SOUTH AFRICA EXPERIENCE

Nick Hammond: "Early in the spring of 2022, as we warily emerged from the traumas of the Covid pandemic, my wife and I went out for a casual evening meal with my brother-in-law and sister-in -law. The conversation was, as you would imagine, wide ranging about family and the progress of various children and grandchildren. Once that was exhausted, reminiscences of the “old days” and old friends proceeded to the mention of an old neighbour of my wife and her sister. It transpired that someone, who we had all known for at least sixty years, had a grand daughter in year 13 at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School. The chatter continued to suggest that the grand daughter was hoping to travel in the summer prior to commencing an apprenticeship in Project Management. Her travels intentions were to engage with young less fortunate people in areas of sport education. She was seeking sponsorship and help to fund such a trip.

“Well” said I “she hasn’t asked us!” meaning the OVA and its bursary scheme. Email, addresses were exchanged and the OVA Bursary Rules were forwarded, via her grand mother, to Ella Crane. Ella duly submitted her proposal in accordance with the requirements, was subsequently interviewed by members of the OVA Committee and approval was given for an award of funds to help finance the trip. Ella had not previously been aware of the OVA Bursary scheme. Ella’s record of her trip follows...

Dear OVA Association,

Thank you very much for the money that you gave me through the bursary for my trip to South Africa. It was a truly life changing experience and gave me an insight into the hardships that children have to experience on a daily basis.

I arrived in Muizenberg on 17th July (2022) and after two days of orientation I started my volunteering at Christian David Primary School. Here I met Charles who was the Sports teacher at the school and in charge of the programme I was participating in. My daily activities were to do sports coaching with the children as well as keeping them amused during their breaks and lunch times. We had to rely on our initiative as there was very little facilities available and the children, whilst lovely to be with, were always full of energy and had to be guided into constructive play.

The main objective was to develop the children’s sporting skills and whilst I was there for only a short amount of time I could definitely see an improvement in the children that were in my care.

We played traditional games with them such as netball and cricket but I also developed games that I had learnt during my time as a Brownie leader and adapted them to meet the needs of the school and pupils.

The school was extremely different to what I was used to and whilst their background was vastly different to my own, it was really nice to see that the children were full of affection for people that put the effort in to play and be interested in them.

Outside of the programme, I also partook in many once in a lifetime activities and I am looking at a return visit during the African summer to again help out at the school and to also appreciate more of South Africa that I didn’t have chance to experience.

With sincere thanks,

Ella Crane OV

JOHN GOWDY MORRISON 1927 – 2022 (BVGS 1938-43)

Perhaps it was divine providence or just an earthly coincidence that led me to glance at the Deaths Announcement column in the Daily Telegraph in early September. There was an announcement of the passing of John Gowdy Morrison of Leamington Spa. The announcement simply stated that any interest should be expressed to the family but there was no means by which to do that.

My memory reminded me that when captaining the Old Veseyan Golf Society way back in the 1990’s a certain John Morrison and a pal from the Leamington area would attend some of the meetings and the Shaggy Dogs Tea party. I was certain that this was the same John Morrison. Therefore, I wrote to the Telegraph enclosing a message to the family and expressing my and the OVA interest.

John’s daughter Isobel replied confirming my conclusions and gave details of John’s forthcoming funeral at Bishop’s Tachbrook Crematorium. I duly attended and witnessed the obvious love and respect in which John was held by both friends and family.

John’s arrival was heralded by three Royal Naval personnel “piping him aboard” as his coffin was born into the chapel and he was “piped ashore” at the end of the service.

Isobel delivered a delightful eulogy which I summarise below in the hope I can do both Isobel, her siblings and John justice.

John was born in Whitacre Heath, Warwickshire in 1927, to Fredrick and Hilda Morrison. At the age of 3, John’s parents made the move to Sutton Coldfield, where the family grew with the arrival of a brother Michael, and some years later their sister Hilary. Unlike his placid younger brother, John was by all accounts, rather a handful; his mother being only too pleased to see him start school.

John used to say of himself that he enjoyed school and worked hard but was ‘spirited and energetic’ ; his zest was not always fully appreciated. John was ‘enrolled’ by his mother into the Reddicap Heath choir; and thus aged 7, John was introduced to what proved to be the beginning of a life-long passion for singing, progressing two years later to the Boldmere Heath choir where he remained a chorister throughout his youth.

As a young boy, John would spend whole summers with relatives in Antrim. These days were simple and carefree, and the memories of playing, learning, and working on the farm, provided John with great pleasure throughout his life. John always felt a great connection to his Irish roots, and his Irish sense of hospitality is something for which he will always be remembered.

John’s parents were delighted when he passed the entrance exam for Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, and John was always very grateful for the opportunities and grounding that this education provided him. At 16 however, and having attained 8 good ‘School Certificate’ grades, he was told byhis father, that with younger siblings still at school, it was time to get a job, and to start contributing financially.

The possibility of furthering his education was simply ‘not an option’ . John joined Fyshe & Horton stockbrokers in Birmingham in 1943, on a starting wage of 20 shillings a week. After just 8 weeks John discovered that an Insurance Company across town were offering ‘thirty four’ shillings a week, a huge sum to a young man. He was clearly always destined to be a bank manager.

Aged 17, John joined the Royal Navy, hoping to join the Y Service, a network of British Signals Intelligence Receiving sites, stationed both ashore and afloat. Much to his regret, he didn’t make the final stage of training, but undeterred, he trained instead as a radar plotter; at the end of which he asked for a foreign post. With nothing happening, John advised his superior that he would speak to the commander during a forthcoming visit, to ‘see if things could be resolved’ .