Henry Beckwith was Headmaster at Jeppe from 1963 until his untimely death from ill health in 1966. Beckwith was my headmaster, but as he was ill for much of his tenure I do not have too many strong recollections of him. The school magazine of 1966 records that he was one of the keenest cricket lovers that the school has known. His knowledge of things connected with cricket was phenomenal and he could reminisce for hours about famous cricketers. He had a wealth of amusing and interesting stories to tell about batsmen and bowler alike and he could recount details about matches that most people had forgotten many years ago.

 

His was a familiar figure at most sport practices and at all school events, especially his tall figure sitting in a deck chair under the poplars watching the First team.

 

His reputation as a cricket connoisseur extended far beyond the borders of our school. As a mark of respect and in his honour the annual Southern Transvaal (as it was then called) Schools cricket week became known as the HN Beckwith Cricket Week. Years later in 1978 when the cricket pavilion was built, it was appropriately named the Beckwith Room.

 

With the advent of commercialism I have been concerned that the name of Beckwith would be dropped from the week. Unfortunately the average schoolboy who plays in the Beckwith week does not associate Beckwith with Jeppe because the schoolboys seldom come into the pavilion.

 

When we were thinking about naming fields and venues after school masters or coaches and in light of the above, it seemed appropriate to name the school’s premier cricket field, the main oval, after Henry Beckwith and so from now it will become known as the BECKWITH OVAL.