Open forum for old boys of Mayfield College to post items of interest to other Xaverians.
Tribute to Bonk!
Mayfield College
Its got its spire back!
Blog Archive
About Me
- Desmond Bokšan-Cullen
- I am the web-master of the Eastbourne Catenian Circle. I am also the Chairman of the Sussex Branch of the British Computer Society.
25 comments:
Poor old "Bonk" apparently he died in his Bonk mobile in the school grounds and had been living in it for years had nowhere to go and nothing else in his life, if anyone has any more pictures I would love to see them.
Paul
pauljdunn@gmail.com
It's very sad... I was just talking about bonk to a fencing teacher who has been on the fencing circuit for the last forty years. She remembered him but didn't know what had happened to him. He was an institution.
Tony Andoh-Korsah
Hey chaps. Is an old 'girl' allowed to post a message also. Re: Bonk. The thought of any other end for him would simply not have been right. Mayfield was his life and true love. I have often regaled friends and family with tales about my much loved, dare I say totally mad, maths teacher. They don't make them like him any more. Hi to all other old boys and girls. Freya Airey (nee Mason)
I too remember Bonk. I was at Mayfield in the early 80's. Very sad to hear about his demise, he was a kind and decent man.
bye.
Mike McEntee, Fisher House then Campion. Friends were Paul Clemments, William Knight, Charles Gordon, Gary 'fingers', Patrick Chu, Raymond Lou,Amir Khan. Wow, blast from the past names. Kentucky Fried Movie and 'parachutes' in the dorm with the mattresses anyone ?
All seems a blur.
I'm just trying to find anyone who knew my late husband, Leo McDonnell, at Mayfield in the early 60's. He was in More House and was friendly with boys in the year above him. He always spoke about Tarquin Butler, Froggat and Cotilli to the end of his life. I would be very happy to hear from any of them if they remember him. cathmcdon2001@yahoo.co.uk
I wasin Campion House from 1955/60
did not like the place. i am now 73
remember most of the brothers at the time most of all Mr Fouracre
(itchy)history and latin.
Keith Robinson MC 77, Campion House, 1955 to 1959 remembers Mr. Fouracre arriving on a scooter and having newspaper slowly dropping out of his trouser legs which had been placed there as insulation. He was an early 'geek' apparently... "He managed to make even the most exciting events in history seem entirely and unutterably boring and I could never understand why he existed!" Says Keith...
Keith Robinson MC 77, Campion House, 1955 to 1959 remembers Mr. Fouracre arriving on a scooter and having newspaper slowly dropping out of his trouser legs which had been placed there as insulation. He was an early 'geek' apparently... "He managed to make even the most exciting events in history seem entirely and unutterably boring and I could never understand why he existed!" Says Keith...
Paul Dunn:
Wally did indeed die in his camper van in the college grounds. However It’s not true he had nowhere to go, Although he was adopted and didn’t really have much family. he owned a rather nice Farm in Alborne East Sussex which he inherited. I think Mayfield and the boys were his life and family. and sadly he couldn't adapt to a world outside of it. It must have been quite a sad time for him. It’s strange It was my obsession with VW camper vans that introduced him to the way of life. he sold his trusty Alfa Romeo for a camper in about 1972 after our 1st boys trip around the British isles. He never looked back.
Cheers
Jon Allen
Paul Dunn:
Wally did indeed die in his camper van in the college grounds. However It’s not true he had nowhere to go, Although he was adopted and didn’t really have much family. he owned a rather nice Farm in Alborne East Sussex which he inherited. I think Mayfield and the boys were his life and family. and sadly he couldn't adapt to a world outside of it. It must have been quite a sad time for him. It’s strange It was my obsession with VW camper vans that introduced him to the way of life. he sold his trusty Alfa Romeo for a camper in about 1972 after our 1st boys trip around the British isles. He never looked back.
Cheers
Jon Allen
I am Munns 1MC2 and was at Mayfield from September 1954 until December1961, before Mayfield I spent a year at The Salesian College Cowley Oxford in comparison Mayfield was a Holiday Camp and Nigly's meagre offerings a well balanced diet in winter time at Cowley there were large queues of boys at the Sanatorium suffering from chilblains caused by mal- nutrition Niggle's food did not do that but we were always hungry. my Kid brother Jim and 6 others were transferred to Mayfield when Fox hunt its Prep school closed the Music cots were converted into a classroom for them to keep them away from the rest of us Can be reached on twemunns@googlemail.com
RISK ASSESSMENTS & HEALTH& SAFTY were unknown in my time the Swimming Pool was full of dense green water so a body below the surface could not be seen.
On Guy Fawkes Day armed with Bangers Jumping Jacks and Rockets[ to be fired across the yard the entire school was decanted into the yard where mayhem ruled until we had run out of ammunition
There were some very unpleasant boys but most of the time it was possible to avoid them I never experienced any sexual abuse, either from the Brothers, or from other boys, but Br, Alphonsus who was headmaster when I Arrived, was replaced by Br Pius who left very suddenly, to be replaced by a visibly angry Alphy, who in a speech in the Refectory made it quite clear that he was not pleased to be back, afterwards it was rumoured that he had put a hand on a boy's leg, no doubt sorted by confession, 3 Hail Marys and a firm purpose of amendment.[ we know better now but did not then]
The Brothers were not priests because they considered themselves unworthy of that post so they had to have a Chaplin at my time this was Father Andrews who took no part in school activities,he lived in the Priest's House , I think with his sister, he was believed to weave his own vestments . He never gave a sermon and whatever you told him in Confession the Penance was always three Hail Marys
Bro Leo had the misfortune to arrive at Mayfield and to be made the form master of Form 3 of which I was one . We gave him hell I remember him saying " I have been teaching boys for 30 years and I have never come across a bunch as bad as you", no doub the way we treated him explains but does not excuse his subsequent behaviour.
Any one know about MikE Morretta, Don Borneo, Dennis the Frenchman, Phil Graham, Charlie Welphton,
This is Maurice Rivas now living in Miami
mauricerivas2013@gmail.com
Anyone at Mayfield during 1943-1946 during time of bro pius?? Reed mc86
My name is Carl Raccah (MC159). I was there from 1976 to 80. Headmaster was Gerry Hughes. I remember Bonn very well. Made House Captain of More House. Not sure how! I was a good rugby player, so maybe that's why... Never had any problem with the Brothers, though stayed out of Brother Leo's way! Other notable figures, Brother Osmond (Geography) Brother Conrad (Art). I'm now in the Creative Industries, largely because of the direction of Chris Vroege. Does anyone know what happened to him. Greetings to you all!
Any1 still alive from 83-86 in more house all the way thru...?
I remember the first girls in the school lol
amazing what you remember and what you don't.
I remember Bonk ! What a geezer, he was running the tuckshop and everything.
He also lived in that tiny office/room up on the 2`s... will always remember that man.
See it now OMG it so quiet and erm.....lifeless!..
Annual Cross Country Run anyone?
4`s.....
Hi, does anyone know the where about what happened to Terry O’ Sullivan 1967 to 1972 ?
Does anyone know what happened to Gerry Hughes?
I was a dayboy between 1965 and '70 and in writing a book for my grandchildren went looking for old school photos and was shocked at the abuse that clearly took place, shocked but not surprised. I helped Brother Osmund one summer dig some deep hole in the group in front of the school were he put the weather vane. The next thing I knew I had a three day 'holiday' booked with him, staying in a railway carriage at nigh. My parents who organised it, cancelled it at the last moment. Did none of the parents ever suspect anything?
I lived in fear of Brother Punkett, one look at him and you would have thought the parents would have realised he was half mad, half drunk.
And as for Saturday sticking periods, again Brother Osmund with his assortment of beating weapons and the whelping of the boys stayed with me to this day.
I would be pleased to hear from anyone,
Stephen 'Could do better' Walker Plunket House
As a former Mayfield student and having just returned from a stint in Lilongwe Malawi I attended the funeral of the late Br. Francis who died at the Xaverian School in Mzedi he used to teach at Mayfield College in the 50s the at Hartlepool then he was transferred to the African Province where held many senior posts I was told. I gathered from an old member of the Community there that he kept in touch with a Brother Sylvester and Brothers Leo and Osmund until their deaths. Some old boys may remember those BROTHERS.
Dead I hope...... If. Not. I'll kill him myself.... Karma not a nice thing...... Johnny Knight 😂
Post a Comment