The ODU sends it best wishes to you for 2019. With resolutions still, hopefully, firmly in place, there are, happily, only about 350 days until these need to be reset. And for those of you smugly resisting these life-shaping decisions as a modern-day fad, bear in mind that NY resolutions date back 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians!
The 2018 UK ODU Year-end party in November passed by noisily and happily. Around 100 ODs and some very welcome and brave wives/partners assembled at The Hollywood Arms in Chelsea to see out the old year and speculate about the new. The (huge number of) photos can be seen HERE.
Later in this letter you'll find an invitation from Hamish Sinclair (S, 1992) a partner at Stonehage Fleming to attend a reception at their offices to celebrate the appointment of Raymond Ackerman (S, 1948) as Patron of the ODU. This is on the 29th of this month. There is no charge for this event and I hope that as many of you as possible will attend (if you have already RSVP'd there's no need to do so again).
Keith Richardson (O, 1968) has discovered that "retirement" is an illusory concept, a mirage which disappears the very moment you think you have it in your grasp. After seventeen years as the transformative headmaster of Wynberg Boys High School, he galloped off into retirement with much fanfare and sadness only to find himself parachuted into the headmaster's role at Springfield Convent, a position he is to hold for a year - or so he thinks. In the meantime, he was in England last month chaperoning the Abe Bailey Bursars who kicked off their UK tour with a reception at the Goodenough College in London. In the photograph are Charles McGregor (F, 1968 and a Governor of Goodenough College), Steve Hofmeyr (O, 1973, a past Abe Bailey bursar) and Keith. Doug Carruthers (S, 1999, right) has taken over from Allan Versveld (K, 1998) as the secretary for the Republic of Ireland branch of the ODU. He is keen for ODs living in Ireland (both Northern and the Republic of) to make contact with him. He can be emailed at Dougc100@gmail.com. Doug will be working on some supporter functions for the Bishops 1st XV Irish tour in March, about which see HERE.
Congratulations to the Bishops 2018 matrics - and teachers and parents - for the outstanding 2018 NSC results achieved. A fuller report can be seen HERE.
The new ODU beanies have been a great success and are selling fast and keeping ODs warm wherever they are. And that includes such exotic places as Kitzbuhel, Austria, where James Husband (G, 2010, on the right) who is seen here wearing one to beat off the cold. To get yours, order HERE. Also in the picture is Warren Handley (G, 2010) who some of you will know from his outstanding achievement climbing Killimanjaro and then walking 6,000km with Tom David (B, 2011) to raise money for Aluwani to help with early childhood development.
Athol Fugard's A Lesson from Aloes is being performed at the Finborough Theatre in Earl's Court from 27th February-23rd March. Dame Janet Suzman directs. The performances from the 27 Feb-3 March are low cost preview/dress rehearsals, but John Battersby (W, 1966) has managed to get ODs a discount on the full ticket price thereafter. ODs wishing to book tickets should do so HERE and use the discount code FUGARD.
Based in Toronto, Nic Searle (O, 1988) is the ODU Secretary for Eastern Canada. He has asked me to let ODs know that should they ever find themselves in or passing through Toronto, they should feel free to contact him should they like to meet up or require any help Canadian. nicsearle12345@gmail.com
May I urge you, if you haven't already, to register on the ODU website. The value of this new and powerful platform is the ability to build your networks and set what news you'd like from the ODU. HERE is where to do this.
As always, please feel free to get hold of me with comments, suggestions, requests and, above all, news.
Not only the oldest alumni cross-country competition in the UK, it is also the most hotly contested. For the third successive year, ODs last month stepped up to take on all comers and distinguished themselves in battle which was fought in freezing and muddy conditions across a 5 mile course on and around the Wimbledon Common. In our first year we finished 14th out of 39, then 13th and this year, fielding six highly-tuned athletes, we came in 16th position. Shivering in the photo, Gordon Robinson (F, 1990), James Klatzow (K, 2008), John Stanford (F, 1998), Caelim Parkes (O, 1990), Chris Molteno (G, 2010) and Rowan Nicholls (O, 2010).
Our skipper, Rowan Nicholls reports:
"Bishops came in 16th place out of 37. No sign of the New Zealand team! They must have heard we were coming. So still the only international alumni association to take part. Team results HERE (we are indexed as BCTSA).
"A combination of the cold, the wet and injuries saw a couple of late drop-outs but we still managed to get six warriors to the startline and around the course. Well done especially to John Stanford (F, 1998) for leading the team home in a very impressive time of 33:20! I'm hardly surprised at this performance given the speed with which he overtook me at about the 4km mark. Second was James Klatzow (K, 2008). I was third and Chris was fourth to round off our scorers. Individual results HERE.
"The organisers had a bit of a tough time finalising the results; in their own words: 'Results were challenging due to a combination of soggy bits of paper, frozen fingers, and (we suspect) some of you handing numbers to the wrong team members - if not, we have some world age group records to be proud of today!' We as Bishops boys were definitely too on-the-ball to hand out wrong numbers, but I'm sure that some of us came close to breaking world records!
"A truly creditable performance and congratulations and thank you to our team for flying the flag.
"Fun fact: this is the 150th year of the Thames Hare & Hounds club and, by extension, the 150th year of organised cross-country. We can claim to be a part of history...".
The field hospital for after-race rehydration and succour was as is customary The Telegraph.
Thanks to Rowan for not just running the race, but for all the effort he put into organising the OD team.
In its first international rugby tour in ten years, the Bishops 1st XV visit Ireland in March this year with two games in Dublin - Thursday 14th and Sunday 17th. On Saturday 16th they practise at the Donybrook Stadium.
If enough ODs would like to travel as a party to meet and support the team, I would be very happy to put together a relaxed trip, to include dinner with the team, coaches and parents on Friday 15th, watching the practice on Saturday 16th and the match on Sunday 17th. (The Dublin opposition schools will only be named after an internal league has completed its season).
Brexit (whatever that may mean) is on the 29th March, so this is a good chance to enjoy Ireland before having to worry about the backstop.
The idea would be for those who wanted to come along to book their own travel and accommodation to suit their own schedules, but with the set pieces (dinner, practice and match arrangements) organised by me.
Everyone when they shuffle off this mortal coil causes a sadness and great sense of loss to those close to them. ODs who pass on represent a loss to the greater OD community as well. Over the past three months, we have said goodbye to five UK-based ODs. No one OD, as an individual human being, is better or less worthy than another, but it would be odd not to single out the impacts and influence of Justin Cartwright and John Joubert. It is particularly regrettable then that they (and so many other meritorious ODs) are not publicly and permanently honoured by the School or ODU and that, therefore their reputations will be unknown to many ODs and Bishops boys for whom they could and should be a great source of continuous inspiration.
Bruce McKenzie (F, 1943) was a staunch supporter of the UK ODU and attended many functions, always the oldest OD present. Not that one would have thought it so easily did he mix and mingle with the younger ones. He was one of the first ODs I met up here when I became the hon.sec of the UK branch when I visited him and Hilary for lunch. He corresponded with me regularly and was always enthusiastic about Bishops and the ODU. He will be missed and our sincere condolences go to Hilary. A short synopsis on his life is HERE.
Justin Cartwright (W, 1960) was in the world of serious authors something of a giant. To read obituaries to him which do his life more justice than I can, please click HERE for one by The Bookseller, HERE for one by Justin's brother, Tim and HERE for his obituary which appeared in The Guardian. The ODU sends its deepest sympathies to Justin's wife Penny and their two sons.
Michael Desebrock (O, 1958) passed away on Tuesday 18th December after being ill for a long time. To his wife, Sue, go our deepest sympathies
Donald (David) "Jumbo" Vanrenen (F, 1967) although living his later life in South Africa, spent most of his post school years in the UK. Describing himself as "a philanthropist with no money" he was a prime mover in the early days of the establishment of "world" music especially Reggae and South African township music, on the international scene in the 80s. In this he worked with Simon Draper (F, 1967) who was running Virgin Records. To read David's obituary which appeared in The Telegraph, click HERE.
John Joubert (O, 1944) unquestionably the most celebrated and prolific composer to come out of Bishops died on Monday 7th January. I have written about John several times in this newsletter and visited him three times over the last two years. Although known to thousand of Bishops boys for his carol Torches, worldwide he was even better known for his more serious church music and longer and more complex works. Incidentally, Tim Bravington (S, 1951) was head chorister when the Bishops choir premiered Torches in 1951. Just how influential and accomplished a composer he was is best captured in this interview with him at the end of last year and this obituary which appeared in The Telegraph. John's funeral is on 24th January at 2pm (details HERE).
To Mary, John's wife of sixty-eight years and Anna and Pierre, our deepest condolences. And, for the sake of auld lang syne, go HERE.
THE GREAT WAR AS TOLD CONTEMPORANEOUSLYTHROUGH THE BISHOPS MAGAZINE
In 2017, 38 ODs, wives and Bishops staff made their way to the Western Front to dedicate a plaque in St George's Chapel in Ypres to the 112 ODs (nine shown in the collage) who had given their lives in the Great War. It was a moving trip and brought closure to the ODU and Bishops which was the last school to so honour their fallen (see report and photos HERE). On the tour was Mike Taylor (G, 1959) who produced a spectacular coffee table book capturing the many poignant - and fun - moments the group shared. A pdf version (which doesn't do the final version justice) of that book can be seen HERE.
But while the carnage on the fields of battle raged on, the impact on Bishops back home was traumatic.
Mike, before he retired more than a decade ago, was the CEO of Bell Pottinger, then, arguably, the most influential communications consultancy in the world. Paul Bell worked for Mike and on Mike's retirement, presented him with a "dissertation" which he (Paul) had written. It is called Pro Fide et Patria or "Next to Me" - One school's war: the Diocesan College, Cape Town (Bishops) and the journey of its men and masters through World War One as told through the College Magazine. It is about the involvement of Bishops in WW1 and the affect that conflict had on individuals, families, friends and Bishops. It is a moving account of duty and service, courage and sacrifice and, in a deep sense, what it meant to be a Bishops boy. The entire source material was taken from the collection of Frank Reid's Bishops magazines of the time.
Last year was the centenary of the end of the war to end all wars. Mike has presented this magnum opus to the School archives for which we are very grateful. Those of you who would like to read or download it, click HERE. It has, as Mike says, a very special poignancy.
On Friday 22nd March, The UK ODs will be taking on the Bishops 1st Golf team and their hapless masters-in-charge at The RAC in Surrey. There will be seven fourballs the first teeing off at 11.28am. Sandwiches before and drinks afterwards.
This is going to be a great day out on an iconic course. It's not often the School comes to us. There has been good support from ODs for this match, with two places still open. Should you like to play, please let Alex Price (M, 2008) know by email by clicking HERE.
Mike Mori (S, 1972) who is the Bursar at Springmead School in Beckington. This is not a brand new appointment (March 2018) but one which went unnoticed at the time.
Stuart Crawford-Browne (K, 1988) who has been appointed Senior Manager, Client Feedback / Client Experience at PwC UK
Ian Currie (F, 2005) is from the beginning of this month a Director of Europa Capital, a real estate fund manager focused on European markets. Europa Capital is a member of RockefellerGroup International, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd with real estate AUM of over $27bn.
Lloyd Bowden (DCPS 1999 and previous UK ODU hon sec) has been appointed as Director of Operations in the Physician Service Group of HCA Healthcare, UK. HCA UK are a group of private hospitals, specialist clinics, outpatients and diagnostics centres and private GP services spread across London and Manchester. As well as providing advanced, high-quality care to patients in these environments, they also partner with leading NHS Trusts.
Well done all of you and best wishes for your new roles.
Nick Köster (F, 2007) brought his rugby career to a close captaining Cambridge in the Varsity match against Oxford at Twickenham last month (Oxford won). The photos above are from the game; left, Nick receiving a quick lecture on the laws of the game from a referee who needs no introduction and right, bloodied but unbowed.
We congratulate Nick on a great career which saw him represent SA U20, UCT, Western Province, Stormers, the Barbarians, Bath, Bristol and Cambridge.
He was outstanding as an eighthman for the Bishops 1st XV, playing in 2006 and captaining the side magnificently in 2007. He scored 36 tries in 35 games for the 1st XV, set up countless more and was a superb leader on and off the field.
We wish him all the best for the future.
OBOLENSKY ASSOCIATION DINNER
Staying with rugby, Tom Baigrie (F, 1978) is the organsier of the Obolensky Dinner which takes place at the Rosslyn Park Football Club on the 27th February. The dinner raises money for the Rosslyn Park Injury Trust which supports rugby players who've sustained serious injuries playing the game. To read more about the dinner and evening, click HERE
I attended the dinner last year and can vouch for it being fun, very amusing and in support of an incredibly good cause.
Should you wish to be part of this, please contact Hannah Eborall
Since writing about the independence of our ODU Scottish Branch, our intrepid Scottish secretary, Robert Murray (S, 1968) has moved quickly to confirm ties with both us and our South African mothership by sending in the photo on the right showing him and his son Stewart (sadly not an OD) unequivocally nailing their colours to the mast. It was the day that the Springboks beat the Scots last November; they chose their strip wisely.
GARMON ASHBY LEADS EVENSONG AT SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL
It was a great pleasure to attend Choral Evensong at the Southwark Cathedral on Thursday since it was Garmon Ashby (Director of Music at Bishops from 1987-2000) who was conducting the music. Garmon is the head of music at the Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas and he was leading the school choir on a tour of England - and it was they who were doing the singing. And how beautifully did they sing. Jonathan Lee who was a stooge in Founders and assistant organist at Bishops in 1998, was at the organ. In a sort of "Cape Town comes to Southwark" moment, the responses were composed by Stephen Carletti (G, 1983) and the canticles by Peter Klatzow. The chant used for the psalm was by Doc Brown!
I was joined by Virgil Parenzee (O, 1996) and Abe Williams (O, 1991) and many of Garmon's family were there in support as well.
In the collage, top left are Abe and Virgil; top right are Virgil, Garmon and Jonathan and the bottom photo is of the EHS choir (Jonathan far left and Garmon onthe right).
Congratulations to the Bishops 2018 matrics - and teachers and parents - for the outstanding 2018 NSC results achieved. A fuller report can be seen HERE.
Public Speaking
In October last year, seven boys competed in the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Competition in Toronto where the School once again achieved spectacular results and set new records. Out of 125 competitors from 60 of the top independent schools in the USA and Canada, as well as from eleven countries around the world, Bishops ranked third overall, losing narrowly to the top two Canadian schools. In addition, Bishops had a clean sweep (first, second and third places) in the Interpretive Reading category. The School also won the Persuasive Speech and Impromptu Speech sections. And finally, Bishops won the Best International School trophy for the third year running.
Karate:
Shariq Davids represented the South African Protea Team at the 9th Commonwealth Championship. He obtained 3rd position and won a Bronze Medal in the Kumite Division in age 14/15 u57kg category.
South Africa Junior Futsal:
Jake Greenberg has been selected for the Maccabi South Africa u16 Junior Futsal team that will take part in the upcoming 15th European Maccabi Games in Budapest, Hungary in July and August this year. And if you don't know what futsal is, click HERE
The 2018 UK ODU Year-end party in November passed by noisily and happily. Around 100 ODs and some very welcome and brave wives/partners assembled at The Hollywood Arms in Chelsea to see out the old year and speculate about the new. The (huge number of) photos can be seen 
Keith Richardson
Athol Fugard's 
On Friday 22nd March, The UK ODs will be taking on the Bishops 1st Golf team and their hapless masters-in-charge at The RAC in Surrey. There will be seven fourballs the first teeing off at 11.28am. Sandwiches before and drinks afterwards.
Staying with rugby, Tom Baigrie (F, 1978) is the organsier of the Obolensky Dinner which takes place at the Rosslyn Park Football Club on the 27th February. The dinner raises money for the Rosslyn Park Injury Trust which supports rugby players who've sustained serious injuries playing the game. To read more about the dinner and evening, click 
