My old school has an important NZ connection

The famous Goldstone grounds at Maritzburg College was named after a New Zealander schoolmaster that taught there.

On this field over time both rugby and cricket matches have been hosted to SA top schools, indeed virtually every one and that would have scooped virtually every famous one both at college and the remaining,ie Grey, all Paarl schools, SACS, Rondebosch, Affies, KES, PBH, all the Natal Schools and whatever.

A very famous field indeed..Philip Nel, Jackie Mc Glew, Keith Oxlee, Hansie Cronje, Ruben Kruger, Barry Richards, Mike Proctor, Patrick Lambie, Kevin Pietersen, Joel Stransky, Butch James and the 1st Team players of both XI and XV from most top schools have no doubt performed on this field at some time or other at school matches when they played for their respective schools.

• Robert Goldstone (staff 1909-1939, Games Master): A New Zealander by birth, Goldstone served in the Second Boer War. An amiable, kindly man, somewhat given in his later years to dozing off in class, Goldstone’s first love was the military band. The school's primary sports field was named in his honour.[1]:280

Sports Facilities | Maritzburg College

No I'm not boasting at all...it's got nothing to do with that...just grateful and priviledged and proud to have been part of this wonderful school that I loved and still do. It produced some amazing people both on the field and other unrelated sports accolades...ie Quentin Smythe VC...Wardaddy...I think he was one of the few living that was awarded a Victoria Cross.

Seb

The name Philip Nel brought back memories about him and his family.   He was married to a miss Havemann - a very wealthy Greytown farming family.   I knew his wife's brother very well.  He moved to Ballito in the 1980's and was a mayor of Ballito at that stage.   Philip also farmed in the Greytown area.

Philip was related to a Mr PRT Nel who was in Indian Education an Inspector of Education when I was working for that Department.   Philip senior was a close friend of Gabriel Krog - the then Director of Indian Education - one o f the top educationalists in SA and Philip visited him often when in Durban.    

Cloudy it's in Pietermaritzburg ...490 klms from Johannesburg...you'll have to fly to Durban first and drive inland which is about an hour or if you come by car from JHB on the N3...it's quite a good road but busy and drive with caution...most of it is highway type driving...I hate this road though as it it's drivers are very bad, reckless and inconsiderate so be very cautious and don't speed but take it slowly.

It is on the left side of the road - basically same as England.   

Mike I know the farm...it's part of the Natal Fly Fishing Club leased waters...I've fished there quite often.

The farm was run by Theunissens...I think that is the late Philip Nels son-in-law who married his daughter but now is owned by the Hills.

Here's a link...the map of the farm.

http://www.nffc.co.za/portal/nffclive/UserFiles/SysDocs/bb_nffc_waters/10000/21/PHILIP%20NELS%20DADS%20AND%20HILLS%20DAMS.pdf

Cloudy, Maritzburg College used to feature in an old SA tv series called The Dingleys Bookshop and the theme song was sung by perhaps our best pop group, Rabbit...some of the older posters might recall:

In Pietermaritzburg the people
Go to school as the English do
And you'll see the old English flag
At the top of the club
And the statue of the Queen
Still frowns at all who pass her by
Like the Mrs. Tumbler
With her nose in every pie
And the old pavilion
Where the men in white still play

At Dingleys, Dingleys bookshop
With the books for scholars to get degrees
With all it's old fashioned paint and shelves
And Dingleys old fashioned thoughts so he tells
Now you find old Gerald Dingley
And Kate his wife behind the shelves
And his son and daughter
Are happy to be part of Dingleys

https://youtu.be/u6dj7uE47S0