PBHSOB ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
Dear Old Boy
Austin James Stevens was born, raised and educated in Pretoria, South Africa. Austin’s interest in wildlife began at the age of twelve, and by sixteen he had already gained extensive experience and knowledge, which included a private collection of both venomous and non-venomous reptiles.
Upon leaving Pretoria Boys High School, Austin was immediately recruited into the South African Defence Force by compulsory draft. Austin’s natural aptitude for capturing and relocating venomous snakes was put to good use in the active military zone, where he found himself called upon to catch and remove snakes from tents, latrines, trenches, machine gun and observation posts. It was during one such incident that Austin sustained his first serious venomous bite from a puff adder, which required his immediate evacuation, first by vehicle across hundreds of kilometres of Angolan bushveld, and a further eight hundred kilometres by Cessna spotter plane to Windhoek Hospital, where after arriving in a comatose state, doctors firstly fought to save his life, and then to save his hand from amputation. A three month battle with the effects of the venom ensued.
It was not long before Austin’s affinity with snakes attracted the attention of the Transvaal Snake Park in South Africa. After a period of herpetological training, Austin took a position at Transvaal Snake Park as Curator of Reptiles, which required him to oversee the care and husbandry of hundreds of reptiles, as well as to present lectures and perform public demonstrations. He remained at Transvaal Snake Park for six years, during which time he made his first television appearances when asked to present three television shows concerning reptiles of the world, live in studio.
After leaving Transvaal Snake Park, Austin travelled to Germany to help design, build, and instigate operation of the Nordharzer Schlangenfarm, a reptile institute in the Northern Harz region of Germany. After the Nordharzer Schlangenfarm became operational, Austin returned to South Africa, undertaking several trips to Germany in the following years to complete updates to the reptile institute.
Austin then commenced work as Curator of Reptiles at the largest privately owned reptile and animal facility in Southern Africa, the Hartbeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park. It was during this period that Austin established a Guinness World Record ‘snake sit-in’ for living in a 3 metre by 4 metre glass cage, with thirty-six venomous snakes, including black mambas, for a period of one-hundred-and-seven days and nights. He accomplished this amazing feat in order to raise money for the purchase of a companion for Kaiser, the Park’s lone male African Mountain Gorilla. The details of this record were published in the Guinness Book of Animal Records. The specifications and conditions of this record have never been duplicated or broken.
Austin World Record Snake ‘sit-in.’
After Austin left Hartbeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park, he relocated from South Africa to Namibia. He was drawn to Namibia by its unusual desert-specialised wildlife and vast open spaces, all of which were perfect subjects for Austin’s latest interests in writing and wildlife photography. Over the years that followed, some 150 of Austin’s wildlife articles were published in magazines around the world, all accompanied by his own photography.
In 1992, Austin’s first book, Snakes in my Bed, was published by Penguin Books, South Africa. Snakes in my Bed is a hilarious compilation of Austin’s adventures as a herpetologist, in Germany as well as Southern Africa, including his death-defying experiences during his world record ‘snake sit-in.’
The natural progression of Austin’s interest in wildlife photography was his eventual move into wildlife filmmaking. After working with several wildlife filmmakers on various animal projects, Austin acquired his own 16mm equipment and produced his first film about the lives of snakes, Die Natur der Schlange, 1998 for NDR Television in Germany. This first film was nominated for a FRAPNA award at the 14th Grenoble International Film Festival of Nature and Environment, in France.
Austin later filmed and produced Dragons of the Namib, a film about dune-living desert chameleons in Namibia, for National Geographic.
Austin spent 8 months of near isolation in the Namib Desert filming these interesting reptiles, and Dragons of the Namib has proved to be an extremely popular wildlife film, being aired continuously around the world.
Shortly after completing Dragons of the Namib, in March of 2001, Austin was approached by Tigress Productions in Bristol, UK, to help design, co-ordinate, and present a film which was to be entitled, Seven Deadly Strikes. The film took Austin from one side of the Southern African continent to the other, in search of Africa’s most dangerous snakes.
The success of Seven Deadly Strikes attracted the attention of Animal Planet USA, and after commissioning two further shows, eventually set in motion a 13 part television series that Austin would present. He requested that Tigress Productions act as his film crew and producers, and the series was shot between 2002 and 2005. The series entitled Austin Stevens Snakemaster in USA, and presented in other countries around the world as Austin Stevens Most Dangerous and Austin Stevens Adventures, took him across the globe in search of the deadliest, the largest and the most beautiful reptiles on the planet.
Once the series was completed, Austin returned to writing and wildlife photography. In May 2007, he released his second book, entitled The Last Snakeman.
This semi-autobiography is accompanied by Austin’s spectacular photographs and describes his many adventures with wildlife from his early years onwards, as well his work on his first television series and the realities of wildlife conservation
today.
In August 2007 Austin began filming his second 12 part television series, Austin Stevens Adventures 2, in collaboration with Cineflix Canada, UK’s Channel 5, Tigress Productions and Discovery Channel. The series launched Austin on another bout of world travel in search of unusual wild animal behaviour. The series encompassed heart-stopping encounters with wildlife and took viewers to some of the most spectacular places on the planet. Work on the series was completed in October 2009. Austin was nominated for Canada’s 24th Annual Gemini Awards in 2009. Austin received a nomination for ‘Best Host or Interviewer in a General/Human Interest Series’ for the ‘In Search of Armoured Giants’ episode of his series ‘Austin Stevens Adventures 2.’ This series also received a nomination for ‘Best General/Human Interest Series.
L – R: Austin on location with Black Mamba, Namibia, Austin on location in Canada.BC.
Austin divides his time between Australia and Namibia and is at present working on his third book.
REGALIA
Pretoria Boys High School Old Boys Association Life Members will be pleased to hear that we now have the ever popular Old Boys Bowtie in stock. They are R175.00 each (excl postage & packaging) and are only available to Life Members of the PBHSOB Association. Click here to purchase one from our Online Regalia Shop!
PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
On Thursday morning, 22 July 2015 the Matric boys participated in the Annual Penguin Swim.
DESMOND ABERNETHY HALL UPDATE
Building Update; Week ending 27 June 2015
One week to go to completion! Final tasks being worked on at present:
All remaining balustrades in the hall and the courtyards are being installed and all painting is being completed.
Seats are being installed in the main (central) gallery. Panelling in the corridor running under the main gallery seating being fitted. AV sub-contractor is on site for the installation of all cables relating to audio-visual equipment, as well as curtain mechanism on the stage.
The music teaching room has been carpeted and vinyl flooring is being fitted in the hall.
Ventilation and fire detection systems being completed while some electrical installations still being completed and the cleaning of parts of the site has started.
Building Update; Week ending 24 June 2015
Photos of the Media Centre while being packed up to get ready
for Phase 2 of the Building Project. Photos taken on 24 June 2015
PRESENTATION
A delightful little ceremony involving Dr. Gevers and Form 5G took place just before the matric examination last November.
An impressive convoy of five cars drew to a halt near Dr. Gevers’ room one morning and disgorged all the members of the form.They unstrapped an enormous carton from the roof of the middle car and asked him to open an unpack it; endless pages of newspapers and other interesting items were forthcoming and eventually, at the very bottom of the carton, a small,
neatly-chopped log of wood.The form’s spokesman, made a pretty speech in which he referred to Dr. Gevers’ – their maths master’s – partiality for logs.
The log was then handed over with due ceremony and at the end of Dr Gevers’ speech of thanks for their kind thought, the form captain wished him well and presented him, on behalf of Form 5G, with a book token as an expression of their gratitude.
SOURCE: The Pretorian 1962
OLD BOY NEWS
Old Boy Daniel Lombard (2008 – ARC) was recently in the news. Unquestionably, he remains an inspiration to us all.
900 Words in 15 Minutes with his Tongue
He is an inspiration to many – a quadriplegic who uses his tongue to write the most amazing sports stories. And boy, he can write…
Mission to get #GetDanMobile
01 July 2015 at 06:19 by Bronwyn Hardick – When Dan was 18-years old and in matric, he broke his neck in a rugby practice. He’s been a quadriplegic ever since. Today we are on a mission to get this aspiring rugby journalist a car #GetDanMobile.
PBHSOB ON LINKEDIN
The official PBHSOB Association LinkedIn group is now open to Life Members of the PBHSOB Association. Join today and connect with other Old Boys!
The aim of the Pretoria Boys’ High School Old Boys’ Association Group is to provide a platform where Life Members of the Pretoria Boys’ High School Old Boys’ Association can connect with other Life Members in a formal business environment.
Click here to join the group >>
GOLF DAYS
JAMES HALE MEMORIAL GOLF DAY 2015
The Rissik House / James Hale Memorial Golf Day will take place on 28 August 2015.
Venue: Zwartkop Country Club
Cost: R3600 per Fourball (Includes greenfees, halfway, prizegiving and dinner)
Various sponsorship opportunities – Show your support! Click here for more information.
INAUGURAL SAFOZ AND MATES SCHOOLS CHALLENGE CUP
Pretoria Boys High School Old Boys are invited to take part in a relaxed, fun and social afternoon of golf for ZIM, NZ, AUS, RSA and UK Old Boys.
Date: Saturday 10th October 2015 shot gun start from 12:30PM
Venue: North Lakes Resort Golf Club, Australia
Click here for more information >>
Click here for the entry form >>
IN MEMORIAM
Martin Friedrichs
Martin Friedrichs passed away on the 28th June 2015. Martin was a much loved and popular man as witnessed by his family and many friends who celebrated his life at the Kloof Country Club on Friday 3rd July 2015.
I first met Martin when we were Cubs together at Brooklyn Primary School in about 1943.Our paths crossed again in 1950 when we were boarders at Solomon House at Pretoria Boys High School.
Martin matriculated in 1952 after which he studied Architecture at Wits University. It was then that he first became involved with the Old Boys Association, serving on the Johannesburg Committee.
In the mid-1980s he became a committee member of the Natal branch of the PBHSOB Association on which he served until his death, organizing reunion dinners, lunches and cocktail parties. He was a wonderful committee man with his smiling face, infectious laughter and his reliability. If you wanted anything done Martin would do it. I don’t remember Martin ever missing a meeting or a function in all the time he served on the committee.
I was privileged to be part of his Sunday golf school from time to time. Martin loved his golf and enjoyed relaxing after the game with a few beers.
To his wife Mo and her family we extend our deepest sympathy.
Martin will be remembered in many ways and for many things but perhaps most importantly-he was a true gentleman.
– Robin Shorney (1950)
Earl Sheridan Smith
It is with great sadness that I pass on the terrible news I received only a week ago, this was that a dear friend of mine and many others Earl Smith from the class of 2003 passed away in a vehicle accident on 28 June 2015. Earl had only just dropped off his fiancé at her home before being involved in the accident only 300m from her house. The details of what exactly happened are still being investigated by the Police service, as it seems no other vehicles were involved.
Earl first became a friend of mine when we played Primary School cricket against each other, He was a solid upper-middle order batsmen and opening or first change bowler at Sunnyside Primary. After this we played age group cricket right through our time at Boys High before the culmination of a nearly perfect season for the 2nd XI in 2003. He was also a solid feature in the various age group and senior rugby sides which he represented throughout his years at the school. I was lucky enough to really get to know the man he was during the last few months of the year during the tricky matric final exam period when Earl came and stayed with my parents and I. It was a lovely time and will keep those fond memories with me for many, many years.
Earl had moved down to Port Elizabeth soon after matriculating from PBHS and continued with his love of sport by representing Eastern Cape rugby sides and continuing to play cricket.
Unfortunately the news of his untimely passing only reached me after his funeral service but I heard that there were over 400 people at the service and all spoke of the gentleman he was and how loved he was within the community.
Many messages on Facebook and other social media platforms have been noted remembering what a lovely person he was always giving his best in all his various endeavours, although sport was maybe where his true love laid.
Earl was set to be married on 17 December 2015 and I know I can confidently speak on behalf of the class of 2003 as well as all his other friends of various ages by saying that all our thoughts and prayers go out to his mother Heather, brother Wade and his fiancé whom had to stop the arrangements of possibly one of their happiest days of their lives, and instead arrange one of the saddest.
Earl was unfortunately according to my knowledge the first individual from our 2003 matric group to have passed. And I hope that it is a very long time till one of these notifications have to be typed again.
– Gareth Bailey (2003)
UPCOMING OLD BOY EVENTS
- 21 & 22 August 2015
30 YEAR ON 2015 - 11 & 12 September 2015
50 YEAR ON 2015 - 18 September 2015
9TH ANNUAL EASTERN CAPE (PE) DINNER
If you have any interesting news items and photos or just want to let your fellow Old Boys know what you have been up to after school, please send all information to info@pbhsob.com