Newsletter
for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 30 of May 2020 No. 969
------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
There follows a couple of exchanges between old, Old Boys
of the 1940s.
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Brian Gonsalves <brian.gonsalves36@yahoo.com>
Thu, Apr 23 at 1:03 PM
Thank you, Clive,
for your prompt response to my nostalgic
email following the sad news that that Arthur had died in Canada.
I note that you do not remember the
"snake incident" which - although I can't pinpoint the actual date -
must have been during our time at MSB in '45/'46.
I do recollect that it was an impressive
snake (an 8+ft young python?) so I hope that there may be an ancient old MSB
contemporary 'out there' who may be able to verify matters.
When the current COVID-19 crisis is
finally resolved and you next set off on your travels from Spain (to Barbados?)
why not fly via the UK so we can meet up?
There is always spare room available with
Michelyne and myself in Oxfordshire. Meanwhile, I do hope you are safe and well
in the current medically dangerous COVID-19 times.
Take care, best wishes and good health
to all,
Brian
--------------------------------------------------------------.
On 23
April 2020, at 13:57,
Clive
Bettencourt <clive_bettencourt@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Brian, thanks for your email and photos. They brought back lovely memories.
I do not remember the incident with the
snake.
I knew Arthur very well. In fact, I
stayed at his house in POS once.
On another occasion he stayed at my
family home in Georgetown.
I also met him in Barbados two or three
times whilst we were both on holiday.
He then ended up living in Canada and I
in Spain.
I spent the month of January in Barbados
and a week in February in Guyana staying with Kit Nascimento.
In fact, I did the same thing the year
before.
Un abrazo.
Clive.
-----
Forwarded message ---------------------------------
From: Brian Gonsalves <brian.gonsalves36@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday,
21 April 2020, 16:50:53 BST
Subject: Arthur
Knaggs at MSB 1945/46
Dear Ladislao (and Don)
Even though I only met Arthur Knaggs
fleetingly 75 years ago, I was saddened to hear that he had died and I would
like to send my sincere condolences and sympathy (via your renowned bulletin)
to all his family and many friends. Nigel Boos' email to Mrs Sue Knaggs was a
most courteous and fitting tribute to Arthur, who was one of the senior
"giants" at the Abbey School, when a group of very young "Boys
from B G" (now - Guyana) arrived at MSB in 1945. Most of us remained at
MSB for just over a year, before departing in 1946 to finish our schooling in
the UK.
Now, as an ancient 84-year-old ex-Mount
Boy (with a fading memory for everyday matters) I still retain clear, concise
and vivid recollections of incidents that transpired at MSB (75 years ago)
which leads me back to Arthur Knaggs, with his youthful fascination for all
forms of wildlife. I remember Arthur being involved in capturing a large snake
from the forest behind MSB and bringing it to the School to show it to a
gathering of astonished boys. Fr Ildefons was there, and I assume that he must
have allowed Arthur to release the snake on the stone terrace, at the side of
the main School building, where it slithered around for some time. Eventually
Fr Ildefons instructed Arthur to collect the snake (in a sack) and (presumably)
return it back to the wild?
It would be a bonus if any (ancient) Old
Mount Boy, circa 1945, might be able to substantiate this snake event? I
realise that there are not too many Old Boys from the '45 era still around
(only 3 of the original "Boys from B G" - Clive B-G in Spain, Johnny
Willems in Guyana and myself in Oxfordshire, UK) are still standing - BUT
"hope springs eternal" that someone, somehow and somewhere may
recollect what was a truly unusual incident ...
Finally, on behalf of the old "Boys
from B G", I would like to pay a special tribute for the loving support
and generous hospitality that we received from Mrs & Mrs A Farfan, who sent
two of their sons (John & David) to MSB in 1945. Mr Ainsley Farfan was a good
friend of my father (both Horse Racing fans) and his wife and himself virtually
adopted the B G boys and sheltered us from the all the forlorn rigours of being
away from home. Mrs Farfan was a very beautiful and gracious lady, who was
largely instrumental in persuading Fr Bernard to allow us to have numerous
'exeats' away from MSB, over weekends, to be thoroughly spoilt and entertained
(as indicated in the old prints attached to my email)..
Take care, best regards and good health
to all in these medically dangerous (C/Virus) times,
Brian Gonsalves
---------------------------------------------------------------.
idmitch@anguillanet.com
Tue, Apr 21 at 5:18 PM
Hello, Brian,
Many thanks for this memoire of yours.
You won’t find this easy to understand, but we are more likely to hear from
members of your generation at Mount than those of the late1960s, the 1970s, and
the1980s. They don’t seem to have been taught to write essays like we were.
The very best to you and yours, and
here’s hoping you all keep safe during the pandemic.
Don
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
Don Mitchell <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
Tue, Jan 15, 2019 at
7:07 PM
Hello, Brian,
How good to hear from you, and a Happy
New Year to you too. Amazing to me, I
was not even born in 1945 when you were an early Mount Boy.
The MSB database started by Nigel and
maintained by Kazim Abasali shows the details of Trevor’s life and death as
follows.
“Attended MSB from 22nd of April 1945
and left on 12th Dec 1949. Scouts. King's Scout 1948. It is with heavy hearts
and much sadness that we write to you about the passing of Trevor Evelyn. He
passed surrounded by his family on January 27, 2017 at the age of 84. Loving
husband of Jacqueline (Nee Wight) for 60 years. World’s best dad to his 6
children Donna, Jackie, Paula, David, Simone and Anne. He will be missed by his
10 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Jackie Evelyn”
I have no idea why I still have him in
my mailing list. But that is now
corrected (there are two families of deceased Old Boys who have asked me to
continue sending Ladislao’s Circulars as they enjoy reading them.)
Best,
Don
--------------------------------------------------------.
From: Brian Gonsalves
Sent: Tuesday,
January 15, 2019 9:51 AM
Dear Don Mitchell,
Just a brief note from a really ancient
MSB old boy, who attended Mount St Benedict in 1945, together with 6 friends
and family members (Trevor Evelyn, Anthony & John Willems, Clive
Bettencourt-Gomes, Bernard, Terrence & Brian Gonsalves) all from British
Guiana (now Guyana). Except for Trevor, who stayed on at MSB until 1950, the
rest us departed from Trinidad to England in 1946 to be educated by the Jesuits
(who were just as dedicated as the Benedictines to strict Catholic discipline
in academic studies, sporting prowess and corporate punishment!).
Out of the original 7 youngsters, only 3
of us (Clive B-G in Spain, John Willems in Guyana and myself in Oxford, UK) are
still "fighting the good fight", albeit at a much less robust pace
than in past years. For me, poignant memories of the halcyon days in Trinidad
at MSB still remain, enhanced and helped by the regular circulars that you send
out to MSB old boys. One minor admin matter, Trevor Evelyn died in Toronto
about 4 years ago and perhaps his e-address: (tevelyn@rogers.com) should be
removed from your MSB contact list?
With belated best wishes to you for
happy and holy 2019,
Brian
-----------------------------------------------------------------------.
Brian Gonsalves <brian.gonsalves36@yahoo.com>
Wed, Jan 16, 2019 at
7:39 AM
Thank you, Don, for your prompt response
to my initial email and I note my mistake about the date of Trevor's death in 2017.
I was also pleased to receive a copy of the email from Nigel who helped me
(several years ago) to renew contact with members of the Farfan family, whose
grandparents had been exceptionally hospital to all the BG boys during our time
at MSB ... happy memories of being taken by Mr Ainsley Farfan to Maracas
Bay, as a group with two of his sons (John & David) and then being
thoroughly spoilt by their mother at their home in Maraval ....
Excellent idea of yours, Nigel, to
request the Principles at MSB to consider keeping the historical photographs,
plus other significant memorabilia from the past, in a formal archive at the
Abbey. Please let us know if even an 'old timers' (like me), can help progress
this worthwhile project.
Best wishes
Brian
--------------------------------------------
<idmitch@anguillanet.com>
wrote:
Date: Wednesday, 16
January, 2019, 0:51
Hi, Nigel,
Just
seeing this, and that after I sent you the first draft of the catalogue I
prepared for you to look at before I circulate it.
I like
the idea of the documents being housed at MSB. It will probably last longer than any of us!
Looking
forward to any comments or improvements you can make to my descriptions of the
items catalogued in due course. It only took about 3 hours, as I started at
about 5:00 and finished about 8:00.
Best,
Don
-----------------------------------------------------------------.
From:
Nigel Boos
Sent: Tuesday, January
15, 2019 8:07 PM
Don,
Brian’s note (Hello, Brian) to you
reminded me to let you know - many of the photographs and a few of the MSB
booklets included in the package I sent you by FedEx (so glad that it arrived
safely – thank God!) were transferred to me by Trevor Evelyn himself, shortly
before he died a few years ago in Ontario. Just for the record, and thanks to
Trevor, they’re still “alive”.
Now, about a location and a responsible
person to maintain these and other artifacts that might turn up. . . . . I got
to thinking, and I believe that the BEST place to store this material is right
there at MSB, somewhere in a room where visitors to the monastery, Old Boys of
the Abbey School and their families, pilgrims etc. can spend some time looking
at them during their visit. I know that Abbot Pereira and/or Bro. Paschal
Jordan should have the right to approve or disapprove of this idea, so maybe we
should ask him to them to consider such a proposal. In addition, perhaps one of
the brothers, appointed by Fr. Abbot, might be encouraged to take over the task
of cataloguing, protecting and displaying these docs, Terrence’s Sports and
Scouting awards, and so on, and perhaps this might be a small fund-raising idea
($1.00 / visit ??) to support the work of the Benedictine Monastery. Perhaps
too, photographs of the various pictures of the monks of Mount, with an
emphasis on those who worked or were involved with us at the Abbey School,
might be requested from the existing Community and used to supplement the
artifacts now under discussion.
Just a thought!
Any comments?
Nigel
------------------------------------------------------------------.
EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com. If you would like to be in the
circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.
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Photos:
36LK4628FBEDIMSB,
Noviciate Building
71LK9750FBTFEGRP,
UNKNOWNS
59UN0051TENNIS,
UNKNOWNS
18LK2975FBKKH, Kamal
Khan at school
