Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St.
Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 8 May 2022. No. 1054
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Dear Friends,
Here continuing with the disposition of
the Archives that were held by Don Mitchell.
Would like to remind Joe Berment that
during his watch, the ASAA received artefacts for the future Abbey School
Museum. These artefacts and documents should also be included in the collection,
as no Museum was established.
Also, News on the Bridge and Swimming
Pool.
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220427
gregorymmilne <gregorymmilne@yahoo.co.uk>
Dear Fr Imamshah,
I never knew there was a bridge behind
The Abbey School!
I studied at the school for 7 years and
never noticed a bridge!
Where is it located?
Kind regards,
Greg
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Andres Freites Borges <andresfreitesb@gmail.com>
Wed, Apr 27
Wow, Father Harold!!!
Thanks, a Tonne!!
Great present for all of us Mount
Boys.
Most recently we have had many very
pleasant (.... vale of Argos) news from you:
Father, from Don and from the Glen
Knight of the Cove who is always rendering us with his good comments (..and
exotic photographs, so to say).
And also the Mount Boy from
Scandinavia.... not to forget Sir Laszlo's great contributions!!!!!
God bless you Brothers and must also
compliment Father Abbot for his doing of a really great job.
Andres (Freddie) Freytes
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idmitch@anguillanet.com
Wed, Apr 27
Hello, Fr Harold,
Thank you for these photos.
Those of the pool show a version that is
much improved from the rather spartan original.
Do you have any idea whose money was
behind this effort?
It must have been hundreds of thousands
of US dollars.
Does the Abbey still own it?
Or is it now a government-owned
facility?
I did not realise that there was anyone
in the environs who would benefit from this refurbishment to the extent they
would be prepared to pay for its upkeep.
But I realise that 65-plus years’
absence from the scene must leave me in the dark.
Best,
Don
NB: National Archives persons excluded
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Don Mitchell CBE QC
Apr 27, 2022
Wow! That is an amazing sight. Better than the original.
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Father Harold Imamshah <frharold12@gmail.com>
Apr 27, 2022
The Bridge behind the Abbey School and the Swimming Pool have both been
refurbished in the last 2 months.
humbly,
Fr. Harold Imamshah
Servant of Mary for Jesus
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Patricia Bissessar <patbissessar1@gmail.com>
Apr 27, 2022
I am so happy to hear that the documents will be preserved by the
National Archives.
Thank you Roma Wong Sang for coming to
the assistance of Don Mitchell and the Abbey's Alumni Association
Happy to see things worked out as
planned.
Patricia Bissessar.
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Andres Freites Borges <andresfreitesb@gmail.com>
Apr 27, 2022
Great job, Don.
Thank you very much!
Freddie
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idmitch@anguillanet.com
Apr 27, 2022
Dear All,
I FedExed the original paper archives to
Mrs Wong Sang yesterday.
Then, belatedly, the fog of failing
memory parted, and I remembered I had dozens of folders of documents and
photographs on my computer (including scans of the original documents).
I am FedExing those on a thumb drive to
her later today, kicking myself for the unnecessary duplication.
A triplication really if you consider I
spent the day before emailing her scans of the original documents which are
included on the thumb drive.
I think that should get rid of all my
continuity and succession panic, so I am satisfied.
Best,
Don
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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Sent: Monday, 25 April 2022 19:05
Subject: Abbey School, Mt St Benedict, Tunapuna - Archives
Dear All,
This is to bring you up to date.
The following is the latest of my
correspondence with Ms Wong Sang.
As only Bruce Locke replied to my
inquiry to you of which of you was interested in having your email Inbox jammed
up with copies of the documents, only he got copies of the emailed documents.
Best,
Don
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From Ms Wong Sang this afternoon:
From: Roma WongSang Roma.WongSang@gov.tt
Sent: Monday, 25 April 2022 14:15
Subject: Re: Abbey School, Mt St Benedict, Tunapuna -
Digital Archives - MSB 25 - 31
Dear Mr. Mitchell and Alumni,
Thank you for the digital collection.
Please see attached list I prepared of
the items received via email from you today.
MSB 7 seems to be missing, as everything
else seems to follow a sequence.
There are a few repeated items.
The information contained has good
archival value, including for family history.
I noted some familiar names (eg. David
Bratt, Alex deVerteuil, Norman Sabga, Colm Imbert, etc. and a few firsts by the
school - Duke of Edinburgh awards, first school pan side, etc.
Also, the newsletter "Mount
Inside" is quite informative and hopefully we may be able to get other
issues later on.
Some of the Mount's own history is
included too.
I noted that the school was merged in
1974 with the St. Bede Vocational School to form the Mt. St. Benedict
Comprehensive.
I had wondered about that school too.
I saw photos of the school's pool - was
it located at the Abbey School or at St. Bedes?
I have visited Mount Tabor (to the top)
and heard that there are remnants of old buildings near the top - was it the
residence of the first monks?
There is a photo of an ajoupa with
thatched roof so was wondering if it was indeed remnants of this building.
I'm sure as boys you would have climbed
Mt Tabor and enjoyed those awesome views!
The bridge has recently been repaired
and was featured in the news.
I look forward to receiving the rest of
the documents after which I will prepare a full list.
I also will have to prepare a brief
history to accompany the collection.
Since the collection will be made
available for persons undertaking research at the National Archives, I would
like to get your permission to use the photos provided.
Additionally, we sometimes highlight
parts of our collections on our social media and website platforms to help tell
engaging stories from our diverse past so permission for that is also required.
I will be in touch again after I go
through the full collection.
Kind regards,
Roma Wong Sang
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And my reply of a few minutes ago to Ms Wong Sang:
From: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Sent: Monday, 25 April 2022
Dear Ms Wong Sang,
Thank you for your list.
And, yes, there are a few repeated
items.
I have tried to make a note to that
effect in my catalogue, but did not always succeed.
I am relieved that you got them.
I hasten to attach the missing MSB 7.
The school’s now abandoned and derelict
swimming pool, excavated and built in the late 1950s, as I recall, mainly by
equipment, labour, and materials donated by parents of alumni, was located on
the slope just north of and on the hillside above St Bede's.
I seem to recall St Bede's college was
started at a later date, shortly before I left Trinidad in 1964.
On Mt Tabor, you may be amused to read
my recollections at:
https://donmitchellcbeqc.blogspot.com/2017/05/abbey-school.html
There are also photographs and accounts
of the early years at Mt Tabor in some of the articles and booklets included in
the archives.
On permission to use the photos, I am in
no position to give it but I am sure none of the alumni would have any
objection to their use by the National Archives.
We would only hope that some mention
would be made of the Abbey School Alumni Association (ASAA).
This is an unincorporated, informal
association, with no officers I am aware of who can give anyone permission to
do anything.
Most of the older college photographs
were taken by Fr Benedict, who is now deceased and so far as I know whose
estate is without any personal representative.
Additionally, the copyright in a few of
the photographs and articles may be in the authors or their personal
representatives.
I cannot see anyone objecting to your
using them, especially if you take the trouble to acknowledge the ASAA.
The same applies to the use of our
archival documents on your social media and website platforms.
I could not imagine that anyone would
have any objection.
Remembering always that some of them are
published books which have their own copyright holders.
Best wishes,
Don
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JUSTICE
DON MITCHELL, CBE (RETD)
OWEN
LANE, NORTH HILL
P O BOX
83, THE VALLEY
AI-2640
ANGUILLA, BWI
Cellphone:
(264) 235 8654
Email: idmitch@anguillanet.com
26 April, 2022
Ms Roma Wong Sang,
Senior Archives and Records Officer,
National Archives of Trinidad and
Tobago,
105 St Vincent St,
Port of Spain,
Trinidad and Tobago,
West Indies
1-868-623-2874 Ext 3073
1-868-682-9115
By FedEx
Re: Abbey School, Mt St Benedict Archives – Thumb drive
Please now find enclosed a thumb drive
onto which I have copied all my digital files relating to the School.
Don’t hesitate to let me know if you
have any question.
With all best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Don Mitchell
cc: Various alumni for information
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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com, if you would like to subscribe for
a whole year and be in the circular’s mailing list or if you would like to
mention any old boy that you would like to include, write to me.
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Photo:
21LK4449FBEDITV, news on the TV station
55HH0010ENGLISH, Hans Hermans
00UN0009FIL, News on Father Ildefonse
21LK6465FBFCUGRP, One of the last photos
of Fr. Cuthbert
