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Interview with Michael Richardson – 1971
Michael came to St David’s as a dayboy living at home. He was lucky that he had such an
active sport life and close group of friends that he stayed at school every day until about 5pm
and often they were at one another’s homes – so in fact he had the best of both worlds, a
dayboy living like a boarder
Memories of first day at St David’s – the teacher Mrs Lego very kind, his school uniform was too
big, he was all enthusiastic to play games with friends
Memories of last day at St David’s – sorrow at leaving such a close group of friends. Leaving a
cocoon of life that embraced all he had done up till then – now it was into the big wide world –
but excited about army service and university.
Teachers who left a lasting impression were Brother Andrew (Dracula - Maths) Mrs Richardson
(English – my Aunt)) Brother Bosco (Science).
Michael was involved in all the sport he could play – cricket, football, swimming, athletics, rugby,
hockey, and tennis. He played 1st XI and XV cricket and rugby and swam for the school in
breaststroke and relay and held records in athletics, javelin, high jump and long jump (for a
while) and introduced the fosbury flop to the school high jump. Michael has great memories of
the cricket tour to the Cape in standard 8 as part of the inter Marist tournament and of winning
the 200 metres and high jump at a few inter-catholic highs athletics events. Michael was also
selected for the Transvaal schools U15 Cricket team.
An event which stands out was his first century, the day he was picked for the 1st XI, opening of
the cricket oval playing a Wilf Isaacs XI with international cricketers in it and opening the
batting!!
One his worst moments at school was getting caught drawing a picture of the teacher in an
uncompromising position and getting a caning in front of the class.
Other amusing memories are of racing for prefects tea to get the avocado sandwiches; getting
his best friend into trouble by giving him the wrong answer when he had been sleeping in class
and was asked to answer; sneaking into class late behind the teacher’s back only to have the
headmaster walk in behind you.
The matric Dance was fabulous, Michael was lucky to have a girl-friend at that stage who was
everything he wanted – beautiful, bright and a dancer! The decorations and the theme were
stunning and the boys were so proud as they thought they had done the best dance ever.
Michael most enjoyed the sport, friendship and some of the teachers: All the sport teachers
Brother Michael, Mr Greenway, Mr Summers and Brother Andrew but he least enjoyed Latin,
end of year exams, and caning.
Michael was a prefect and was awarded honours for athletics, cricket, was Victor Ludorum, and
in the Maths olympiad final round.
After leaving St David’s served time in the army gymnasium and paratroopers; he went on to
study Medicine at Stellenbosch and specialised in Obs Gynae in the UK. He worked in a
practice in UK for a few years then joined the pharmaceutical industry in R&D and is currently
head of drug safety with Bristol-Myers Squibb. Michael also gives research support in cystic
fibrosis charity and drug rehabilitation
Michael did not have any sons at St David’s and last visited the school 5 years ago.
Michael had 2 brothers at St David’s as well. Bryan and John Richardson
(john.richardson@sbcglobal.net)
Bryan Matriculated 1967 John Matriculated 1965.
Some random info: Originally the school grounds only extended as far as the road going down
past the swimming pool, - what is now the main entrance was the rear entrance and was the
boundary fence of the school. The PTA negotiated for about 5 years in the early 1960s to
purchase the house and all the lands which extended the school all the way down around the
bend on Rivonia road. The new cricket oval was created in front of the pavilion which was
inaugurated by Archbishop Boyle in 1970.
Later the school sold off the lower portion for development and housing which has probably
funded the school since then. The grounds were bought for under quarter million rands and God
knows what they have made from that very wise purchase. (Can you imagine how many fund
raisers we had in those days to get the funds).
The original cross country race on sports day used to start from the main gate (original main
gate) and head off towards Sandton (pre Sandton City) all the way down Rivonia Road, along
Katherine Street, Wierda Road (When it was still Wierda Valley and had small holding houses)
up along Pretoria Ave into Forest Road up past what was then the Inanda Polo Club, along Fifth
Avenue then up Boundary Road and into the athletics field through a gate which was then on
Boundary road and finish around the 400 m track to the finishing post. There used to be a full
athletics track around the original cricket oval with stands etc.

Interview with Patrick Quarmby – 1971
Patrick joined St David’s in 1961, standard 2 and rode to school every day from Craighall Park . His first
teacher was Mrs Michael who was a lovely person and was especially kind to the new boys. Mrs Scaafsma
was also teaching at the time. There was the notorious trio of Mrs Janusch, Kempster and Kenesovitch. If
you survived them you could survive anything, they were good teachers but fierce. Patrick recalled that Mrs
Janusch had a pekinese dog as a pet and the boys had to take it for walks and on one occasion, when it
was attacked by another dog, its eyes literally popped out. Mrs Janusch used a strap to reprimand the boys
and they were terrified of her.
The brothers had a significant influence on the boys. Brother Anthony was headmaster and Br Andrew
(Drac) was a great character and passionate about sport, Br Bosco (Mario), Br Aidan – the bursar, Br
Michael, Br Sean and Br Bernard who took all the rugby photos, were on the staff. The boys used to swoon
over Mrs Heyns /Rudiger and Miss Hartmann. Other lay teachers he remembers are Mrs Pruiss, Peter
Greenaway – Maths, was a good friend to the boys, Mr Kalifi – Add Maths, Mrs Richardson and Mr Done –
Latin. Some of the teachers were not world class but Br Bosco was a very good Science teacher.
The boys used to like playing tricks on Mr Done, who was a good teacher, and would move his desk to the
edge of the teacher’s platform. When he sat down, the desk naturally fell forward. Patrick remembered an
incident when he and Mark Agar, expecting Peter Greenaway, held the classroom door closed to prevent
him coming in. Eventually they let go and to their horror, in walked “Drac” who threatened to cane the whole
class unless the offenders owned up which of course they did and suffered a severe caning.
During the period Patrick was at the school, when there were still boarders in 1970 to 1972, the sport was
very strong especially in his age group. Patrick personally played 1st team cricket for three years from the
end of standard 7 and 1st team rugby for two years.
Patrick swam in the primary and high school and, whilst he was in the primary school, the swimming team
beat KES, perhaps the team was so good as the training was tough, starting at 7am with Br Andrew
keeping the boys attention with a chain on their wet skin if they didn’t perform. Patrick also swam Transvaal
schools U14, together with Geoff Harrison and Keith Shaw.
Nassey Simaan coached rugby and encouraged the standard 5 boys to start playing before they went into
high school. They were a strong team with members such as Mark Agar, George Nichas, Ivan Bensimon,
Michael Richardson, Ross Hunter, Spiro Trupos and Ken Fraser, an American who had never played rugby
in his life but proved to be a great prop together with Kim Small. It was the best era for St David’s sport with
the rugby team only losing two games beating Jeppe and Parktown and in 1972 they lost one game against
KES. Observatory also had a very strong team in 1970 and 71 but we managed to beat them both years.
He remembered that during one match James Harrywyn gave one of the players of the opposing team a
karate chop and the boy’s mother ran onto the field and hit him with an umbrella.
During this time the school employed professional cricketers as coaches including Ken Palmer, Don Wilson
and Peter Stringer and cricket really blossomed. Patrick played U15 Nuffeld cricket, and together with Ivan
Bensimon made Transvaal schools cricket team in 1970. Johnny Williamson also made the Transvaal
schools cricket team in 1970. He recalled the Marist cricket week in standard 8 where he was selected for
SA Marist which was the last time it was held. Patrick also attended the opening of the cricket oval in 1970
and still has the programme.
Sadly Patrick only went on three sports tours whilst he was at St David’s and MOBS didn’t exist. The boys
at St David’s didn’t believe in themselves, they were very good sportsmen with a lot of talent but they never
reached the heights they should have. They only played against local competition and were rather insular.
St David’s was a small school but with the opening of the oval they were the school to beat – KES being
the biggest rival. One tour Patrick went on was to St Joseph’s, Cape Town by bus to celebrate the Marist
Brother’s Centenary.
A’s for academics were a distinctly scarce commodity unlike today, however many of the boys earned 1st
class passes for matric, 9 distinctions for the whole class and Patrick was always in the top 5.
Patrick was vice head boy and was awarded the provincial blazer in his final year and scrolls for prefect,
merit, cricket, rugby and studies.
Patrick firmly believes that a strong old boys makes a school. He is still in touch with Ivan Bensimon who
lives in Sydney and Mike Richardson living in London.
After leaving St David’s, Patrick went into the army and then onto Stellenbosch University where he studied
for a BComm. He then studied for a post graduate qualification through Unisa and Wits University. Patrick
wrote the board exams and was placed first in the exams in South Africa becoming a CA in 1979. He then
did a post graduate course at UCT and lectured there whilst doing an honours in taxation.
Patrick joined Ernst and Young and became a partner at 28 and in 1987 went overseas working for
Schroder’s Merchant Bank in London, in 1989 he started up Standard Bank in London and then Standard
Bank in Hong Kong in 1992. In 1996 he came back to South Africa and joined Dimension Data.
Patrick met his wife in Hong Kong and is the father of triplets, two boys and a girl who attended St Peter’s
and are currently at St Andrew’s and DSG in Grahamstown.
Patrick believes it would be a good idea to target a year, trace former pupils and contact them. 2016 would
be the 45th anniversary for his year. He would like to get involved but because of pressures of work could
only do so towards the end of 2014.
JE October 2013

1 A4 email printout

Interview with James Harrewyn – 1971
Jame’s father came to SA from Antwerp in 1956. He knew a priest here who encouraged
him to come and start a new life here. His sons followed two years later in 1958 aged 5 and
7 and could not speak English, their languages being French and Flemish. James started at
St David’s in grade 1 until matric. He was a boarder from standard 6 for 4 years. He regards
himself as being a naughty boy but never with malicious intent. For his final matric year he
chose to be a day boy. His brother also attended St David’s and died in 2003His friends at
the time were Willy Castle, John Williams, Dimitri Constantinides, Vic Taueber; Kim Small
(rugby player), Alex Chemaly, Rupert Von Johnstone and he is still in contact with Alex
Chemaly, Johnny Stavro and Gavin Jansen. He feels that he can never find or replace the
friends he made whilst at high school.
He remembers his first days as being hard as he was discriminated against because of his
lack of English and was bullied initially, but stood his ground.
His last day – he worked hard for his matric and went to get his results from Br Timothy. He
was older than most of the boys, aged 18 as he stayed back a couple of years. He
remembers Br Timothy saying “You need to look happy!” He received a university pass and
his father took him to the Balalaika to celebrate!
He recalls Mrs Janusch, the Latin teacher, a sweet lady. Her classroom was on the second
floor, and James played a trick on her by climbing out of the window, down the gutter and
returned, knocking on the door. She was thoroughly confused as he did this several times
during a lesson, much to the amusement of the other boys. Brothers Anthony, Andrew
“Drac”, Timothy, Bosco “Boing” were at the school during his time. Many of the Brothers
smoked and when the boys smoked in the playground it was easier not to get caught by
those Brothers that did smoke as the smell was cancelled out. The boys used to raid the
fridge at night because the food was so awful. James also used to bunk out and see
girlfriends together with Gavin Jansen, but never got caught. He played in the marching
band which was sponsored by the Moni family. He was keen on athletics and was very
popular, but another boy always came first until one memorable sports day when James
beat him, coming first in front of all the girls! He also played 1st team rugby for 3 years, was a
member of the swimming team and played hockey. His academics were ok and the school
had a very good infrastructure with academics and sport.
The school was always cold and, in the morning ablutions he and other boys would linger
dangling their hands in the warm water to get warm. The boys were often punished by
having to “stand out” by the showers, bare foot, arms raised and it was very cold. Br Andrew
had a whistle on a chain with which he would hit the boys on the back of their legs. In Willy’s
office there is a cane which used to be used but was withdrawn in favour of the paddle, as it
used to draw blood. James however loved the school and feels that schooling was better
than it is now. His happiest moments were when he and his friends were naughty and didn’t
get caught. He remembers Br Anthony who was well respected by the boys, as he was fair,
and was called “Orange” because of his pronunciation of the word oranges and his red hair.
When he left school he served an apprenticeship with his father at first and then went to
Belgium to a culinary school. He then spent 5 years in Canada in hotels and then came back
to SA to help in the family business in Sandton. Sadly, the business initially did well but
because of sanctions and politics it failed. He then went to Houston, the Four Seasons Hotel
and eventually taught at a cooking school in Vermont and, 15 years ago, opened his own
business and 80 seat Café and Bistro. He and his wife, Pamela supply cakes, pastries,
wedding cakes and cater for private parties. In July 2011 he opened another restaurant and
is grateful to be in the right state where people enjoy the quality service and he is priced right
for the market. Vermont has survived the recession as most people don’t live above their
means but still enjoy their life.
He was back in SA as he was invited to an award dinner by Billy Gallagher. In 1984 and
1988 he was part of the national cooking team which went to Germany for the World
Cooking Olympics. They were very low key and rather under-cover because of apartheid,
however the team did quite well. For the award dinner the original members of the team:
Heinz Brunner, George Germann, Peter Klngman, Ryan MacMann, Martin Maphonga
created menus from the 80’s for 150 people. His sons Brent and Ashton, both
cinematographer majors specializing in film and photo, made a documentary of the occasion
and James received his Springbok blazer.
Jame’s wife’s family live in Cape Town and whilst he was here in January he had a reunion
with 25 boys from his time at St David’s.
JE August 2011