Item 202000881 - Interview with Peter Stringer 1966 - 1974 Staff

Interview with Peter Stringer – 1966 – 74 - staff cricket coach
Peter played professional cricket for Yorkshire and was brought out to South Africa by the Wanderer’s club
who paid for his airfare and he had free accommodation at St David’s. He travelled here by sea on the
Union Castle line. The first stop was Southampton to Las Palmas and Cape Town, then with the “Blue
Train” to Johannesburg. The return fare was R480 then when the Rand was two to one Pound. He coached
from September until the end of March each year until he moved to SA permanently in 1971.
Br Anthony was the headmaster and Br Andrew, who was Spanish, was in charge of the grounds and had
never even seen cricket played until he came to South Africa. Br Timothy was on the staff and Br Bosco.
Willy Castle was a pupil at the time. When Peter first arrived at the school, the dining room was full of about
16 brothers but by the time he left there were only about 4. A young brother came out and had never seen
cricket played before. After watching a practice one day he asked that the stumps be left and grabbed a
ball, kept on trying to bowl and then run after the ball. After about 10 minutes of this activity he brought the
stumps back declaring that this was a tough game!
Willem Van der Merwe was working at the school then and Peter remembers him seeing some renovations
of Rosebank where paving was being ripped up and replaced. He enquired where it was going and how
much they were paying for dumping it and arranged for it to be “dumped” at St David’s where he used
them. Willem also converted the dormitories into classrooms after the boarding closed and saved the
school a significant amount of money when he built the swimming pool stands.
Peter recalled a cocktail party at the school to welcome the new headmaster, Mr Murphy who claimed to
have played rugby for Lancashire. Peter used a facility next to the Lancashire rugby grounds and knew
many of the players and found it interesting that when Murphy heard this he quickly moved away and didn’t
wish to chat to him any further.
The initial fields were where the prep school playing fields are now. Lee McGregor who became a
Springbok swimmer was a pupil at the school. His father owned an earthmoving equipment company and
when the school purchased the Love farm, he purchased two old bulldozers which he serviced and, under
his supervision, were used to create the cricket oval. Peter recalled that Br Anthony asked how big the
Wanderer’s cricket oval was and made sure that St David’s was bigger. Wanderers enjoyed playing on the
St David’s oval.
At the opening of the oval in 1970 a professional cricket team was put together and played against the
school team. As it was so dry and Br Anthony being a perfectionist, he organised that the pitch was painted
green for the opening. The day was overcast and rain threatened but after the Bishop blessed the oval, the
sun came out and a wonderful day was had by all. Dicken Bird, the famous umpire was a member of the
professional team.
Peter saw the ghost rumoured to haunt the Love farmhouse. Peter was sleeping in the house before
leaving early for the Kruger Park with Don Wilson and Barry Leadbeater. He woke up sensing someone
was in the room, sat up and saw an old lady who just faded away. Chris Clifford who coached cricket and
taught Maths slept in the same room with his wife one night and she woke up screaming claiming someone
was in the room but she didn’t see the ghost.
Peter was Wanderers cricket coach for 42 years. He was also the convener for SA universities cricket and
coached the likes of Hansie Cronje, Jonty Rhodes and Andrew Hudson. At Wanderers he also coached
Brian Macmillan, who went on to play for South Africa. On another occasion he was asked by the MD of
Whitbread if he would coach the Wits university team 2 days a week in exchange for a few free beers.
Peter remembers a large beer truck drawing up at the school with 30 dozen beers. Needless to say a
certain amount of partying was done and Br Anthony and Br Andrew also joined in.
The cricket at St David’s was good in Peter’s day and he remembers bowling St Stithians out for 17.
Harry Curtis was the fast bowler but had to play in tackies as he couldn’t get cricket shoes to fit him, size

15. Peter had some shoes made for him in Northampton, England and remembers paying R7 for them.
    John Peel, Terry Lavery, Chris Stanle, Glyn O’Leary, Peter Moni, Patrick Quarmby Frank Cattich, Greg
    Boys Varley, Mike Stanley and Alan Reeves were some of the school’s cricketers. Peter coached Alan’s
    son.
    Peter remembered the Marist cricket week. Joe Stravino was selected for Transvaal, became captain and
    was vice captain for the A side Nuffield cricket. Mike Smith who came from an Italian family was also a
    keen cricketer.
    Peter started the rugby in the primary school and coached the Peel brothers for 3 years. The team played
    U13, U14 and U15’s and they didn’t lose a game until grade 6.
    Peter often looked after the boarders and played indoor soccer with them in the old tuckshop.
    When Peter first came to St David’s, it was considered really far out, there was no Sandton and Rivonia
    was a village. The chapel was upstairs and the swimming pool was where the after care is now. Piet the
    school cook was the “Boss” who ran the school kitchen. He used to take the pumpkin and butternuts seeds
    and send them down to his family in Natal. He was a big man and if he lost his temper all the staff scattered
    and ran out of the kitchen.
    Peter finally left St David’s because he clashed with Br Timothy the then headmaster, swimming and rugby
    were his sports. Peter went on to King David’s, Victory Park for 20 years and has been coach at Trinity
    College for the past 12 years. He left SA in 1980 after his mother died and opened up a butcher’s shop with
    his brother which is where he met his wife Maureen and they married in 1985.
    Ronnie Carr was also a cricket coach at St David’s for a number of years. He owned a butcher’s shop in
    Darrenwood but got tired of it and asked Peter to help him become a coach.
    JLE October 2013