Hello,
hello, Hazel calling - i.e. your dilatory `kuch bowani (sp?) Hon. Sec. of OMHSA
who, in her advancing years, can only just manage to write once a year! I did
have good intentions - and you know where that road leads - of writing earlier
in the year, but due to a dreadful complaint which I have dubbed ‘galloping
inertia’, nothing came of them. However, here we go:
Very little, I'm afraid
Sadly, we had a notice of the death of Essie (Carter) Robertson (MHS 1936-1937)
earlier this year. She came to one of the reunions we used to hold at the
Cavendish Club in London a few years' ago and was probably at MHS a good few
years earlier than most of us. We send our sympathy to any of her friends and
relatives who may read this newsletter.
On reading last year's
OMHSA newsletter, I see that we reported that Joyce Ezekiel Thorne had visited
Singapore with her brother and had met up with two other ex Mount Hermonites out
there. The mention of Joyce's
name reminds me to tell you that she and I are off on a P&O ship to various
European ports for a 16-day cruise in October this year. Joyce is an intrepid
traveller and has been on many cruises over the years.
I'm very much looking forward to accompanying her, and I prefer
travelling by ship, as opposed to being hermetically sealed in an aeroplane.
Speaking of `planes, in
March this year I flew off to Delhi, and also managed to visit Mussoorie - not
quite as exciting as if it had been Darjeeling, but nonetheless it was
interesting to visit another hill station. I was lucky enough to stay at the
famous Oak Grove School in Mussoorie, originally founded in the 19t"
century for the children of Railway employees in India. There are Oak Grove
Boys' and Girls' Schools still functioning there, and the student body is, of
course, totally Indian together with Indian teachers. Oak Grove has a charming
Guest House on campus for visitors, and I was treated right royally. I can't be
sure but I believe Mussoorie is 5 to 6,000 feet up and one could look down from
the school to the plains far below.
Delhi hadn't changed all that much since I was there
in the 1940s, but there was an enormous amount of traffic with 6-lane highways
in places, and what seemed to be hundreds more people. If you would like to have
more details of my trip, write or ring me, and I'll fill you in!
I know that many of our members have visited the
scenes of their Indian childhoods, and would also love to hear from them if they
have the time or inclination to put pen to paper, or to telephone me.
While on the subject of members, I have to report
that MHUSA (Mount Hermon U.S.A.) has disbanded, although their faithful Hon.
Secretary, June Baur Dewsberry still sends out newsletters. They just don't hold
reunions any more. My dear Alan and I went
to three of their reunions which were held on the shores of Lake Michigan, an
idyllic venue. My best wishes and salaams go to June and all U.S. Mount
Hermonites.
Last September (2004) we were a select little bunch
of 14 people at the Bombay Brasserie, and thoroughly enjoyed our curry lunch.
This year there will not be an OMHSA Reunion lunch as such, and instead we shall
be booking our own MHS table and joining the many other hill schools at the
famous Hill Schools Reunion lunch next year on the 29t'' March 2006.
NOW READ ON:
This is the fourth two-yearly HSR luncheon to be
held, as usual, at The Clay Oven, Alperton. The cost will be £29.50 per head
including wine, and it is expected that up to five hundred people will attend.
If you don't fancy curry there will be an alternative available. Friends and
relatives are also most welcome. If
you would like to attend, please send your cheque made out to OMHSA on the form
at the end of this newsletter and return it to me as soon as possible, so that
we can let the organisers know in good time.
James Sinclair (our Hon. Treasurer) and I thought
long and hard about whether we'd hold our own MHS reunion or not this year,
especially in the light of the London bombings, and eventually decided to
postpone it and just take part in the Hill Schools Reunion next March instead.
P.S. If you use the dreaded computer my e-mail
address is haztwin@aol.com
Our website at http://www.oldmhs.com
is doing well with 5,250 visitors so far, and some old students have
written in and contacted us. If you
have a PC or can access the Internet through a friend or one of the family,
please visit our site. Also, if you
have an e-mail address, please send it to us.