Some familiar faces ...
Verne, John and Andrew
Dear friends and colleagues,
This is an ahoy to cheer on the group for yet another year, 2026. Soon to be 55 years out of school!
I have little or nothing to do with the school but pleased to hear that 70 young ladies were enrolled last week, half in Year 7, the rest in Year 11. While I know not everyone approves I feel sure it will make Cranbrook a little more ‘normal’. I donate a small sum each year to the Aboriginal Scholarship to prove that I am not a complete scrooge, even knowing this is a token exercise in a sea of troubles.
Howard Barker and Nick Back plan to host another lunch at Sydney Rowing Club. The tentative date is Thursday April 23rd, details to be sent out shortly.
As for me, I am restored to health after a 20 year recurrence of my old lymphoma. All thanks to St Vincent’s staff and 6 months of relatively mild chemo. Continued annual trips to Lord Howe Island, Hawai’i and Manhattan would seem boring to some … but they keep me ticking along in retirement. And learning famous Shakespeare quotes to supplement my meager innate wisdom.
Please send me your news, whether ‘tis public for the blog or private to me.
Cheers, Andrew Byrne ..
Cranbrook 1971 alumni news and views .. plus dinner photos
He was the noblest Roman of them all.
All the conspirators save only he
Did that they did for envy of great Caesar
He only in an honest general thought
And the common good to all made one of them
His life was gentle and the elements
So mixed in him that nature might stand up
And say to all the world: This was a man! [Marc Antony of Brutus, deceased]
Dear Colleagues,
Matt Sawyer has reminded me that next year is our 55th year since leaving Cranbrook in 1971. Most of us are now retired or thinking about it and there are so many stories of extending families, travel, renovations, illnesses, etcetera that I hardly like to give my own. For the record, I retired 2 years ago, dealt with some medical issues, continuing annual trips to Manhattan, Honolulu and Lord Howe Island. Now restored to bonza health my story is quite boring compared to some with exotic travel, awards, further education, books, films and so on.
My question is whether people are interested in an event to celebrate, perhaps next spring or early summer? Lunch may be preferable for some. The school can put on a dinner in their marvelous new buildings (or the old boarders’ dining room) or else we can go further afield such as Moore Park Golf Club, Chinatown, Malabar South Indian (Kings Cross or Crows Nest) as just a few options. Some partners are always keen, others not so I presume that would be optional for the celebration. Cost is another issue so I will do some research in that, initially with the school.
Les Schmalzbach’s son Joel left Cranbrook last year and is currently travelling overseas. Peter Richardson visited me in Bowral while I remain in touch with a small number of others:
I occasionally see Clive Lovell in the street in Kings Cross, Greg Deacon in St V hospital nearby and also have had occasional communications from Dave Gilray, Andy Hilton, Howard Barker, Alan Pearlman, Eric McCusker, Craig Tallard (in USA), Marco Belgiorno-Zegna, Tim Robins (UK, Portugal), Andrew Parsons, Graeme Smith, Nick Back, Bill Currey (recent video from Sth America), and Andy Bottomley. From other years I keep abreast with Andrew Sharp, Kim Ryrie, Peter Vogel, Richard Hunter, Andrew Small inter alia. Nick Sampson is a neighbour in the Southern Highlands. Terry Clarke rings occasionally from his flat in Edgecliff. I happened to toot Jeff Tobias in the street by chance recently. Also, I had a brief email from Mark Piddington earlier in the year.
As people may recall, Richard Wild died in January after a cancer diagnosis. Very sad indeed.
Please let me know if you have any strong views on some sort of get-together but quite understand this is not for everyone. Lunch versus dinner; school versus other venue; interested or not so?
Regards and happy spring season for all.
Andrew Byrne ..
Dear Cranbrook School Colleagues,
I received sad messages that Richard Wild was gravely ill and days later that he had died peacefully at home on 26th January.
His wife Meg has lived with Richard’s aggressive and advanced cancer for many months, originally responding well to palliative treatment at St Vincent’s Hospital and GenesisCare. I have passed on our sad condolences in a brief phone call today. Meg appears to be coping with the enormity of events.
A funeral service will be held on 6 February at 11:30am at St. Michael's Anglican Church, Vaucluse. From 1:00pm. all are warmly invited to share memories and refreshments at the Royal Motor Yacht Club of NSW, Point Piper.
Sent by Andrew Byrne ..
8/2/25: A group of old school mates attended Richard's funeral at St Michael's followed by the wake at Royal Motor Yacht Squadron in Point Piper. Andy Bottomley, Matt Sawyer, Bill Pritchard, Verne Baistow, Steve Mooney, Nick Back, Richard Thomas (a post school drinking buddy & friend of the others). The issues of mental and physical health were raised and a desire to catch up with old mates more often now that most of us are retired or retiring.
Howard Barker and Nick Back are to be congratulated for organising this delightful event on the Parramatta River at the 'Watergrill Restaurant' of the club they both belong to which is next to the wharf with regular ferry services to city and beyond. No speeches, individual orders food and drink, convivial atmosphere in lovely venue overlooking the water on all sides. John North and Les Schmalzbach called in with late cancellations but best wishes for the 14 of us attending.
Surprising to me there was no discussion of the current controversies at Cranbrook. One year member with a son still at the school said it was just 'business as usual'. Most of us are now retired, others with reduced work hours as we pass 70 years of age. Unfortunately a few had tales of health issues, mostly on the mend (myself included) but these were limited by John North's aphorism that an organ recital should not last more than two minutes. So family, travel, hobbies and other pursuits were the prevalent topics.
We look forward to more such gatherings and next time I will take the ferry! AB ..
STOP PRESS! A LOVELY MESSAGE CAME FROM ROD BENSON, SEE NEXT POSTING.
Andrew
Finally got around to replying. Not a great fan of internet
chit chat.
Quick summary
Went to Uni in Armidale for accounting degree and diploma
(took year off labouring in Gove decided office job for me).
Worked for Binder Hamlyn accountants for 2 or 3 years then
as accountant for a number of different companies in Sydney. Did get an offer to
be an accountant for a very Italian family in a very Italian business once.
Move to Scone to be Financial Accountant for the Council, then the Mines and then Bursar for the Grammar School. (Chris Bullock was
headmaster until just before I started but taught my kids)
Move to Newcastle did a few different accounting jobs and
now retired.
Have five kids and eight grandkids (by October). Two boys one
in Dublin fiddling the stock markets and the other in Sydney fiddling with
Sydney trains. Two of the girls in Newcastle in Finance and one in Canberra in
Insurance.
Going to Dublin next week to see six month old grand child
and probably to Spain for 3 weeks.
That’s it in a nutshell
Notice a lot of Street House representatives this weeks
lunch wish them well
Rod
Dear Cranbrook Colleagues,
I am pleased to report that 14 Old Boys plus Alice Ilich and husband David Slessar attended Big Mama’s Trattoria last Wednesday as arranged by Matt Sawyer and team.
After sending 73 invitations I received responses from 40. Happily these included ‘reclusives’ Mark Piddington and Russell Head, neither keen on socialising but each sending their best regards to all for a pleasant evening. I had good talks with Graeme Wise and David Gilray, neither able to make the evening. Several others were unable to make the date but were keen to hear more about a second function which is being organised by Nick Back in the inner west, possibly a mid-week lunch. These included Byron Deverich, Victor Voets, Sam Yates, Tom Wykoff, John Sze-Tu, Cyril (Ot) Ratsaphong, Peter Richardson and Alan Pearlman.
Sixteen was a perfect number for pre-dinner chats and hors d’oeuvre last Wednesday. Food and wine were copious and pleasant with a great spirit in the room. Present were:
Back, Nicholas
Baistow, Verne
Barker, Howard
Body, Michael
Bottomley, Andrew
Byrne, Andrew
Darling,
Mark
Deacon, Gregory
Howie, Andrew
North, John
Parsons, Andrew
Prichard, Bill
Sawyer,
Matt
Schmalzbach, Les
We know that such functions are not for everyone and not for any time but I would encourage others to consider coming along just once more to connect with old mates as we age, decay, forget and mature before the inevitable. More info will be on the blog above in due course.
Best wishes,
Andrew Byrne ..
CRANBROOK YEAR OF 1971 HSC ‘LEAVERS’.
50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY DINNER
SAT 8TH October.
My convenor’s address: Welcome
to our delayed 50 year reunion dinner. Well,
this is some milestone! Just 51 years
ago we were on ‘stuvac’ for the HSC. I
missed speech day having flown out to London after the last exam. A classmate wrote to me in UK that there was
constant rain and a transport strike. Is it ever thus?
First some formalities:
In memoriam:
|
Robert Walsh |
died 1961 |
|
Richard Grimm |
died 4/72 |
|
Michael Stacy |
died 2/3/88 Cairns |
|
Guy Norman |
died 18/7/91 |
|
Tim Spong |
died 15/12/03 |
|
Julian Clark |
died 11/06 |
|
Victor Malouf |
died 09/08 |
|
Ian Douglass |
died 26/5/10 |
|
Warwick Gregory |
died ?2010 |
|
Bill (Taylor) Yule |
died 2012 |
|
Peter Louis (Lewis) |
died 1/6/13 age 60 |
|
Peter van Wensveen |
died 16/12/16 |
.jpg)
Two prominent and well liked year
members are not attending the reunion because of their perceived conflict about
the privileged and elite status of private schools versus an inadequate state
school system. And I agree up to a
point. We would all hope to aim at equal
opportunity but is this ever fully achievable?
And what to do in the meantime?
G&S made this into a joke in The Gondoliers: ‘All shall equal be’. ‘When everyone is somebody, then no-one’s
anybody’. Do we need a Napoleon or a Thatcher
to reform the entire system? If so, the
newly updated Cranbrook School might make the ideal if funding was unlimited
(see below for all the magnificent new works just opened this week).
I pinched myself every day at
Cranbrook and continue to do so for my good fortune in life, part of which is
due to my schooling, no doubt. It makes
me feel more obliged to assist others who are less fortunate and get on with
life in a positive manner.
While we may have had good facilities
at the school and gifted teachers, I believe that an even bigger factor
comprised my fellow classmates.
Interesting and diverse boys with a sense of ‘group’ but with a
competitive edge.
So thanks to all of you for
your part in my up-bringing. Just in
this room … 5 of them from Street House, John Sze-Tu gave me my first
invitation to travel overseas; I went to New Guinea with Clive Lovell; Twice I
stayed with Greg Ilich in Paris; Howard Barker invited me and my niece to
Cairns to see the solar eclipse (one of the great events of my life); I have a
drink at Les Schmalzbach’s house quite regularly in the past few years as we
are near neighbours in Potts Point. Warwick Stuart was driving me home late from a Cranbrook dinner in Paddington on 11 September 2001 when we
heard on his car radio about the unfolding events at the World Trade Center now known as 9/11. I have sat next to David Gilray
and Jeff Tobias in synagogue (but that’s another story – see my Cantorial blog
if you are interested). Andrew Hilton
has invited me to Passover gatherings when in the Southern Highlands (and he knows I'm not Jewish). Matt Sawyer and Janet also became Highlands neighbours for
a happy time. Mark and Steph Darling
likewise. Graeme Smith’s family connections
with Cranbrook were a major factor in my parents deciding on my schooling. I
just mention these as one of many examples of networks of friendships which started
at school. As convenor I have heard of
many such over the years and know there are many more.
On retirement: Things I have
discovered since retiring in February: lentils (yes, dahl, lentil soup and
other pulses). Shakespeare: plays and
sonnets. King Cymberline; Henry IV (especially Prince Harry and Falstaff).
Concert music from rarity to regular cultural feast in newly
renovated SOH concert hall. Opera
continues to be my main vice. Add steam trains, fish soup, Sondheim and piano. Does that make me a Renaissance refugee?
THANKYOU to Rebecca Curran,
chefs Kevin and Robbie, Cameron Torrance and other school staff for making the reunion successful. Also big thanks to
various year members who helped with contacting and cajoling colleagues. Especially notes to Matt Sawyer, Alan
Pearlman, Nick Back, Howard Barker, Greg Deacon, Peter Richardson but many
others too numerous to mention.
‘On with the motley’.
And the dinner was splendid
in the school’s enormous new dining room, grand kitchens adjacent and balcony
with views across Hordern Oval to Rose Bay, Point Piper and beyond.
Before the dinner we were
invited by the school to a tour of the new premises built adjacent to and
beneath Hordern Oval. My brother Richard
was attending their 40th reunion at The Oak Hotel and it was also preceded
by a tour that very same day!
We met at the new covered arched entrance to the Murray Rose Aquatic Centre (opposite Rose Bay Police Station). The two new major structures comprise the most extraordinary and magnificent modern architecture and state-of-the-art engineering.
From the elegant north-facing foyer we were taken on a tour of the most impressive education facilities one could imagine anywhere, starting with the sporting complex, mostly beneath Hordern Oval. The old tarmac has been replaced with tough thatch turf on new advanced drainage so it can be used even after quite heavy rain. Entry doors led to a large gym with every variety of exercise appliance. Our guide Cameron Torrance pointed out that most men never kick a ball much after leaving school but many do go on to regular gym sessions for fitness … so why not start at school and do it properly? Good logic to my mind.
The entrance and gym both had large windows looking down onto an Olympic pool (51.5m) with optional wave generator when required. Also adjacent was a small heated pool for beginners so all Cranbrook boys (and soon girls as well) should have the opportunity to learn to swim. Between the pools was a covered running track with standardised surface. Then there was a basketball court.
We were taken into an orchestral rehearsal room with very high acoustic ceiling. It was empty but for a Steinway concert grand piano which our tour guide Cameron Torrance asked one of us to play. Everyone looked at me (who can’t even read music properly) and I pattered out a few bars of Chopin. Then we saw the new theatre with full proscenium (confusingly also called ‘Packer Theatre’) with ~250 racked seats, half of which can be collapsed at the press of a button to create a new flat space for teaching (drama, music, etc). Next we were shown several ‘house’ areas with wide wooden stairways which doubled as seating areas for meetings, classes or demonstrations. Each house had a row of large modern lockers angled on the diagonal.
Up the final flight of stairs
on the top floor was the new school chapel.
As requested in the original concept this forms a direct connection and
access with the old school as it abuts the lawns surrounding the old Perkins
Building (now Music Academy). Adjacent
is the original school building with the Governor’s Ballroom and its stone
arches. I was gratified to learn that
the chapel can be simply turned into a classroom - (I firmly believe that all houses
of worship should be likewise multipurpose).
Throughout the new complex there were elevators, wide entrances and easy
access toilets for disabled students or elderly visitors like us.
See a video of the proposal which is now almost fully realised!!
Optimising Cranbrook - Cranbrook School scroll down to ‘share our vision’.
Cranbrook 1971 alumni news and views .. plus dinner photos (cranbrook71.blogspot.com)
Dear Colleagues,
As per my last mail-out we are booked for an old boys' dinner on Saturday 8th October at 6pm with a barbecue the following day for partners and families - details herewith and on TryBooking link below.
Saturday
8 October - Governor's Ballroom
5.30pm
- Tour of the new facilities
6pm
- 10pm - Dinner and beverages $125 per person.
Sunday
9 October - The Rotunda
12midday
- 2pm - BBQ lunch $68 per person includes beverages.
Partners and family members are welcome to the BBQ.
for any questions contact Andrew Byrne on 0490408477
Hello Andrew,
Thanks for
the update.
On my side
I departed Brisbane for KL, Malaysia on 9th July for offshore subsea
projects.
After
quarantine in KL and also in Johor Baru I arrived at my vessel and still hard
at it.
COVID has
made all of these offshore projects difficult to manage and strangely enough
there is a large amount of work out there coming on all at the same time - go
figure.
I don’t
think I will be home much before Christmas & my company have me booked up
until this time next year !
Take care & cheers for now.
Peter
J Richardson, PMP 
SOSB
OCM - DP DSV ‘Southern Star’;
Mobile;
+60 (0) 10 964 2170
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRP3z_64Vlc&t=99s&pbjreload=10
Buongiorno Andrea
Thanks for the update. Pity the dinner had to be cancelled just as we're about to come out of this never-ending lockdown.
All good otherwise. I'm glad the performing arts are coming out of their hibernation. My Australian Haydn Ensemble are happy that the 18 December orchestral concert at the City Recital Hall is going ahead and will be announcing its 2022 concert program shortly. I've subscribed to both Pinchgut's and Opera Australia's 2022 program! Life is getting back to normal!!
Hello Andrew,
Thanks for what you sent, very nice. Hope we can all meet in the future.
I'm amazed that I left school in 1971; 50 years ago.
Regards, Richard Wild.
Dear Andrew:
Dear Andrew,
Things are as well as can be expected in these frustrating times.
I retired to spend more time travelling but have had to put
those plans on hold till who knows when.
So far have had to cancel a cruise to New Zealand (twice), a
trekking holiday in Bulgaria and Romania, a trip to the UK and more recently 3
weeks in the Kimberleys on David Brooks’ boat.
Hope you guys are both well and keeping occupied.
Regards,
Nick (Back)
Message from John North to Nick and Andrew regarding ‘Street House’:
Hey Nick: to think some of us spent 6 years in that house and then the school sold it for a song. Sorry re reunion but little choice. Hope all is well, John.
Hi Andrew,
In the spirit of your invitation for "snippets" I
am writing, with a few hours to go until movement restrictions in NSW are
lifted. I sold my dental practice in Nelson Bay 3 years ago with part of the
deal that I stay on for a year. A bit surprised to be informed close to that
time being up that I was not needed to continue after the "earn-out",
but the lady who bought me out intended to have another baby and they needed
someone to stand-in fulltime for her while that happened, and we all realised
that was definitely not in my plans, so we parted amicably and I found myself
out of a job after 42 years of dentistry. Great timing as Covid unfolded
shortly afterwards and I was relieved not to have a business to run. I had
already started volunteering for a dental charity, Filling The Gap, based in
Sydney, so I could give that more emphasis. It became evident that they really
needed someone to concentrate on providing dentures for our clients, and being
an old guy with lots of experience in that unglamorous field, I now head up the
denture clinic. Not something they teach now to younger graduates, but we treat
lots of recovering addicts, homeless, refugees, victims of domestic violence,
recent gaol inmates and people with social and psychiatric problems, and their
dental state can be pretty poor, so they need dentures for self-esteem and to
eat, so our treatment has a really big positive effect on their lives. I enjoy
the time spent with our clients, they are definitely interesting and a change
from my former private practice crowd, and it makes one reflect that it only
takes one or two bad choices or unlucky breaks to be in a different world from
our privileged surroundings. So after being locked down and locked out I am
looking forward to getting back to work soon with the clinic.
After selling my practice I rewarded myself with a new boat,
a Beneteau First 18 which sounds large and expensive but is actually small (and
still expensive). I convinced Warwick S. to come to Lake Garda in northern
Italy for a week to test-sail the class and we had a great time burning around
the lake. A new experience, to sail while it was snowing on the mountains
around us, in spectacular scenery. Now I manage to sail twice a week and the
boat is starting to perform better as experience grows. Racing has been in
recess during lockdown but we have still managed "exercise" regularly
on Port Stephens.
My wife Gail and I now have 3 grandchildren, to our 2
daughters, but one of them lives over the Wall, on the Gold Coast, and the
other in Sydney, so it has been a long lockdown being separated from them. I
can now spend more time with my trains and am enjoying restoring my childhood
trains and also building a scale tribute to the railway in Broken Hill. Travel,
as for everybody, is in recess, but a couple of trips to northern Australia are
planned for 2022. My passport will gather dust for a while yet.
I am enjoying life, appreciating good health, family and
friends. Pretty damn good.
Cheers
Andy Parsons