Interview with Reg Titcombe – 1954
Reg came to St David’s in 1952 as a boarder. He attended Marist Brothers from grade 1 through to matric.
Firstly to Koch Street for 8 years until standard 6, then Observatory for a year.
He recalls being very impressed with his new school and enjoyed being a boarder as it was safe, he made
a lot of friends in pleasant surroundings with regulated study periods although he did miss home cooking,
the friends he grew up with and the freedom to do as he pleased.
He thought the teachers were great and he made some good friends. All the brothers who taught him were
very good teachers and he remembers them all, just not their names! The names he did recall in no special
order were Vidal, Phillip, Aquinas, Benedict, Ephrem, Bartholomew, Celestine and Edwin. Phillip a New
Zealander was a great influence in his life. He was inspirational teaching him how to organise his notes and
how to study. Celestine taught him Latin, which in turn taught him how to analyze problems. Br Ephrem
taught him Physics and Chemistry with great passion. These were the men who equipped him for the two
career paths he followed in his working years......Chemistry and Business.
About 10 days before the end of his matric year, Reg gave four of his classmates crew cuts for half-acrown
each. He needed the money, and they needed to look good the school dance was just around the
corner. Br Edwin walked into class, took one look at the four standouts, and screamed, “who did this?”. Reg
immediately put up his hand thinking he wanted to compliment him. He didn’t, he grabbed him by the scruff
of his neck, yanked him outside and thrashed him so many times, Reg eventually lost count. He also gated
Reg for the remainder of the school year. The incident was neither funny or amusing at the time, for Reg
anyway, but over the next few days, when everyone in the school was talking about it, he was able to see
the amusing side of the incident and he did not really want to go to the school dance and hockey pick up..
Reag played cricket, rugby, tennis, soccer and hockey. He was not particularly good at rugby or cricket but
did play U15A rugby and 2nd team cricket. He was very good at hockey and played for Natal University, but
hockey in 1954 was not a team sport at St David’s.
The only four boys he has seen since leaving St David’s were Jake de Lancey, David Reeves, Jimmy
Walker and John Livingstone. He has had n news of his other classmates but he did know that Ronnie
Columbic was a mercenary in the Congo, and was killed there in 1955. Jacques Kerwyn de Meeandre
committed suicide in the Belgian Congo in 1955, and he had heard but could not confirm, that Billy Hapker
fell off a tram and was killed in Brussels in 1955. John Livingstone who he saw in 1974 before he departed
for New York passed away a couple of years ago.
Thanks to the dedicated and unselfish brothers he was able to obtain, with ease, a BSc in Chemistry and
Geology and a BSC (Hons) in Chemistry from Natal University in Durban; and, after being transferred from
Cape Town to New York by Caltex in 1974, he went on to obtain an MBA from the University of Connecticut
in Stamford. Reg had an interesting and successful working life, thanks in large measure to the teachings
of three gifted brothers to whom he will always be grateful. He retired in 1999, and spent the last 5 years of
his working career based in Mexico City as vice president of business development, Fina Mexicana, S.A de
C.V. a subsidiary of Dallas, Texas based Petrofina Oil & Chemical Company, now Total Petrochemicals in
Houston, Texas. He and his wife Lynn now live at Lakewood Ranch just east of Sarasota, Florida.
Reg’s eldest son Michael was only 5 years old when he was transferred to New York in 1974 and his
youngest son Matthew was born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1978.
His two sons Michael and Matthew are attorneys in San Diego, California. Michael is a retired Commander
in the US Navy. He did four tours of duty to the Gulf. He and his wife Lisa had a little girl Rachel in 2000.
Mattehw is still a batchelor.
The last time he visited St David’s, was in 1985 or thereabouts, on a business\pleasure trip to South Africa.
He stopped off in Randburg for a dinner meeting with some executives from Sasol. The next day on his
way to the airport and had the cab driver drop him off at St David’s and he visited with Br Ephrem for an
hour or so. He really enjoyed seeing Br Ephrem again and the school looked very much as he had
remembered it.
JE September 2013

Tonetti’s of Marist Brothers Liam and Conor Tonetti are fourth generation Marist Brothers scholars. Their great grandfather, Mario Tonetti was schooled at a Marist Brothers school in Italy, their grandfather James Tonetti matriculated from St David’s in 1954 and their father, Gordon matriculated from St David’s in 1986. A family of sportsmen, rugby players and engineers. The family is featured in a book titled: “Pioneers of the Lowveld” - Hans Bornman. The book discusses the Italian community of the early 1900’s. The Tonetti farm called Brusnengo, situated near Kaapmuiden is named after the town in Italy from which the family originate. The Catholic family built a church which was completed in 1935. During the final construction of the little church, the scaffolding used by the painters, fell on Giacomo Tonetti who died later from his injuries. A local school in the area is named “Tonetti” as well as a village named after the family. Mario Tonetti was instrumental in developing the Midrand area and road “Tonetti” in the centre of Midrand was named in honour of his contribution.
The love of sport and rugby follows a long line of family tradition. James Tonetti, in 1954 Vice Captained the 1st Rugby team, set numerous athletic records in the 400 m and 800 m and high jump, received a first class matric and was awarded an honours blazer. The “Tonetti trophy” is in circulation at St David’s Prep athletics and was donated to the school in honour of James’ contribution to sport at the school. James Tonetti was a founding member of the Marist Old Boys and shared many stories of his time at St David’s, of being taught by the Brothers and his many years at the Boarding House. He would have been very proud of his two grandson’s contribution to the school and their rugby abilities.
Gordon Tonetti matriculated in 1986 set numerous athletic records and was renowned for his 1500m and open road abilities. He played 1st team rugby two years running and was awarded scrolls for his contribution to athletics and rugby. Choice of schooling was never up for discussion in the Tonetti household and the we are delighted that the family tradition of sportsmanship both on and off the rugby field has been carried through the generations. Liam and Conor have both played A team rugby both in prep school and high school. The family are delighted that both boys have been selected for this international tour and will represent their school as brothers and teammates. Their great-grandfather and grandfather would be very proud of their dedication and commitment to this fabulous national sport.