Picture 1: Marist Cricket Week 1961
A short story on the Marist boy and cousin that I knew.
Bertrand Swanson, (I never knew him as "Bert") was my late Father's cousin, (my second cousin) and attended Marist Brothers St Joseph's College in Rondebosch, as a third generation Marist boy. I came to know Bertrand at family get togethers and weddings, where he treated me much like the brother that he never had. he was three years ahead of me at SJC, and I recall that, besides being an exemplary scholar, and example of what Marist boys were trained to be, respectful, well dressed and well mannered.
I remember watching him participate at most sports at school, and my proudest moment was the day that the entire school played SACS away, and as an Under 14B player at the time, I was standing behind the SACS poles, when the SJC backline ran the ball into SACS 25 area. Bertrand, at outside centre, took the ball, dummied and placed a perfect grubber kick for the wing, which unluckily caught a SACS players boot and bounced out into touch. I remember Bertrand slapping his thigh in frustration, because SJC were all over SACS at the time, but were down 0 - 3. I remember the pride that swelled in my chest when the great Kevin Hayes, Bertrand's Flyhalf, later scored a try in the last minute for SJC to record an historic win, and my cousin, Bertrand was one of the team!!
As a cricketer, he was a fiery fast bowler, as attested to by Mark Honeywill, (formerly Brother Desmond, who was his coach in 1962, and attended at least three Marist Cricket weeks, held at various Marist Colleges throughout the Country, (See attached photos of some of them) where he played an integral part in his team's performance. When I joined the College Band as a young kettle drummer in 1962, Bert was already established as the Bass drummer, where he helped me find my feet. There were many photos on the College walls and magazines, where Bertrand is shown as an active participant.
As a member of Leicher House, he was always in the van of things at sports days, helping the younger guys to get ready for their races or heats, and as Granville "Grannie" Essafrau's letter says, he was involved in helping get Junior school Inter-House sport organised on the old Paddock. Bertrand was just one of those guys that make a school great. A real TEAM guy, respected and loved by his peers, respected and feared by his opponents, and I am honoured to have been a witness to the days where he held a position of respect at his ALMA Mater, at a time when SJC held a high position among the schools of the Cape.
After he left school, he would often be seen watching cricket and rugby at St Joseph's, and always encouraging the younger guys to better things. When I Matriculated in 1966, one of my classmates, Bill van Heerden, a Boarder, was leaving the College for the last time and going home via train to JHB by train, and some of us were helping him pack and getting ready to go through with him to Cape Town central station, via the Suburban line, when Bertrand arrived at the College in his father's Toyota Corolla. When he saw what he were doing, he wouldn't allow us to go by train, but piled all of us, plus the luggage into the car, and took us through to Cape Town, where he proceeded to hang around waiting for the train to leave,, and then drove the rest of us back to the school.
That was the kind of guy that he was. I mourn his passing, and regret that over the years we lost touch, as so many cousins do. I wish to record my heartfelt sympathies to Bertrand's family, on his passing, but once again reiterate that Bertrand was no average man. He was well liked by his peers and a respected member of the Marist community. He leaves his devoted Wife Vera, a daughter, Talitha and a son Paul.
Bon Voyage Bertrand Swanson. (RIP)
Chris Swanson
PS. In the "Marist Cricket week 1961" photo (above) he is 2nd from the left front row. In the photo "Marist Cricket Week 1962, Bertrand is 3rd from the right, second row (below).
Picture 2: Marist Cricket Week 1962 (Pietermaritzburg)
