Circular No 866

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 9 of June 2018 No. 866

-------------------------------------------------

Dear Friends,

Since there are no new news, I am including some old ones.

These tend to give an idea of what was like in the old days.

Maybe some of you would like to chip in and add.

-------------------------------

De: "Cecil & Liz Ince" <shadowlawn@sunbeach.net>

Fecha: 14 Jan 11:20 (PST)

Asunto: Abbey School correspondence

Dear Ladislao:

I have been receiving your e-mails regularly.

I am interested to read them I belong to the l948/49 years - as a day-boy from ARIMA where I lived.

I went to work at l6 at Huggins & Co - as an office boy.

After two years, I joined BWIA - transferring to Jamaica l954 - Barbados where I have lived since l956 - with a transfer to Guyana and Antigua during l965-68.

Arthur Knaggs persevered for years with another newsletter - OASIS - but I think he eventually gave up some years ago.

I could supply, from Memory, some names of my contemporaries at Mount.

PAX/UIOGD.

Sincerely

Cecil

CECIL P.S. In l969, I joined a small Travel Company here of which I was part owner. Since then the Company - Foster & Ince and its associates have grown nicely.

I am retired (200l) but stayed on as Chairman in what is now a fairly substantial service supplier to cruise ships.

---------------------------------------------------------------

From: Stuart Monplaisir <stumon@yahoo.com>

Subject: Camping Hell

Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 16:44:34 -0400

Ladislao

I have forgotten the badge for which we were trying to qualify and the name of the place where we were to camp.

Fr. Ildefonse dropped us off west of Tunapuna at the base of some mountain. We were to climb to the top and pitch camp there for the night then the next day we were to find our way to the area around Tunapuna while collecting information for an accurate map of the route that we took.

The instructions were that we were to camp on the very top of the mountain not down on the side somewhere. When we got to the top we found that it was bare of any vegetation but grass and part of it was rocky. We debated whether to pitch the camp down from the top a bit where there was less rocky soil but we were afraid that Fr. Ildefonse would find out, so we camped at the very top.

There were three tents one modern and two were vintage World War II, or maybe even WW I, heavy canvass things which had snap fasteners at the top. One was used for the storage of the equipment and food. Some guys slept in the other old one and we were in the newer one.

That night it turned cold, the wind started to blow and the rain came down in buckets.

Suddenly there was someone trying to open our tent and in piled the rest of the group.

The snap fasteners on their tent had become unfastened in the wind and the water had drenched them. Make room, don't touch the tent... too late, in came the water.

Needless to say it was a miserable, damp, cold night, worrying all along whether we were going to get struck by lightning.

By morning the storm was over. However, the storage tent had also opened up and any extra clothes were wet.

We broke camp and proceeded to map our way down an old road carrying the extra weight of the wet stuff, grumbling all the way.

We drew our maps got grilled by Fr. Idefonse and got our badges, glad that we didn't have to do it all over again.

Stu Monplaisir

---------------------------------------------------------------

From: Raymond Devaux <raydevaux@netscape.net>

Date: 10 Dec 14:22 (PST)

Dear Ladislao,

I am in Florida now but will be going to Montreal on December 18.

When I will be in Montreal I will give you the date that I graduated (Senior Cambridge Certificate at that time) it is a long time ago, sometime in the early 1950's, but I will check the date on my certificate.

I know Richard and Leary O'Connors who were at MSB during my time, are they the one's you are referring to in your e-mail?

They live in Australia and I have their e-mail address in Montreal which I will forward to you when I get there..

I do not know Driver nor Anthony Lucky.

Do you know Arthur Knaggs? He is also one of my generation and he has a lot of contacts with the boys of our time. If you wish I can also get the information as to how you can contact him.

I do not know anyone on the circular that you sent Alain, but it is interesting.

What year did you graduate a MSB.? (ed. 1960)

Best,

Raymond

---------------------------------------------

On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 20:25:41 -0500, Raymond Devaux wrote:

Dear Ladislao,

You sent a message to my brother, Alain Devaux, saying that you are looking for myself who attended Mt St Benedict in the nineteen forties and also for my other brother Patrick Devaux whose e-mail is: (patrick.devaux@chubbsecurity.com) or (pdevauxchubb@hotmail.com).

Alain Devaux also attended Mt St Benedict in the nineteen fifties.

Unfortunately I do not know any of the people that you mention in your e-mail but I would like to hear from you.

I live in Montreal, Canada during the summer months and in Ft Lauderdale, Florida during the winter months.

Best,

Raymond Devaux

---------------------------------------------------------

From: "Raymond Devaux" <rdevaux@attglobal.net>

Date: 1 Jan 12:30 (PST)

Subject: Happy New Year

Dear Ladislao,

Thank you very much for your card which I only received today because I did not open my e-mails since I left Florida for Montreal on December 18.

I also wish you a very happy year 2004 and a lot of good health.

I looked for my Cambridge certificate but I am unable to find it, however, I believe that I graduated in 1950 or 1951. I do not remember too many of my class mates. Some of them are: Dr Hamelin, Desmond Rostant (Died a few years ago), Phillip Nassief from Dominica, Leary & Richard O'Cornnor, now living in Australia, Crompton DuBoulay from St Lucia. It was a small class of about 12.

Others who were also in form 5a or 5b were Arthur Knaggs, now living in Halifax, Phillip Scott (Also died), Trevor Evelyn (who was a very fast short-run runner), Ronney Lambkin (now living in Halifax), Peter Ferguson.

As you can see we were among the first students at Mt St Benedict.

I remember I loved mathematics and therefore was very close to Fr Paul who taught maths, I was the first and only student at the time to take higher mathematics at school.

I also became a King scout under the guidance of Fr Ildephonse.

I saw my brother, Patrick, who told me that he was very happy to have received your news, he told me that he left in 1960 so he knows many of the people that are mentioned.

I do not have pictures since at that time cameras were not too common. I do have one when we were in Tobago, sitting in the back of a open small jitney with Brother Anthony and a few students. I will try to find it and send it to you.

Well, Ladislao, thanks again for the news from The School and please keep in touch.

Best regards,

Raymond Devaux

Please note that my new e-mail address is:    rdevaux@attglobal.net 

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hi Las,

Keep up the good work. While it is great to see the number of old boys coming under one roof, it is unfortunate that very few see it fit to write about all the crazy exploits that we as students under the watchful or not so watchful eyes of Fr(s). Bernard, Augustine, Gregory and others would get up to.

While I would admit that not every day was a happy one, the memories that I have of MSB today are lasting, and looking back were enjoyable.

I remember the hikes to white stones and continuing on to the old Monastery on Mount Tabor, playing in the scout band and the long weekend camps in Mayaro. As Sparrow would say, school days were happy! happy! days.

Hey Manuel remember the scout band, may not remember me, but then again many should.

I was the most miserable young student together with Gordon Mitchell (young boxhead), where did you get that name from? that loved to "terrorize" the "big boys".

It was hit and run, run like you never ran before, because when you got caught, God help you. Cut ass for days.

I remember playing in the Mount band as a drummer, dressed in either white, or scout uniform. With the scout hat on my head, and drum at my side, I was invisible. 

Manuel was head drummer at the time, with others like Daniel de Verteuil, Roger Ames, Nigel Boos, and others whose names I can't remember at this time.

At that time, the Mount band was the best in the island, no other scout troop had a band. What do you expect! We where the best.

Something else always fascinated me. Where did all the nick names come from? how where they derived?  But then that might be another story, maybe one for you Don? or Chris?, Wayne?.

Robert.

----------------------------------------------------

WhatsApp:

M Zanelli Enrique creó el grupo "Abbey boys"
09-02-2017 Alfredo Montiel Bezara: Welcome Enrique !!
09-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Let's see done faces guys
09-02-2017 Zanelli Victor: What about Jimmy Samaroo?
09-02-2017 Ladislao: Ok here I am, your humble editor of the circulars
09-02-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Welcome onboard......this will be a great and essay way of connecting with all the boys......I got this started but I will let Salvador take over from here as the administrator for the group as he is more proactive with social media and has kept up with a lot of us...
09-02-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Hola Zamuro!!!!
09-02-2017 Moffie Edgar: Saludos hermano....bienvenido a bordo.....yes Salvador will give a hand on posting details...
09-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Welcome Edgar post some pics of Venezuela crisis
09-02-2017 Moffie Edgar: I'll see what I can get here in Maturin.....or in El Tigre when I get across....
09-02-2017 Zanelli Enrique: I prefer to remember Venezuela 🇻🇪 as it was when i was a kid....much happier times
09-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: TT is at a crossroad
09-02-2017 Moffie Edgar: Where is Winston Copeland or Copland??...
09-02-2017 Farias Gabriel: Hi guys good to connect this is Gabriel Faria
09-02-2017 Farias Gabriel: This is a picture of our family: wife son and grandson in London Ontario
09-02-2017 Coscarart Salvador: My son Jonathan Gaizka , my grandaughter Lilian Teresa, My son Lander Omar , Myself.
09-02-2017 Coscarart Salvador: It is a great pleasure to see all of us communicating again.  Lets keep it up.
09-02-2017 Fr. Imash: Hi guys thanks for adding me to the group, Ronald Hadeed,1961 to 1966
09-02-2017 Berment Joseph: Ron! I love it: I didn't realize that you were that good or had such naughty friends. Of course men our age can discuss this subject with great clarity, now that we grown much less attached to "it".
09-02-2017 Berment Joseph: I think that one should need a test of literacy as a prequalification for voting and having sex.
09-02-2017 Gomes Ian: Saw this just now on tv. Incredible and amazing that our people are still so illiterate. Maybe it was the alcohol. Rum could do that to people I guess.
09-02-2017 Berment Joseph: From my experience I don't believe that it's anything other than illiteracy. The sooner we deal with reality the safer we will be and the easier it will be to get competent people - - education, scouting and training !
09-02-2017 Gomes Ian: Ok joe. I was kidding about the rum. I agree with you.
09-02-2017 Berment Joseph: I knew that you were but the boys living overseas probably didn't think so: I guess that it is very similar in Venezuela?
09-02-2017 Coscarart Salvador: Hello guys . It has been a long time since we met. It was a great idea Enrique came up with. It just happened this afternoon at work. To be able to get us together again thru whatsapp
09-02-2017 Coscarart Salvador: my cell is 337-412-8751
10-02-2017 Moffie Edgar: Guys Venezuela is not that far with the education......look at this ( I sell eggs--- vendo huevo).... today' s spelling (BENDO GUEBO)))..... just try and correct them.....they'l kill you for that.....
10-02-2017 Berment Joseph: It's the illiterates who become political fanatics. The greedy are not really committed to anything other than their own benefit. These two kinds are 90% of political party support.
10-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Tks Ron Amazing mosaic collections Tks to Ambassador Kertesz for his archives ..... ....... Scan Fr Benedict pictures
10-02-2017 Gomes Ian: We all wish the abbot will let us scan all of Fr  Benedict’s pictures so we can have a history of the school in pictures. Maybe even publish a book with proceeds going to the Abbey.
10-02-2017 Zanelli Enrique: We should all search in our attics for our old albums and share pics in this site.....
10-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Let's give him a donation in exchange for pictures  ask Colm Imbert to negotiate
10-02-2017 Berment Joseph: Pogy has made an arrangement to do this already. What is needed is someone with a portable scanner and the time to do it on location. It has to be done discretely. Contact Pogy.
10-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Welcome Aziz it's a long time nice to connect
10-02-2017 Kenny Azizul: How u doing brother
10-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Welcome Angel - Attia and all We are the Wild wild south lots gringos  Sheriff abandon TT
10-02-2017 Berment Joseph: Can we have names with those telephone numbers please?
10-02-2017 Kenny Azizul: This is me and who is u
10-02-2017 Berment Joseph: Drax, Boy! 

------------------------------------------

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.

---------------------------------------------------

Photos:

53MSB0003ABBEY, by Marie Bossiere

11LK1884FBROC, Robert O´connel

67RD0001RDEWFE, Raymond Deveaux and wife

16CI0001CIN, Cecil Ince