Photographs from The Falcon 1979
This edition of The Falcon celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the College, reflected in the years on the cover, 1954 - 1978. The first photograph is splendidly evocative, showing a boy making his way past the offices and down to evening school after games. The Science Department is framed by magnificent flamboyant trees in full bloom, and the mosaic by Jill Turner on the front of the building is clearly visible. This would have been towards the end of the year, probably November.
There was also a photograph of the founders of the school. As the caption explains, it's not quite exactly the original line-up, but pretty close. I wonder if any of these FOBs will be reading this?
Ron Reeve-Johnson produced Kenneth Woollard's Morning Departure, which became the winning entry in the National High Schools Theatre Festival in 1978. The adjudicator was John Cobb, and his notes on the play were reproduced in full, along with the photographs which follow.
Bruce Skinner as Brackley.
On the right is Duncan McAulay as Able Seaman Higgins, and next to him is Michael Nicholson as Lt-Cdr Stanford.
On the right below on the upper level we have Hamish Hamilton as Cdr Gates and next along from the right are two of Falcon's girls at the time, Louise Menashe and Joy-Anne Cox.
Also produced by Oates House in 1978 was Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians (also published as And Then There Were None).
Below we have Craig Danckwerts playing Vera Claythorne, Mike Loubser as Philip Lombard and Duncan McAulay as William Bone.
Leon Christianakis as Sir Lawrence Wargrave
Mark Linton as General Mackenzie and Craig Danckwerts as Vera Claythorne
The Falcon College Cadet Corps continued to function after the Rhodesia Army disbanded the Rhodesia Army Cadet Corps, and it was restricted to members of the Sixth Form. Apart from drill, courses included weapons training, mountaineering and military tactics. With the country still in the midst of civil war, this training put our young men in a good position when it came to completing their National Service when they left school. Thanks to Colin Bewes for identifying himself and several others below.
From the left: third row: Richard Bates, Ian Rutledge, two men obscured and then Stuart Ross; second row: Colin Bewes, Tim Sinclair; first row: Clive Elworthy, Guy Werner and Guy Turner.
Signalman Mike Brennan
Team photographs always bring many long forgotten characters back to mind, and looking through these again was, for me, a happy hour spent wandering down memory lane. There were girls at the College at this time, with Thelma van Wyk as Housemistress, and in the final team photograph you will notice Louise Menashe.
This special edition of The Falcon featured an article by illustrious former member of Staff, Peter Steyn, who wrote on "The Birds and Birdmen of Falcon". Five of his photographs were reproduced. The first below, that of the Lanner Falcon, was in colour!
Here we have a Brown Snake Eagle delivering a cobra to its large eaglet.
Above, a hide at an African Hawk Eagle's nest in the Mulungwane Hills; and below, members of the Natural History Society place a ring on a Martial Eagle chick which has been lowered from its nest.
The remaining photographs in this edition of The Falcon all related to Exploration Society Expeditions. Naturally there were some reminiscences, and the first three photographs were all from previous years.
1967
1968
1970
Exploring Drotsky's Cave
Mountaineering techniques
Below are the photographs from the 1978 Expedition to Outlook Estate in the Soutpansberg. I can't imagine what today's H&S people would have to say about the travel arrangements! John Hopkins front right, and Stewart McQuade on the right at the back. I think it's Phil Wesson front, second from the left, and behind him, just in front of Stewart McQuade is Guy Werner?
John Hopkins second from the right.
Phil Wesson (?) looks over the day's specimen collection by gas light.
Guy Werner on the left, then Ian Rutledge, John Hopkins, Mike Brennan and Tim Sinclair.
Phil Wesson centre, then Stewart McQuade to the right.
Gary was a vulture chick found near a vulture nesting site. He was quite a character, and at the end of the expedition "Mr Heinz Dullardt took Gary and our puff adder, found on the berg but unnamed, off to Pretoria along with Peewee [Pearson] and Guy Werner." The report is silent about the fate of the two animals after that; the two boys, presumably, were ultimately reunited with their families!
