biology. E Afrikaans. F Additional maths which the whole A form took. Gavin Ritchie passed, Brownwen Leeman got first class, no mention of Martin Gerber. I mention Ann wanting to go swimming I took lessons in Observatory at which I had to put my face in a bowl of water and blow bubbles. I hated that but in the end I could swim on my back across the deep end. At the college you were left to sink or swim in the pool and in fact I did very little swimming there.
My description of the start of university suggests that I had to make the first move when meeting people. I describe Mr Fosbery our English lecturer as the "caustic type", The bus service was bad and I mention taking Ann to get the bus to Waverley which would be to St Mary's school. I remember Mum saying she didn't care what colour the driver was just send a bus! Of course everything was segregated which led to the ridiculous situation where there were not enough white bus drivers. I see I chose Sir David Wilkie's "An unwelcome visitor" at the Joburg Art gallery and called it an angry picture! Mr Fosbery - i did not like him, does not want you to make notes! I mention seeing old class mates but I seem to have been more interested in meeting new people. A apeaker at Youth fellowship said that Roman Catholics are anti-Christian. I was shocked and horrified. I made much use of the public library and the record library. 21 July my first ever ballet Sleeping Beauty at the Civic theatre with Beryl Grey. Strings of the Cape Town orchestra were weak but it was very enjoyable. Youth fellowship seemed to have its ups and downs and John Clymo came along -he had a dreadful stutter which siniging definitely helped. Mr Gordon celebrated 30 years in minisrty. He used to say I may have told this story before and the choir who sat at the back of the church in front of the Willis organ would all nod! My photo was in the paper in the new university language lab! Ann and I had a number of days off sick. We loved going to Adam Leslie's shows which were hilarious, Ag pleez Daddy was a favourite song and the Shame routine Oh the baby is sweet "Shame," Oh the baby wet the nappy "Shame" Oh the mother is not married "Shame."
6 October was a red letter day. Went to Sir Malcolm Sargent concert with Daddy. Wore evening dress suit from Mrs Wilson for the first time. Sat on stage - fixed with caretaker at the City Hall. Excellent playing from the SABC orchestra for a chnage? Next to drums - very loud in the Planets. Harry Stanton played the organ with a full glissando using both arms. Dvorak symphony enjoyable. Colin Hartley there and a full house. Lady fell down stairs afterwards. Perfect view of conductor - lifts eyebrows for experession and dynamics. Flash Harry indeed! I carefully record in pencil all my lectures and typing up my notes also going to organ recitals and camera club at church.
When playng hockey at school I was hit on the nose by the ball. They laid me on my back which could have been disastrous as I could have swallowed my tongue. After much deliberation I was left to get on with it. Some time later I had terrible sinusitis and had an operation. The surgeon offered me a nose job which I suppose I should have accepted but I said I would be fine. Sadly the man in the next bed got meningitis and died - he had the same op as me.  It was most distressing to see his wife's distress. At one point I leaned out of bed and the sister said "If you do that you will have to have the op again". My sinuses were packed and the removal of the stuff was quite revolting. In 1964 I had to go to Dr Kops to sort out bleeding from my nose and again my nose was packed with seaweed! December 1964 I worked at Yeoville CNA stationers and served Jewish ladies wanting Christmas cards saying Season's greetings. I gave Ann a suitcase for her 8th birthday. The year finished on a high with the film "My fair lady" and setting off for East London.

John Clymo is on the right and next to him is Mark Alexander. I am in the middle between Judith Crichton and Heather. Hugh Mathew is at the back in the middle. 

Reading

In 1963 among lots of Gerald Durrell, C.P.Snow, Austen and Dickens, I read Brazilian adventure by Peter Fleming. I was fascinated by the story of Colonel Fawcett. It was to be many years later that I finally got to South America! In 1963 I read 50 books and in 1964 47 most of them got an A or B. In 64 I started my BA degree at Wits studying English and History of Art. The latter because of our family doctor Dr Sieff who said to me that I would be able to appreciate art when I went to Europe.How right he was! I was also struggling with Plato and philosophy and beginning French. I was never great at languages. I was very happy staying at home and going to university on the bus. There was one awful incident when the bus conductor accused me of not paying the fare and marched me to the police station. The whole thing was a mistake but he was very reluctant to back down. We had been very well prepared for university by Mr Rose and I sailed through the first year. Mrs Gordon wife of the Presbyterian minister was a great help with English lending me books and encouraging me.
In 1965 I read 60, 66 it was 64 and 67 was a bumper year 75 including 8 given an A. A lot of Shakespeare. I am very scathing about "The death of Jesus" by Joel Carmichael an unscholarly, untruthful book! I loved Middlemarch and Dickens and The Spiral Road by Jan de Hartog seems to have struck a chord although I cannot remember it now. Nostromo was a wonderful book and in fact influenced much of my thinking about colonialism and development. I am also reading about nature and religion. I read a book on how to paint in oils but commented that too much time and money would be involved. Of course I am doing it now but it took 50 years!

1963

This embarrassing photo is with Susan Strong and Dreosti at the Matric dance

In my 1963 diary I record on New Year's Day that I refused to go to Modderfontein. Can't stand Brownwen Leeman or Martin Gerber. This was an annual visit to the Leymans. I went to Gavin Ritchie's instead which was a bit boring as we played chess and cards. I spent a lot of time indexing Daddy's organ music onto small cards which I still have! The Guild visited Hugh Tracy's home and amazing collection of African instruments including kalimbas. Tracy had a vast collection of recordings. I was making cine films of the zoo and the city (now in video form) and going to camera club. I had sections of the school library to look after and clean and I spent many happy hours hiding up there! \I gave a talk to the literary society about Gerald Durrell. I playedBurglar Bill in the church youth fellowship play "Elegant Edward".
In June Michael Goldthorpe came to stay. He had been at Dad's school Nunthorp in York and sang in Trinity college Cambridge choir. His superb tenor voice was an inspiration. We took him to the Kruger Park rising very early in the morning having stayed at Bushman Rock. I breathlessly record 6 hippos, Cape hunting dogs, hyenas, baboons with impala, 3 elephants, bull wlldebeest, giraffes, kudus, zebra, hornbills, Michael hitchhiked round the country with his French horn! One Sunday we took him to Sterkfontein caves all in our Sunday best!
I mention my stamps quite a lot - I had thematic collections on music and animals and collected first day covers. On the 1st August I went to the drill hall for a medical examination, We waited 4 hours some of it naked and nothing was written on my form which was probably good as later I learnt I had been spared call-up because of my leg. I record several perfomances of The Merchant of Venice including Nerissa falling into the pit in the blackout and being given brandy! Then came the dreaded Matric dance. Mum arranged for me to take Susan Strong and for this we had to practise dancing. I appear to have enjoyed myself  Susan rather nervous but she enjoyed it. Too much twisting not enough waltzes - what's new? I borrowed Mr Finn's evening dress suite - he was Dad's hairdresser.
I attended the dress rehearsal of Pirates of Penzance done by staff and parents. Bosch Crowther-Smith looked stupid as a pirate, Spike Carter past it as Frederick, Fr Sulter was a policeman,
The most awful event of the year was the assassination of President Kennedy. I returned home from youth fellowship to find Mum glued to Voice of America. We were all horrified and things would never be the same again.
This was the year I turned 17 and at the end of the year came the Matric exams and then we were off to Hout Bay for a month. Here Ann and I saw a snake in the garden. We arrived to find the house locked. The neighbour said look under the garden seat where we found the key. Inside was a letter "Welcome, you will find the key under the garden seat". The cat would not eat the food in the fridge so every day I went to buy mince. When the owner turned up (she was camping) she did not recognise the cat. A picture of Hydrangeas had fallen down so we asked which was up it went. She said I like it that way up! Very arty! We loved the Cape and had a great time. Dad had us dragging everything down to Clifton beach which was a bit of an anti-climax. On New Year's Day 1964 we went to the Coon Carnival (Yes it really was called that!) at Green Point stadium. My diary describes very colourful costumes, coloureds (mixed race) with blacked faces and white lips. About 9 teams mostly American names like Mississippis. Juveniles were not good - too sentimental! On the 2nd i describe the debacle of meeting the Hamiltons Daddy's friends from RAF days/They were half an hour late at Constantia and we followed them. They indicated a house on the left which is where they used to live. We turned left and lost them. Their son gave us directions to Stellenbosch and the picnic at Jonkershoek valleyand I comment "very little to do". In the evening I listened to "The Winslow Boy" on the radio.

Wtth Michael Goldthorpe

The old men in Merchant of Venice were Habberton, MacGillivray, MacRobert, John Wilder

in front myself and Kealton.

Mr Fleming once gave me a lift from school in the mayoral car

Passiontide services Dad gave me the records

Guild of Church Musicians

On page 71 Dad describes the news of the passing of his mother when we were are at East London. I am afraid I did not join him on the sea shore. Perhaps I felt he needed to be alone and what would I have said? Of course I missed Grandma and Granddad but they were distant figures. Dad wrote to York every Sunday evening and he maintained this correspondence with Auntie Nellie who stayed at 22 Park Grove.
On page 74 Dad describes the Guild of Church Musicians. It was unfortunate that there already was such a Guild in the UK. I became President of the Guild. Ronnie Jones and I were exact contemporaries as we learned the organ and we enjoyed organ crawls and later giving recitals at the City hall and the Catholic cathedral. Once a year we would visit the Delens in Pretoria. Pieter was Dutch Reformed and a great organ enthusiast. He had an organ and piano in his home and on one occasion "The Holy City" was played, His mother was unimpressed describing it as poor music.
page 78/9 gives Dad's take on St John's college. The maths teacher he confronted was Doggie Chamberlain who commented that he had no idea what went on in the Prep. I ended up having extra maths lessons with him on Saturday mornings and the result was a B in Maths in Matric. It is true that I hated having to watch rugby and cricket on Saturday afternoons. I would much rather be reading or playing the piano. Once I had said my "Adsum" at rollcall at half time I would slope off and Dad would pick me up near the A field. This exercise was supposed to instill school spirit - in my case it did not achieve its aim! 

Stravinsky

Reading what I have covered so far I seem to have moved away from Dad's book so back to page 66 where the recording of Hear my prayer is described. He says I was head chorister in 1958 when we made the record of carols. I always loved "Whence is that goodly fragrance?" which is on that recording. Dad does not describe the infighting which went on about Hear my prayer. <Mrs Irwin was determined that her Michael should sing the solo but in the end Gaspar made a good job of it. On page 67 Dad lists all the City Hall services and I sang in all of them. I even recall Dr Gerald Knight's visit. Mum had little time for him. I played the organ for Frank Dennis's mayoral service at St Mark's. Keith Fleming had been mayor in 1962 and once picked me up when I was walking home from school and gave me a lift in the Mayor's Rolls Royce! As a result of these mayoral connections Mum and Dad were invited to a reception for Igor Stravinsky. I went with Mum. The great man was due to conduct the SABC orchestra but in fact Robert Craft did all the conducting. The real purpose of the trip was to visit the Game reserve! The great man was seated in the Mayoral parlour with a tub of concrete on the floor on top of a Persian carpet. He was then invited to put his hands into the concrete and of course the concrete slopped over onto the lovely carpet. How small town Joburg was and I was appalled! Dad describes the Sanvicens family on page 68. He does not mention the ghastly experience of San driving his little car down windy Munro drive and turning round to talk to Dad. He referred to Mt Gordon as Padre and his concerts in the church hall were memorable. I always loved the cello.

This is actually an earlier mayoral service when I was assistant organist. I think I played the Webber Tuba tune. Dad composed a special anthem based on the tune "York".

Fr Sulter

We were prepared for confirmation by Fr Sulter. The school was founded by the Community of the Resurrection but by my time none of them were left. Fr Jarvis-Palmer and Fr Sulter were the school chaplains and Fr Sulter did a good job of preparing us in Christian apologetics for the onslaught which was expected when we went to university. In the prep we learnt Bible stories. In fact I knew my Bible well.   When we were in Cape Town we visited him at the retirement home where the Archbishop of Cape Town also lived and he showed us his book listing all the names of the confirmandi  and he siad he prayed for each class by turn.  He had a white jacket and a panama hat which he wore for cricket matches and I eventually got a similar hat in California. I do not think that his insistence on confession in the open chapel before confirmation was helpful and as a former Presbyterian why did he say we should not receive communion in other churches? Any way I remained a faithful Anglican communicant every Sunday and equally took a full part in the Presbyterian services. I never thought I might become a Catholic and interestingly one of the old boys much later commented on my change over. I just smiled and said I was happy! 

Deane Yeates

My house master in Thompson was Crowther-Smith who taught Latin. The only thing he ever said was satisfactory and that's all he put on my report cards. The head master was the legendary Deane Yeates, He was known as Bloggs because his approach could be heard due to the metal tips on his shoes. We had to go to excruciating at homes with Deeane and Dot. For an hour we talked about the dogs and sports matches. I do not think he knew much about me because when I had my final interview he said we need teachers and I said I would become one knowing that I wouldn't.   It will be a first class matric he said but how good? Dad describes how he had the knack of making every parent feel that they were alone   in complaining. Scott famously took his dinner and put it on Yeates' desk. The food was awful. For a time I had school lunches and we endured soapy potatoes and frog's legs sago pudding. Later we were taken on a tour of the new kitcchens and the boarders complained bitterly about the food stored there as they never receieved any of it. The dormitories in those days were primitive compared to hoe they are now and often very cold in winter I believe.

Many years later we went to visit the Yeates in  the nursing home and were present for a short communion service at Dot's bedside. Deane was going blind and astonishingly embraced me as we left. He was a great man and went on to found other schools in Africa. He told us he had been chosen by God to head the college and I really think he believed that. 

Music

I mentioned being excluded at school from music making. We did go to chapel every day and sang hymns from the English hymnal accompanied by Noel Iverson on the piano in some style. He never wanted a chapel organ but of course when he died one was built as his memorial! He was a drunkard and very unpleasant. Anybody who could not sing was dismissed to the back of the class. I was very happy singing in the church choir where we had a good repertoire of anthems. Communion happened once every quarter and was a very solemn occasion.
Miss Kadden was a great piano teacher and treated me as an adult. I think I had been with adults so much  I preferred their conversation. She commented that I looked like a child and thought like an adult. Dad was a thorough organ teacher. He wanted me to do well but he was such a perfectionist that he was told not to appear if I was playing before the service as he would put me off. Gradually I grew more confident. The church had a fine Willis organ. We liked it when Mum joined the choir as she would say "Oh Herbert we are not King's Cambridge you know!" and Dad himself said he mellowed a bit. In my final years I was his assistant and trained the boys which I enjoyed although I knew I could not be a teacher. I was much too kindhearted for that!
As a treble I was never very confident and did not open my mouth enough. I became head choirboy and did sing Once in royal David's city but the last time I was due to sing it John Alexander had to take over as my voice was breaking. I then sang alto for quite a while up to age 16/17 until I became a tenor.
A fundraising effort was made to build a new hall and my Hornby dublo train set and scenic layout was donated and won in the raffle by a family with 2 boys. Dad had built it out of packing cases and enjoyed it more than I did! It was in my room at Vredehoek but had gone by the time we moved to Jewel Court. page 75 describes Woody's ice cream parlour. Dad was very good at organising such things!
I liked the music at school but not the choir sound which was very hooty and there was an obsession with Latin. Spike Carter said they sang Adeste fideles so the parents could NOT join in! I do not recall any of the music for the liturgy it was just hymns. The emphasis was on carol services, remembrance Day and some recordings. I loved music appreciation and I see in my 1963 diary  that I went to Scott's in Illovo and listened to Beethoven and Brahms with scores getting lost a few times. I went on the bus and was picked up at the bus terminus. I was determined to widen my musical horizons as much as possible but I was never keen on pop music.

John Alexander is on the left and John Clymo on the right. The second photo is later as I am wearing by BA hood. 

Reading

From a young age I was always reading. I loved novels, plays, anything about nature and later biographies and history. I also read about the Church and music. Aged 16 I was reading Jane Austen, Dickens, Shakespeare, Bernard Shaw, Dumas, Conan Doyle, Alan Paton, Charles Lamb, Michener, Gerald Durrell, Wells, Mary Renault. I had beautiful bookcases rescued from Dad's office in my bedroom. They had lockable glass doors and my book collection grew steadily. Best present for me was a book token. In my fitted cupboards all my toys were carefully arrranged and one by one Ann acquired them even the Dinky Rolls-Royce! I suppose I was always meant to be a librarian as I liked arranging my books and possessions so I could lay hand on them easily. 

St John's college

 Unfortunately the move up to the college was a very unhappy one. Suddenly in remove from having been in the A form and doing well we were now the lowest of the low making tea for prefects and fagging. A stupid custom imported from English public schools which lead to vengeance when the fags reached the prefect stage - I never became a prefect and the system eventually was abolished. In my case I had never made the tea! Some got their parents to clean cricket boots at which the prefect complained they were not done well enough! We were more afraid of the prefects than the teachers. It took a couple f years after that to recover my school work and prizes were no longer to be expected. The truth was that we were a very clever class as Walter Macfarlane told me so one was likely to often come second. At some point some bright spark decided to save money by getting the boys to plant the A field in front of the tuck shop. This being educational we had to listen to Prof Meredith spouting about grasses then it was out into the sun with a metal spike and a rock to drive the spike into the hard red soil baked hard by the sun. When orange squash arrived in large metal containers boys put their mugs into it with the result that all that was left was mud. So much for the good manners we were supposed to be learning!
  In 1962 we moved from 104 Vredehoek Grafton Road to 2 Jewel Court Frances Street. Shortly before this my model electric Hornby dublo railway which Dad had built from packing cases was given to St Mark's to raise money for the new church hall. It was won by a family with 2 sons. It had been in my bedroom for a long time and Dad loved it. I was bored with it! Although my pride and joy was my Mallard engine which had been purchased in York (shop near the Minster) and we had to say it was a present for customs purposes. I had tunnels and stations all carefully made - it was a real layout. Had we kept it it would be worth a lot today! Another reason was that it would not fit into my new bedroom! 
 I had spotted this flat for rent across the road from St Mark's church and it was ideal with 3 large bedrooms. The rear part of the flat could be closed off when entertaining. I could easily walk to school and the church was just across the road. To get to town there were buses. There was ample room for the mahogany grand piano which Dad had purchased from the former organist of St Mark's and it was a beautiful instrument to play. It is very sad that I was not allowed to do any music at school because I was in St Mark's choir and learnt privately with the wonderful Miss Kadden who lived in Hendon Street very near Vredehoek. She was a German Jewess who had escaped from the Nazis and she always treated me as an adult. She realised very quickly that I did not like repeating pieces so I did no exams. I only started the piano when I was 12 but I made rapid progress as I could read music having been a choirboy since age 7. On one occasion I said I did not want to go to choir and Mum said you wanted to join the choir and your Dad will miss you. I went. We lived on the first floor at Jewel Court. The balcony ran across living room and main bedroom with glass doors. Mum once disturbed an intruder in the night so after that the doors were locked - nowadays the balcony is covered in protection. You came into the dining room which was a through room with the grand piano at the left. Mum would return and say "You can stop now" I would be planning a recital! The master bedroom was on the right leading off the dining room. There was a door which cut off the back of the flat - very convenient for entertaining which Mum and Dad did quite a lot! Off the corridor was the kitchen and on the other side the bathroom, My room was then on your left walking away from the dining room and Ann on the right. Large builtin cupboards in each room so plenty of room to put out my toys. Later I acquired beautiful wooden bookcases with glass fronts from Dad's office (the Chartered Accountants) so my books were all clean. I had a nice wooden table which had a nail sticking down which eventually got taken out. I was no handyman! I looked out onto a church Pentecostal I think in the next road and flats opposite. Unfortunately one neighbour played Ravel's Bolero ad nauseam but I would put on the radio and listen to that while studying. Ann often slipped into bed with me which wasn't supposed to happen but we were happy with that! We were a very close family and considering that I had been the apple of Mum's eye I was not at all jealous. Quite the opposite! Ann gradually acquired my toys even the Dinky white Rolls Royce! There were grills at the windows to prevent intruders. The Diamonds owned the building hence Jewel Court. Ann met him when they visited years later. Everyone used to say they never heard me come in or out. Perhaps because of living in flats I like the garden but don't spend much time in it! Also I had to keep out of the sun or be covered up. I would sit on the beach under the umbrella until Ann persuaded me out to play.

My 1962 diary is a typical affair designed for English  school boys. Strangely I have given my date of birth as 31/9/46. My height is given as 5' 4" and weight 100 lb. The diary shows an ordered life with choir practice on Thursday, communion at St Mary's cathedral chapel at 8 a.m. for which Dad played hymns. We then sang at St Mark's in the morning and evening usually an anthem. Scott Macrobert is mentioned a lot in the holidays. I clearly enjoyed music appreciation at school taken by John East for 2 years. I wrote regularly to Francis Close  deputy head chorister of Peterborough cathedral and Alan Hall in  Sutton-in-Ashfield and later Wrexham who had met at Addington palace. The fourth hockey team was continually defeated but we kept playing. I have carefully recorded the results and my exam results. coming first in English and Afrikaans (! but not  a high mark) 5th in Latin and Biology and 8th in Science. I have also recorded the records I listened to and the books I read and from 1963 I have little books recording my reading and my comments. On Jan 4 I record going to see "Raising the wind". This was a hilarious film about music college students which never failed to amuse. The South Afiican censors often missed double entendres! I was also recording my finances small as they were. My  outgoings seem to be for stationery, records, youth fellowship and presents. I enjoyed the church youth fellowship on Friday evenings Most of the films we went to see were comedies although they include West Side Story and The Young Ones. John and Hayley Mills feature in Scott of the Antarctic, Swiss family Robinson, Pollyana and Whistle down the Wind. 

Francis Close at Peterborough cathedral, and at Addington Palace and when he got married to Rosemary. 

St John's Prep

Mr Manby (Mamba) the head with Ray Brown

The cast list for Alice

I thrived in the Prep. I adored Miss Parnwell my first teacher and was heartbroken when she left to go to England, In the second year Mrs Glover who was the wife of Cyril Glover the rector at Orange Grove. She once got me to read to the class while she went to see the head. The previous head Mr Argyle whose son was Hector and in our class had been forced to resign because he had divorced. I recall reacting to a small argument at home between Mum and Dad hoping that they would not divorce. It must have made us all worry. Mr Manby known as Mamba became our new Head. In the fifth year we had Mr Lewis to teach us Latin. He had been wounded in the War and had a limp. He would watch us in the reflection in his glasses as he stood at the board.  In the play "Alice in Wonderland" in the quad I played the cook throwing cardboard saucepans at the Duchess played by Richard Peregrine. It was great fun! Our teacher in final year in the Prep was the legendary Walter Macfarlane who later became Head of the College. I thrived on English literature especially Shakespeare read in class as a play. I recall mispronouncing schedule in Julius Caesar. Every year I won a prize usually for English and got to choose lovely books like Prester John and King Solomon's mines in fine white binding.  

In 1959 I won a scholarship and that I know was a great help with the school fees although it was only £20 a year! My prize was the Oxford Junior encyclopaedia Natural history. In 1962 Mum and Dad bought me a beautiful book by the Scotts about nature page 79. Walter Macfarlane's book Greater than we know gives much insight into this period with Mr Lewis holding the fort after Mr Argyle's resignation.

 Miss Parnwell 1953

Mrs Glover 1954

 Lower IIA Miss Smith who had been bitten by a dog. 1955 Back row Richard Hogben, Smith, MacDuff, Robinson, Trollip, Dawson, MacRobert, Radley
Front row Wilson, Peregrine, self, Dane, Hunt, Cretikos, Hausler, Sceales, Susman, Gear
Absent Mills

Upper IIA Trinity term1956 Missing Sussman

Back row Dawson, MacRobert, Dane, MacDuff, Pringle, Mills, Hausler

Second row Trollip, Hogben, Matthews, Puckrin, Jarrett, Weehuizen, Robinson, Radley, Greaves

Front row Gear, Fulton, Peregrine, Hunt, Cretikos, Mr Wilkinson, Sceales, Ridley, Thing, self, Wilson

This is the form which mostly stayed together for the following years also some went into B and C streams. Mr Wilkinson it turns out fondled Ant at the back of class - Ant did not know what was happening. How awful! 

Lower IIIA

Back row Dawson, Dane, Robinson, Brakespeare, Harrison, Sceales,Cretikos

Second row Argyle, Weehuizen, Jarrett, Chancellor-Maddison, Buchan, Puckrin, Matthews, Trollip

Front row Peregrine, Gear, self, Ridley, Rees, Mr Lewis Latin master, McRobert, Ritchie, Lamond, Wilson, Thing

Upper IIIA Easter term

Back row Robinson Maddison, Trollip

Third row Jarrett, Weehuizen, Puckrin, Buchan, Argyle, Matthews, Ritchie

Second row Deveaux, Rees, Cooper, Thing, Mr Mcfarlane, Peregrine, self, Wilson, Gear

In front Brakespeare, Harrison, Ridley, McRobert

Missing Dane

1959

An article I wrote for St Mary's cathedral magazine 1971 about the chapel we attended for 8 a.m. communion

With Grandma and Granddad at Harewood House, Wearing St John's college blazer and a view of the school, Land's End.

page 61 27 June 1959 to Athens I was 13 and Ann was 3. St Peter's day in Rome., a royal wedding in Brussels, Zurich Zoo. 4350 miles round England visiting cathedrals and places associated with the family including Cheltenham and Daventry. Then we were off to the summer school at Addington Palace. I think Dad had been warned about possible homosexual elements at RSCM so decided to fill me in on the facts of life. Apparently I had read it all in a book aged 8 but forgotten most of it! The atmosphere at Addington Palace was very boarding school. I was told off for playing the piano in the dormitory which Dad thought crazy as we were there to make music! The main point made to me was to open my mouth. I do recall the Basil Harwood centenary evensong at Westminster Abbey. We enjoyed Beckonscot and then back to York. We went to Edinburgh and Carlisle. Sadly this was the last time I saw Granddad. Mum often said I had some mannerisms with my hands just like him. As we drove away I knew we would not see Grandma and Granddad again. They had presented me with a beautiful Bible. I had been confirmed by Bishop Reeves in St John's College chapel aged 12. He wore white gloves as he was allergic to hair oil. I thought he looked like the White Rabbit. We finished up in Paris and it is worth reading about Monsieur Le Grand page. 64. In Nice we starved. 

At Addington Palace with Francis Close in the middle and I am wearing my St John's college blazer. Not sure who is on the left I do not think it is Alan Hall

with UncleWalter and Aunt Emily

Nellie and Grandad

Monsieur Le Grand French teacher

Hugh

Hugh Mathew was a great friend of Dad's and instrumental in getting him to play at St Mark's. He was an architect and his family were involved with Moral Rearmament. His aunt lived on my route home from school and I recall knocking on her door to give her some flowers. Incidentally I was always careful walking home to avoid dogs even crossing the road not to have to go past a house where there was a barking dog. Being a flat we never had pets apart from a couple of budgies when we looked after the manse at Mayfair and both of them died. Dad told the story of taking "Auntie" to the circus and she asked why the trapeze artists were wearing red so he replied the blue outfits are in the wash. Going to the circus was an annual treat. Even then I had grave doubts about animals being made to perform. One theme which is constant in my life is going to the Zoo. Johannesburg had a fine park and so did Pretoria and on our travels we invariably visit the zoo. It gives one chance to enjoy the animals as well as see the locals enjoying themselves. Note the tie in the photo with Ann - I was certainly quite conservative about clothes.