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