Circular No 808

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 29 April 2017 No. 808

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Dear Friends,

Below, we have a request concerning JOHN WILLIAM TOM KONG, did you know him??

Please give us a clue, we shall gladly forward it to Jennifer.

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mailto:empowerwithart@gmail.com

Apr 18 at 2:17 AM

Hello MSB Abbey School Brothers,

I have a message from the email below from Jennifer Kom-Tong. She is trying to find out any information on a previous student, her father - John William Kom-Tong. 

He attended The Abbey School when he was a child.

"He was adopted (unknown) to a family Kom-Tong I believe when he was 4 and was a student of the school until approx August 1968

Do you possibly have any records of him? Pictures? Who his birth parents might have been?

I am his daughter trying to understand my past.

There are no relatives that I am aware of and both adoptive parents have since passed away. 

He immigrated to Canada in Fall of 1968.

If you have any info, I would be so appreciative.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Kom-Tong

North Vancouver Canada"

"My biggest challenge so far is trying to get any info on his Birth parents, who I am sure are deceased but maybe there were other children…"

On our MSB Database, we do have listed John Kom Tong with no email address and this detail "Retired from construction. I asked Ian de Verteuil to help me to find his email address. (April 2013)" I have Ian de Verteuil included in this email. 

Let us see how we can help Jennifer in any way possible.

Blessings to all......Kazim

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Nigel Boos <nigelboos@gmail.com>

Apr 18 at 9:42 AM

Guys,

I think we can push this a little further.

I personally do not / did not know John Tom Kong at MSB, since I left in 1960 and he was there, it seems, from 1962-1968.

So, by copy of this email, I’d like to ask the folks who were at MSB between 1962 - 1968 whether anyone can shed light on this gentleman, in an effort to help Jennifer.

Accordingly, I’m forwarding this to the following OBs by bcc, in the hope that someone can offer help to his daughter:

If I get information that my emails have not gone through, I may have to conclude that the addresses I have for those fellas were incorrect, and I would then suggest that the MSB database be adjusted accordingly.

There are so many addressees to be contacted that I have to split this email into 3 parts. Please look out for these others.

Nigel

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Nigel Boos <nigelboos@gmail.com>

Apr 18 at 5:49 PM

Dear Ms. Tom-Kong,

I’m afraid that I have misunderstood your initial email regarding your father.

I had assumed, from that note, that he had earlier died.

My mistake. I’m sorry.

Now, it is clear that he is very much alive and able to speak with you.

This changes the picture very much indeed.

Since you are in touch with him, it would be of the greatest help to us if he were to answer a few questions, and I would ask you to relay these to him for us:

1.    When was your father born?

2.    Precisely what year did he begin his education at Mt. St. Benedict?

3.    Does he know how old he was when he began his schooling at MSB?

4.    Does he remember anything at all about the dormitories, the showers, the classrooms, the boys themselves, the playgrounds, the swimming pool?

5.    Did he sleep in the “Little Boys’ Dormitory?”

6.    Does he remember the names of ANY of the boys with whom he would have studied, or with whom he played?

7.    Would he be able to recall some names, perhaps, if they were placed before him? Perhaps you might read for him some of the names of the boys who were at MSB during the 1962-68 period. I have copied you on the emails I’d sent out to the ’62-’68 students, so you can get their names from those emails.

8.    Does he remember any of the priests with whom he dealt during his time at MSB?

9.    What games did he play, and with whom?

10.    Did he keep in touch with anyone at the school after he left MSB?

11.    Does he have in his possession any photographs of his days at MSB?

12.    I’d like to chat with him about his past. Would you mind sharing his telephone number with me?

Thank you.

Nigel Boos

1 (905) 426-8999

95 Warwick Ave.,

Ajax, Ontario L1Z 1L5

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FW: Neil Charles (Abbey 1970-74)‏

From: salvador coscarart (coscarartsalvador@hotmail.com)

Sent: Wed 2/10/10 9:53 PM

Hola ladisalo,

Aqui te mando un poco de informacion de un old Abbey boy, Stephen Pitcher,

Saludos. Salvador

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Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:33:47 -0800

From: briankong@yahoo.com

Hi Neil,

Thanks for your email and enquiry. I spoke with Stephen's (estranged) wife this morning and am now waiting for her to pass on my email address and tel # to Stephen so he can contact me. We have a few things to discuss and then I'll ask for the details that are important to the Abbey Old Boys (his years at MSB and his current contact info plus whatever stories he may have after leaving MSB).

I met Stephen only once because his family lived in San Fernando and I lived in POS. His brother, Wayne, was my best friend at Trinity College in Maraval and he mentioned Stephen sometimes so that I have only bits of info about Stephen. Wayne and I were the same age and Stephen was 2 or 3 years younger, not more than that, and attended MSB, so therefore, by extrapolation, he must have been at MSB from 1967/68 to 1972/73, and he must be 52 or 53 years old now. I may be wrong about his age, but I can't be far wrong. Wayne died in an unfortunate car accident in 1975, so I couldn't phone him up to ask.

I couldn't help but notice that the MSB old boys have much stronger bonds than we Trinity old boys and I surmise it might be due to you boys boarding there and spending lots more time together than we day boys. Did you also spend holidays visiting one another's homes? I recognised some MSB names - David Pampellonne who sold Bultaco motorbikes and Bel Ray oil; Jean de Meillac who manages a radio station; Robert Huggins (if he has an amputated arm and did karate); Christian Gurley who owns Book Specialists, Nigel Boos of the Harriman Boos, etc.

Salvador, your email just came in so I hope you don't mind if I reply to you in Neil's email

I've been searching for Stephen for over 8 months, first, calling all the Pitchers in Trinidad, then looking on Facebook, then Canada White Pages, and People Finder, so you can imagine how happy I am that you guys found him in just one night, less than 24 hrs. I had had the impression that Stephen's mother came from mid-west Canada because Wayne knew the wheat states so well in Geography and I had assumed he would have migrated to the part of Canada where he probably had family. I wouldn't have looked for him among the Pitchers in the Toronto area. As Glen says, you guys have mojo. Now, how about the winning lottery numbers for this weekend??  :)

Very best wishes to all you guys,

Brian

PS: I'll get back to you with Stephen's contact info when he calls me.

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Hello, Brian,

I am very happy that you were able to find Stephen.

Always count on the good of the abbey old boys association.

God bless. Good job:

Glen, Nigel.

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Sent 808

13-02-2017 Fr. Imash: In case of an emergency, speak only in English.

Never say prayers in any other language.

You never know what kind of translation problem u can run into.

An Indian in the US suffered a heart attack on the road and was picked up by an ambulance.

Being religious, he kept repeating - Hari Om, Hari Om, Hari Om.

When the ambulance pulled into his home, his wife came out and screamed to the paramedics: 'Why didn't you take him straight to the hospital?' They replied "Because he kept saying, 'Hurry home Hurry home Hurry home!'

This one is awesome....

13-02-2017 Good one

13-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston: Salvador Believe that the Lord is faithful and good to you. He will carry you through every trouble.

Our prayers are with you

13-02-2017 Where the hell did u find him?

13-02-2017 Puggs u ain't change at all still the same

13-02-2017 Pogs, u should be a private investigator Ferohin Ali, he look different without the afro

13-02-2017 Aye is  that is FEE???

13-02-2017 Yes, Couva boy

13-02-2017 He still ugly

13-02-2017 Na he get good better looking as he get older

13-02-2017 Toddy, u need to get u eyes check I thought u brother retire last year?

13-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston: Fee have my Afro comb.

13-02-2017 We have no use for them anymore, fee have some of my 45"s

13-02-2017 Ramsahai Winston: Sanford and son

13-02-2017 I will pass and check him

13-02-2017 Am still alive and in the hospital . It is great to see we abbey boys still have the grace to remember our brothers. Anybody remembers or know the wereabouts of Franco Marconi, Blajic, Hernesto Rozendall, Raul Izquierdo,

13-02-2017 Salvador, didn’t know you were in hospital bro. Hope you get well soon and re commence your ambassadorial duties.😀

13-02-2017 Amen  Thank you Ian.

13-02-2017 Have you seen Stanley Hacket. I know Wayne Hacket is in Miami área. Gangi is in new jersey by Azizul . Oscar are you still in contact with Jose Maria Acosta.

13-02-2017 He is awol Divorced and went missing

13-02-2017 Raul Sojo, Arturo Zavarce, los hermanos Malave: Frank, Carlos y Jose (Chente). Luis Elias, Patiño, Gabriel Batista, Tellerin, Carlos Guio de valencia. Well till next time run out of battery.

13-02-2017 Alfredo Montiel Bezara: Luis Elias is in CCS, Patiño is in Belen, Brasil ! G. Batista ???

13-02-2017 We use to call him gringo he was tall and big boy.

13-02-2017 Ese era nuestro grupo!!! Alfredo si hablas con Patiño dile que le mando muchos cariños!!! todo ese grupo se le quiere!!! Se acuerdan de Barrilito?

13-02-2017 Ha, I gave Gabriel  Baptiste  the nickname  "gringo" when he first got to the Mount because he spoke with a strong southern Alabama accent. He was a gentle giant. He set up a DJ station on the loudspeakers with music during the afternoons during bath time. He fancied himself a DJ / radio announcer.  He was pretty good at it too. Yo si me acuerdo del Barrilito. Lo botaron por pelearse a coñazos con Bro. Swa (el que hacía la miel de abejas)   quien lo cachó  quererse robar los mangos abajo del Refectory.  Yo vi la tremenda pelea.

Al fin el Barrilito (haciendo honor a su nombre y a su fuerza) lo tiró al suelo y le tiro una roca en la espalda. Por eso lo botaron, según me acuerdo.

Duró unos dos años en el Mount.

13-02-2017 Jajajajajaj....yo están con él agarrando los mangos Good old times!

13-02-2017 yo tambien me acuerdo de bsrrilito Brother le dio un coñaso con un van

13-02-2017 brother Zua el se llamaba brother Camillus

13-02-2017 Tenía varios Doberman...esos perros me despertaron aullando antes de un temblor que hubo una madrugada. Donde Patiño se cortó el pie abriendo la puerta

13-02-2017 Hi guys could any one have info on. Joe Bento from Antigua and Robert Prevot from French Guyana and I can't seem to find out what happen to Randal Costello....

13-02-2017 Me acuerdo de eso clarito....yo lo vi cuando le pego la patada a la puerta.......Se acuerdan cuando llego el papa de Aranguren a recoger a todos los venezolanos en un avión de la FA.... vacaciones adelantadas 😅😅

13-02-2017 Así es, despegamos y algunos de nosotros sentados en el piso...que hay de Aranguren?

13-02-2017 Ni idea.... una de mis hijas estudio con una venezolana aqui en houston de apellido Aranguren .... pero no era el ni tampoco pariente.... tal vez algunos de los q esta en ccs sepa algo.... su papa era jefe de la escolta o seguridad de Caldera....terminamos en su casa cuando llegamos a ccs

13-02-2017 A desayunar!!!! El avión era el DC-3 que tenía el nombre La Conquista del Sur...yo salí varias veces con él en CCS pero perdí la pista

13-02-2017 Coño, que memoria Alguno q sepa de Aranguren que avise

13-02-2017 I understand Franco passed some years ago in Barbados  Not positive

13-02-2017 This is spreading throughout New York and around the United States. There is no cure for it as per CDC. This patient is engaged and his fiancé is 4 months pregnant. Him and his boys went to the Dominican Republic and caught this from a girl he met out there. His pregnant girlfriend has contracted it from him and the baby had to be terminated.

Be careful who you sleep with.  CDC is aware of this and they have no cure for it. It will eat you from inside out.

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.

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Photos:

58LK0005SCOUTSDEVO, Scouting manual

14LK6077FBKFELIX, Cardinal Kelvin Felix

15LK8802RFA, Roberto Farcheg

15LK4502GRP, Jerry Bain, David Johnson and Wilson Salah