Letter from Andrew Green (SH 60-64):

“I read John West's article about the junior rugby house match and saw that Gunnar Bursell (SH 62-64) was in the team. This reminded me of the summer of 1964, when I left the school.

Gunnar and Kaare, (pronounced Kora) his older brother, were at St Bees together. The family were originally from Denmark, but had moved to Kenya some time previously, and they invited me to go to Kenya for the summer, which was the only time they went home each year. Luckily for me, my parents said yes, so I spent seven weeks there.

Their Granny had a place near Nairobi where she grew coffee and bananas. We then went about an hour away to a large farm of many acres, run by three members of the family. We went there twice, and also to a cottage by the beach North of Mombasa for a week.

On the way back we visited one of the Tsavo game reserves, where Mrs Bursell, a widow, had been offered a job. I think we were there for a week, all FOC.

I had passed my driving test that April and some days, Kaare, Gunnar and I would drive around the reserve, which was absolutely fascinating. One time we were nearly charged by a rhino but got away in time!

I was very lucky and still don't know why they asked me. Then it was back to earth and I began 'Timbering' in September.”

[Andrew's family were timber merchants in West Yorkshire. In their heyday, Arthur Green of Silsden had twenty-eight lorries, including subcontractors, one hundred and fifty woodfellers and thirty woodleaders with tractors pulling-out and loading.]

(The Society has no contact details for Gunnar and Kaare. If anyone has knowledge of them and can put us in touch, we would be grateful. Ed.)

 

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