Saturday 28 March 2015

Circular No 699








Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 28 of March 2015 No. 699
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Dear Friends,
My trip next took me to Munich, to visit my daughter, who left Venezuela last year.
She is studying for her Masters, to be able to revalidate her Venezuelan degree.
As you may imagine, we went to the beer gardens and the many museums.
Since a week passes very fast, and the weather was cool, zero degree C, and strong winds 50Kph, we did not take in many outdoor sights.
The BWM museum is very nice at the Olympia Park, just as the royalty´s city home.
It is interesting to be able to take Trams, Buses, Underground, and fast Trains, all well-coordinated. On our side of the world, in Latinoamerica this is impossible.
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Leary & Gillian O'Connor gilleary@raafawa.net.au
26 Mar
Hi Ladislao,
It has been a long time since we communicated.
Used to do so regularly while you were sending the newsletters.
We have managed only a couple times to visit Mount St Benedict and caught up with those priests and brothers who were still there.
Don has asked that we let you know something about our family.
We came to Perth, exactly half way around the world, from Trinidad in 1967 together with my brother Richard and his wife Elspeth and have lived here ever since.
Our five children were under the age of 7 at the time and Richard’s 3 were also under 7 so it was a big adventure.
Three years ago we left our home in Booragoon and moved into the RAAFA Retirement Village as they had recently built some new apartments here.
We are very happy here but obviously have less space than we did in Booragoon.
As regards to our family, we have the same five children who are all married now and gifted us with sixteen grandchildren.
So far no great grands!
Two of them live in the country about two hours’ drive away but the other three are in Perth and we manage to see them all regularly.
Unfortunately, the second part of Don’s request we cannot help with as have never really got into taking photos that can be sent by email which I sometimes regret.
Over the years we thoroughly enjoyed your newsletters and are pleased to hear from Nigel and/or Don from time to time.
We realise that I am now 80 and older than most of the people who write articles but still enjoy reading them.
Hard to believe that when I started at Mount I was 9 years old and the youngest boy in the school.
By the time I had done my A levels I think I was18 and probably the oldest pupil at the time!
I retired 20 years ago.
We have a block of 13 acres which is mostly scrub although I did have a few years when I tried to grow fruit trees and some vegetables but working away on a rotation basis in the oil industry at Barrow Island and then Thevenard Island made it too difficult to do much in that line.
Still get the occasional avocados and limes but that’s about it.
Keeps me busy and relatively fit as it is only 20 minutes away and I try to go most days and keep the growth down as there is always the problem here of bush fires.
Gillian complains that she has to book me for any social events that take place during the day.
Thanks to you all who have kept us in touch for all these years.
Leary O’Connor
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From: amickiew@att.net
Subject: ABBEY SCHOOL ALUMNI - PREDICT ALL THE CRICKET WC QUARTERFINALS, SEMIS & FINALS WINNERS 
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2015 07:26:13 -0500
Hi Guys and Gals,
Here is an activity that most of alumni can get involved in.
We are looking for new things to share.
Most of us played, enjoyed or loved the game.
Many of us have and will probably watch some of these games on TV, listen to them on radio or followed them on the internet.
Personally, I liked the game.
Was lucky to represent the AB in a few games against other teams…..good enough to be the last player chosen.
We can use it too as a reminiscence of our “old glory” days. 
We will certainly hear from Rock Head and others that they hated it…….
Pass it on to others if you are interested and agree. 
It should provide a few new entries to Ladislao’s Circulars.
May God bless you and yours.
Yury, Shish, Jorge, George
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Simon Da Costa <simon.monica@xtra.co.nz>
22 Ma
Hi,
I am Simon Da Costa.  I have 2 Sons and 1 Daughter, 6 Grandchildren, 3 boys and 3 Girls, 4 Grands in New Zealand, and 2 in UK.
Cheers
Simon (small beam)
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Raul Sojo
22 Mar
Hi.
This is Raul Sojo, I spent 2 years at the school.
I have a son but no grandchildren.
I live in Caracas, just turned 59 and have been living with the same woman for over 25 years.
I'm a photographer and right now, like almost any other Venezuelan not doing businesses with the government,
I'm in bad shape, economically speaking.
I don't have any photos from that period, in fact the ones I've seen came from Salvador.
Regards
Raul
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DAVID JOHNSON <the-beetle@hotmail.com>
20 Mar
We are David and Debbie Johnson
I have been living in Canada for the last 27 years
My address is:
118 Forestwood Street
Richmond Hill
Ontario
Canada
L4S 1Z2
I have 2 Daughters, Dayna and Dawn, ages are 25 and 28, both not married with no children.
David Johnson
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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Subject: Abbey School Circulars
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2015 11:20:43 -0400
Dear Alumni,
If you have not recently given Ladislao an update on where you are living, how many children, and how many grandchildren, etc, please do so now at kertesz11@gmail.com
He always wants school-days photos for the Circular.
Any newer ones showing you, preferably before you lost your hair and gained your stomach, would be welcome too :-)
Please copy the photos to Kazim at empowerwithart@gmail.com for the records as well. He puts them on the website at www.msbaatt.com or www.msbaatt.org
Sincerely,
Don
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Don Mitchell <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
19 Mar
Thanks, Brian,
Yes, I was able to see the photos.
Scanning is a pain for me as well.
I hope Ladislao will be able to crop them and use them individually
Keep well.
Don
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From: Brian Gonsalves
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2015 1:44 PM
I'm going mad with my laptop ... herewith the "then & now" attachment   ...
Brian
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From: Brian Gonsalves <brian.gonsalves36@yahoo.com>
Date: Thursday, 19 March, 2015, 17:39
I forgot to send the "Then & now" attachment (twice!) now scanned and I trust it will arrive safely ...
Brian
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From: Brian Gonsalves <brian.gonsalves36@yahoo.com>
Date: Thursday, 19 March, 2015, 15:58
Don Mitchell,
Thank you for your email and, as you suggested, I am copying brief "Then and Now" details to Ladislao and Kazim,
Covering 69 years from 1945/46 - when my late brother (Bernard) plus cousin (Terrence) and I were among the early contingent of British Guiana ('BG') boys at Mount St Benedict...
Most of us completed our education in England with the Jesuits (from 1946-1954).
After schooling, I was employed by the British-American Tobacco Group, working in overseas territories (Nigeria, Jamaica, Europe, Zambia & South Africa) before settling in the UK in 1986, working in the International Investment & Finance Markets.
I am now happily retired in the UK, residing in Oxfordshire.
I enjoy reading the Abbey School circulars, although most of the comments are from later-day scholars and not from the really ancient 'old boys' from the mid-1940s!
Regards,
Brian Gonsalves
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Photos:
Bandit p18 The Early Times
15LK0328LKE  Ladislao Kertesz in Munich
15LK0010CJAWFE, Csaba Jakobszen wife
15LK0011CJA, Csaba Jakobszen





Saturday 21 March 2015

Circular No 698









Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 21 of March 2015 No. 698
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Dear Friends,
On Monday I took the first train to Valencia to visit my other son.
The trip took one and half hours at 300kph.
The only thing missing in the train were the safety belts in each seat.
Here in Valencia, at this time of the year, it is the feast of Fallas, in honour of the local Virgin, La Virgen de los Desamparados, a two week event that is celebrated terminating on the day of St. Joseph.
Today on the 17th I am going to see my first Mascleta at 13:00 in front of the government´s house the Ayuntamiento in the centre of the city.
There are going to be hundreds of spectators defying the loud explosions that make everyone's heart and body pound.
I am including a couple of photos of my private collection.
For more interesting movies please look up Fallas Valencia 2015, maybe I appear in the You Tube videos??
A similar show was performed last night, or better yet, this morning at 01:00, the temperature was a nice 12 degree, with no wind.
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Nigel Boos
Mar 9
Robert,
Rather than me trying to answer the questions that are beginning to come in, may I invite you to get back to us and tell us a little about yourself?
For instance, when did you attend school at MSB?
Who do you remember from your class?
Were you in the Scout Troop?
Were you in the band?
Did you play soccer? Cricket? Tennis? Did you swim?
Were you a member of the Aqualads?
What was your last Form at MSB?
Do you remember any of the teachers? The monks? 
Now that you are a working man, what have you worked at in your life?
Where are you based? Are you married / single?
Have you any kids? Where do you now live?
Is there anything at all that you would like to know about the Abbey School alumni?
We can certainly try to help you with that information.
Finally, do you have a decent recent picture of yourself?
Maybe you can send that to us as well.
Kazim, over to you.  It might be an idea to send Robert a copy of the current database.
This should answer some of his questions.
Regards, everyone.
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On Mon, Mar 9, 2015 at 2:03 PM,
Nigel Boos <nigelboos@yahoo.ca> wrote:
Hi again, Robert.
Your memory is great, for an old guy.
But I really doubt that you’d remember me, to be sure, because I left MSB in 1960, long before you arrived in 1967.
Must be some other handsome dude you remember. (There weren’t too many of us.)
Nigel Boos
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On Mar 8, 2015, at 9:09 AM,
Robert PREVOT <r.prevot@orange.fr> wrote:
Hi Nigel,
I was at MSB 67/68/69 with:
Garth Alexander;
Michael Healy, his brother was there too;
Michael Dvorak;
Brothers Malaver;
Michael Laughlin, (Specks, also responsible for MSB cinema);
Peter & Michael Quesnel;
Baptiste, the tall American guy, used to play music for us;
Nazi (Lew Rony) he was playing basketball with me (MSB team);
Polderman brother, the big brother was the swimming champ of MSB team;
Michael McCartney, guitar player of MSB band, and others.........
I remember you, Nigel.
40 years ago, that was the good time.
I'm still in contact with Garth, Tim, and Peter.
I tried to get in contact with Specks by Facebook, no answer.  Anyhow I'm glad to hear from you
Hope to read you again.
Robert
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Message du 07/03/15 21:49
De : "Nigel Boos" <nigelboos@yahoo.ca>
Hello, Robert,
Thanks for responding to my Facebook note.
I prefer to chat via email because I find FB too invasive.
However, it was great hearing from you and now that I have reached this far, let me tell you that we have been slowly developing our MSB Old Boy connections, to the point where we now have some 500+ emails for a total alumni population of about 1500, of whom some 300 might have gone to the great water-hole in the sky.
Ladislao Kertesz (Venezuela - MSB Class of 1960/1) initiated this group about 14 years ago, and we’ve had many reunions, get-togethers, emails, etc. since then, in one country of the other, and I believe the effort has been well worth it, helping us all to re-connect with our old classmates of long ago.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy making contact with the other guys as well, so I’m passing you on to both Kazim Abasali (Class of 1972) and to Ladislao, who, I’m sure will bring you up to speed.
All you other guys who receive this email - please welcome Robert Prevot into the fold. 
Robert, here we go. . . . good luck with all your new old contacts
Nigel
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Date: March 7, 2015 at 5:47:29 PM EST
From: Attila GYURIS <gyuris@yahoo.com>
Nigel:
What period and class was he in the Mount?
Attila Gyuris
1964-1969
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Doug Houk <houkdoug@yahoo.com>   
19 march
Hi there, Ladislao,
I am an ex Mount boy
Of course I am old I have been living in Vnzla for the last 32 yrs
I met one of the old boys in Caracas but I didn't follow up on it as far as trying to make contact with any other Vens which was stupid of me as I would have liked to have got together with a Bunch of them now and then.
I´m persona non grata over there because I´m a Norte Americano.
I was living in Anzoategui and still have a lot of stuff there but God knows what Podrido is going to do.
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Giacomo Tomaselli
Mar 17
Hola Ladislao.
Me alegra mucho que estés por España.
Me encantaria encontrarme contigo pero desde Diciembre me mude a Londres.
Mi numero es  +44 7721 735552.
Cordiales saludos
Giacomo 


Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 09:56:28 +0000
From: kertesz11@yahoo.com
Estimado Giacomo,
Estoy en Valencia donde vive mi hijo Jozsef viendo las Fallas .
Pronto visitare a Csaba Jakobszen, si logro comunicarme con el.
Tienes un numero??
El celular mio aqui en españa es el +34 657 54 51 22
Saldre pronto para ver la mascleta.
Saludos
Ladislao Kertesz
Editor Circular MSB
Dear Giacomo,
I am in Valencia where my son Jozsef lives.  I am watching the Fallas.
Soon I shall visit Csaba Jakobszen, if I can communicate with him.
Do you have a cell number??
My cell here in Spain is +34 657 54 51 22
I shall soon leave the house to see the Mascleta.
Regards,
Ladislao
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On Sunday, March 8, 2015 3:55 PM, Giacomo Tomaselli <captaingiaco@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hola A Todos,
Mis padres tenian una pizzeria heladeria en Caraballeda, Venezuela.
Atentamente 
Giacomo Tomaselli


Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2015 01:03:59 +0000
From: kertesz11@yahoo.com
Andres esta curioso, como también el Circular
Ladislao


From: mckoy43glen@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2014 14:30:08 +0000
Hello Andres,
Many guys knew him well, all the younger ones,
Cheers, adios,
glen.


To: mckoy43glen@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 15:49:08 -0400
What happened to him?
Did he die?
Or, are you looking for him to kick his fat ass.
Tony
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Photos:
Bandit p17 The Early Times
13LK0003FB Graham Gonsalves and family
14RD4833RDA, Ronald D´Abadie
15LK0317LKE, Ladislao Kertesz in Valencia Spain