Tag Archives: OCA Australia

Richard [Dick] D’Abreu / no more

Sad to announce Richard Oscar (Dick) D’Abreu passed away peacefully at SJOG Bunbury on the 14th March aged 91 years. Much love Husband of Joan – Marjorie D’Abreu. Father of Tony D’Abreu. Dad to Ken Bird Alan Bird Joanne Smith Steve Smith and all their families. A battle weary Serviceman finally at rest.

DUE TO THE CURRENT STATE OF THE WORLD HEALTH The funeral will be at

Crematorium Chapel
10 Belcher Street Bunbury

Wednesday 18 March, 2020 at 2.00pm

Due to the short notice and some people not being able to attend due to current Health Department guidelines we will be live streaming the service.

PLEASE USE THE LINK BELOW TO WATCH THE LIVE COVERAGE OR YOU CAN WATCH AT A LATER DATE.

https://barrettfunerals.etributes.com.au/etributes/richard-dabreu/

 

School stories of the 1940s era

School stories  of the 1940 era, by: Peter Maidment. Rivaz 89 years  /  Jim Lee. Curzon 90 years / Dick D’Abreu. Curzon 88 years.

Peter Maidment:-

I have some very precious memories of my years at BCS Simla between 1941 and 1943. I was in Rivaz House when Peter Rollo was House Captain. We became very good friends, so much so that I was relocated to a bed adjoining the Captains cubicle in our dormitory overlooking the tennis courts. Our mutual friends Andy, Ken and Jim would often meet in  the dormitory. Andy and Ken are now deceased, but Jim and I still correspond and talk with Dick D’Abreu (a later mutual friend) on Skype. Jim, Dick and I recently resolved that we had some good cause to be included in the Old Cottonian news that is still forwarded to members past and present, hence this account.

One of the regular incidents that occurred in those halcyon days was the surreptitious and sneaky nocturnal visits to the Pictures after lights out. The four good friends would get dressed up in Indian garb and walk all the way to the City to see the chosen film. On one occasion we were half way to our destination, when coming towards us were two House Masters who somehow recognised we were not the locals. To forestall this surprise discovery I involuntarily spoke a few garbled Hindustani words to make us seem authentic. It so happened that my House Master was one of the staff who recognised me and reprimanded me for setting a bad example as the then House Captain. I was given a firm lecture the next day and promised I would not commit the act again.

Jim Lee:-

As a child being lead along the beach on the back of a pony was the only time I had ever been in a saddle. Pete, Ken and Andy desperately wanted to go horseback riding and persuaded me to join them one weekend. From a stable in Simla we rented the horses, and my request was for a small gentle horse because of my lack of experience. When the groom and his assistant brought the four horses into the courtyard, all saddled up, he walked over to me with an animal that must have been well over 16 hands. It was huge compared to the other three horses. He overcame my protests by telling me, that despite its size, the horse that he had picked for me was an old animal, very gentle, well trained and not a fast runner. My buddies assured me they would walk their horses alongside me to make sure I was alright, which they did until we got to a straight stretch of road known as “Ladies Mile.”It was the only area where a rider could gallop his mount. As we approached Ladies Mile  my friends suggested that I let my hoprse graze on the shoulder of the road while they went around the corner and galloped to the end and back. That was fine with me because I was certainly not comfortable or confident to gallop on ‘the giant’I was astride. Away they went assuring that I would be ok until they returned. Well, it did not quite work out that way. When my horse heard the thunder of galloping hooves it raised its head, put its ears forward, and turned the corner in hot pursuit of the others. I was not prepared for the sudden burst of speed, and tried to stay in the saddle as best I could, pulling down on the reins and calling for help. I didn’t make it. I seemed to slide forward in the saddle and rolled to the ground off the horses neck. The horse stopped and just stood over me. The three ahead heard my desperate cries and turned to help. It was an embarrassing long walk back to school after returning the horses. I was shaken and bruised, but what hurt the most was my pride.

It was 36 years before I mounted another horse, my daughter Jennifer’s horse Quinn, and wouldn’t you know, I was bucked off even before Quinn took a step. After this second indignity I resolved I would confine my horsey activities to feeding the horse and cleaning the barn!.

Dick D’Abreu:-

As Peter in Sydney Australia, Jim in Langley Canada and I in Perth Western Australia chat for an hour once a week on Skype, we thought it would be nice to write a few lines on our interesting and happy days at Bishop Cotton School Simla in the 1940ies era.

From an early age of five years old my parents gave me a horse to ride of which I was able to manage very well. I used to ride the horse to my kindergarten classes on week days before I was sent to BCS as a boarder in 1936 in class Lower 1. My father worked on the Great Indian Peninsular Railway as a senior Interlocking Engineer while we lived in Jhansi. My parents would drum into my sister Grace and myself that they were making big sacrifices to send me to BCS and my sister to Auckland House so as to have the best of education. I took a while to adjust to boarding school in those early days as I could hardly dress myself, or tie up my shoelaces. A very kind servant that cleaned our shoes every morning saw my plight and used to assist me in getting dressed for class every day. Many a time I would cry on his shoulder. It never took me long to make friends, as our PT instructor Baby Hawkes taught me the finer points of boxing. At four stone in weight I was one of the flee weights.

In my latter years in school while in the senior classes I became good friends with Derek Blewett  who also loved horse riding . Together we would go down to the stables at the Lower Bazaar on a Sunday to hire horses which we rode out to Auckland house to visit our sisters.  My pocket money was a generous Rs 3.00  a week, the cost of hiring the horse was 8 Annas for two hours. The rest of the pocket money would be spent on Kurram’s tuck shop to buy peg tops and paper kites. We also used to spend it at Kurram’s sons place adjacent to tuck shop eating samousas and cups of tea. Freddy Brown who was a Cottonian in my early days at school returned after he left school as my Curzon House Master. He was a great person.

One Sunday on our visit to Auckland House on the horses, my horse that was tied up to the bench overlooking the girls playground came loose. It ran on to the playground, despite the girls and teachers chasing it the horse eluded capture. It was over an hour after which I took out some of my gelabbies to eat, (Indian sweets) which I had bought wrapped in brown paper, when to our surprise the horse came trotting up to see what I had. I was able to ride it back to the Lower Bazaar and promise to pay the syce the extra 4 Annas the following  week.

———————-

Editor: Here are some earlier stories by this trio

OCs get-together down under

30th April 2010 Perth:

Further to Peter Rollo’s letter regarding Peter Johans’ visit to Perth from Switzaland on Friday 30th April. I email the photo of the happy group. It was good to catch up with Peter Johans and his wife on their visit to Perth. He was in BCS only a few years after we left, but when recalling his memories of the old school nothing seemed different to when we were there in the 1940’ies. All of us in Perth W.A. wish him and his wife well. 

Cheers,
Dick D’Abreu 

Here is peter Rollo’s email referred to by Dick:

Dear Anil.   Just made contact with an OC, who you may not have on your list of OCs.  His name is Peter JOHANS.  He entered the Prep school in 1944 and the main school in 1947. He left BCS in 1948.  He is married and lives in Switzerland.  He is coming over to Perth West Australia later this month for a visit, will find out more about him. He was there after my time.  Hope you and the family are all keeping well.   Regards   Peter.

First Roll Call…

I well remember my first roll call as an eight year old at Bishop Cotton School when I was  placed in Rivaz House. This was before we had a prep school in Chota Simla.

After a tearful parting from my mother, I was introduced to the Rivaz Housemaster. He showed me to my place at the Rivaz House dining table for the evening meal. When we were all seated, the House Captain of Rivaz stood up and read out the roll call. The first name on the roll was Abreu. As he called out this name, no one answered. He repeated it once again. I then replied, that if the name was meant to be me, I was known as D’Abreu. ” The roll book says you are Abreu…You will answer to that name” said the House Captain. “Yes sir I am present” I said. “You do not call me sir, I am a School Prefect and your House Captain…” . “Yes sir Mr. Prefect, I am present“. He addressed me again. “You need to say Adsum when answering your name” “Yes Mr. Prefect, Adsum I am here.. ” He then carried on with the roll call. I really felt terrified for the rest of the evening meal.

I can still recall some of the names on that roll 73 years later.  They were:- Abreu.. Advice…Bannon 1 ..Bannon 2 ..Bains … Bapty… Bennigall …Brooks…Coats 1… Coats 2… Dorgey… Edwards… Grant 1….Grant…2 …Greenway… Hemmingway… etc etc.. I often wonder if some of those I can remember are still around today.  In 1938 we younger students were put into the new Prep School. When I returned to the main school I was placed in Curzon House. I was in the 3rd Form, and a lot older. I was able to enjoy my school days. I could well distinguish a master from a school prefect, so able to keep well out of trouble.. 

Dick D’Abreu
Curzon House

An OLD OC!

Dear Editor,

I have been induced by recent correspondence with some of my  contemporary OCs to write a few words that can be shared with those who remember me during my years at BCS. It was a priviledge to have spent time at the School in those halcyon days during the early ’40s. I have had the good fortune to keep in touch with Peter Rollo and Jim Lee over several years and just recently have been reaquainted with Arthur Allan Bapty.

The contact with the school through articles in the Old Cottonian Magazine on the Internet is now an important part of my life and I sincerely hope this will continue in the future.

My sincere thanks to all those involved with keeping this essential vehicle alive.

Yours very sincerely,

Peter  Maidment.
At BCS 1941-1943