Saturday 31 December 2016

Circular No 791









Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 31 December 2016 No. 791
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Dear Friends,
LISTEN TO THE LATEST FROM DAVID BRATT
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12/26/16 at 10:05 PM
Tim/Ladislao,
As far as I am aware there are a number of MSB old boys in Perth.
Both Leary and Richard currently receive Ladislao's email circulars and that is how I generally get news. 
I also got an MSB old boys excel file register from Nigel Boos a couple years back and from that I can see a number of names including both Leary and Richard. 
I will get an article published in the next CAA newsletter inviting anyone interested to make direct contact with you guys (I will give your respective emails unless you tell me to the contrary). 
Best regards,
Tim
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tmailto:tim-mew@bigpond.com
12/26/16 at 5:46 PM
Laszlo,
I am sure that I have since sent a reply to you from David who wishes to continue receiving your MSB newsletters.
Cheers for 2017.
Tim
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Emailed David in Wonthaggi but no reply so far.
tmailto:tim-mew@bigpond.com
12/26/16 at 5:38 PM
Laszlo,
I will ask Esmond for you and maybe there could be some other MSB old boys in CAA or Perth, as most Trinidadians went to live in Western Australia – Perth.
No I do not have any contact with Richard O’Conner or his brother, in fact I do not recall the names, but again I will ask Esmond and he may be able to help.
All the best for 2017,
Tim
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 <kertesz11@yahoo.com>
12/24/16 at 12:15 PM
Tim! 
Thank you for the news.
Would there be more Mount boys in the CAA??
Are you in contact with Richard O Connor and his brother??
That would make five living members in Australia
Happy Xmas
Ladislao
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tmailto:tim-mew@bigpond.com
12/23/16 at 9:13 PM
Hola Laszlo,
Santa has been busy for you.
Emailed David in Wonthaggi but no reply so far.
Spoke to Esmond in Perth and he sent the info below, plus saying he is happy to receive MSB newsletters from you.
I have known Esmond from Trinidad for years but not seen him in Australia where he moved in 1970 and lives in Perth.
Have a Safe, Happy and Healthy New Year 2017 after a Merry Christmas with family & friends.
Tim.
PS: The CAA bit is a Caribbean Association in Perth, WA. Esmond used to be President at one time and is a member.
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dmailto:idmitch@anguillanet.com
12/31/16 at 12:10 PM
Hi, Ladislao,
It has been several days now since I contacted him on Linked In, but he has not responded. 
I have searched online, for Carl Deleuze but cannot find an email address for him. 
His telephone number in Streetsille, Ontario is 905 824 9079. 
But, I don’t want to telephone him out of the blue when he was not a friend of mine. 
I don’t know what else I can do, except perhaps to ask one of the Ontario Old Boys to give him a call.
Don
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mailto:idmitch@anguillanet.com
12/18/16 at 7:24 PM
Hello, Ladislao,
I Googled Carl Deleuze. 
He is alive and well and living in Canada. 
He is a well-known photographer. 
Can you switch the items for a couple of other emails?
Thanks,
Don
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Simon Da Costa
31/12/2016 (12 days ago)
Happy New Year 2017 Hope you have a great one Monica & Simon
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Don Mitchell <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
Jan 9 at 2:21 PM
Hi, Kazim,
You are not to worry. 
Nigel frequently complained that the database would not obey his orders and keep the photos in the right frame or cell. 
So, the problem is not new to you. 
Hopefully, you will figure it out.
Keep well.
Don
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kmailto:empowerwithart@gmail.com
Jan 9 at 1:53 PM
Dear Attila, 
I am so sorry about the position of your photo not coinciding next to your name in our MSB Database. Actually, things went crazy and most of the photos moved to different locations. I would need to rectify that. I will have to come up with a method so the photos stay permanently instead of shifting every time the database is updated. I tried several times and it did work to stay.
Nigel did a lot of hard work the years to create and maintain the database with thousands of names. And somehow, I messed up. I just wish I had someone I could work with to correct the situation. It is a tremendous amount of work involved. Although, I had asked for support through our MSB Facebook Group page, I did not get any volunteers. So, I will continue to pray for some guidance to get the database in proper order like Nigel did.
God bless you Attila, have a blessed 2017.
Regards, Kazim
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On Mon, Jan 9, 2017 at 4:16 PM,
Attila GYURIS <gyuris@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Nigel / Kazim:
Happy New Year to both of you!
I was browsing the old boy data base and I noticed that my picture was placed to the wrong person.
It was mistakenly placed in the row of Gurley Brendan (RIP) above, instead of the row with my name:  GYURIS, Attila.
By the way, I am sending you a better picture for insertion in the database.
Another update to the database:
My new post-retirement job is:
Air Operations Chief / Pilot of the Quito Fire Dept, flying an Agusta A109K2 helicopter.
Regards,
Attila Gyuris
Old Boy. MSB 1964-1969
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2003/05/01
Tuesday Guardian # 109
By David Bratt
Look at our pride and joy, the steelband.  Take a simple thing like setting up on the Savannah stage.  Steelbands still cannot set up easily.  Back and fro, cuss and go, nobody knows where each set of pan is supposed to be?  How difficult is it to draw a diagram before going on stage, A; B; C; D etc. A goes here; B set up next to A, and so on.  Even if you drunk, where is the stage manager?  Who is in charge?  Sit down and do the work.  Spend some time reflecting.  Come up with a plan.
If you cannot solve minor problems like that, what hope is there for pan?  How long are we going to depend on talent?  Talk for so.  Carnival post mortems.  Opportunity for everyone to gallery and try to impress everyone else.  Who does the hard work, before the meeting?  After the meeting?  How many meetings there are in Trinidad where nobody takes the minutes so a week later no one knows what was decided.  Wasting people’s time.
Look at sport.  Football.  Cricket.  Athletics.  Any sport you want.  Total chaos.  Who’s in charge?  Who is doing the hard work?  Sitting down.  Thinking.  Coming up with a plan.  So smart talking charlatans have the opportunity to take over a sport and walk away with the rewards.
Standards in the media are dropping, says the president of MATT,  “The quality of media is in trouble”.  Last Friday night, one television commentator was heard to say that Steve Waugh now had the most Test centuries.  On the other channel, his competitor claimed that Omari Banks was the best West Indian bowler with 3 for 204 runs.  Simple things.  Both were wrong.  Someone hadn’t done their homework.
Think of any profession.  Law.  How often have you heard that the lawyer is not ready to proceed so the case is postponed?   Or there’s nobody to take notes.  Or the magistrates don’t know the law. 
Fire burning hills.  Endless talk on the radio.  People writing in to the newspapers.  What’s being done?  The firemen can’t do anymore.  More talk about planes from Canada to out the fires. 
Trucks run traffic lights, cross highways, fall on cars and kill people.  What’s the government reaction?  None.
Name any Ministry that is organized.  Name a single Minister who has a plan for his or her Ministry?
But everyone is making money and everyone happy.  Thank heaven for the oil and gas.  That’s what the rest of the Caribbean says about us.  If it wasn’t for that we would be the Labasse of the Caribbean.  But a happy Labasse. 
There is a dire need in the country for hard working people.  Someone to do an honest day’s work.   How long can the lack of action last?  David Rudder is right.  Old talk drains the spirit.
David E. Bratt MD
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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.
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Photos:
57UN0001SIGNATURES, Some signatures that you might know.
06WK0067REUNION2006, Bunch of UNKNOWNS HELP
15MP1534MPRFCU, Manuel Prada and Fr. Cuthbert
15MP1530GLAFAU, George Laquis and Fr. Augustine






Saturday 24 December 2016

Circular No 790









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

Caracas, 24 December 2016 No. 790
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Dear Friends,
This is the issue for the Christmas cards that I get from you.
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1 January 2017
Dear Ladislao
Jon Golding (jon@goldings.net) has sent you a Jacquie Lawson e-card. If you haven't heard of us, you'll be pleasantly surprised! Our e-cards are known for their artistry and gentle humour.
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Also a card from
Your greeting card from George Iwaskiewicz
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Daniel de Verteuil
12 Jan (2 days ago)
Hi Ladislao,
Correction on the photo of the Class of 1960:  #21 is Daniel de Verteuil not Dennis.
Bye for now,
Daniel de Verteuil
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Don Mitchell
18/12/2016
Thanks, Elspeth,
And a Happy Christmas to you and Richard too. 
You have galvanised me into rushing to complete our Christmas letter, and I hope to get it out in a day or two once Maggie has finished her proof-reading :-)
Keep well both of you.
Don
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O'Connor Elspeth <pethrich@westnet.com.au>
17/12/2016
Yes, our number is 61-08- 93645800 but I think when dialling from overseas you leave out the 0 before the 8,  
Regards.  
Elspeth
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Ladislao Kertesz <kertesz11@gmail.com>
17/12/2016
Dear Elspeth,
Do you have a telephone number??
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O'Connor Elspeth <pethrich@westnet.com.au>
13/12/2016
Many thanks for all your emails and news during the year. 
I try to get Richard to write something for the Mount newsletter with no luck. 
He has very fond memories of Mount and particularly the Scouts and made some great friends while there. 
It is good that you all keep doing what you do as we also have an Old Girls Association from my old school, The Assumption Convent, in Ramsgate, Kent but we are all getting to the entrance of the Pearly Gates soon!
Richard keeps well as you can see in the newsletter but has the occasional bout of sciatica.
He comes to exercises (with a physiotherapist) every Monday and is the only man there now as he is with his Lifeball to which he keeps going.
He also walks half an hour every day which keeps him fit.
He would love to give up driving, and I do most of it now, but I encourage him to do what he can for as long as possible. 
His joy is his grand children and building jig-saws but now has to get up every half hour to avoid the sciatica. 
One keeps the mind fit the other the body! 
Unfortunately, Leary has now been diagnosed with dementia but he is still able to drive to his block of land, about 12 kms away as he knows the route well and he is as happy as anything there, so hope that does not come to an end too soon, but it will I think. 
Gillian is having difficulty adjusting to having to make so many decisions but the children have rallied around and are a great support. 
Everyone getting older, including me!
Attached is our newsletter in case you can glean something from it. 
God Bless you all. 
Elspeth
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laszlo kertesz <kertesz11@yahoo.com>
12/23/16 at 6:15 PM
Don !
I do include about 10 emails addresses taken at random from the list, when I send a new Circular.
The purpose is to eliminate those addresses that get bounced during 2016.
I just copy the excel email address and past in CC. 
Then about a couple of days I check those that are not deliverable and make a note.
I am sure Kazim does not do this,
Happy Winter Solstice Day, may the god, or supreme deity favour you in the following year
Ladislao
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mailto:idmitch@anguillanet.com
12/23/16 at 7:21 PM
Okay, that is fine. 
But, if you want to do that, the best help would be to send emails to those in Venezuela, as my circulars to the Venezuelans about your circulars are nearly all bouncing. 
I’ll complete the list of email addresses and send you a note later.
Keep well.
Don
PS:  Solstice day was great.  It is my job to cook the turkey on Sunday coming.  All I know how to cook is barbecued steak.  So, we are offering our guests a 7-lb tenderloin that I shall marinade in red wine and rosemary for 24 hours, and which I shall name “turkey” :-)
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ARTICLE FROM THE PAST
I have the following on the spot information on the Event, Fr. Christopher has been kind enough to have sent the following report. This time the oldest e mail is in first.
From: "the-mount" <the-mount@carib-link.net>
Date: 16 Aug 12:11 (PDT)
Dear Ladislao,
As you know the 1st Reunion and Dinner of the old Abbey Boys Association took place yesterday, 15th August 2003, at the Centre of Excellence.
About 100 hundred people attended, including about 8 monks and some of the former teaching staff, among whom most prominent Miss Kitty Marcus (88).
It was a most enjoyable evening.
Several of those present commended the work you have been doing in sending out Newsletters.
Some of us, including myself, feel your work and tireless efforts are not being appreciated enough.
Thus this little note of encouragement.
Keep it up. Even if we do not respond as often as we should, many, I can assure you, do enjoy your regular newsletters, even the abbot who you took to task in your last one.
By the way this same last one was inadvertently deleted from this computer before I had a chance to print it.
Kindly mail it to us again.
Many thanks, very best wishes and hope to meet you in the living flesh at the 2nd Reunion (or before).
God bless.
Fr. Christopher
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Caracas, 29 of August 2003.
Dear Fr. Christopher,
Thank you for the email and the lines on the event.
Please give my apologies to Fr. Abbot.
My worry from the start was that there would be not enough publicity for the EVENT.
I had sent Miguel Gonzalez, the Circulars since I received his email address in March.
First I thought it was a hoax, and after I sent out Circular No.87 I got a reply, too late to make a decent publicity to the Circulars readers.
With No. 91 I did get a lot of replies.
I always thought that there must have been interaction with the priests of the Mount, but no answer from there, so this was my complaint.
This is the first email from MSB, after 93 Circulars, so you might gauge my worry.
Well, the important part is that the EVENT was successful and there is a hope for 2nd EVENT. God Willing.
Please ask Fr, Cuthbert for Fr.Francis and Fr. Paul´s address at their retirement home in Holland.
Also I ask you to have the circular passed to Fr. Benedict, Fr, Augustine, Fr, Cuthbert and all the others that have made these Circulars possible, thanks to have been part of MSB and the Abbey School.
Please inform me if you need old Circulars, and send me the number of the one that was deleted, so that it can be replaced.
Can you send me the name of the oldboys that you did recognize at the EVENT.
Also the 8 priests that assisted, there were brothers also??
God Bless
Ladislao
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The old memories remain:
Lifting Mr Lionel Tyrell's old Morris 8 automobile and carrying it up the steps to the lower classroom landing hallway. (He never found out who did this but we all got flogged anyway)
Do you remember "Toots"? We used to spray ink on the back of his suit when he walked by in the isle of the classroom.
I really felt sorry that we all did this. Poor fella.
Then there was the freshman initiation as a new student started school, they had to be thrown into the bougainvillea hedge with all the thorns. ouch.
That really hurt for days after.
Smoking in the bathrooms and getting caught every time.
Throwing the compass point at the blackboard while the teacher had his back turned.
And the Dean of Discipline....I was in his office every day it seemed like getting my ass caned.
(Amongst all of this, I managed to get an education somehow.)
I now live in the USA and would really like to get info from time to time., however you won't be able to fax me because it will be a long distance call for you.
Is it anyway possible that you can e-mail stuff to: paul.delabastide@att.net ??
I used to hang out with the Costello's, Rostant's, Russell Cuhna, Gregory Farfan, Bruce Hutton, The Kirtons and de Pass boys, so that should clue you in to my era (now 53).
I have been asking around for awhile now as to what ever happened to The Abbey School and all its records.
Do they have a web site that I can go to and do research on old student lists?
Let me know your response.
Please keep in touch
Paul de la Bastide
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PLEASE LOOK AT THE PHOTO; IT HAS NO NAMES.
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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.
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Photos:
57UN0001CLASS,  This photo has no takers.  Sorry for the blemish.  it was received this way
07SA0219EDIMSB, Shower and bathroom at school
62TF0003RACEGRP, podium with Terrence Ferreira
12LK6171FBAGA, Alexander Garth