Time for some Newman Nostalgia!

Peter Jones OAM contacted us recently in response to our posts on Our Lady of Victories (Brigidine) Primary School, Wembley (OLV), and St Joseph’s (Marist) College, Subiaco, and shared some of his wonderful memories of his time at both schools.

The Jones family lived on Salvado Road, Floreat, directly opposite what is now the Salvation Army Hall on Brookdale Street, just up from the Floreat Forum. At the time there were no other schools or churches west of OLV.

Peter was an altar boy at OLV with Father John Brosnan who he describes as "a magic priest. Your one hour on Sunday, you got in 45 minutes, max. Loved the Latin Mass - your morning mass during the week was about 12-15 mins, but you knew you had been to mass!”

OLV is where Peter began his schooling in 1954 with Mother Joan as Principal, who he described as good natured, and having a presence. He had his First Communion in 1956, and left at the end of Grade 3 in 1957 for St Joseph’s (Marist) College in Salvado Road, Subiaco, completing Year 4 in 1958.

Though Peter was only at St Joseph’s for that year, this is where something extremely significant happened, which would determine the direction of his adult life.

St Joseph’s had a marching band, you see, and it was here Peter learnt to play the snare drum.

From 1959 to 1962 Peter was at Aquinas, then moved in 1963 for Year 9 to the newly-opened Trinity College where, thanks to them having established a pipe band the year before, his snare drum skills were rekindled.

Peter has dedicated much of his life, since, to the furtherment and nourishment of drumming and pipe bands in Western Australia - in particular to PLC Perth, where his wife Kerry Jones was the Head of the Pipe Band, and Peter a dedicated volunteer tutor, for more than 30 years.

Today Peter is Captain (AAC) of 51 Army Cadet Unit, Swan Regiment Drums and Pipes, based at Karrakatta - but the chances are high you’ve seen them playing all over Perth (link below).

It makes us so proud to think it all started at St Joseph’s…

51 Army Cadet Unit, Swan Regiment Drums and Pipes Captain Peter Jones OAM, with Piper Second Lieutenant (AAC) Ailsa Edwards on her promotion to Lieutenant (AAC), 20 April 2022.

St Joseph’s College Marching Band at the 1962 Athletics Carnival, Rosalie Oval, Jolimont, courtesy Wayne Spencer.

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