Interview with Derek Mandy – 1963 Derek thought that school was one of the best things that ever happened to him and enjoyed his time as a boarder at Inanda. His parents lived in Brakpan, hence he was a boarder from standard 5 but was at CBC Boksburg before.... »
Interview with Derek Mandy – 1963 Derek thought that school was one of the best things that ever happened to him and enjoyed his time as a boarder at Inanda. His parents lived in Brakpan, hence he was a boarder from standard 5 but was at CBC Boksburg before. His parents wanted him to participate more at school. He felt that it was all pro’s regarding boarding – companionship, structured study, food wasn’t too bad, sport at weekends and he played rugby and was vice- captain first rugby, hockey, soccer, volleyball, athletics and received the open 880yds trophy. The only con was the dorms – 40 beds in each. In standard 8 his brother Dudley was prefect of Derek’s dorm. His main complaint was that there was a total lack of privacy, they were noisy and no radio was allowed after lights out. The brothers had a room in the corner. He was reasonably good at sport and was generally in the A team. Academically he achieved a second class JMB matric, he wasn’t a boff but didn’t struggle, with the exception of Maths due to the brothers teaching and a university student eventually helped him with the subject. He received the SA Marist award in 1963 and was head prefect and house captain for Benedict, vice-captain first rugby, secretary of Sodality and chairman of the MDC. Derek, as were many of the other boys, was unaware of what was happening in South Africa, they were apolitical and had no knowledge of apartheid. It had no bearing on their lives. He does however recall that the government were not too happy to allow new brothers into the country. He remembers his first day or two and was initially homesick but soon settled in and it helped having an older brother there. He remembers Brother Anthony, “Oranges” as being quite a character. His older brother Dudley was head boy in 1961 and who is now living in Texas. One day he was called out of class and in front of the school, with the matrics in a semi-circle, they were told that his brother was going down to Natal to become a Brother, this was just prior to writing matric. Having written matric, Dudley gave it all up and reunited with his girlfriend. His last day was a happy one it was time to move on even though he was unsure whether he had been accepted at university. He also had originally wanted to become an American field student but he couldn’t do that and study in the US, he eventually went to UCT to study psychology but ended up studying law. Derek is the father of two sons who went to Bishops and a daughter who attended Herschel. Had he been living in Johannesburg he would have sent his sons to St David’s. He served Bishops Council for 10 years and was chairman of the parents association during this time. Derek has competed in 27 Cape Argus events and is a keen mountain biker. He has recently retired and is looking into getting involved in some charity work. Due to his location, he lost contact with his contemporaries. He did attend two reunions, one after 25 years with a number of old boys from Johannesburg who had not seen each other since matric. The next one after 30 years, he was the only old boy not living in Johannesburg who attended. He felt that perhaps the reunions should be less structured with more time, not like the dinners of the past. He would be interested in the book and would be prepared to pledge/buy a copy. JE October 2011
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 ... »
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 -