The Jowell Quad: Wynberg’s Peoples’ Piazza

It was over a year ago when Neil (Matric 1949) and Cecil Jowell (1952) popped in for a cup of coffee with me. There have been a number of Jowells at Wynberg over the years and they boast a more than interesting family history.  There have been six generations of Jowells in South Africa since Abraham arrived from Lithuania in 1880 and became an archetypal Jewish smous  peddling his wares through the Northern Cape.  However, it was his Grandson, Joe, who moved to Springbok  as a young man where he had an agency for Chevrolet, who  started  off the journey which culminated in Jowell’s Transport becoming one of the biggest and most successful transport companies in Africa.

The Jowell Brothers & KCR

It was from dusty Springbok that the two (barefoot) Jowell boys arrived at boarding school at Wynberg in the 1940’s where wearing of shoes had to become the order of the day. I notice from the 1st XV rugby photograph of 1952, that the captain, Cecil Jowell,  had even graduated to wearing rugby boots.  The country boys were becoming city slickers!

Neil and Cecil now run their father’s company which changed its name in 1967 to ‘Transport and Engineering Investment Corporation Limited’ (Trencor).  Today it is listed on Wall Street.  Abraham Jowell would have been proud!

Both brothers arrived  in my office at Wynberg expressing a desire to put something back into their old school.  While Cecil was the sportsman, Neil was the keen debater and he immediately indicated his intention to endow a Debating Prize in the name of his good friend from his schooldays, Fanie Labuschagne.  It was subsequently awarded for the first time at Matric Prizegiving last year to Michael Cheney.

I walked them around the school and surrounds which, of course, was not ‘their’ school as those buildings had been upgraded in 1981 to become the home of Wynberg Boys’ Junior School.  In passing through the main quadrangle, I remarked how soulless this quad was and rather disparagingly referred to it as a ‘Department of Works Courtyard’.  This started a discussion of what we could do with this rather bleak and characterless quad.

Cecil took to the idea enthusiastically, seeing in his mind’s eye the area transformed into an Oxford University Quadrangle covered with hallowed, green lawns with paths of flagstones leading into revered cloisters where Oxford Dons would be engaging in earnest conversations with eager undergraduates on the Meaning of Life.

I have been teaching in a boys’ school too long.  I didn’t see it that way.  It would not take 800 boys too long to tramp the grass into oblivion and in any event, the main topic of conversation of boys at Wynberg these days at break time was invariably the highlights of the previous Friday night’s escapades.

Encouraged by a generous donation from Neil and Cecil, we commissioned Oliver Dods, a past parent and innovative architect, to run with the project.  The concept would be a Greek Piazza where boys would congregate around the fountain to discuss the daily events of life - discussions which would be invariably loud, inevitably opinionated and definitely shrill.  Benches were to be constructed where boys could sit - after flowing out with their lunch purchased from the Fish Bowl Tuckshop.  For those who have been to Greece, it was not a huge step to imagine that the fruit juice was ouzo and the hot lunch of the day was moussaka.

The final product was ready for the National Boys’ School Conference in March this year.  Standing on the hall balcony, a stunning panorama lay before the delegates.  There were planter boxes with shrubs and trees on the steps leading up to the hall; cobblestones throughout the Quad reminiscent of Karoo stone;  quartzite tiles to square off various areas; underground irrigation; spotlights showing off the trees; new benches;  renovated fish pond and fountain.  It almost seemed a pity to allow Wynberg boys run of the place!

However, it soon became obvious that the boys would bring life to the area.  Like piazzas throughout Europe, there is now ongoing chatter and movement all day. 

Julian Taylor performs at the Concert in the Quad

The next chapter in the Jowell Quadrangle saga came when Julian Taylor spoke to me about the concept of a ’Concert in the Quad’.  In his mind’s eye, he saw a stage placed over the fish pond and boys playing music and singing to an audience seated around the Quad at tables.  The concert he had in mind would not parade our conventional school bands, choirs and musicians – they have more than enough opportunity during the year to display their skills - but it would be an occasion for other boys to showcase their love of music.

I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate for an opening of our Piazza.  Zorba the Greek would have felt right at home.  After weeks of auditioning, practicing, little sleep, constant exhortations, occasional remonstrating, the show consisting entirely of volunteers and appropriately featuring South Africans of all hues and backgrounds, came together brilliantly on the Freedom Day Weekend commemorating in their own way the 20th Anniversary of a democratic South Africa.

Even though it was well into autumn, the weather played ball and it was appropriate that both Neil and Cecil Jowell could attend the second night of the show which was to be the official opening of ‘their’ quad.  The evening started off with a presentation to the Jowells who remarked throughout the evening that they were blown away by the atmosphere, the quality of singing and the positive approach of the boys.

‘I really didn’t even know that my boy could sing,’ remarked one of the mothers to me at the dinner break.  There he was lustily singing ‘It’s Magic’ with a group that included three first team rugby players and a first team hockey player.  They had the audience swaying and clapping.

Dillon Birns

Well, sing he certainly could - as did the other boys who came on stage.  They were from all grades – every one of them singing and playing music from the heart. It was interesting to see how popular the ballad numbers were with the boys - with Dillon Burns leading the way with his rendition of  ‘Let it Be’ which Paul McCartney must have first sang 35 years before Dillon was born.  Dillon did it full justice.

My sister-in-law, Lindsey, was out from the UK on holiday and she unanimously voted the boys’ rendition of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ as her highlight of the evening.  Five boys sat on the edge of the Fish Pond and literally entranced the audience.  It was riveting and somewhat surreal to listen to these words in the sylvan setting of the new quad with the lights playing on the water of the trickling fountain.

The spell was completely broken when I went up to sing.  ‘ A Peoples’ Piazza,’ said Julian Taylor when he prevailed on me to embarrass myself in public, ‘ is just the sort of atmosphere we need to evoke at an event like this.  You need to sing.’

This sentiment was not shared by my wife who, when she heard the news, promptly declared that she was not attending if I went anywhere near the stage.  I had to lie to make sure that she and her sister attended. My son came as well but went home shortly before I was due on stage declaring that he was not feeling well and that listening to me would only make things worse.  And to think of all those school concerts I had sat through in his youth …. Fair is fair, surely?

My confidence was not at its highest level.

At the first evening’s performance, one of the parents had remarked to Sue Lindsay on how stimulating it was to see such young talent on display.  I noted that no such comments came my way after I finished singing.

I was scheduled to sing Carole King’s ‘You’ve got a Friend’.  I dedicated the lyrics to the parents of Wynberg remarking (presciently, as it turned out) that the audience must listen to the words as they probably wouldn’t recognise the tune:

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come running ……..

Taylor & Richardson: "I'll come running ..."

The comments were flying at my table when I returned.  ‘Don’t give up your day job,’ advised top businessman, Cecil Jowell.  I wonder if it is too late to change the name of the Quad?

‘There used to be a rumour that there was a fifth Beatle,’ said past Chairman of the Board of Governors, Barry Jessop. ‘Clearly it wasn’t you.’  His sons have long since left Wynberg, so his courage is now returning.

‘You are just like my husband,’ said one of the mothers. ‘Why does every man think that he can perform like Sting?’

If recent press reports about Sting are to be believed, I just hoped that she was only referring to his singing.

I think that we can finally say that the Jowell Quadrangle, Wynberg’s own Peoples’ Piazza, is now officially opened.