At 81 years young, Jeremy Oddy (Class of 1957) has recently reconnected with the Highbury Old Boys Association, bringing with him a treasure trove of vivid memories from his year at Highbury in 1957. Although he spent just one year here in Standard 6, that single year left a lasting mark and, as Jeremy shares his stories, it is clear how deeply those days are woven into his life.
Tuck, Tickeys and “Gumboot Days”
Jeremy remembers that the building near the cricket ground was once an old armoury. For a young boy, it added a sense of mystery to the grounds.
Each week, 15 cents of tuck money would buy a generous handful of sweets. It was carefully budgeted and highly valued. On Sundays, the boys would line up smartly in uniform for Chapel. Each was given a ticky, and in crocodile formation they would walk down to the Chapel. Once seated in the pews, the tickets were passed along the row to the middle, where a prefect would count them and place them in a bag for collection. Mr MacMillan would take the service and readings, and afterwards the boys would return to their rooms to change into khakis.
Rainy days were known as “gumboot days”. Out came the black Wellington boots, and one rule was absolute: never walk on the grass. Parents could visit on Saturdays, but no treats were allowed to be left behind. Boarding school life was structured and disciplined, yet full of small rituals that have stayed with Jeremy for more than six decades.
Bets, Bumps and Budding Cricketers
Highbury friendships were built on loyalty and, occasionally, daring bets. Jeremy fondly recalls his friend Peter McGregor, who would do almost anything for a wager. One day Peter declared, “I bet you your tuck I’ll get away with diving off the top board into the pool, barefoot to the head,” Peter did it. Jeremy lost his sixpence.
Cricket memories feature strongly too. One of Highbury’s most promising Under 11 cricketers at the time was a young Mike Procter, coached by Mr John Saunders, who worked tirelessly on his off-side technique. During one practice session, a powerful shot leapt unexpectedly from the bat and struck Jeremy, knocking him unconscious. He woke up in the sanatorium with the French matron tending to an impressive lump on his head. It is a story he tells with humour and remarkable clarity.
A Prize for Progress
Standard 6 brought new academic challenges. Latin and Maths were unfamiliar territory, and Jeremy recalls how much effort that year required. His hard work paid off when, at the end of the year, he was awarded the Thrash Memorial Prize for Progress. The prize was a book, which he still owns today.
He vividly remembers the pride he felt walking up to receive it. That moment of recognition clearly meant a great deal and remains one of his most cherished memories from Highbury.
Rock ’n Roll and a Stern Headmaster
Among the more mischievous memories is a Saturday afternoon when Trevor Bull’s mother, Mrs Bull, arrived with a record player and a stack of Elvis records. She announced she would teach the boys how to rock ’n roll. The boys were thrilled and enthusiastically throwing themselves into the dance when the door suddenly flew open. A very stern Mr MacMillan stood there. The music stopped. The dancing ended. Order was swiftly restored.
It is a snapshot of a different era, full of innocence, energy and the firm but guiding hand of a watchful Headmaster.
From Pupil to Teacher
After his year at Highbury, Jeremy went on to board at Maritzburg College and later attended Durban High School.
In a fitting twist of fate, during a gap term in 1965, he returned to Highbury as a student teacher under Mr MacMillan’s leadership. At the beginning of that term, he became the Standard 6B class teacher. Living on the property for that term, he also helped set up the projector for the regular Saturday film shows for the boarders. From boy to master in less than a decade, Highbury had come full circle in his life.
Preserving History
Jeremy’s career remained rooted in education. He later became the archivist of Durban High School for 12 years and wrote several books on the school’s history. Introducing one of his works, he was described as:
“DHS veteran, Jeremy Oddy, an old boy and former school archivist whose career was in education, has packed what a fly may have heard on the walls into a paper brick of 400 pages.”
It is a fitting tribute to a man who has spent much of his life preserving the stories of others, and who is now generously sharing his own.
Although he attended Highbury for just one year, the friendships, lessons, discipline and encouragement he experienced in 1957 clearly shaped the man he became. His memories remind us that even a single year at Highbury can leave a lifelong imprint. Welcome back, Jeremy. Your stories are part of our shared history, and we are honoured to have you back in touch with the Highbury family.