Dear Kenny,

How time passes! Three years ago, I first came to know your website and I still go through it every now and then. I do enjoy reading the contents and looking at the photos. Brings me back many nostalgic memories and also nice to know how our MEHS friends are keeping.

During the course of last year, I have made some more new friends, Marguerite Hla Baw from Switzerland and Patricia Tin Win from Peru. I also met again, for the second time, my Aussie friend, Cecil Wagstaff at our school, Old Paulians Reunion, last year (September 2008) in Rome. Cecil and I, we have been friends since 1954 when we were about 11 years old and played tennis together. I had met him for the first time, after 52 years in Bangkok at the MEHS school reunion in January 2008.

You won't believe me, together with Cecil, I also met another long lost friend of my Yankin College days, Winnie Tun Tin (MEHS class 1959), in Rome. We haven't seen each other for more than 48 years and you can imagine how happy we both have been.

For me, all these have been possible, thanks to you and also to your sister, the late Juliet Teoh who founded the website. As Tommy Htay has put it in his Welcome Message, you are running this webside single-handedly and with professionalism. You have succeeded in keeping all the MEHS alumni and friends all over the world well-informed, connected and stay connected.

Keep up with your excellent work and thanks again for your effort and dedication.

Best regards,
Richard San Tint (Maung Maung Tint)
Old Paulian 1951-59
Paris

Hello,

My name is Hpone Thant, but when I was at MEHS I was known as Harry Tin Maung. I matriculated in 1963 from Daw Ma Ma Gyi's class and my classmates were Tee May Thein, Peter Chit Shein, Willy Han, Dolly Khan, Robert Khan, Han Tin, etc. Olive Tun Hmi, Quilly Teoh, Shelly Saing were, I think, in Mrs. Rosair's class. I met Danny Kyin in Yangon about a year back. Our classroom was on the top floor immediately in front of Mrs. Logie's apartment. I saw Tee May Thein (I guess she is now in USA) in Bangkok about 3 years back.

I have emigrated to Australia in April 2009 and now living in Blacktown, a small town about 35 kms to the west of Sydney. If there is anybody near our place or in Australia I would like to get in touch. I can be reached at harryhponethant@gmail.com.

My address is:
U Hpone Thant,
No (6), Douglas Road,
Blacktown, NSW 2148,
AUSTRALIA
Tel (res) ++612 9676 1909
WBRGDS
Harry (Hpone Thant)

Dear Derek,

I read your comments and went into the website you mentioned and have found many interesting photos. Among those was our old school, St. Paul's High School. As I am a member and also a moderator of our Old Paulians Site (OPA), I will post your message on our website, to share your interesting photos with our friends. This will probably enable those who can give more information or comments on your photos as per your request. Thank you for your nice work.

Best regards,

Richard San Tint (Maung Maung Tint)
Old Paulian 1951-59
Paris
Email: tintm@neuf.fr

I've revisited the web and find myself back in time, seated in class with Jacqueline Wade, Doreen Sharma, Muriel Lee, Kim McKertich, Ivy Chit, Winnie Pe Than, Shirley Khader, Margaret Tan and how could I refrain from mentioning Kathleen Manasseh, (my tuition pal at Fytche Road) and Colleen Hindle. I wish I could connect with these friends of bygone years, a chapter in my life indelibly inscribed in heart and mind. A golden city... radiant people. Here's my e.mail. kalyanidavidar@live.in

The host of names at the MEHSA website evokes memories of a bygone but never-to-be-forgotten phase. I remember most of my classmates, seniors and some of my juniors. I'd be happy to connect with any to whom my name rings a bell, so here is my e-mail kalyanidavidar@live.in or touchstonekkk@yahoo.com.

Waiting for your letters...

Antonia

I have posted a number of photographs of Rangoon's colonial architecture on my flickr site which may interest some former MEHS students. Please feel free to drop me a line if you know the origins or history of any of the buildings. I would welcome your comments, anecdotes and any help to identify these reminders of Old Rangoon.

Many thanks,
Derek Finch
Email: dcrfinch@yahoo.com

I was in London for a year in the 1970s and visited with 8th Standard Teacher Miss Phyliss Tin, but was unable to locate Sayama Rita Johnson. Miss Rita Johnson was one of my favorite teachers and I clearly remember her "threshold of new life" farewell letter to MEHS students in 1960. My thanks to Cecil for finally locating her.

Last month my husband and I were on vacation in Alaska. On our return journey we stopped in Vancouver, British Columbia for a few days - for sightseeing. And guess what - my friend from MEHS - Margaret Tin Maung came to see me at my hotel. What a wonderful couple of hours we had - remembering the good old school days and all our friends. We saw each other after many years... though we do keep in touch via email. But to see her in person was the best thing to happen!

MEHS friends are the best!!

Malika

Many of you will remember and been taught by Mrs. Rita Lonsdale (nee Johnson), our Respected MEHS General Science Teacher. Many of you who are in Medical & Surgical and Medical Research Careers today, probably took your first steps towards this, during the General Science Classes conducted by Mrs. Lonsdale. I am in touch with our respected teacher, who would love to hear from you. It is at Mrs. Lonsdale's personal request and for her reasons that Ges, her son, has requested that all those wishing to contact, to please advise me. I will forward these to her via Ges.

Thanks, and my E-mail address is cecil@wagstaff.id.au

Dear Cecil, Frances, Richard and Ivan,

I'm deeply moved by your very kind comments on my unexpected illness. For many years I've had high blood pressure but I've never thought I would have a heart attack. Jenny Lim and I were at the movies and half way through the movies I was not feeling very well. We went to the Emergency room of the local hospital and found out that I was having a heart attack at that time. From that moment on the excellence of the American Health Care system showed itself. I was stabilised and sent by ambulance to the Lawnwood Medical Center and Heart Institute. The doctor was waiting and placed a stent as a temporary measure. Four days later I went under the knife of a brilliant Surgeon who performed a quadruple bypass. Then four days later they released me to go home to undertake the long recuperation.

I've been getting very good care at home and have been told that I must not do too much work too soon. Every day my heart and body feels better. I'm most grateful to my caregivers and I call my heart surgeon "a life-giving doctor". Many thanks for your prayers and thoughts during this incredibly difficult ordeal.

Thanks,
Tom
Email: riatradech@yahoo.com

Thank you for sending me Tom's email and phone number. I have just sent him a message. Also please excuse any typographical errors, I have suffered some nerve damage after three vertebrae were replaced in my neck after a fall at Heathrow Airport. I was not able to walk or use my hands for quite some time but I am grateful to be alive. I know I appreciated all the warm well wishes I received and happy to have so many friends.

1. Best wishes to Tom Manton for a speedy and a complete recovery.
2. Tom, where are you residing, now ?
3. See photo of The Nation Softball Team, already on mehsa.org Website. You, Dr. Robert Fuller and I were team-mates, and we shared some great games.

Sincerely,
Cecil Wagstaff

If Richard Yu Khin would kindly give Tom Manton my best wishes for a speedy recovery, I would appreciate this very much. Where is he now?

I have a letter from Mrs. Manton (Illinois) thanking me for purchasing The Rangoon International Cookbook in 1989. Tom sent me an email many years ago when he was a preacher in Czechoslovakia if I remember correctly, but we lost touch after that. He probably does not remember me now but all the Mantons were well known in the early days of MEHS when Mrs. Logie and Reverand Manton revived our school. I came from kindergarten at St. Thomas in Dehra Dun and after a few months' home-schooling with our grandmother, they both as good family-friends, convinced my father to enroll us at MEHS.

I started in the second standard with Gillian, David Manton, Marina Pereira and Gloria Hengshoon. So I witnessed our school grow from ruins outside Mrs. Manook's classroom window. The following year I went on to the fourth standard. At the ripe old age of 69 I cosider these formative years as the only education I needed. What happy memories!

Talked to Jenny Lim and Tom Manton. Tom is still a bit sore, but is being discharged from the hospital today after quadruple by-pass surgery on June 23, 2009.

Jenny Lim e-mailed me yesterday, and asked me to let MEHSA know that Tom Manton had a heart attack last week, but is now doing well after having a quadruple bypass surgery on June 23. He is now in a stepdown unit and walking 4 times a day.

In April/May 2009, my wife Perveen & I were in Kuala Lumpur for a little over a month, to be present at the birth of our first grandchild. Asha Isabella was born on 11May 2009, to Son Craig & Daughter-in-law Tamara, who live there. While I was there a dear friend and MEHS school mate, Robert Ah Khin and his family, hosted a Welcome Burmese Banquet Lunch which included Hin Gyo and Nga Tha Lauk (Fried Burmese style), at his home, for myself and other Burma friends. Thank you so much Robert, we greatly appreciate your warm welcome and generous hospitality. Robert sends his regards and best wishes to all MEHS Schoolmates.

Sincerely,
Cecil Wagstaff

I was in Perth to celebrate my sister Lynette's Birthday, last week. While there I spoke with our respected Teacher, Mrs. Phyllis Nott. Mrs. Nott has moved and her new address is: 3/19 Bradford Street, Marrangaroo (Perth) W.A.6064. Phone +61.8.9343.8325 (if calling from Overseas), or 08.9343.8325 (if calling from within Australia). Mrs. Nott is well and would love to hear from any students. Please do phone or write to her. Thanks.

Also met up with Alan Simpson & Chris Manook, and spoke with Alfred Pereira by phone. They are all in Perth.

Sincerely,
Cecil

Memorial Service for Mavis Edwards

I apologize for this very informal way of getting this to you but I do not have addresses for you (or most of you) and I hope you don’t mind. We would love to see you at the gathering. It will be in Southfields, which is on the District Line to WIMBLEDON.

I do need to know numbers for the catering lady so I would be grateful if you could let me know if you can make it.

For those of you overseas, this is more in the way of information, but by some chance you do find yourself in London at this time, we would love to see you.

Lots of love to everyone

Jennifer Edwards
mail addresss: Apartado 1084, EC Olivais Sto. Antonio, Loule 8101-904, Algarve, Portugal

On our recent vacation including Athens and a brief stay in Mykenos before a cruise through six other Greek Islands, we met the sister-in-law of Agnes McIntosh who also knew Maureen Lal. She lived behind MEHS on Sandwith Road but attended St. John's convent! Her friend was also from Burma and knew several of my contemporaries. We intended exchanging email addresses but in the various travels and tours we neglected to do so.

It so happened that our cabin boy was also from Burma and on the last night on the ship he brought me a nicely wrapped jar of "some chilly spices from my country". The next morning before disembarkation the Burmese girls told my husband that our cabin boy had brought them some balachaung also since we had informed him of their presence on the ship. What a lovely surprise and what a small world.

Cedric Sharp wrote recently on those that were with him in 1955. I did not arrive at MEHS until Jan 57, I think, and stayed until Jun/Jul 59 before returning to the UK. I believe Cedric was in my class along with Cuckoo Sirpaul(?). Memory is a strange thing, but if Cedric could be in touch we may be able to piece together my MEHS history!

Best wishes
David Bray

I recently visited the UK and met with a few classmates at Annie Yin's home.

I was so pleased to learn that Mrs.Baxter (age 95) (Upper Kindergarten Teacher) is alive and well living with Valerie & Tim.

I know Misses Hallegwa, where about I have no clue, but there's one Jewish Temple in Rangoon near the corner of 25th street and Maha Bandoola Road, and there's one Jewish person taking care of it but don't know his name.

Good luck

Hi All,

I am looking for info about the Misses Hallegwa, who I understand were "The last Jews of Burma." If you have further info, please contact me. E.g. which country did their ancestors come from, were they Ashkenazi Jews, do you know anything about the Jewish cemetery or synagogues in Rangoon, etc. Their personal history. Any other people of Jewish origin from Burma that I can contact. I am doing research for a possible book.

Thanks,
kmk
Email: kolorama@yahoo.com