Background to "delicious" painting

A few days ago I described this picture as delicious.

Cathedral School - 1900

Here is the background to this picture as explained to me by 56er HS Uberoi, Savage House Captain, School Captain and someone who has three generations association with our school. His grandkids are presently in school!

Jacob, in a recent update you have put up some very pretty pictures of the school. An interesting backgrounder of the one you have captioned "delicious".

This one, and an identical one, coloured as the school is, were commissioned by the Alumni Association in 1985. I was President then and it was also the 125th anniversary of the school. We presented it to the school principal, then, Eric Simeon, at the Founders Day Dinner that year at the Taj.

It was hung after that in the principal's study.

I will ferret out a photograph of the occasion and send it to you one of these days.

The other one, was also presented to the school sometime later and it was last seen hung in the school library.

Thank you again,

Ubi

Please send me photos of events that represent your participation in school events - as there are thousands of people out there wanting to know more about our "unofficial" school history!

56er Meena has info for YOU

With so many pictures about the Boys'School, I redress the balance. Here is a picture of the Girls' School, maybe in the year 1956 or 1957. It was published in the School prospectus for 1958, kindly sent to me by 69er Barbara Rossi in Italy.



I received this email from 56er Meena Bhatt (née Lele)

Dear Jacob,

We have managed to trace quite a few of our classmates, we are even trying to get David Haskell who left school before graduating, whose last known address was a kibbutz in Israel.

We have got affirmative answers from over 24 of the class girls and I think Ubi is working hard to get more. Pauline Pitman was last heard of in Australia, but Vera Harris and Joyce Wilkie disappeared into England a long time ago.

If you have any method of getting hold of people in Australia, could you try?

I have now retired and am reveling in doing nothing all day long! Perhaps I will tire in a month or so!!

With warm regards,

Meena

Meena sent me her last circular letter addressed to all 56ers, so if you know one, please direct them to this info.

Dear All,

Things are slowly falling into place, but we need everyone to help find "lost" people. So far, untraceable are:

1. Pauline Pitman,


2. Vera Harris,


3. Razia Quamarain,


4. Yasmin Batliwala,


5. Neela Mehta,


6. Rakshi Gupta,


7. Joyce Wilkie,


8. Padma Abichandani.

Among the boys, we would appreciate it if anyone can contribute helpful links to :

1. R. Gokern,


2. Sudhir Grover,


3. Ernest Haskell,


4. Isaac Hyaem,


5. A. Jaffer,


6. D. J. Kripalani,


7. A. Kumar,


8. A. Rohira,


9. R. Shah,


10. R. Banatwala,


11. M. Tayabji.

We have traced Michael Tahseem. (Ed: I have informed Ubi about Ernest Haskell's email contact.)

Ubi has managed to get an affirmative answer from 8 boys, so some beginning has been made.

The plan stands confirmed:

Arrive in Mumbai any time before Tuesday 7th Nov. evening.
Dinner that night, 1930, will be hosted by Rima and Khadija. All spouses are invited.
Wed.8th & Thurs 9th is the outing to Pune only for the girls. Hostess in Pune is Patsy.
Wednesday night dinner hosted by Silloo at the ABC Farms.
Thursday night dinner hosted by Meena at her Pune home.
Thursday lunch is at Patsy's Stud Farm.
Friday 10th return to Mumbai after breakfast. Travel time is around 2 1/2 - 3 hours.
Saturday 11th is High Tea at Chitra's, with all spouses--boys' and girls'
Sunday 12th 0800 departure by launch from Gateway of India for Mandwa/Alibaug for day long picnic with all spouses. Hostess Rajni. Return to Mumbai after 1730.
Monday 13th Cocktails at 1900 with Uberoi and his wife at 1900. Girls/boys/spouses.
Tuesday 14th Founder's Day. Church Service at 0900 (plan on getting to the church by 0830-0845). Contributory tea in the Middle School followed by group photographs. Lunch at the Bombay Gym will be a Dutch treat with food being ordered previously.
Farewell dinner at Patsy's Sterling Bay home for grils/boys/spouses.

Could you all scan and send photographs of any school related group or function. DO NOT send hard copies. Also, could you think of writing small articles not more than 200 words. We also need information about yourselves -- likes, interests, ambitions, achievements that might have changed since school and will therefore help us in preparing the momento Year Book. We are not going beyond a Year Book and a souvenir mug unless you all feel the need for it.

I will be making an update of lists for the boys as soon as Ubi gets somemore names.

Sheila, could you please mail Jayalakshmi yourself, and send me her last known email address again?

Please do try and search your memories for the people I have named, and mail any information to me.

Lots of love,

Meena

I wish the 56ers a grand time at their reunion, but watch this space as news develops about this reunion.

56ers getting ready?

56ers, the Gentlemen, get off your backsides and get in touch with UBI, pronto.

I had this email from 56er Ubi:

Dear Jacob,

I have not written for some time now, but I look at your Blogsite almost daily and am totally updated.

You had very kindly put up the details of the anniversary on your site on 30 December 2005.

In addition to the programme detailed there, the following additional items are now contemplated also and the list will grow:

1. Dinner hosted by two old girls on 10 November 2006


2. Contributory lunch at the Bombay Gymkhana on 14 November 2006


3. High tea hosted by an old girl

I shall shortly advise you of the names of the hosts of the various functions.

For the dinner mentioned above on 10 November 2006,if any 56ers wish to join in as hosts they are welcome.

We have made contact with the following Old Boys of 56 who will attend the Reunion:

1. Ravi Dandekar


2. Shyam Chainani


3. Muku Hamied (hopefully)


4. S.Brelvi


5. Sohrab Kapadia


6. Ranjit Matthan


7. Michael Tahseen


8. H.S.Uberoi

Wherever possble, the spouses will also attend.

I have been coordinating with Meena Bhatt (nee Lele) in the organising of this event and it looks good. Very good. She tells me that they are expecting 23 Old Girls of the Class of 56 to attend. Tremendous.

I shall in my next update give you perhaps fuller details of the events etc.

Jacob, may I request you to please put this on your Blogsite in whatever modified form you wish. Thanks.

Thank you for the lovely table calendar I received very recently.

All the best,

Ubi
HS Uberoi

There are lots of 56ers in our midst. Please get in touch with me or Ubi as soon as possible.

The 57ers under Fleur (née Ezekilel) and Budni in Pune have already started making their plans for their reunion next year, 2007 and they seem to be far more advanced than the 56ers!

Further, we 59ers seem to use every opportunity to get together.

There was a great get together of 59ers in Mumbai just a few weeks ago.


59ers Ramesh Mirchandani and Ashok Kapur,
Photo: Naubir Mohindar


59ers Vijay Shivdasani and Elijah Elias (alias Ooky),
Photo Naubir Mohindar


59ers Naubir Mohindar and birthday girl Piloo (née Dastur),
Photo: Naubir Mohindar (Honest, I do not know how he did it?) :-)


59ers as a Group at the Piloo's (18th) birthday party,
59er Ratan Singara is standing on the far right.
Photo: Naubir Mohindar

Where there is a will there is a way.

Beautiful pictures

In the past few weeks several of you have sent me many many beautiful photographs on a variety of subjects. Although some are the same from different sources, please continue to do so, as I am able to build a good archive of these pictures.

59er Naubir Mohindar sent me a great collection of many 59ers. That deserves and entry by itself. Moshin Ahmed sent me a grea link to pictures of 80ers, which I will soon upload in the Reunion Section. 54er Sadhana Shah's daughter, Gopa, who lives in South Finland, sent me a beautiful collection of photographs from all over India, which also requires many entries on the blog.

I must thank 63er Mithoo Malani for sending me a "then and now" picture.

63er Nancy, like her beautiful sister, 59er Piloo, certainly learnt how to grow older without losing their charm and beauty. Mithoo has also kept his youth - except, like me, added a bit around the waist and lost a bit at the top. Wish it were the other way around!

63ers Nancy and Mithoo in 1963

And here is a captivating picture of them in 2006 - both looking really great:


Nancy and Mithoo in 2006 - Florida

The next picture was sent to me by several Cathedralites amongst them 57er Budni in Pune and 63er Adil. Budni seems to have received it from 54er Gracie in California. I also received a set of 3 absolutely great photographs from 69er Barbara Rossi from Italy. Thank you Barbara.


Cathedral School - 1890

The text which accompanied this picture was:

New Cathedral High School in Bombay from the 'Album of architectural and topographical views, mostly in South Asia' taken by an unknown photographer in the 1890s. The New Cathedral High School was built by Khan Bahadur Muncherjee Cowasjee Murzban (1839-1917). Murzban was born in Bombay and trained at the Engineering College in Pune. He oversaw the construction of the General Post Office and the Chief Presidency Magistrate's Court in the city. This view of the school shows a four-storey structure articulated with arcades, balconies and a high pitched roof.

Here is delicious painting of the school.


Cathedral School - 1900

Here is a picture from 1958.


Cathedral School - 1958

And finaly, here was the signature picture I used for my Seventh Heaven Website for many many years taken by Annikki, with me posing in front of the school.


Cathedral School and me - 1991

I would love to have one from 2006!!

Anyone who will oblige?

Mainline: Geostrategy Feeds America's Oil Addiction

Cross-posted on all my main blogs -

Jacob's Blog
Jacob's Politics;
Kooler Talk for Delhi Stephanians;
Oulu Chaff
Move The UN.

My topical article "Geostrategy Feeds America's Oil Addiction", which relates to the visit of Bush to India, has appeared in a major North American online journal Raise the Hammer in their fortnightly issue dated 1st March 2006.

Editor Ryan McGreal has really tidied up the article. Thanks.

What is original in this submission?

It is my long term speculations about:

1. The rationale for the attack on and occupation of Afghanistan relating to the Enron history.
2. Who most likely perpetrated the fraud of the Iranian election.
3. Why the Indian Industrial Community desperately want Bush and his malAdministration to stay in office for another 3 years!
4. Why the nuclear attack on Iran is imminent.

Many may wrinkle their foreheads in disbelief. But that is what political analysis is all about. I theorise and later people fit the facts to my theories.

Hope you enjoy it and would love to have your feedback - even if it is abusive!!

I love getting abusive email. I thrive on it as it drives me on harder to more fantasy! :-)

Some items for your attention

Can anyone identify this Cathedralite, Caroline Cattell, and help her out. I do not recognise any of the girl classmates she mentions (I was not much of a ladies man in school), but all the staff members are known to me. Caroline did not finish her schooling at Cathedral, but left in 1959. I have not figured out whether she would have been a 61er, 62er or 63er. Can someone reach out and help her?

"Hello Jacob

Hope you don't mind me contacting you.

By chance I was looking on the internet and came across the details of the pupil Reunion that the Cathedral school had and was
fascinated to read all the details.

I went to the Cathedral School in the early to late 50's when Mrs Downey was the English and Drama teacher and Mrs Bebbington was the head - does any of this ring a bell?

For several generations my family have lived in India - my father was Manager of Lloyds Bank in Bombay when we lived in Bombay and I was sent to The Cathedral. (Ed: I like that "The Cathedral".) Unfortunately I have lost touch with all the friends I made but remember very happy days at the school. I remember people like Gordi Bambote, Anne Chamarette, Bheman Homji and a few others - my memory fails me - I am now xx! (Ed: She is younger than me but it is not nice to reveal the age of a nice lady on the internet!)

I am returning to Bombay in February of next year (2007) and hope to call in at the school - just passing through on my way to New Zealand. I will be interesting to visit old haunts I remember as a child - where we lived in Malabar Hill and Colaba Causeway - I am bracing myself for a big shock - the changes!!

Would be interested to hear from you.

With regards

Caroline King (née Cattell)

When I replied her she continued:

Hello Jacob

How lovely it was to hear from you.

I do not recall any of the names that you mentioned in your email. I left the school in 1959 to return to England for good. Unfortunately I cannot remember whose class I was in but I am desperately trying to think - maybe if I have hypnosis!!!

A picture was taken of me at the school when I was in a production of country dancing - and I was in the Yellow House (Ed: Palmer in the Boys School.) - which if memory serves me right did not always do that well - I think Red (Ed: Bahram.) was the strong one! I don't remember the school doing any group pictures of the whole school?

However, I have just remembered an English girl called Lorna that was in my class - the surname escapes me. I shall think on. My surname was Cattell - hopefully someone might remember me - does anyone remember a Fiona Hopkins or an Alan Harper-Smith? Could you tell me the names of the English teachers or any of the teachers that were at the school at the time - we are talking about late fifties - I may recognise the names and go from there to remember the class I was in. I loved Mrs Downey - she was quite crisp and strict but she always brought out the best in me.

I shall stay tuned and wait in hope that you may be able to find me my team leader. I wish I had found you all before.

With best wishes

Caroline

Wish I had a picture of the 1959 Girls' School Staff with a list of names. I have one of the 1958 staff - pictures and names separate which was sent to me by Barbara Rossi from Italy. However, I have put up the 1960 picture. Sorry it is not so clear but at least the names are still readable. Wish I could remember who sent it to me. It was someone who told me about the Class of 60 Reunion.

Click to see larger image.

1960 Girls' School Staff

Turning to another news item of today that appeared in WebIndia123.com which mentions a leadng Cathedalite of the early 50s, Tamiflu in chemists' shops from Wednesday: Cipla Mumbai | February 20, 2006 6:37:08 PM IST - Yusuf is the elder brother of the Cathedral duo, 52er Yusuf and 56er Muku.

"As birdflu cases have been confirmed in Maharashtra, pharma major Cipla will make available 'Tamiflu' in India from Wednesday, according to its Chairman Dr Yusuf Hamied......."

With reference to the Bird Flu now sweeping across parts of Maharashtra, 52er Yusuf was on BBC World yesterday, as also Adi Godrej. (Can anyone clarify to me which year Adi was in? I seem to remember him being several years my junior.)

69er Prakash updates from Mumbai

59er Prakash sent me this email given below, one which I have been waiting for, for ages.

Thanks to 69er Barbara Rossi from Italy, I had this picture of 69ers in my files:

69ers at their 35 year reunion

Dear Jacob,

It's been ages since I corresponded with you.

Mumbai has had a spate of Music concerts and next weekend we have 3 days of some great artists performing.

The Jazz evening with Kenny Garret at the Gateway was an experience. The Moon shining with a few stars around, the subtly lit up Gateway of India, a gentle breeze blowing and one of the world's bext saxophone players regaling music starved Mumbai audience.

The Kala ghoda arts festival is on right now with old movies being screened at Max Mueller Bhavan, Plays, street vendors and of course food. The festival encourages children's participation in painting, origami, pottery and other arts.

The Mumbai festival that ended in January was a big disappointment as compared to last years.

Meenu and I have travelled extensively over December and January. Dubai for the first time - the city of gold everything glitzy and heady with the aroma of attar everywhere, and Goa, and Bangalore.

I was extremely fortunate to visit Saigon to check out business prospects. I tried some unmentionable foods including eels.

Right now our weather is changing from a very plesant mild winter to trying hot summer descending upon us.

The wedding season is not yet over so one sees plenty weddings at the Marine Drive Gymkhanas and even the Cooperage grounds are used with decorations like a mini Taj Mahal being built on the grounds to entertain over 5000 guests. The trees on our street are decorated with lights.

The area is being cleaned up but the roads are all dug up all over Mumbai. The Civic authorities want to level all major arterial roads before the monsoons set in.

The stock exchange touched the mystical figure of 10,000 this afternoon. Everyone is overjoyed and the TV stations proclaim that it will hit 12000 within two months.

The famed "Derby" was held Mahalakshmi Race Course yesterday, the first Sunday in February, drawing crowds of about 25000. People dressed to make an impact and be noticed.

The winner was rank outsider, Velvet Rope available at 10 to 1 odds & as the favourites failed, it gave all the bookies a fantastic earning.

Must end now.

More news when time permits.

My classmate, Barbara Rossi, is in Mumbai with her Mom. Meeting her on Wednesday at Anil Harish's residence.

Cheers and thank you for remembering me with this lovely gift I have placed right next to the computer.

Thanks for the update Prakash and give our love to Barbara when you see her. Do send us some photographs from the small reunion. Both of you have many followers!