Congratulations are in order! 

We were excited to hear from Jessica Thomas, granddaughter of Zimbabwean OD, Bobby Schierhout (1935-40), of the baptism of precious baby Bryson Doug Thomas in the Brooke Chapel on Saturday.  Jessica wrote:

Baby Bryson Doug Thomas is my beautiful blessing of a son that is also turning 1 on 8 June.  What a special date to have his baptism. So double blessings!

My grandfather (my mothers’s father) was a “Bishops Boy” and his full name was William George Schierhout but nickname “Bobby” and both my grandparents got married in the Brooke Chapel so very special indeed.

Father Monwabisi Peter led the service and performed the blessing.  We received this beautiful letter from Jessica afterwards:

A bit more about granddad William (‘Bobby’) Schierhout (1935-40):

Bobby Schierhout lived in Harare, in his last years and was a passionate OD who loved to regale anyone willing to listen with stories of his time at Bishops.

These snippets come from an article in the OD Magazine written by Bob a number of years ago:

I was born in Mowbray Hospital, returned to Salisbury, in Southern Rhodesia where my Dad was employed by Rhodesia Railways as a Surveyor.

I was booked into Bishops College in January 1937. The headmaster at the time was Rev. Cyprian Brooke and in my Prep years I was in Stanmore House.

One of Bobby's favourite stories in his own words:

In 1945 I spent the day with Robert Boyes’ family and we swam at Muizenburg not knowing there was a Diphtheria Epidemic in the area. Three days before the Easter holidays I was diagnosed with Diphtheria (Tuppy Owen-Smith was the Bishops doctor in those days), and admitted to Somerset Isolation Hospital in a critical condition. I was known at Bishops as the most unpopular boy as the school was not allowed out and was all in quarantine. My Mum came down by train to see me and could only speak to me through a plate glass window.

As mentioned by granddaughter, Jessica, he and her grandmother Molly were married (in 1950) in the Bishop’s Brooke Chapel.  The reception was held at the Newlands Hotel.

Bob worked in Zimbabwe and later in Cape Town.  He returned to Harare when his heart gave trouble:

In 1992 I had a tripple bypass and had to give up work. My youngest daughter built us a cottage in their two acre plot, back in Harare (Salisbury).

On 25 October 2010, on my 85th birthday and our 60th Wedding Anniversary, we celebrated and all our family attended.  Sadly Molly passed away three months later.

Bob's daughter, Janet Keightley, wrote this about her dad when he passed away in 2015:

Dad has been so special. He’ll be remembered for his wonderful sense of humour and amazing courage. He loved life to the full and shared this enthusiasm with everyone he came across. Leaving us just a few days short of his 90th birthday… we are heart-sore and sad but comforted in the knowledge the Lord has taken him to a better place. Let us celebrate and give thanks for his life and the precious legacy he leaves behind. We remember Dad with love and joy.

Maybe Baby Bryson will pick up where his grandfather left off and also become a Bishops Boy!