PBHSOB ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
Dear Old Boy
‘GAMTOOS’ The School’s Ghost
According to the folklore of Boys High, the East Bell Tower is haunted by a ghost who walks the upper passages. How did the bell tower come to be haunted? Well, that depends on whose story you choose to believe. One tale has it that Gamtoos was a labourer who died during the building of the east tower, that his bones still lie buried in the walls and that his restless spirit continues to walk the corridors.
Another, more elaborate version involves two characters, as related in this schoolboy account.
Two convicts, Gamtoos and Galiker,
were once working on the rugby fields. They killed their guard but Gamtoos was
wounded in the leg. They took refuge in the bell-tower, stealing day boys’
sandwiches during in the day. Gamtoos’s wounded leg turned septic, so Galiker,
after stealing a saw from the wood-work room, cut off his friend’s leg. Galiker
died shortly thereafter. His skeleton, ‘George’, which is in the art room, is
also used to scare new boys. Gumtoos cut himself a wooden leg and, as the story
goes, whenever new boys are brought to school, Gamtoos makes his appearance,
hobbling around on a stump, enveloped in a black cloak and hat, pulled low over
the eyes.
(Anon)
The origins of the legend, if not the ghost date back to at least the 1950s and, not surprisingly, may have had much to do with Walter Battiss. His interest in Bushman rock art took him to many sites across South Africa and, on one such expedition, he discovered the skeleton of a bushman in a cave. These bones were stored in the Art Department for many years and were referred to as ‘Gamtoos’, possibly because they were discovered in the vicinity of the Gamtoos River. The incomplete skeleton vanished mysteriously.
Gamtoos became real enough to many generations of boarders who experienced the ritual of being guided through the main buildings at night in what was a regular chamber of horrors. Rattling skeletons, black cloaks (normally the academic gowns of obliging housemasters) and even the stomach-turning visceral image created by ox hearts, all were part of the experience. In the early 1990s on the grounds that it was too terrifying for Form I pupils, the tradition was outlawed by the powers that be. Whether the ghost felt bound by this banning is debatable. Sceptics, or those of a more rational disposition, might suggest that the eerie sounds in the east wing of the main building are nothing more than the cracking mechanical sounds of the antiqued device that activates the chimes. But, if you should be in the vicinity of Room 1 at night and should hear the sound of a door opening and closing, movement on the wooden floorboards and inexplicable noises in the dome …
Extract from “The Story of a South African School”, John Illsley.
ANNUAL OLD BOYS DINNER
The 102nd Annual Old Boys Dinner will take place on Saturday 5 June 2021. The Pretoria Boys High School Old Boys Association is delighted to announce that Old Boy Nick Dreyer has agreed to be our guest speaker on the evening.
Nick Dreyer is the Co-founder and CEO of VELDSKOEN™ shoes, the iconic South African product that took the world by storm. Nick was in Rissik House and matriculated at Pretoria Boys High School in 1996. He pursued a career in the hospitality industry, after obtaining a National Diploma in Hospitality Management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The next 17 years was spent as GM of the world-class Ellerman House in Bantry Bay, Director of Everard Read – Africa’s oldest commercial art gallery, and owner of Auriti – a fine art advisory firm providing specialised services in selected markets, to name but a few.
In 2016, after seeing the South African Olympic team in their “misfit” outfits that did not resemble a fraction of the talent and uniqueness that South Africa has to offer, and a six-hour car drive whilst on a call with another Old Boy – now business partner – Ross Zondagh, VELDSKOEN™ shoes was born. Ross and Nick soon roped in another Old Boy Nic Latouf and the three partners set out to build VELDSKOEN™
Since its inception 4 years ago, Veldskoen is a global fashion brand that is distributed to 28 countries. VELDSKOEN™ shoes are worn by royalty, sporting icons, music legends and more importantly, folks who love South Africa!
Ticket sales will open soon on a first come, first served basis in order to adhere to COVID protocols. The announcement of ticket sales will be made on our website and social media platforms.
RECOLLECTIONS
I took Afrikaans as a first language at the school and because there were so few of us taking the class, we had a tight little group that had been together since form one. In Matric, we had Mrs Matthews as our Afrikaans teacher whom we’d had for a number of years as she was the head of Afrikaans.
She was very fond of us and had this running tradition with Afrikaans First Language classes that if it had been someone’s birthday during the week, they were allowed to bring cake to class on Friday and we’d have a small class party to celebrate. She must have really liked our cakes because she didn’t seem to mind that we were having more birthday parties than there were students in the class. In my Matric year, I turned 18 three times. An incredible feat and certainly one to celebrate multiple times.
She was also full of wonderful sayings, like my favourite “ek sal vir jou klap dat jy jou ouma vir n eendvoël aansien” (I’ll hit you so hard that you’ll think your grandmother is a duck). Another favourite saying was when she caught someone eating in class and would ask “does this look like Mrs Matthews’ tea garden to you?” At which point you’d have to put your food away.
One Friday, we’d organised amongst ourselves another “birthday” party that we’d been planning for weeks. We pretended to be very disorganised and that we didn’t have paper plates for the party and so asked Mrs Matthews if she could fetch plates from the staff-room. Once she’d left, we hurriedly started rearranging the classroom, pushing together desks and covering them with tablecloths. We’d brought teapots and cups and put up a big sign above the blackboard saying “Mrs Matthews’ Tea Garden”.
When she returned, we all sat there casually sipping tea and eating cake. I’ll never forget the look of surprise and then laughter on her face when she saw what we’d done. She loved our prank so much, she even took photos to show to her husband. For the rest of the period, we all enjoyed some tea and cake in Mrs Matthews’ Tea Garden.
Best,
Albertus Schoeman (2012)
A while ago the PBHSOB Association office asked Old Boys to send us anecdotes and recollections of events at Pretoria Boys High School that you found particularly poignant or humorous. Please send your recollections to info@pbhsob.com
LOWVELD DINNER
All Old Boys of Pretoria Boys High School and their partners, as well as prospective parents are invited to the PBHSOB Association’s Lowveld Branch Annual Dinner.
Pretoria Boys High School Headmaster, Mr Greg Hassenkamp and Pretoria Boys High School Old Boys’ Association Chairman, Mr Jason Webber will be in attendance to provide feedback and news on the School and Old Boys Association.
Date: Thursday 20 May 2021
Time: 18:00 for 18:30
Venue: 64 Coolmore Restaurant, White River
Cost: A la Carte menu – for your own account
Dress: Smart Casual
RSVP: Kuen Pappas: 083 256 6591 kuen@indigofruit.co.za
PBHS NEWS
Boys High Aeronautical Society
On its first excursion for 2021 (and the first since March 2020) the Aeronautical Society visited Lanseria Airport. We were hosted by Execujet who provided the boys with insights into the operation and maintenance of corporate jets. Talks were provided on all aspects of the company and the members were then shown the hangar with a cross section of aircraft types; the engine maintenance workshop and the engine test cell. At last light we visited the airport fire section and were given a demonstration of the equipment they use to deal with emergencies, including the special fire engines.
OLD BOYS IN THE NEWS
Congratulations to Old Boy Ryan Brookshaw (2004) for winning the South African singles and doubles championship in the 35 – 40yr age group at the National Veteran Championships played in Pretoria on 10 March 2021.
In his inspiring memoir, Victor Rodseth describes the torment and the triumph of his bipolar struggle. With singular courage and honesty, he exposes the harm inflicted on himself, particularly in his depression, and on others when in the manic state.Read More >>
BACKSTAGE BLUES
Don’t let anyone ever fool you into thinking that by becoming a backstager you will be getting involved in the school play the easy way. From the word go, you are thrust into a world of confusion where no one knows what is actually going on; those who believe that they are in the know are indeed the most confused. You experience the worst of everyone as a backstager, from an enraged Mr van der Watt from the back of the hall, to Mr Potgieter snarling and frothing because he can see your left foot from under the curtain.
Yes, backstagers experience it all. It is an occupation, which teaches tolerance. As a backstager you know things get a lot worse. The next incident was during the first dress rehearsal when we forgot the screen for Fagin’s corner on the front of the stage. When the lighting crew closed the curtains, they knocked the screen into the congested orchestra pit. I have never seen our musicians move faster.
From the first night we knew that we
were doomed; for the first scene change one of the microphones got caught in
the middle of a triangular screen. Mr van der Watt must have given us up as a
lost cause right there and then. We went on to better that feat at the end of
Act 1. Mr Muller and I were struggling to fit a screen of the house onto the
bridge. The lighting crew decided we had had enough time and switched all the
lights on. We were caught in the full spotlight holding the house up. Mr Miller
did the clever thing and climbed into the house still holding the screen up,
while I dashed across the fully lit stage and dived into the wings.
The second night started off well and we thought that we had it made, at least
until the mains switch for the sound system tripped and everything was suddenly
much quieter. From then on we moved on oiled wheels until we reached the end
and the curtains wouldn’t close. As the actors took their bows we were
frantically trying to get the winch to work.
The following night the V.I.P’s were there. This time though, date dealt us a good hand and boy, what a good hand that was, for this was indeed our finest hour. On Friday night we were elated; it was obvious that we were on a roll. What could possibly stop us now? The screen that we lowered from the roof got caught in the curtain wires and once it was halfway up it could go neither up nor down! The lighting crew kept the hall in darkness while we tried to rectify the situation. Throwing all caution to the winds, resourceful Mr Muller clambered up the green curtain, monkey style and freed the screen. Another catastrophe averted!
Although it wasn’t always such a “fine, fine life”, it was indeed an experience, which I would never forfeit.
Cantor Mocke – The Pretorian 1991
IN MEMORIAM
JEREMY THORPE (1972)
6 March 1954 – 15 February 2021
I am writing to confirm the sad news of the passing from cancer of Jeremy Thorpe (1972). Jeremy began at PBHS in Standard 8, his family having emigrated from Liverpool, England in 1970. After Matric and a brief spell in the Merchant Navy, he began his career in journalism as a trainee reporter at the Pretoria News. An interval at the newly-inaugurated Citizen newspaper followed, where he wrote a weekly column and was their in-house TV and record reviewer. It was however a move to SABC TV News that allowed Jeremy to discover his love of broadcast media, where he quickly rose to being senior executive producer of TV News. His distinctive voice could often be heard in bulletins, doing voiceovers for filmed news inserts. As a result, he was also invited to be the newsreader on Martin Bailie’s Radio 5FM morning show.
After leaving the SABC – following some well-publicised, harsh criticism of management there! – Jeremy worked as a freelance news reader /writer at 702, then Classic FM, before eventually taking up the challenge of becoming Station Manager at the fledgling TUT Top Stereo: the Tshwane University of Technology’s campus radio station. Jeremy grew the station – which he managed to have re-named as Tshwane FM, to award-winning status – amongst which was ‘Best City of Tshwane Community Station’ in February 2018.
A number of Jeremy’s Tshwane FM presenters have gone on to careers in mainstream broadcast media, and he helped to pass on his considerable knowledge in the field more widely as a judge at the annual National/ MTN/ Liberty Radio Awards.
Jeremy never lost his interest in music – or reading: having an enormous collection of records and books, amassed over many years. He leaves a daughter, Hannah, and her mother Jessica Pitchford, whom he met at the SABC.
Dr Neal Barratt (1972)
PERCY EDWARD JANKE (1959)
Percy Janke, a member of the class of 1959 passed away last week. He had suffered from a debilitating disease for a number of years, and courageously maintained his wonderful sense of humour to the end.
Tiny Barnetson (1959)