Book giveaway: Musgrave author pens history on Durban school

MUSGRAVE resident and author, Jeremy Oddy recently released his third book, on the history of Durban High School.
The Old Red Brick Building, which tells the story of the old school building that was demolished in 1971.

Built in 1895, the old school building saw thousands of scholars walk it’s halls. Among those is Oddy, a Durban High School Old Boy.
He was inspired to write a book to capture the spirit of the bygone building and the years of school tradition it embodied.
The pages of The Old Red Brick Building, offer readers a wealth of stories and history connected to the old school.

In the opening chapter of the book, Oddy said his intention was to ‘stir the minds and memories’ of the remaining Old Boys who knew the school and it’s characters so well.

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The Old Red Brick Building includes contributions from several such scholars, including Hyman Magid of the Class of 1914, who reminisces about the time he was given 100 lines to write in Latin, as punishment for an impromptu cricket match.

Colin Penn and Sam Abrahams are among the contributors who shared stories about their time at DHS in the 1950s along with Ray Wartski, who recounts his ‘nightmare trip to Johannesburg’ in 1958 when he played on the first XV rugby team.

Another contributor, Nigel Hollis, shares a fascinating insight on the school’s connection to the Durban City Hall.
Beyond the building, Oddy captures the school’s spirit, with a few chapters dedicated to the rich sporting history, beginning with the Greenacre Cup.

Also read: Durban author pens intriguing historical book

In his book, Oddy weaves together the far-reaching community that came together around the school.

“The destruction of the building in 1971 was a tremendous shock to thousands of Old Boys. It is time to help recall the period before the alma mater of many was replaced with the school we have today,” said Oddy.

The Old Red Brick Building takes readers on a journey of discovery, beginning in the opening pages, as Oddy recount the school’s institution, in 1866.

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