THE cover photo of the Skonk Nicholson tribute book. Skonk, With Affectionby Ruth Crouch and Matthew Marwick The great James Mervyn ‘Skonk’ Nicholson passed away in 2011, shortly after his 94thbirthday. South Africa’s very own Mr Chips left an indelible impression on school life in KwaZulu Natal, particularly at his alma mater, Durban High School (DHS) and, of course, Maritzburg College.
The great James Mervyn ‘Skonk’ Nicholson passed away in 2011, shortly after his 94 birthday. Skonk was a prodigiously talented schoolboy sportsman, captaining DHS at both rugby and athletics. He began his teaching career at Maritzburg College in 1944 and served faithfully for 39 years until his retirement in 1982.
In the same year, the Skonk Nicholson Arch was erected next to Goldstones, the main rugby field. To this day, College first XV boys run through the arch and leap up to touch the brickwork as they take the field, a mark of respect for the man who has a claim to being perhaps the greatest schoolboy rugby coach of them all. This book has had a long gestation period, and it covers Skonk’s life from beginning to end in great detail.
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Simon Haw and Jeremy Oddy deal with his early years, from the establishment of the family farm in Underberg in the mid-19thCentury to the end of Skonk’s days at DHS. Simon Haw and Jeremy Oddy deal with his early years, from the establishment of the family farm in Underberg in the mid-19 Matthew Marwick, a former deputy head of College, now the Principal at Pietermaritzburg Girls High, deals with Skonk’s war service and university education. He also puts together the charming, anecdotally rich chapter on his time as a schoolmaster.
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