Item 202000877 - Interview with Peter Habberton 1975 - 1980 Staff

Interview – Peter Habberton – Staff 1975 - 80
Peter grew up in Benoni, son of an Anglican minister who was forced to leave South Africa in

1967. As a consequence, Peter finished his schooling and university education in England
      returning to South Africa in 1974. As a member of the Wanderers cricket club at the time he
      learnt that Peter Stringer the current St David’s cricket coach was leaving. He went to see
      Brother Timothy and was subsequently employed as cricket coach and P.E. teacher in
      October 1975.
      Br Timothy gave Peter and his new wife Jackie 3 rooms upstairs overlooking the cricket fields
      in what is now the CEO’s house. Their daughter was born there in 1978. Peter had a dog
      called Shane who went with him everywhere and tracked down his son, aged 2 when he once
      went missing walking out through the school grounds to a nearby shopping centre.
      Peter taught Physical Education from the prep through to the high school having a PE degree
      from the UK. He then started to teach English and became part of the school’s management
      team together with Trudy Elliott, the then head of English. Peter coached the 1st team cricket
      and 1st team rugby and was in charge of athletics. Later on Peter started the Art department
      also painting the scenery and sets for the annual matric dance.
      There were still many brothers teaching including Br Timothy, Br Mario, Br Bernard, a keen
      photographer and artist, Br Aidan the bursar. Br Jude was the Brother Provincial. Br Anthony
      was no longer around but popped in occasionally. Other teachers were Ken Lipschitz, Maths;
      Tom Macfadden, History; John Vahey, Geography ; Heather Joseph taught in the prep school
      together with Willy Castle and Terry O’Mahoney both of whom joined as students whilst
      studying at JCE. Willy eventually took over the prep soccer. Terrry O’Mahoney, coming from a
      strong Marist family was a fellow student who went on to St John’s. In 1980 Peter Swanson
      was the assistant coach for rugby. Mrs Gilroy, Br Timothy’s secretary, ruled the roost in the
      admin block.
      In those days the school had fewer pupils and not many resources but managed to climb up to
      the A league and become competitive especially in the Catholic schools league. Peter
      remembered an occasion when Walter Cronje was victim of a dirty player on the Observatory
      side. The player had been sent off, was allowed to return to the field again and immediately
      homed in on Walter tackling him and rupturing his spleen in the process.
      The land was sold off where the Inandas now stand but it was believed that the money was
      used not only for St David’s but other Marist schools. However, there was a good spirit in the
      school with a very supportive parent community. There were on average 27 boys in a class
      and Br Timothy was a firm but understanding headmaster.
      Some of the boys he remembers are Mike Peel, a brilliant cricketer now living in the Nelspruit
      area who is now an environmental scientist. He was the first of Peter’s charges to get into the
      Transvaal Nuffield cricket team. Sasha Martinengo who now presents motor racing on Super
      Sport was in the prep school in those days
      JE October 2012