The 2025 Chronicle

Mark always made time for outside in terests and service. He was interested in criminal justice and served as the na tional chairman of the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Rehabilita tion of Offenders (NICRO) and as a mem ber of the Release Advisory Board, which advised the Minister of Justice on the release of prisoners and sentencing pol icy. He was also chairman of the National Council for Correctional Services, involved in all aspects of prisons, prisoners and the sentencing process. When traveling on circuit or even holiday he made regular use of the judicial prerogative of making unannounced prison inspections, often to the chagrin of the local authorities. His renewed school connections included being a governor for several years, end ing up as Vice-Chairman under his great friend Walter Strachan (Farfield, 1942). During his time on the Board he com bined his interest and expertise in crimi nal justice and school policy by writing a paper comparing the often arbitrary and inconsistent use by schools of expulsion as punishment with judicial practice, which should take into account all of the underlying purposes of prevention, refor mation, retribution and deterrence. He concluded that expulsion was very rarely a punishment that served these purposes and should be used only very rarely. This paper received much attention at head masters’ conferences in South Africa and England and there is anecdotal evidence that it influenced policy in several schools. Mark also served on the Natal Parks Board for nine years. A recent history of the Parks Board by a former director, George Hughes, states: “Mark’s tenure on the board was remembered for his incred ible attention to the justice and fairness of the actions of the board, along with a wicked sense of humour that served on many occasions to break a deadlock of opinion and led to a fair and proper deci sion.” George illustrates this by describing a very difficult situation where the staff’s decided course of action was not support ed by the full board: “Mark entered the fray with conviction … and said the deci sion to get on with an unpleasant job has been taken … some noses are going to be out of joint, it is time to apply the Nixon doctrine…. We grab them by the balls and their hearts and minds will follow. Mark’s and Ann’s years in Durban were happy ones with many friends and excur sions, as well as visits abroad to Paul, Mark and Etienne (all Pascoe, in contrast to Mark in Founders). Two tennis afternoons

fast Christian faith, which remained with him always. He was particularly influenced by Rector Fred Snell, who he greatly liked and respected at school and thereafter. One afternoon after practice the First XV coach, Chris Lombard, gave an inspiring talk about his alma mater, Stellenbosch. This resulted in Mark and his teammate, Francois Junod, taking the unusual step of going there to do their BAs in Afri kaans. Mark thrived there, getting a solid legal grounding, playing first XI cricket and hockey and finding a great affinity for the Cape and sea fishing. Most importantly, at Stellenbosch he met Ann Jacobsz, who changed his plans to take up a place at New College, Oxford. He had been planning to take a non-legal degree, as he thought it more likely that he would become a teacher than a law yer – an indication of the influence of Mi chaelhouse and its masters. He moved back to Bloemfontein to do his LLB and he and Ann were married in 1952. Hap pily, he never regretted his decision to pass up the Oxford opportunity. Mark started his legal career at the Bar in Bloemfontein, and soon established a busy junior’s practice. He enjoyed the col legiality of the 20-member Bar, where he and some of his colleagues would be in court opposite each other every day, but maintained great relationships and often close friendships outside the courtroom. He enjoyed a sideline practice prosecut ing for the Basotholand (as it then was) government, which brought him into con tact with some of the great British colo nial characters who had steadily moved southwards as the empire shrank. The re sulting stories he shared were legendary. He was awarded silk in 1966, and was chairman of the Free State Society of Ad vocates in 1974. In that year he was also asked to become a judge of the Supreme Court of Natal, which was an opportuni ty he greatly relished. He was happy to move to Natal for both professional rea sons and personal ones, not least the opportunity to resume ties with Michael house and his many friends from school. He and Ann settled happily in Durban, where he enjoyed the camaraderie of the Bench as well as the travels on circuit to various parts of KZN, where he often met up with various Michaelhouse friends. He also enjoyed the flexibility of being on circuit when he could set court hours to enable him to catch the evening rise or fit in a few sets of tennis before dark.

somewhat ungainly posture. He conclud ed that gymnastics was one of Dudley’s latent talents because, from the start, his ear was always close to the ground and his hand was firmly on the tiller. Dudley’s legacy does not just lie in the institutions he led, but in the lives he touched. Though he may no longer walk the cloisters of Michaelhouse, the echo of his wisdom, kindness and unwaver ing dedication will forever resonate in the legacy of those he taught, mentored and inspired. Dudley’s influence as an outstanding leader in education endures and will undoubtedly be woven into the character of generations who carry for ward his values and his vision. Teddy Roosevelt, shortly before he be came president of the United States in 1901, said: “I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.” Dudley’s life was strenuous in that he was always striving to guide people to higher ways and great er things. He sought – through his integ rity, his kindness, his courtesy, his care for others, his determination – to guide his staff and his pupils. And, thus, we are able to say to him: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have fought the good fight. You have been an educator to your fingertips. You have had a profound im pact on many lives. Now rest in peace.” Written by Antony Clark Mark was born in Bloemfontein and at tended St Andrew’s before starting at Mi chaelhouse, a casual acquaintance of his father having mentioned it was a rather good school. It was a novel experience for him and he was not given an easy ride, arriving in the early war years with a Ger man-origin surname. However, he soon came to thoroughly enjoy his time there and started a lifelong love of the school. He participated in a broad range of aca demic, sporting and extracurricular activ ities, including playing First XV rugby and First XI hockey and serving as the Senior Prefect in 1945 (he vividly remembered being thrown into the water in the Main Quad as part of the VE Day celebrations). He loved Free Bounds and other opportu nities to explore the Natal countryside, and found a great love of trout fishing, which had not featured prominently in his Bloem fontein past. He also developed a stead KUMLEBEN, MARK ERNEST Born 1927, Died 2024 Michaelhouse 1941-1945

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