Photo Album » Beaton House: Early 60’s
Beaton House: Early 60’s
Courtesy of Leslie DuPlessis
Back Row: Piet Pretorius, Unknown, George Pafitis?,Unknown, David Griselle, Derek Close, Unknown, Unknown, Leslie DuPlessis, Unknown, Venter?, Venter?
2nd Row: Jonah Herbst, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Mr. Foster, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Cuthbert?, Unknown, Wntzel?
3rd Row: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Gene?, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Moore or Jones?
Front Row: Unknown, Eric?, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown.
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1.
Hendrik van Niekerk | February 16, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I was there at the time. I look at this picture and I need to ask, how sure are you that the guy in the 2nd row one the left is Johan Herbst? It looks a lot like me! But I left in 1959, Std 4… So maybe not….
Hendrik van Niekerk
2.
Leslie DuPlessis | February 16, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I don’t think that is you, Hendrik. In 1959 I was 7 years old. I think I am a bit older than that in this photo.
What did you do after you left the home? I am always curious about what boys from SGH went on to do in life.
3.
D.C. Leslie-Pringle | February 19, 2009 at 8:57 am
And there lies the rub Leslie.
If you have read back on all the comments & stories you will notice I have continously encouraged the guys to ‘reveal’ or tell more about themselves now, rather than just to talk about the past.
We all shared those memories … spread over 80 odd years and although the names may change (as do the times), the experience of St. Goggies was common to all of us … so it gets a little dry repeating ‘Umtentweni and band leader and Victor Ladaurum’.We’ve all been there, so moving on is what is important and sharing our subsequent triumphs and failures since those days,tells us more about ourselves than nostalgia alone.
Incidentally … I am also more often than not called Leslie here in the States than Dudley-Claude.
4.
Leslie DuPlessis | February 19, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I’ve also wondered why boys were at the Home. We came from a broken family – separated parents, father absent, mother unable to look after four children.
I suppose many boys were in the same situation – divorced parents or single parent etc. I’m sure a few of the boys had no parents. I seem to remember on Sunday visiting days that sometimes some boys had no visitors.
Of course, there were the host families that took us on over holidays. I had very nice people, the Barke family, who were well off and lived in the country. Happy days there. They actually wanted to adopt me but I couldn’t bear the thought of what that would do to my mother, nor did I want to be separated from my brothers, even if it meant staying on at SGH, which, on the whole, I do not remember as a wonderful experience. It was a pretty brutal place. But, considering the time and the circumstances, I think the staff did the best they could.
What was your reason for being at SGH?
5.
Hendrik van Niekerk | February 19, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Well Leslie, If I can find a picture of myself around that age I’ll post it, and you can see the similarity.
After SGH I was placed in a public school for 2 years then back to boarding school, Broadlands Boarding School for boys in Meyerton. Was there for one year and then back to finish my school life in VanderbijlPark, Vaal High. So you can see I was shunted around all over. Obviously my mother had issues with me and could not raise me as her son, and relied on others to do the job. Apparently I was a ‘handful’ and she led her business life and had no time for me. Much to her regret later on in life when I appeared “emotionally detached”, and no wonder why. I eventually ended up not being so bad after all, since I completed further study, Electrical Engineering and then later completed my BSc Computer Science & Informations degree. I have been running my own business, as a consultant and software developer, now for the last 25 years. I emigrated to the USA in 1996 and became a citizen in 2003. Not bad for an ex-SGH ‘boytjie.’
Hendrik van Niekerk
6.
Anon | February 21, 2009 at 3:01 pm
The boy standing just behind the seated front row, with his left arm akimbo, is Billy Moore.
7.
Leslie DuPlessis | February 22, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Thanks, Anon,
I had a feeling it was Moore, but I couldn’t remember the first name.
Maybe one of these days we’ll have all the names.
8.
trevor stringer | May 9, 2009 at 6:42 pm
just found this site i was there frm 1961 to 1967 hung out with robyn putter george budd kevin stafford gavin terner where are they now i am in canada
9.
Cevin Egling | May 10, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Hi Trevor.
Delighted to hear from you after all these years. But really miffed to see my name not mentioned as someone you hung around with. Did we not hang out together for a fews days in 1966 ?? And what about the time at Camp in Umtemtwini when we were best buddies !
Jeez….turn my back for a mere 40 years and you forget all about me…..How have you been ? Isn’t it great to see all these names (and memories) re-surfacing after all these years ?
Have been surreptitiously following this blog for a while but only decided to contribute when I saw your name.
Nearly wrote in when I saw your entry Leslie (DuPlessis) to give you the names of all those Beaton House boys (bar 3) and to ask you to please give my regards to Martin. The photo that you posted is exactly how I remember him.
I see both you and Trevor Stringer are in Canada. Maybe you can start your own chapter of the Old Boys Club.
Keep well fellas…and here’s hoping many more begin emerging from the shadows.
10.
Peter De Reuck | May 10, 2009 at 7:37 am
Hi all ”gogies” old boys……would like to her from any guys from the 1948 / 1955 era. I now reside in Queensland , Australia. on pension after 40 years in the paper industry [ S.A.]
11.
peter De Reuck | May 11, 2009 at 11:11 am
To mention…..Was in Cub [ Simpson] house from 1948 to 1951 thereafter Beaton house from 1952 to 1955. house master in Beaton house was ”Flossie” Capener..or fondly known as ”BUG”
Names to mention from that era…. Bob Logan, Gene Eksteen, Lance Fairchild, Paul Kruger, Frank Pearce, Mike De kock, ….Wow , could go on and on. Keep you older guys thinking. Bye for now , talk soon …. Peter.
12.
Trevor | May 11, 2009 at 8:08 pm
hi kevin, forty years man that flew by so fast. sorry i did not mention your name but those other guys names were right in front of me at the time i wrote the message. in fact right after that i saw your name in a news paper article reporting the results of the sports events and you placed somewhere i think it was in the 1 mile. anyway, i have been in canada now for thirty years and i have not been back to s.a. my sister went back a couple of years ago and took some pictures of the home but i thought she was at the wrong address things had changed so much . the place looks like a pleasure resort. you did not say where you are living now so let me know . my email address is stringer9739@hotmail .com if you want to send some pictures of you and your family that would be great. its so funny that one day after having found this site and after forty years we get to communicate again keep well
13.
Cevin Egling | May 13, 2009 at 8:37 am
Hi Trev.
Sent you an email to your hotmail address, but it has a large attachment so I hope it goes thru.
Please let me know if you don’t get it.
14.
John Rossouw | May 17, 2009 at 9:13 am
Greetings Trevor and Cevin and welcome
It would be great if you guys could keep us informed of some of your old war stories from the home
Yes I agree the place has changed a lot as you can see from the pics on the blog which Blane posted
Please check out the face book page as well as there are a number of old photos you will relate to
Mike my brother who you will remeber is in the Philipines
You can get his email from me via this blog
Not sure if you remeber Des our brother
Sadly he passed away in 2006 under stange and as yet unexplianed circumstances
I visiyed Eric Richardson recently 96 and still going strong and will share news of your entry on the blog when next I visit
Regards and please keep in touch
Warm regards
John