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Interview with Greg Boyes-Varley 1973
Greg and his two brothers were day boys at St David’s living as they did behind the school in
Second Avenue. The family lived in Cape Town and Zimbabwe until 1966 when Greg joined the
school in march in standard 2. Coming from Zimbabwe Greg didn’t understand Afrikaans and
his teacher, Mrs Michael organised extra lessons for Greg with Mrs.Kenesovitch. Brother
Anthony was head of the high school and other Brothers such as Br Andrew, Br Aidan (bursar),
Br Bosco (Mario), Br Timothy, Br Dennis, Br Ronald and Br Ezekiel were still teaching.Br
Ezekiel was a brilliant Maths teacher and taught extra Maths on a Sunday declaring that that
was more important than going to Mass.
Greg had a tough time at school and was teased, because of a speech impediment and injury to
his face. He was playing on a trampoline when his leg got caught and his face was badly
damaged by a broken coke bottle. Mr Owen-Smith a plastic and maxillo- facial surgeon
operated on Greg and due to this he was determined to become a maxillo-facial surgeon
himself. Greg went to the Wits Speech and Hearing Therapy unit and eventually overcame his
speech impediment and now speaks at conventions and deals with patients confidently.
Greg recalled Nassey Simaan, the popular rugby coach who had no favourites and chose his
teams by selecting the boys he felt had guts. To be selected Greg had to tackle one of the boys
and he chose a big boy from standard 5 who always teased him. He flattened him and when
Nassy asked him to show the other boys how to tackle he selected the same boy again and
annihilated him once more. The boy never teased Greg again after that.
Greg’s father was a very active member of the St David’s community, was on the PTA, was
chairman and helped commission the building of the McGregor oval. He also used to organise
all the fathers and sons cricket matches and arranged for some English cricketers, Don Williams
and Peter Stringer to come and coach cricket at the school.
Greg remembered a day at the end of standard 8 during Nuffield week when he was playing at
leg slip and was hit squarely on the head with the cricket ball. The other boys made him get up
and he carried on taking 8 wickets. Patrick Quarmby was particularly kind and supportive.
The new Science lab has just been built and Greg remembers some experiments which blew
holes in the ceiling.
There was an African compound next to the white house where Mr Scott lived and the boys
used to buys cigarettes from the staff.
Anthony Bartlett (now living in Belgium) was the DJ for all the parties they organised with each
boy taking a turn to have a party on saturday night. Legally the boys couldn’t drink, even when
they went to university as they were all 17.
Academically Greg did well, became a prefect, got his university pass for matric and went on to
study Dentistry at Wits University. It was the last year of the JMB matric.
Greg remembers St David’s as being a great school where he made some good friends and in
his subsequent dealings with boys from local schools he thinks the St David’s boys are the most
humble.
He feels that it was a big mistake to close the boarding and then to replace the JMB matric with
the TED version. That was when a large number of boys left the school and went mainly to St
John’s.
Greg would have liked his son to go to St David’s but the family left to go the UK from 1994 until

1997. When they returned Oliver was in standard 1 and when they applied the then principal of
      the prep Mr Royce’s secretary was extremely rude and said there was no place for him. Oliver
      then went to St John’s and then on to Michaelhouse. Rees Carr’s father Ronnie who was
      coaching cricket intervened but by then it was too late. Greg was very sorry that his son didn’t
      go to St David’s but the experience he and his wife had in the UK was very good and he learnt a
      lot whilst at King’s hospital. Greg now practises at the Morningside Clinic and often lectures
      overseas and has written a number of articles. He is currently mentoring Etienne Raffner (2003)
      a dentist,doing a 5th year.
      Greg has been to two MOB’s dinners pre 1994 and is on the mailing list.
      Greg would like to get involved in an advisory capacity especially with boys who would like to go
      into medicine.
      He is touch with many of his old colleagues and remarked on the fact that St David’s has
      produced many doctors.
      Paul Sutej – Professor of Rheumatology in the US.
      Ian Jones – Dentist
      Bruce Potgieter – son in Matric 2011
      Etienne Raffner -2003 – dentist
      Daniel Shepherd – intern at Bara
      Glen Jones
      Peter Rossini
      Desmond Schatz
      Paul Sutej
      Michael Ross – vet Kyalami
      JE – July 2012

Interview with Renzo Brocco – 1963
Renzo has an unusual family history and connection with Marist Inanda and it was for only one
year since its inception that a member of the family was not at the school. His father was a pupil
at Koch Street. (His aunt Myra Barale has a family tree) Renzo’s uncle, Stan Barale was the first
head boy and his brother Frank Barale was also a pupil at the school. Other uncles, Ronnie and
Cecil Morgan attended the school and the latter became a brother only to leave the brotherhood
later.
Other relations who are old boys are Harold Morgan, Kevin, John and Michael Peel – first
cousins; Michael and Sean Hackner – his sister’s sons, Ricardo – Renzo’s son (2002) and
Truda with Paul Truda being on the PTA.
When Renzo came to St David’s, Brother Edwin was the head followed by Brother Anthony. It
was a marvellous period in the school’s history and he enjoyed boarding for the last 18 months
of his school career and regretted not being a boarder for all his school life. Religion played an
important role in school life.
One of his schoolmates, Francis Gerard, lived next to the school and, in standards 5 and 6
some of the boys would go to his house during break and play darts. One day they didn’t hear
the bell and were caught by Brother Anthony who gave six of the best and warned them that
they would never become prefects, even though some of them eventually did.
Another brother who took them for woodwork was deaf and the boys used the opportunity to
ignore the bell, were then late for class and all of them got a whacking.
He remembers his first day, his father took him to school in his builder’s truck. He had with him
a little suitcase which he still has. As he was always fetched late in the day, Renzo used to play
with the boarders after school. He lived in Highlands North and used to get a lift to school with
Mrs Brick.
On the academic front, he was a member of the debating society and passed his matric. He was
deputy head boy to Derek Mandy together with Gerrit Hartman.
He played 1st team rugby, cricket, tennis and hockey. In those days they had to go to Ellis Park
to play tennis and there were no rugby or other coaches, the brothers took them right through.
He was a champion in the high jump and a member of the swimming team. A highlight of school
life was to play in the Marist rugby and cricket festivals with all six Marist schools getting
together at a different school each year. From there a Marist side was selected. He was
fortunate enough to attend three cricket festivals in Cape Town, St Joseph’s, Walmer, PE and
St Charles in Natal.
The teachers he remembers were Mrs Martin, Mrs Brick, Mrs Kempster, Mr Bishop in the prep.
Old boys he is in touch with include John Keene (63) curator of the war museum, Gerrit
Hartman, Gordon Slabbert, Edo Foly who did a lot of advertising for the school and Brother
Anthony.
The matric dance was held in the dining room (now the Library) and they wore their school
blazers. He remembers his first dance in standard 8 when he didn’t have a partner and, instead
took his sister. The last matric dance was nowhere near the splendour and extravagance of
today and the canteen did the catering. It was an important occasion as all the scrolls were
handed out.
He cannot remember much about his last day but perhaps relief that it was all over not realising
that in six months he would be missing school like mad. He enjoyed school especially boarding,
the sport and the brothers (“Crows”) who he feared but loved towards the end.
It was the time of the “Beatles”. He went to Wits, studied for a BCom and started a band and
played at most of the school dances, they were called “The Visitors”. He opened a couple of
steak houses and “Thunder Gun” in Blackheath is still going strong. He eventually went into the
building business as his father needed him and has been involved ever since. He undertakes
work for Avis, Barlows, BP and is now also taking on smaller contracts.
Renzo’s son is now teaching at a school for autistic children in London. After completing his
studies at Rhodes he was offered a position at St Andrews the same year that Paul Edey
became headmaster there.
Renzo was chairman of the PTA and of the old boys association for a time, and every year they
used to organise dance, gaming and stag evenings. One year they had a stag evening with
Eddie Eckstein (Obs) and Deoz Richardson (Walmer) for about 350 people, but sadly all this
petered out. Many of the old boys used to play for the Maristonian club after leaving school
JE October 2011
Additional information –
Marist Brothers St David’s
Stan Barale first head boy in 1948
Harol Morgan started in 1942 – 1948
Ronal Morgan started in Std 1 1948 – 1958 – was a Brother 12 years including St David’s in
1970 as Bursar
Frank Barale started in 1944-1954
Lorenzo Brocco started in 1952-1963
Eric Ambrosioni 1954-1966
Kevin Peel 1954 – 1966 1st cousin to Renzo
John Peel 1967 – 1978 1st cousin to Renzo
Michael Peel 1967 –1978
Anton Barale 1981 – 1985
Sean Hackner 1985 – 1990
Ricardo Brocco 1989 – 2003
Sebastian Truda 2007 –
Leonardo Truda 2009 –
Nikola Truda 2011 –
William Biddulph 2015 -

Interview with Mark Reeves – 1983
Mark began his school career at St David’s in 1973, starting in standard 1, after moving from
Sandown Primary which was located where Sandton City now stands. At the age of 5, he
remembers being the swimming team mascot for College house at the inter-house gala,
dressed as a sword bearing sheik. The aftercare is now situated where this swimming pool once
was located.
He has fond memories of Miss Joseph, Miss Jamieson (Ansell), Mrs Anderson, Mrs Scaafsma
and Mrs Napier, all of whom taught him in junior school. Mrs Kempster was headmistress and
had a crooked index finger, causing confusion as to who she was actually pointing at, while you
were being scolded.
The brothers were still very active in teaching and coaching sport at this time. Mark remembers
being taught at some stage of his senior years by Brother’s Timothy, Bernard, Richard,
Christopher and Anthony. Senior school was where you gained your foundation and became
part of the Marist family.
Memorable advice came from Br Anthony when he said “Do not feel guilty for your privileged
lives, because if it wasn’t for compassionate and generous privileged people the poor would
have nothing”.
Strong teachers like Brother Anthony, Mr Collier, Mr Boswell, Mrs Elliot and Mr McFadden,
made a huge impact on those senior school years. Mark remembers Mr Collier, a remarkable
teacher and coach, who was very religious and well respected by all the boys, especially for his
caring attitude to all. He took them on retreat to Kuruman where Br Anthony and Br Christopher
hosted the boys during school holidays.
During the last two years of Mark’s schooling career at St David’s he had 3 Headmasters, Mr
Murphy, Br Anthony and Mr Frielick. Mr Murphy was a tower of a man and his wrestling career
was the best kept secret amongst the boys. Mark recalls lifting Mr Murphy above his head at
rugby trials in standard 9 and was rewarded with a place in the 1st rugby team for his effort. Tim
Marnewick was chairman of the school board of governors and a strong supporter of the Marist
community.
Classmates who he remembers well are Peter Wharton-Hood, an intellectual genius, who often
assisted the teachers after proving them wrong and who also was a talented sportsman.
Duncan Senior, who mirrored these attributes. Andrew Forsmann, a great all rounder, and the
long line of Forsmann’s who attended St David’s and who owned Kyalami Ranch, a memorable
recreational facility for them all.
He remembers Karl Ortel, who during his matric year at St. David’s fought 20 fights in 21 days
to win the Golden Gloves World Boxing Tournament. Corado Annicello who achieved Springbok
colours in judo. Kamsisi Nyirenda, the Malawian ambassador’s son, who in the black & white
class photo, due to his dark complexion, blended into the background with only his white teeth,
the white of his eye’s and collar visible. Solly Maponya,who had a BMW in standard 6 and who
was a great driver, especially to parties. Other good friends who are now very successful
businessmen include Sven Retzlaff and Roy Perlman, property developers, Mark Atier a cellular
industry entrepreneur, Mark Rosewitz a top legal adviser and Jason Askew, who has become a
famous Anglo-Boer war artist. “There are so many success stories of individual classmates from
his year and he is very proud to have been associated with them all”..
Mark was honoured to have been elected as head prefect in 1983. He was captain of the school
swimming and water polo teams, and was captain of College House. He was awarded colours
for rugby, swimming and water polo, and received a merit scroll for leadership. He played 1st
team rugby and was a member of the athletics team, for field events, but banned from hurdles
for breaking multiple crossbars! He also received an academic scroll and a distinction for History
in matric
After leaving St David’s Mark studied a BA in Education and together with his brother, Alan, also
head prefect of St. David’s in 1977, started a well known photographic business. They have had
the good fortune of working together for over 33 years and are now involved in multiple building
hardware and paint retail outlets.
Mark served St. David’s on the board of governors, was chairman of the development
committee and an active member of the PTA. He still serves as a member of the old boys
committee. Mark is married to Carol-Anne and has a son Stephen and daughter Kirsty.
JLE May 2016