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Dear 59ers and Other Cathedralites,
What a hectic month. Sadly,
Annikki's father passed away on 9th February, so we were busy
making all the arrangements for the funeral and memorial service.
I lost a substitute father who was a wonderful man. You can read
about this unusual individual in
our main ezine.
I had a letter from Willie
who complained that he could not see the face behind the beard
in our photograph which went up with the last issue. So I am
putting up what may be one of the last photographs taken of me
without a beard. (Ed: I was accused of cradle snatching
when we got married! Got way with a great sentence of life imprisonment
to the baby.)
Willie has also sent me
a nice picture of himself with his lovely wife, Pushpa and equally
lovely his daughter, taken by a 59er, Hasnain Chinwalla. I shall
put up this photograph shortly.
Here is the content of
Willie's latest letter which corrects me about our Geography
teacher's name. Now it flashes back - Zavala!! How could I forget
that name. Only a Zavala with Peruvian Indian fury could charge
me full pelt waving his hockey stick in the air in the staff
vs school hockey matches?
From: "William
& Pushpa Shiri" <shiriwp@attcanada.ca>
Subject: varied
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 23:21:55 -0500
Dear Jacob,
I feel guilty that I haven't responded to you after all the messages
we have been receiving. I really don't know how you manage keeping
in touch with so many all the time ! What a magnificent job
you do, holding all of us together!
When I read all the familiar names of my past students, I have
a great urge to get in touch with them, I try spotting them
in a couple of old photographs I have. I perhaps could, if it
is o k with you, send a message to all in your Seventh Heaven.
(Ed: The feeling is one which should be curbed. With
a motley collection of photographs of some goblydook guys and
gals haunting your house - you will be having nightmares every
morning.)
Incidentally, here are some names that will fill in the blanks
re Staff photo:
The Peruvian geography teacher: Alberto Zavala
Some first names: Rider Salmon, John Billington, Arthur Morecroft.
Pushpa was a Class 2 teacher in the Junior School 1955-62.
Became a peripatetic music teacher in England, visiting three
different schools. Remained so in Montreal for a few years, then
switched to class-room teaching.
I was curious to know what you looked like. In that picture of
two days ago, behind that thick white beard and moustache, I
can faintly recognize the old familiar face. Have you grown a
pigtail of sorts? (Ed: I called a line at pigtails
- I am not quite Charlesian but more Darwinian.) Annikki
(did I spell it right?) is nice looking, like I had imagined
(Ed: There cannot be a more beautiful person in this
universe).
I met Nusly Pocha (' 60) when he visited me here last year.
Do you know, it was only when I spotted him in an old Wilson House
picture just the other day that I really remembered him!
Nusly sent me a ' 60 reunion photo taken last year and
the only one I could spot was a Hirjikaka (who, strangely, hadn't
changed a bit). and some faintly, after checking their names.
Most I did not.
Fond regards to you both.
Willie
It has been such a hectic
month. I established contact with two more 59ers.
From: Peter Miovic
Subject: Re: Fw: Wish to contact Peter
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 08:57:34 -0500
Hi Jacob,
I am alive even if my
dellnet.com address is dead. I enjoyed looking at your web-site
and am impressed by the energy you are putting into the "search
for cathedralites" effort. I hope to get around soon to
updating you on what I've been up to this past (almost) half
century.
I don't think I ever knew
John Beddow, although I had heard of him. Maybe he was gone
by late 1958, early 1959 which is roughly when I began to feel
comfortable enough in English to reach out and meet people.
I knew Bobby and Billy Anderson (mainly through Patty), but they
too had gone off to boarding schools by 1958/59, so I only met
them a couple of times when they were back in Bombay for vacations.
I believe that Bill, who was several years older than we were,
attended Miami University of Ohio, so you might get hold of him
through
their Alumni network. I have no idea what Bob ended up doing.
More later and thanks for
your persistence. I appreciated "being found". I guess
I now know that I exist.
Best,
Peter
and
From: John Beddow
Subject: RE: 59ers: Is it really you?
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 16:37:09 +1100
Namaste baboo jee! you
have indeed found John Beddow in Australia. Great to hear some
of those old names from the distant passed. Visited Bombay (Mumbai)
two years ago and the old parts of the city have not changed.
Met some of the old pani wallas from breach candy and had a great
time. John Vasica has Patty Andersons web number but we have
not heard from either Billy or Bobby Anderson. I will send you
a brief 100 pages on my life in due course,, meantime...chai
biddy chai!!
Thanks to a Cathedralite
a few years junior to us, Ranko Ivancevic, also from Yugoslavia
like Peter. He got the information from Peter's sister, and although
the first mail bounced, with his perseverance, I finally got
through.
Thanks to Vinay Dabholkar
I got the email addresses of Bashir Currimjee and Wabhir Zayani.
From: "Vinay Dabholkar"
<sdabholkar@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: E mail addresses
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001 08:04:07 +0000 (GMT)
Dear Jacob,
Re your message about missing e mail addresses of some of the
class of 59. We are sending two that we have which are on your
missing list. Hope they'll be in the fold soon.
We love reading your mails.
Just great to be connected.
Sorry to hear about Annikki's
father. Hope the temperatures get warmer soon. (Ed: The
day before the funeral was the coldest -35 C with a strong wind
taking the temperature down to around -45 C. Now it is a mere
-20 C.)
Don't think we can even
imagine cold like that from here in Mumbai, which is really pleasant
this year.
All the best to all of
you !
Vinay and Sulabha Dabholkar
I thought I was lucky and
I had managed to trace Bobby Anderson. But the lead I was so
thrilled about was not so hot. I had a nice reply from the Pat
Anderson - but it was not sister Patty. I still have the lead
given me by John, so I am not giving up. Anyone know how to contact
John Vasica?
Just this afternoon I had
a very touching letter from 54er Sadhana Madhusadan. So you can
see that I am giving you stuff hot of my iMac black ivories.
I wonder whether Sadhana
knew she was writing to a Mallu. That is what we call ourselves
in the wild euronorth!
For all you 54ers - I have
a lovely relaxed picture of Aubrey and Pam sent to me by Aubrey,
which I will upload in a future issue.
This weeks picture of Cathedral
School boxers has been provided by Aubrey to rack what remains
of your brain cells. No winners for our last picture identification
competition. The prize of the Art Glass piece designed by the
Finnish architect Alvar Aalto is being carried forward to anyone
who can identify all the boxers shown below and also date the
year of the picture. Only Aubrey is not permitted to enter.
From: "Sadhana
Madhusudan" <siddarthm@vsnl.net>
To: <jmatthan@gmail.com>
Subject: Setting the record straight?
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 19:36:29 +0530
Dear Jacob,
Hi, after a long gap. There were a series of losses in our compound
in Pune and in our family in B'lore so I was unable to keep in
touch.
Pam's sudden appearance
through your page and then equally unexpected exit from our midst
was very unsettling. How fleeting this life is and yet we do
not really feel the urgency to do things that this slight stay
on earth warrants.
At least you aren't included
in this bizarre laid back world of mine. You seem to be going
great guns. (Ed: My work ethic is to reply my emails
within 48 hours as with 300 emails a day I would be in a total
mess within a week.) Maybe the land of Aurora Borealis has
touched you with magic....I am truly a great procrastinator and
lazy too..
I am married to a Malayali from Trivandrum Kerala. This was a
very great news for my class mate Nalini Nair (Savage house,
great hurdles expert) class '54. I would always refer to her
casually as a 'Madraasi" (Ed: Does this ring a
bell with one 59er, Mr. Viney Sethi?) Much to her chagrin.
When she said she would be going to Cochin for her hols, to me
it was always to "Madras". So, imagine her glee when
she saw me married to a Malayali, with my "thaali"
around my neck....
It,s funny how things catch
up
I am a Gujuyali now....(Ed:
I was thinking of reserving the domain name Finnyali - but opted
for Findians instead!!)
I want to add that my brother
Indrajit Shah (Palmer House) was in your class. In fact he still
remembers the picnic-at-Vasind incident where you almost drowned.
(Ed: Not almost - I drowned!! Hi 59ers - one more to
the fold. Lanky and thin Indrajit. A slightly higher pitched
voice if my memory serves me right. Very friendly boy.)
And, he rues it to this
day that everyone including him panicked and instead of holding
on to you, swam away as you pulled at them...(Ed: I
don't. I would have pulled anyone else down with me. And, I may
have also been denied the most wonderful experience of my life
which taught me that approaching death can be a beautiful experience
if one gives oneself to his Lord and Master!)
I just read your account
of what had happened.
I must inform him to log
on to your page and see it for himself.
We lost my dearest Papa
in 1955 and he was packed off to Ahmedabad with a younger brother
Jagdeep Shah (also Palmer) So, he lost touch. There he joined
St Xavier's. Later on graduated from Elphinstone College, carrying
away the English Literature prize. Worked with Dunlop's India
and retd (Ed: Retired at 58? Prime of ones life.)
from Hyderabad a few years ago, Lives in Pune now, does some
writing. Has submitted a letter to school rag.
My other brother Randhir
Shah (Ed: My elder brother's classmate. I remember
Randhir very well - although did not realise he was Indrajit's
brother.) graduated with best All Rounder student prize in
56. He was in Fulmala Maniar and Reema Savara's (Ed: Vickram
Savara is a 59er now in USA and younger brother of Reema)
class. He scored highest marks in Cambridge, went on to becoming
an Engineer with Greaves Crompton. Passed away suddenly in Pune
in 1989.
Some names in your student
list have been mis-spelt. Gracie, will bear with me. It is Armaity
Mody, Zarin Lam, Georgina Fannagan, Tutu Lahiri, Nilina Pillai...
(Ed: Thanks for the corrections - I got some of the
names from Catcall!!)
Incidentally, Mr Kuruvilla Jacob (Ed: My landlord of
a veritable mansion) in Madras was the Headmaster of my husband's
school in Madras-Christian College School.
My hubby joined the TS
Dufferin as a cadet and qualified as Master Mariner with a British
certificate...we used to bump into those guys at the Golwalla
swimming pool at Backbay. And, we would run pell mell shouting
"The Dufferin boys are here, hurry up put on your uniforms".
(Ed: Wasn't it the Dufferin guys who were wearing those
uniforms. Naughty, naughty. :-)) You remember, those
lockers had no doors. (Ed: Why did no one share this
secret wiith me before? )
Those were the days...
All for now, stay well,
love to Annikki.
Sadhana'54
ps could you send me Pam's
message asking for my e-mail? Sounds senti but I,d like to see
it? Thanx. (Ed: With pleasure - will be forwarded forthwith.)
What a warm letter - which
makes the putting up of this rag such a worthwhile pleasure.
I was equally thrilled
to get this feedback from Armeane:
From: "Armeane
M. Choksi" <amchoksi@rubcap.com>
Subject: RE: 59ers: Is it really you?
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 13:24:19 -0500
Dear Jacob
At long last I managed
to find some time to explore the 7th heaven web page. What a
fantastic job you have done. It's terrific!! All of us owe you
a debt of tremendous gratitude for hooking us up to each other.
While I have seen some of our friends on the distribution list
in the past couple of years, I am using this simple facility
that you have set up to say hullo (I'm still around!!) to those
whom I have not. I live in Washington, DC.
If any of you is passing
through please send me an email or call me and let me know. I
would love to see you in person. Hopefully we would be able to
recognize each other after so many decades!!
Again thanks Jacob for
the wonderful service you have provided. What's with the beard??
Best Wishes
Armeane
And I do also have a message
from a 49er.
49, 54, 59, ... - Does some pattern seem to be
emerging? Before, I thought before it was the 7-year itch - hence
Seventh Heaven.
From: "Yezad Sam
Kapadia" <ysk@mantraonline.com>
To: "Jacob Matthan" <jmatthan@gmail.com>
Subject: Thanks
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2001 07:48:41 +0530
Dear Jacob,
Thanks for your Special Edition of Seventh Heaven. It is good
to know that you are still keen on tracking down old class mates.
The class of 49 is attempting yet another Reunion around Founder's
Day this year. We are targeting those who could not make it in
1999. We are making a concerted effort.
Take care.
Yesh
Many of those of you who
enjoyed my occasional Seventh Heaven Newsy Notes have asked me
to make it a regular feature. I am resisting that call because
of the bounced mail from those who do not update their email
addresses to me.
Please register at the
international Alumni. I have made it easy by putting a Click
Link in the next column. This is in addition to the Catcall
alumni. This international one is the one which is usually found
by the search engines. You can keep your privacy without a problem.
It hardly takes a few minutes. DO IT NOW!!
Keep those emails and photographs
coming. Armeane says that you all owe me a debt. I would like
to say it is the other way, as I have had such fun doing this,
that it makes life as the Dead Chicken
worth living. I cannot put up these issues without your active
co-operation. See you in a month when I weill answer those queries
about my beard.
Regards
Jacob Matthan
Honorary Editor
Seventh
Heaven (Web Version)
Cathedralite 1954
- 1959
School Hockey Goalkeeper - 1958; 1959
School Prefect - 1958; 1959
Savage House Captain - 1959
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