Petreans

Tribute - Somkhosi 'Sam' Malaba

It is with a sense of real sadness and sorrow that the Peterhouse community received, following a long illness, the news of Somkhosi ‘Sam’ Malaba’s passing in Harare on Thursday 30 July.

Long-time champion and supporter of Peterhouse, Sam Malaba (Grinham 74) was highly regarded as a banker, having served as a former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, and Chief Executive Officer of Agribank. Within the Peterhouse Group of Schools, Sam served as Chairman of the Peterhouse Finance Committee and was a longstanding member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Governors. His passion for the school was exemplified by the years he devoted to serving this community. As a knowledgeable and passionate rugby supporter, Sam was always willing to voice his views on the beauty of the game. In the words of Howard Blackett (Rector 2013 – 2019), “Sam was highly regarded by the Peterhouse community. His financial expertise was invaluable, not least given the challenges Zimbabwe faced over the years, but also in his unstinting support/commitment to Peterhouse”.

Sam Malaba will be remembered as a trail-blazer, both at Springvale House and Peterhouse, and for his fearless approach to life. His courage, integrity, and wisdom, underscored his influence on Peterhouse. His legacy will be long-lasting given his service to the school. He is a true, and great, gentleman and Petrean.

To Joyce, Nothando (PHG 04), Mandla (Grinham 09), Nomkhosi (PHG 17), and the whole Malaba family, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences at this very difficult and sad time.

Jon Trafford
Rector

30 July 2020

Petrean Golf Day 2020

Booking is essential - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

John Greenacre (3 December 1934 - 25 September 2019)

25 September 2019

Dear Governors and Committee Members, Petreans, Friends and Staff of Peterhouse

Re: John Greenacre (3 December 1934 - 25 September 2019)

I write to inform you that John Greenacre died early this morning; truly the end of an era for our great school.

John joined Peterhouse in January 1959, from Cambridge University, having been appointed by Fred Snell, the first and founding Rector of Peterhouse (Fred Snell had previously been Rector of Michaelhouse where John completed his schooling). He subsequently served under Bruce Fieldsend, Alan Megahey, Mike Bawden and Jon Calderwood all former Rectors and was still teaching some maths until December 2014, when he officially retired having reached the age of 80. Even then, and in retirement, he ran the school archive and kept an active interest in Peterhouse as a regular attendee in school assembly, chapel, the Common Room, the dining hall and on the touchline (mostly cricket and rugby).

During his long and distinguished career at Peterhouse John taught maths to myriad pupils and was Housemaster of Paget (1966 - 1977), Housemaster of Grinham (1990 - 1994), Senior Master (1977 - 2002) and Acting Rector (Lent 1994).

Details of the funeral arrangements etc. will be announced in due course; in the meantime I attach a copy of the speech I made on the occasion of John’s Farewell Dinner in December 2014 which I hope will give you some sense of the wonderful schoolmaster and servant of Peterhouse he was.

Yours faithfully,

Howard Blackett MA (Oxon)

Rector

Rector’s Dog Escapes Python at Dombo Dam 2019

The Peterhouse Boys Snake Club were involved in the dramatic rescue of the Rector’s dog at the weekend.
The boys were in Calderwood Park looking for non-venomous snakes for the club’s snake pit when the drama took place.

Mr and Mrs Blackett were in the park together with their eldest daughter Alice, who was over from the UK, and their three year old cocker spaniel Ruby.
Ruby had just gone to the water’s edge at Dombo Dam in anticipation of a stick being thrown into the water when a giant 3.6 metre long python grabbed her rear leg and began to coil around her. Mr Blackett immediately grabbed the python by its tail and dragged the snake (and Ruby) out of the shallows. Alice, too, began to wrestle with the coiling snake while Mrs Blackett took charge of Ruby who was panicking.

Mr Scott Walraven and five Snake Club boys ran to help as the snake was refusing to let go. With eight pairs of hands on the snake preventing it from coiling, a stick was used to force the snake to release its mouth from Ruby’s back leg.

Great teamwork everyone!

Thankfully Ruby was not badly injured sustaining only puncture wounds and bruising to her back leg. She is also recovering well from the trauma of the incident, happily barking at and chasing the monkeys.

  

Petrean Sporran Maker - Alisdair Menzies (F94)