Our Caretaker, Mr Kondora, recently reached a milestone birthday and Mrs Rees, one of Junior TAs, caught up with him to record his remarkable life story and the circumstances which led him from Hungary to Wales.
Every morning without fail, one man is here from the moment the doors open until the last person leaves. Mr Imre Kondora, a pillar of St John’s for over 15 years, is the person everyone turns to at some point. Sitting with him over coffee, I discovered an extraordinary life journey that began far from this school but led him here, where he became the familiar face we all know and love.
Born in Hungary, Imre studied engineering before his world was upended by the Soviet Invasion in 1956. One fateful day, on his way home from college, the bus he was travelling on was forced to head towards the border to escape the uprising. During a short stop for the driver to take a break in the evening, the Russian Army spotted and seized the bus. Now forced to flee his homeland on foot, Imre and 20 fellow students dodged checkpoints and crossed into Austria, finding refuge in a refugee camp.
Even in the camp, Imre's spirit of service shone through as he volunteered in the kitchen, helping to feed fellow refugees. For three long years, his parents and family didn’t know if he was alive until a Red Cross message reunited them.
With support from the Red Cross and unable to speak a word of English, Imre arrived in Britain, intending to continue his journey to Canada, where he had friends of friends. However, fate had other plans. Everything changed when he met his future wife, Judith, in Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd.
Imre settled in Wales and began working in coal pits in Bargoed. In the evenings, he would study English and play football for the local team until a motorbike injury turned him into a respected referee.
Imre’s career led him to Cardiff Docks, where he worked as an engineer for Gulf Oil. At home, he and his wife Judith welcomed two daughters, Natalie and Claire.
However, it was a chance meeting at the Cathedral in 2008 that ultimately brought him to St John’s, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his remarkable journey.
Dr Neville, founding Headmaster of St John’s, began chatting to Imre at the Cathedral and offered him a role as a pupil escort on our school transport. Soon after, he became our caretaker - a role he’s fulfilled with unwavering commitment and quiet dedication ever since.
Dr Neville once asked Imre to promise him that he would remain at St John’s for as long as he could. Decades later, that promise has been kept, and our school is richer for it. Imre’s story is a reminder that behind every familiar face lies a journey of resilience, service and inspiration.
