Messages/pix from Peter Richardson, Marco Belgiorno-Zegna, Richard Wild, Mark Darling and Nick Back ...

Hello Andrew,

Thanks for the update.

On my side I departed Brisbane for KL, Malaysia on 9^th 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!!

 Ciao

 Marco (Belgioro-Zegna)

  

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:  

 Well said, we will all try to skirt around and avoid the virus. Mark (Darling)

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.

 

 

 

Message from Andy Parsons ...

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

 

Andrew Byrne keeps busy during lock-down ...

Dear Colleagues, 

I have been lucky to be in an 'essential industry' running my Redfern addiction medical practice thru the pandemic lock-downs.  Furthermore, living in Bowral half the week has meant that I have had the great privilege of seeing the seasons change with spectacular wattles in August then the magnolias, tulips, pear, apple and finally the double pink Japanese cherry blossoms this week.  

During some spare time I have returned to the Bard and re-read As You Like It, Merchant and Romeo & Juliet.  The latter has plague references and like Boccaccio's Decameron has many parallels with our modern world of Covid-19.   I found no joy whatever in Shakespeare while at Cranbrook despite studying one play each year for 6 years (who remembers which 6? And was it in Perkins room 10 for some of us?).  What wonder that I flunked first level English!  I now dote on every word in the plays I have read and seen.  "All the world's a stage ..."  "My kingdom for a horse!"  "A plague on both your houses!"  "Hath not a Jew eyes?"  "By her fine foot, straight leg and quivering thigh, And the demesnes that there adjacent lie" 

We have had 6 Covid cases in our clinic patients with all the medical and logistical difficulties involved.  Only one ended up in hospital (briefly).  Every week has been a learning curve.  Now we have 92% of our patients vaccinated and things seem more stable for the NSW opening up on 11th October 2021.  I have been doing house calls to the Redfern tower blocks during the 'hot' periods but again, things seem to have settled as targeted testing and vax services have been used along with GPs and pharmacies as elsewhere with great effect.  

Best wishes to all colleagues/alumni.  It has been suggested that we try to have a reunion dinner EARLY in 2022, possibly February.  It will all depend on progress of the pandemic playing out.  

Andrew Byrne .. Mob 0490408477

Reunion dinner cancelled along with much else in our lives.

 Dear Colleagues, 

As you will already know from my doleful email our reunion dinner in postponed until 2022 when we hope to have a nice relaxing dinner when, at least for the vaccinated, masks and social distancing can be dispensed with for designated functions.  We look forward to the day when they will be a thing of the past.  

 Please send any of you own Covid stories ... Andrew Byrne .. 

Message from Tim Sanders ... quite a life he's been leading!

Greetings from NZ, Andrew, and thanks for trying to wrangle that motley band of geriatrics. 

It’s been a nostalgic trip seeing your blog, postings and photos after 50 years. 

I had been looking forward to seeing everyone and telling a few lies at the dinner but c'est la guerre.

For those with good memories who can recall a weekly boarder who was only at the school for a couple of years, here is summary of the last half century.

After the blessed relief of finishing school, I did a BA at Flinders University in my home town of Adelaide. Shortly after, there was a stint as union Industrial Officer. In the heady days of Don Dunstan’s Industrial Democracy, this was satisfying work for a good old university Marxist.

Then a change of tack and I have just completed over 40 years in the film and TV business in Oz, NZ and various parts of the world. Working as a producer, I’ve covered a bit of territory - from The Lord Of The Rings to Whale Rider to that career highlight - Melvin, Son of Alvin.

A recent gig as Professor of Creative and Performing Arts back at Flinders has been impacted by Covid fairly severely.

Married Ava 38 years ago and have two daughters - one in NYC, the other in Brisbane. Two grandkids as well now.

Good to read about the exploits of so many from our year. And to have seen Alan Pearlman and shared emails with Andrew Hilton in recent months.

One bit of old news to share. The great Edgar Castle returned to Adelaide shortly after we left Cranbrook. He took a post at Elizabeth High, a very low decile school in a depressed socio-economic suburb. Seems fitting to me that the old ex-Jesuit would take his brilliant skills from the lofty Eastern suburbs to a place that really needed him.

That’s the report for now. Hopefully, we can catch up one day.

All best

Tim Sanders

Cranbrook 50 year reunion booking form attached. (as sent 21/6/21)

Dear Colleagues, 

It is with pleasure that we invite you to a celebration dinner at the school from 6pm on Saturday 9th October 2021.  The cost is $140 including canapes, welcome drinks, 3 course dinner with wine and beer.  Please see attached formal invitation which contains links for TryBooking for both the dinner and the BBQ on the Sunday in the school grounds ($20pp).  Your organisers have gone to some trouble to ensure that this is an elegant but informal dinner with most of the trappings.  There will be no formal speeches but a short welcome and brief few words from anyone who wishes on the night.  

Gourmet menu on request (I will put on web blog in due course) alternating courses.  Any dietary requests or other preferences happily addressed.  

With best regards, look forward to seeing you on the night if not before!  Andrew Byrne .. 

ajbyrne@ozemail.com.au or gmail account above. 

News from Cranbrook colleagues following last mail-out ...

Dear Fellow Old Cranbrookians (*missing names below),  

Some shocking news from two friends isolated in Asia due to Covid lock-downs.  Stephen Mooney is in Singapore (but hopes to get a flight by October for our reunion, etc) and Rick Price (Howell-Price) is completely marooned in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  Details of their contacts and communications on request.  

I have spoken to Rod Benson and Russell Head who both seemed happy to learn of the reunion dinner in October and hope to attend.  

Andy Bottomley has sent me a detailed bio of his productive and eventful life to date.  I would encourage others to do the same when they get the chance (plus pix if possible for the blog).  I found out that Mark Piddington recently left his position as head teacher at the Distance Learning High School in Wooloomooloo.  I have still been unable to speak to him, sad to say, especially since he was one of the most popular and colourful chaps in the year (or so my memory has it).  

Jeff Tobias sends his best regards to everyone but is unable to attend the dinner.  Numerous others live further afield and so factors such as Covid, airlines, finances, etc will determine whether they can join us or not closer to the time.  Eric McCusker hopes to come from Melbourne and will probably stay with Les Schmalzbach in Potts Point.  Marco Belgiorno-Zegna may have to again postpone his annual trip to Italy and therefore join us for the dinner.  

We already have 15 confirmed acceptances with another dozen or so 'possibles'.  We have over 70 on our email list and hope to hear from many more in the weeks ahead as reunion details are firming up. ‘Missing’ friends list below – please check if you can help us contact these guys!  Email or mobile please. 

Our dinner is now confirmed at $140 including canapes and three courses in the Governor's Ballroom, (gourmet menu and premium wine/beer list on request).  BBQ on the Sunday being organised by Howard Barker and Melissa Berry (Cranbrook).  Formal invitations and payment/booking links are on the way later this week (TryBooking).  

For anyone with financial difficulties please let me know privately and we can sort a gratis entrée card as we are keen for as many old boys to attend as possible on this very important anniversary.  For people with allergies or other food requirements please let us know asap so we can sort special options with the School chef and kitchen, no problem. See info box in TryBooking form. 

See our current web blog: Cranbrook 1971 alumni news and views .. plus dinner photos (cranbrook71.blogspot.com)

Old Cranbrook pictures: Cranbrook circa 1970 (cranbrook1970.blogspot.com)

*Missing friends:

Anderson, John Ronald Scott

Awang, Gahfar Amin

Clarkson, Robert

Deratil, Boaklan

Ejiri, Kensuke

Hassan, Bin Otoi

Khoo, Peter

King, Clive

McNamara, Stephen

Mitchell, Iain Malcolm

Mongkolsmai  Mr  D

Nicholas, Graeme

Pollard  Richard H

Quek, Yuen Wah

Ramle, Bin Dua

Rennie, Douglas Matthew

Robinson, Simon

Royds, Bruce

Ryland, George Jeremy

Sanders, Timothy

Sinclair-Smith, Robert J

Smith, Andrew Peter

Swanson, John James

Taylor, Robert Grandison

Terley, David

Tong, Eric   V A V

Trafford, William

Turner, Jay

Wallace, John Charles

Wentworth, Geoffrey Allan

From: Andrew Byrne, year trouble-maker. 

ajbyrne@ozemail.com.au

gmail address only for bulk mail-outs.

Final decision for reunion dinner at School on Sat 9th October plus BBQ following day.

Dear Colleagues, 

We had an enjoyable informal dinner in Woollahra last month.  Eleven year members attended (**) and several decisions were made.  There was a strong sentiment for a dinner for old boys at the school itself.  The school can provide a sit-down dinner in the Governor's Ballroom for a maximum of $150 including alcohol.  The date is to be Saturday 9th October 2021.  Please let me know if you are interested at this stage for this very important event in our lives.  

If enough partners, children or grandchildren are keen we may arrange a BBQ on the Sunday as we have done in the past.    

There are still many colleagues who are not on my email list (see below).  Please try to contact them and tell them they should think about joining us all at the October reunion.  Please send them my ozemail email address.  

These are the "lost" year members: can you help find them? 

Anderson, John Ronald Scott

Awang, Gahfar Amin

Bius  B P  Bin

Bollard, Peter Neil

Clarkson, Robert

Deratil, Boaklan

Ejiri, Kensuke

Hassan, Bin Otoi

Khoo, Peter

King, Clive

McNamara, Stephen

Mitchell, Iain Malcolm

Mongkolsmai  Mr  D

Nicholas, Graeme

Pollard  Richard H

Quek, Yuen Wah

Ramle, Bin Dua 

Rennie, Douglas Matthew 

Robinson, Simon

Royds, Bruce

Ryland, George Jeremy

Sanders, Timothy

Sinclair-Smith, Robert J

Smith, Andrew Peter

Swanson, John James

Taylor, Robert Grandison

Terley, David

Tong, Eric   V A V

Trafford, William

Turner, Jay

Vasey, Peter

Wallace, John Charles

Wentworth, Geoffrey Allan

Wilson, Peter William

Best wishes to all old Cranbrookians and look forward to seeing some or most of you in October.  

Andrew Byrne .. (and 'committee' members ** below). 

**Woollahra dinner attended by: Matt Sawyer, Andrew Byrne, John Sze-Tu, Tom Wykoff, Greg Deacon, Les Schmalzbach, Nick Back, Mark Darling, Andrew Hilton, Howard Barker, Graeme Wise.  

Other messages received from John Ashton, Eric McCusker, Marco Belgiorno-Zegna, John North, Warwick Stuart, Andrew Howie, Richard Fox, Alan Pearlman, Wayne Burgess, Andrew Parsons, David Gilray, Bill Pritchard, Peter Richardson, Richard Wild, Clive Lovell, Jeff Tobias and George Palmer.

 

2021 Reunion dinner celebrating 50 years of leaving Cranbrook.

 Dear Friends and Old Cranbrookians,

 This year marks our 50^th year since leaving the gates of the Alma Mater.  We have proposed a celebration towards the end of the year but we need to nut out some details and an informal dinner was suggested by Matt Sawyer to do this. 

 I have a few possibilities for the big event including a Saturday evening dinner at the school (and they ARE now taking bookings – 9^th Oct and the following week both available currently).  However all suggestions considered … including Sunday lunch instead or as well … Friday dinner … Empire Lounge at Rose Bay … Harbour Cruise … Bondi lunch or dinner … etc. 

 For our organising ‘committee’ I have a booking for ~10 in the upstairs room at Big Mama’s at 51 Moncur Street, Woollahra 7pm 14/4.  First come, best dressed!  Let me know if you would like to join us. 

 Andrew Byrne ..

 PS: Thanks for responses to my last email: Matt Sawyer, Les Schmalzbach, Howard Barker, John Ashton, Eric McCusker, Greg Deacon, Marco Belgiorno-Zegna, Johnny Sze-Tu, Alan Pearlman, Nick Back.  You are all automatically on the organising committee!