Obituary: Grenville Camps AN EVENTFUL LIFE Grenville Camps passed away in Johannesburg on Monday April 4, a victim of cancer. His illness was short-lived. Donald Jones who spoke as the Old Boys’ representative at Grenville’s Memorial Service on Saturday April 16 reflected on his many qualities – humility, sense of humour, vision, faith, loyalty and above all love for so much that was important to him. Grenville was a man of impressive integrity, Donald added, incapable of putting on the sort of flashy public act which is often so common today. To know his personality was to know his character. What you saw is what you got. People spoke of his wisdom and understanding, his shyness and diffidence, and the supporting kind of person that he was. Another School friend at the Memorial recalled that in discussions with his peers, “Grenville often seemed to be seeking their advice, but really offered them his. These were the times that senior boys began to appreciate his true wisdom”.
YOUTH
Grenville was born in Springs in 1942. His father, Tommy Camps, was a rigger on the East Rand gold mines; his mother Joan (previously Beck) a teacher. Shortly after, the family moved to Westonaria on the West Rand. Joan was proudly of 1820 Settler stock and Tommy’s father arrived in South Africa just prior to the second Anglo-Boer War. Interestingly, Grenville often expressed strong reservations about his more recent British descent. He made the following comment to the writer last February: “I was appalled, nay distressed, with the kind of dishonesty that former Rhodesian Prime Minister, Ian Smith, had to put up with. It all took place in our young lives and gave me enough interest to discover the other side of the Boer War and Boer Leaders’ dealings with the Political Thugs from England and I must tell you I have never regained the once high regard I had for the so-called ‘British Gentleman’. I now think they were a myth invented by them to mislead the masses at their mercy. “A bit strong and perhaps overly generalized, but that comes from a young man’s mind whose Grandparents were born in England and who found themselves stationed in South Africa when that war began. My Grandfather joined the British troops, something I have never felt proud of”. Grenville, as several of the accompanying tributes allude to, took responsibility for, and was adored by his family. This is reflected in homage to him by his sister, Rosalie (Lee) Powell: “From the time I could walk until you went to school, you held my hand wherever we went – it was the talk of all the parents in the neighbourhood, no matter where we lived. We were inseparable! When we were apart, I missed you so much! “Once incident I recall was when you were in Grade 2 (aged six). Mum was in the kitchen and I (aged four), was playing outside at home. I asked Mum to make a sandwich for me and I put it in a bag, because I was going to school. She did this and kissed me goodbye, thinking I was playing ‘school-school’. “Carrying my bag with my sandwich, I DID go to school…your school…walked into your class, nodded at the teacher, and went and sat next to you. You were dumbfounded, and when you found your tongue, you whispered ‘Rosalie……what are you DOING here’. I sat with you for a while then went home and ate my sandwich!!!! “Throughout our childhood, youth and adulthood you still held my hand, though not always physically. You stood by me, stood up for me, protected me, counselled me, cared for me and loved me. You were there for all crises. “You were always ready to help anyone and everyone. You seemed to find lame dogs, picked them up and dusted them off. Your concern for your fellowman was foremost – at times to the detriment of yourself”.
PBHS
Grenville’s maternal grandfather and cousin had been educated at PBHS, and that was a major reason that he was enrolled at the School. Another was that Joan Camps thought that her husband had been too harsh on him. This perhaps explained Grenville’s fierce determination over the years to root out bullying in both School House and the School at large. The irony, however, was that when he entered School House in 1955 it was, to quote former Headmaster Desmond Abernethy, “run by and for the boys. It may have appeared thoroughly sound educationally, but in practice it was a disaster. The House was falling apart literally, furniture was broken, and bullying was rife”. Grenville told the writer on one occasion, “School boys need positive, not bigoted, leadership and guidance in behavior, and they need to believe in it too. Naturally, most things at School are compulsory, and there needs to be appropriate action in cases of defiance. At best, such compulsion ought to be taken for granted, not resented. Beyond that, leave the boys to please themselves in affairs that don’t matter so much…” In School House Grenville developed a unique relationship with Mr Abernethy, Donald noted, and that continued long after his school years. “He really regarded Abe as a father and Abe deeply respected him, for who he was and what he stood for”. This was endorsed by Lee Powell: “Grenville had a deep respect and rapport with Mr Abernethy, who had such a profound influence on his life, and whom he cared for and visited in his dying months”. Grenville was appointed Head Boy of School House in 1960 when the House was at its pinnacle, and much of its success was due to his leadership, Donald recounted. “Grenville led by example and was calm, strong, fair and honest and revered by Housemasters and boys alike. “School House won just about everything that year: Senior Rugby, Senior Cricket, Athletics and the Efficiency Cadet Trophy. Grenville was awarded full colours for Rugby and athletics and was Ist Team Captain of both. “In 1955 he ran top ten in Cross Country, in 1956 he finished 3rd and thereafter that race belonged to him. In addition he set records in the 400, 800 metres and mile events – he was ahead of his time as an athlete and really the athlete’s athlete!”
WHAT MOST DIDN’T KNOW
Donald listed these points that many didn’t know about Grenville: He was asked by Professor Walter Battiss to pose naked on the Koppie for his matric class; He had a lovely singing voice – he was a member of the School Choir and was also involved in many Gilbert and Sullivan productions; He was not a cricketer of note, yet he once took a most amazing catch when he stuck out his boot, the ball hit it, and then ricocheted into his hands. The batsman was given out; He organised the 75th School House Reunion in 1990; This involved treating School House Old Boys to many illustrious guest speakers, including a 90 year old boy from Balfour who toasted the House, and Messrs Desmond Abernethy, Will Hofmeyr, Malcolm Armstrong and Bill Schroder. It was an emotional roller coaster that those present will never forget.
CAREER
Grenville, along with Mike Kieser, opted for a teaching career, enrolled at the Wits Teachers’ Training College for a year, and then decided to pack it up. “Neither of us was convinced that teaching would be our forte”, Mike explained. Figures were more to Grenville’s liking and he did a five year term of articles with Cooper, van Zyl, Scott and Naude (part of Pricewaterhouse Coopers today) and enrolled part-time for a B Comm (Accounting) degree at the University of Pretoria. He graduated in 1966 and several years later completed the Advanced Executive Programme at Unisa Business School. He also did various computer courses such as Accpac, Impact, Excel, Lotus 123 and Supercalc which later positioned him as a respected analyst, expert and innovator of cost-efficient corporate business systems. Needless to say, Grenville’s skills were greatly sought after and he spent time with several top groups ranging from Unilever and Mitchell Cotts to Powertech and Phillips Telecommunications and Data Systems. His first major appointment was in 1974, when aged 28, he was given responsibility under the Mitchell Cotts umbrella of dealing with and merging companies within and outside a major subsidiary. This included Mitchell Cotts Engineering, Wispeco Reinforcing and HL & H Concrete Engineers. “This job tested all my management and technical skills in all areas”, said Grenville. “At the end of this marathon, the end-product was sold to the LTA Group and I chose to seek my fortunes elsewhere”. In 1996, aged 53, he entered the realm of consulting which turned out to be the most enjoyable period of his working career. In fact, he regretted not having done it earlier. Big names on his book included Kentucky Fried Chicken, Saschmech Cranes, USKO, Seeff Property Franchisees, Kinesis Logistics, and MTN. His main focus in his last years was at MTN where he was very highly thought of.
FAMILY
Grenville married three times, namely to Karen (Delen), a product of PGHS); Lorraine (Eke): and Elfreda (Nel). He spent his ‘Autumn Years’ with Mary-May (Muffy) Wellbeloved whom he had first met in 1982. He had three children by Karen, namely Royd, Alison and Leanne (Lee), and six grandchildren. Royd’s name emanated from Royd Frith, a first name that he and Karen had both greatly liked. “Grenville and I initially saw each other as friends”, recounted Muffy. “I soon realized that he was my ideal man: someone with enormous integrity; strong spiritual leanings; he loved animals; he loved nature; and he was a great music enthusiast. “We had many wonderful years together; richly shared with family and friends. We also had wonderful holidays together and we loved being in the bush. Before we moved in together, a close friend of mine asked Grenville, ‘You do know that she collects strays’. To which he laughed and replied that this was fine. He loved telling this story”. “Gren was my Mum’s soul mate”, Muffy’s children and grandchildren said in their epitaph. “He made her so happy; we were privileged to have him in our family; and we greatly cherish our memories of ‘Grendad’.
LEON KOK, SCHOOL HOUSE 1964
Miscellaneous School Tributes:
Mike Kieser, Cape Town A great man and comrade has fallen. Grenville and I were best buddies both at school and afterwards right up to the day of his demise. He has left a huge gap in the lives of those who were privileged to get to know him and more especially in the lives of his family and loved ones. As I sit here now reflecting on yester-year, it seems just like yesterday that I was back in School House as a boarder and getting to meet all the ‘new pots’ (standard sixers 1956). Among them, of course, was Gren, who admittedly had a slight edge on the rest because he had been held back a year. I remember him in that year as this rather thin, wiry lad with thin spindly legs. And hard to believe were the many ‘rumours’ that at the age of 13 in the previous year he’d been placed among top 10 runners in the School cross-country event! I’m open to correction, but I think that he came in within the first five in 1956 and thereafter (until 1960) the course belonged to only one runner – Grenville. With his gritty determination and will to win, he set one school record after the other. It was always a case of, ‘Is Gren going to set a new school record this year?’ His extraordinary talent for running extended into the field track events where he also set one school record after another in the 400m, 800m and 1 mile events, and won every interschool competition that the school competed in. A great leader, Gren went on to become the School’s 1st team rugby captain, leading the team from the front to victory in every game but one (a narrow loss to St John’s) in 1960. At that time, I believe, it was the most successful PBHS School 1st team to date. It even had the honour of beating our most respected opposition, Affies, 2 yrs. in a row. We were very proud of that! In 1960 Gren was appointed Head Boy of School House, and, was a School prefect as well. He was well liked by all the teaching staff and highly respected and looked up to by all his peers. There can be no doubt that Grenville became a PBHS legend in his own right. To you Gren, I miss you old buddy and thank you for being such a wonderful example of manhood and a mentor to so many of us. You clearly ran your last race in the only way you knew how. The crown is yours my wonderful friend – wear it proudly.
Allan Stilwell, Port Edward
My wife Beryl and I were shocked and saddened to hear of Grenville’s passing. He was a lifelong and trusted friend and he and I were the lead members of the House cross-country team for approximately three years. My first memories of him, in fact, were of a very timid and quiet little boy during our first two years in School House together. However, he soon became prominent as various under 13 and under 14 athletics records were accredited to him. Particularly memorable was the final School cross-country event (early 1960) and the inter-schools competition a day or two later. Once we had broken through the masses of runners in both events, I found myself right behind a vest that I knew to be Grenville’s. I followed it throughout in the School event, until the last 150 to 100 metres from the tape, when ‘Vulch’ (Louis du Plessis) came running past and snatched the number two place. Steve Koller did exactly the same in the inter-school event.
Geoff Ossip, Johannesburg
My earliest recollection of Grenville was seeing this young stripling taking on so many of the more established long-distance runners at the School and beating them. He had a long, loping stride and always led from the front – and that he did in more ways than one and not just on the athletics field. Grenville was the type of person whose presence was felt. When he walked into a room, you knew he was there, even if he didn’t say anything. He had a stature and presence that was palpable and yet, he told me that he cried himself to sleep almost every night in his first year at boarding school. In truth, I think he surprised even himself that he reached the heights he did, the positions he held at School, and thereafter. There can be no doubt indeed that his athletic prowess provided him with the confidence to succeed in so many other spheres as well. He was not an “also-ran” but very much more than that. We really became firm friends when we worked together on our 40-year Reunion and that relationship endured thereafter. Grenville, as I think we all know, was a deep thinker who looked beyond just what he saw on the surface and he, together with Muffy, became very involved in the Academy for Future Science (AFFS) and the teachings of Dr Jim Hurtak. He was totally convinced that this was the path to follow and that the world would be a better place if more people thought similarly. My friendship with Grenville is one that I cherish deeply and I, along with many, will miss his large presence enormously. I know that I am not alone in these thoughts.
Ivor Tucker, Pretoria
Gren and I go back to our halcyon high school days with whom I shared my sandwiches. In recapturing the past I have so many fond memories of Gren as a thoroughly decent human being. I remember him most as an energetic and indefatigable athlete of note both on the rugby field and at every annual cross country running event. His defining characteristic was his unassuming disposition and his remarkable ability to retrieve from his daunting retentive mind what he needed when he needed to bolster his point of view. A spiritual person was Gren and a person who always showed great generosity of spirit. An acute observer of the world was Gren’s and whose interest in current affairs would unavoidably pique his interest. How can anyone not proclaim Gren’s excellence! Gren spoke of Muffy with much love and admiration as his pillar of everything and no exaggeration. He greatly valued her presence in his life for which I salute her.
Rev. Dr. Louis Bosch, Edenvale
I attended Grenville’s Memorial Service in Sandringham a week ago and I thought that it did him enormous justice. It was a warm, celebrating occasion. Particularly significant in bidding him farewell was the recognition of the philanthropic and humanistic features of his life; the love and appreciation for him; and all that he meant to so many. In fact, the sharing of memories, experiences and relationships by Family and Friends in so many ways described the life he lived, and projected ‘The Great Truth’ that was so important to him. Grenville indeed had a deep devout inclination within himself. He exhibited an excellent balance between the Physical (his great ability), the Mental (his care for those in need), Nature (his care for its sensitivity and beauty), and the Spiritual (his continuous search for what was right). I first got to know him in 1955 in Form 1 at Boys’ High. He invariably sat alongside or behind me because of the alphabetic order of our surnames. I was ‘B’ (Bosch) and he ‘C’ (Camps.) Even then I found him to be a fellow of considerable conviction, warm and friendly, though on occasion he behaved like any other ‘School House boarder’. Be that as it may, he always struck you as being extremely decent. One thing that impressed me early on was his sensitivity to the needs of ‘lesser fellows’, as I found myself in one instance. (Former Headmaster) Mr Baldy Matheson put a question to me in our maths class, became irritated when I couldn’t answer it, and Grenville stood up and said, ‘Sir, can I be of assistance!’ Before Mr Matheson could say anything further, Grenville disclosed the answer. Mr Matheson turned to me and said, “Bosch, you have an excellent adviser and a very fine man at your side”. That was typical of Grenville, oscillating between being humbly withdrawn and strongly present. As an athlete and rugby player, he was, of course, outstanding. Grenville, indeed, was a very special human being.
Royd Frith, Stanford
Goodbye Grenville, You will be sadly and much missed by many of us who had the privilege of your friendship, support and guidance through many facets of your life. We shared your victories with vigour and all we can now say is R I P. With great affection.
Robert Dowdeswell, Rustenburg