Warm Wishes and Memories

Please note that the dates next to the name indicates either the start date at Rhodes or the year they served on the SRC.

Helen Stephen (Matthews) 1946

In 1946 I was part of the SRC, treasurer for some of that time. Rhodes University College welcomed back many ex-servicemen that year and the numbers of students grew from about 600 to 1000 if my memory serves me correctly, some of them already married with children. Please thank the present SRC for their kind invitation. I trust that all the activities planned will go well, and that many will be able to participate.

Dr. AJW Cameron 1949

I wish you all the best for the celebration and please say Hello to any of my contemporaries who turn up.

Arthur Humphrey 1950

Nothing would have given me greater pleasure. Unfortunately, time and distance prevent me from attending so please record my apology for non attendance. I wish you all a very happy and successful convocation.

Chris Murray 1957

I do send greetings to those members of the S.R.C. who were my colleagues in the late 1950's. (1957 and 1958)

Hugh Lewin 1958-1960

Sorry to say I'll be away in May and unable to attend any of the celebrations. Best of luck.

Bill Yeowart 1958

I am very sorry that I will be unable to attend the SRC reunion but we have other arrangements which I cannot change.I was Chairman in 1958, which God help us ,was in the middle of the last century!! I have a photograph in my study ,sadlly two are deceased but there are three with whom I am in regular contact. One of them is Rudolf Gruber who was Chairman in 1959, he is blind and lives inGermany with his wife Sheila who is also in the 1958 photograph.My time at Rhodes was happy and fulfilled and I was fortunate to have continued my association for thirty or more years as a Governer till the end of 2010. So as one of the oldest of old farts I wish you all a Happy Reunion. Leave nothing behind but happy memories and empty bottles!!!

Rev. Prof. Peter Storey 1959

I wish you and all my fellow ex-SRC members, a great time!

Lillibeth Moolman nee SWART 1959

How I wish I could be there. But recuperating from a back operation and cannot travel too far. I was on the SRC in 1959 with John Benyon as Chairman and those were turbulent times. Good Luck and keep the flag flying.

Dennis Stephens 1960

Wish you all well for what promises to be a great celebration !!

Ian Ward 1963

Thank you for this very kind invitation to the forthcoming SRC Centenary celebrations which, with regret, I shall be unable to attend

Chris Wortham 1963

I was a member of the SRC 1963-64 and would have loved to join in, but at this distance (Perth, Western Australia) it don't seem practicable.

Anthony Evans 1963

Thank you for the invitation to the celebrations. I regret that I am not able to join you. Best wishes. SRC Secretary 1963/64.

Mike Chapman 1963

I have thought long and hard as to whether I can make this Reunion, but sadly for me to arrange to be there for just this does not work, and I also have a UK Rhodes trustees meeting in UK at that time. My apologies and I hope you have Mike Raath coming who took over from me when I left for Oxford in August to fill out my term. He was a class act . Please give my best to all and as the only Father /Son act as Chair, our best . The Chapman Quad with the fountain is his legacy given by us, the family. He loved Rhodes, warts and all ..Also please my very best to Mac and Basil Moore, my 2 predecessors, both were an inspiration to me. All the best to the current Chair.

Demetris Palos 1969

We had hoped that we could arrange our leave to join you on that happy occasion. Regretably that is not now possible. But we do want to wish you all well as RU celebrates over 100 Years of Student Leadership, -- a feat which has more accomplishments than many realise. I did my undergrad studies at Rhodes from 1968 to 1970, staying for a year in residence at Livingstone House before marriage in 1969. This was in the Arts Faculty for a BA majoring in Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology, and my post graduate degree was a part time course BD in the then Divinity Faculty graduating in 1986. 1968 was a tumultuous year in Student life, world wide with student protests in France unseating the World War II hero President de Gaulle, who also thought he had a prerogative on power, (like some North African leaders and our neighbour just north of us), the assasinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy took place that year, and we Students ourselves in South Africa , especially in NUSAS, and with the formation by Steve Biko and other Black Consciousness leaders of SASO, the University Christian Movement and other organisations, (later banned) challenging the excesses of the 'Apartheid' government's policies, including forced removals, 'Homelands' etc. I served on the 1969/70 Student Representative Council, as 'Amenities Counsellor' and recall long debates into the night over what actions to take in the many protests, as well as how best to serve the interests of the Students in the more mundane matters, such as the building of the new Student Union Building, then being built, deciding 'fair prices and fair wages for Staff, especially in the new KAIF and other facilities. We had a famous/infamous(?!) later self-confessed, 'agent provocateur', acting for the Security forces rabble-rousing to get 'radical' students identified and detained by provoking them to 'kick down the Senate House doors' if they would not meet our petition for Student representation on the Senate. Another interesting happening of our time: As SRC representative and Secretary of the SU Committee I was commissioned to apply for a Liquor Licence for the SU. As Secretary of Methsoc I was also commisioned to object to the Liquor sales on campus!! I'm not sure what the Liquor Board, who were required to decide the matter, made of these two contradictory approaches igned by the same hand. In the event the Licence application was turned down, because the Liquor interests of the Pubs and Hotels inthe town objected to it, fearing that they would lose the profitable Student clientele!!!

Michael King 1972

I was SRC President in 1972/73, having been Deputy to Pete Clarke (1971/2) and Publications Councillor on John Whitehead’s SRC (1970/71). I think those dates are right. Kathy Satchwell was President from Sep 1971 to about May 72, and then Pete Clarke was elected President when Kathy stepped down.

David Marcos 1972

Unfortunately I shall not be able to attend the SRC celebration but anyway I wish all who will participate a Great Time. I studied pharmacy at Rhodes (B.Sc.1969, B.Sc.Hons.1970 ) and M.Sc. in the microbiology department under David Woods. I myself was a member of the SRC in 1972. Those days were not always easy with the “communist” label being branded on anyone daring to challenge authority. I initiated a program of “lecturer evaluation” by students, which brought on the wrath of the then professor of mathematics who, unbeknown to me, happened to be the secretary of the local branch of the Nationalist Party.

Sue Gower (Lipworth) 1977

I live in Sydney and unfortunately cannot make any of the celebrations. I enjoyed my time on the SRC very much and send special greetings to anyone who was on the SRC at the same time as I was - 1977 and 1978. With best wishes to the present SRC and for a very successful and enjoyable weekend of celebrations

Harry Geier 1979

I will unfortunately be able to attend.Thank you for the invitation. I trust it will be a memorable occasion.

Ian Ward 1979

Thank you for this very kind invitation to the forthcoming SRC Centenary celebrations which, with regret, I shall be unable to attend. With best wishes

Steve Worrall 1984

I look back with great pride to those years I was in the SRC and how my fellow members took a stand against Apartheid and helped contribute to the struggle for freedom in SA. I wish you all the best for the SRC event.

Tanya Accone 1990

Many thanks, and wishing you all a most successful long weekend. It would have been brilliant to have a meal in Kimberley Hall again, and enjoy the tea and ball at the Monument -- modern echoes of many excellent times as a Rhodent.

Lucy Beard 1991

Many thanks for the invitation. Unfortunately I am not able to make it as will be in the UK.

Paul Oyet-Otim 1997

I wish you all the very best and I look forward to attending others in the future.

Craig Butler (previoulsy Munson) 1998

Thank you for the wonderful invitation to attend! We so wish we could attend but unfortunately, being in Australia, it is a long distance to get back after Easter. Nonetheless, we wish the SRC and their planned festivities the very best over this week of events.

Carol Maibvisira 1997

Thank you for the invitation, however I will not be able to attend. I now live in Auckland, New Zealand and will not be able to make the trip. Hope you all have fun!!