NEWSLETTER 13TH DECEMBER, 2015
Eddy Norris
Old Rhodesian Air Force Sods
This was all on one condition – that the technicians get one Junkers 52 serviceable from all the other Ju 52s that the Germans had destroyed when leaving the airfield.
On his promised return, one month later, he piloted the now ‘serviceable’ Ju 52 with all the techs on board.
There were no instruments, as all the cockpits had been smashed, and the first take off was the test flight, and also the pilot’s first flight in a Ju 52.
On board, too, were as many brand new tyres as could be fitted into the aircraft.
Fuel was only available at the existing military airfields on the way down to Pretoria.
It took days to get ‘home’ and when he landed, all the techs got out at the end of the runway and walked. He then took off again and flew to his farm in the Transvaal where he did numerous flypasts over his fields and kicked out all the tyres, some of which nearly killed his tractor driver who was ploughing.
So, none of the tyres could be confiscated by the authorities at the destination airfield!
If there is anyone who has a copy of this story and would either like to scan the story or even part with the magazine it would be much appreciated by Bill. Please let ora...@gmail.com know if you are able to assist.
Many thanks.
Mr H.H. Cole Headmaster of Prince Edward School.
Val Malcolm writes further of our segment two weeks back - If I remember correctly, Reg Cowper was also a teacher at Prince Edward. Bugs (Malcolm) went to PE and I think I recall he said this, along with Coates Palgrave and ? "Fussy" Wooton.
Alf Whiston (AKA Apie) forwards - I was at Prince Edward School in the same class as John Barnes, Bruce Collocott and Jack Roberts. I don't think Mr. Cole was the headmaster in 1953. I think it was either Mr. Lobb, who was the acting headmaster, or Mr. Jock Slaven. It was quite a while back so I may be wrong, but that is how I remember it.
Syd Polwarth writes - H H Cole went on to become Secretary for Education successfully although he was not one of PE's top headmasters
It would appear that H.H. Cole was a well recognised teacher, teaching at many well known schools and later in 1958 went on to become the Secretary of Education in the Federal Ministry of Education in Rhodesia.
I did some searches and found the following links to be of reading interest to those interested in the Old Schools.
http://reference.sabinet.co.za/webx/access/journal_archive/03790622/849.pdf andhttp://www.ststephenscollegeoldboys.co.za/chistory.htm
Banket Mine.
Several folk are digging into query regarding the Banket Mine. That's a great thing about what Dad started with all this - discovering the history of our great land - so it gives me great pleasure that in a small way this learning is continuing.
Erik Eilertsen writes -
Just for interest I entered both names (followed by Zimbabwe) into Google Earth and BOTH take me to Eersteling mining company in the Rosebank area of Johannesburg (I imagine it is the HO of the company).
My own theory is that one of the mines was KNOWN as Banket mine and Blanket may well have come about through careless spelling or someone's over eager predictive text?
I lived in Sinoia for a few years (1959-1961) and my parents knew people in the Banket area and I recall the name BANKET MINE being used in conversation so, if there is no mine that actually has that name then perhaps it was a generic for the most prominent mine in the immediate area?
Lewis Walter writes - BANKET MINE. There was a mine of this name (not Blanket) in the vicinity of the Banket village. “Banket” is the description of gold-bearing formations of sand and clay found in the Rand area. Similar formations were found in the area where our village of Banket was established, and named after them. It was hoped that they would be equally productive, but I was told the formation was not quite the same, and not very productive. I don’t know when the mine operated, but am pretty sure it was not functioning when I was stationed with INTAF at Sipolilo in the 1970s. The named derived from an Afrikaans pudding which looked the same (but hopefully did not taste the same !)
Thanks Lewis - I dug out our copy of the encyclopedia Rhodesia and found this -
BANKET - Town, 95 km north-west of Salisbury, on the main road to Chirundu, and station on the railway line to Lomagundi. It is the centre of a very productive farming area (maize, cotton, tobacco, beef) and there is a bulk grain handling depot and a research station for Burley tobacco. The nearly Muriel Mine produces gold and copper.
The name is taken from an Afrikaans work banket meaning a type of sweet in which nuts are encased in hard sugar. This name was given to a gold-bearing type of rock formation on the Witwatersrand. It was hoped that the mine discovered here was on a similar geological formation.
Altitude:1 295m.
GIRAFFE PETROGLYPH.
Lewis Walter also replied with further information on the Giraffe Petroglyph -Yes, this was a registered National Monument – No. 26. It was long on my list of things to visit, but I never managed. I was sure there must be other similar petroglyphs in the area, and hoped to find them. The following is an extract from “The Monuments of Southern Rhodesia”, published in 1953 :
PETROGLYPH OF GIRAFFE
Six miles to the north-west of the old Native Department camp at Mtetengwe in the Beitbridge area is a fine petroglyph of a giraffe. The outline of the animal is deeply grooved, and within the outline a grid of crossing lines indicates the spotted markings of the giraffe’s hide.
The engraving of the giraffe is on a flat rock close to a stream, whose waters flow over the stone when the stream is in flood. The giraffe is nine feet in length.
Thanks Lewis - is there any reader who may have a photo of said petroglyph or further information regarding any others in Rhodesia? If so kindly write to ora...@gmail.com thank you.
Old Bulawayo Hotels.
A while back we were asked as to names and date of establishment of the first (old) hotels in Bulawayo, Nick Baalbergen has done some research and sends the following in;
This is an interesting one. In all of our early settlements, one of the first enterprises to be established was a 'hotel'. There were many in Bulawayo from the earliest days of settlement. Some lasted just for a year or so and therefore a record of those is unlikely. Some of the better known establishments were used for official gatherings, there would therefore be a record of the gathering and a date - very useful in establishing a time-line. In many of the early stories recorded by individuals, mention is made of a particular hotel - once again useful to establish a time-line.
The Charter Hotel -The attached photo of the Charter Hotel dates from 1897, but there is a record of the First Ordinary Meeting of the Bulawayo Chamber of Commerce being held at the Hotel on 1 November 1894. The Charter Hotel was therefore an established and fully functioning establishment at that time
The Maxim Hotel - The attached photo shows the Maxim Hotel under construction on 1 June 1894. The photo was taken on the occasion of an informal ceremony declaring the town of Bulawayo 'open'. The article accompanying the photo reads as follows :
In this photograph is seen the group which attended the ceremony on 1 June 1894, when Dr Jameson (seventh from the left in the front row) declared the town of Bulawayo open. This very informal affair took place outside the old Maxim Hotel, then still in the course of construction. The Doctor strolled out to meet the settlers. But there was to be no oration that day. "It is my job to declare this town open, gentlemen," he said. "I don't think we want any talk about it. I make the declaration now. There is plenty of whisky and soda inside, so come in".
The Grand Hotel -The attached is an image from an early post card of the Grand Hotel, no date is given. From an advert in 1933 it states , Bulawayo's Pioneer Hotel the Grand Hotel has been established for nearly forty years thereby putting construction around 1894/1895.
Tattersall's Hotel - The attached photo is of the defensive laager at the Market Square Bulawayo in March 1896. The caption accompanying the photo specifically mentions the Tattersall's Hotel. The photo caption, written in 1933, is as follows :
- The Hotchkiss gun manned at the north-eastern corner of the laager in the Market Square of Bulawayo. In the background is Tattersall's Hotel, on the site now occupied by the New Selborne Hotel.
The Tattersall's Hotel was therefore a well established Hotel in early 1896, so would have been one of the earliest hotels, possibly having been built in 1894/1885.
Palace Hotel - An advert from a 1933 publication, states that the Palace Hotel was established in 1887, and an article "Early Days in Bulawayo (1886-1900) by H.W. Smart reads "A very cheap place for food was the American Restaurant, with the Stars and Stripes flags fluttering, run by W R Paterson, who built the Palace Hotel in 1897. The meals were 2s each. The Abercorn Hotel supplied a special Sunday meal for 5s and the Charter Hotel a Sunday dinner, midday, for 6s. The Maxim Hotel contracted for the BSAP Officers' Mess at £20 per officer per month. "
The Abercorn Hotel is mentioned, in addition to the already listed Palace, Charter and Maxim Hotels.
The Carlton Hotel - There are number of early photos of this hotel, although I haven't come across any information relating to the date of establishment.
Thanks to Nick Baalbergen for the information and photos - it got me thinking as to the boarding houses of yesteryear and what their prices were like compared to the hotels, and what you received for your money( food included, laundry facilities etc) I know they are very different but I wondered as to whether any history has been made as to the "life" of boarding houses in Rhodesia. Going through the many death notices, I had noticed that these seemed really popular to families back in the day due to a shortage of housing.
Photographic Project.
It appears I have the names incorrect on Photo 2 The Golf Team in Nl 29 November, 2015 - my apologies for this error.
The information I now have is -
From Johnny Ness -
Standing – Simon Maitland, Doug Smith, ? , Ron Williams, Colin Bond
Seated – Don Annandale, Ossie Penton, Dicky Bradshaw, Ian Donaldson, “Bunny” Ingram-Gillson
Colin Bond writes -it's my brother David Bond who is on the far right in the back row, and not me.
Also, Bunny Gilson is sitting far right in the front row. Incidentally, he was also a supplier
Checking all the details sent in, I am going to list the names on the photo based on the general consensus given over the last two weeks -
therefore -
TITLE - New Sarum winning the Inter station Golf Competition.
BACK ROW - Simon Maitland, Doug Smith, Des Lombard, Ron Williams and David Bond.
SEATED - Don Annandale, Ossie Penton, Dickie Bradshaw, Ian Donaldson and Bunny Ingram-Gilson.
Photograph 2 of last weeks NL -
Bill Sykes forwards - Kutanga Range observation tower. Year – late 60s early 70s ??
Thanks to the many that forwarded information regards the photographs.
Aviation Enthusiasts.
Louis Hartley forwards a video of The top 10 Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe - click the link https://youtu.be/4p2sjGBAvgc
Thanks Louis.
Due to the "size" limitation I have related to my email account I have omitted a photographic project for this week, in lieu of the hotel pictures as they were just too good to pass up on.
Many thanks for the Christmas messages, I receive many "lovely to see/hear from ....." emails and can see that these must evoke many a happy memory and time for our readers. Postage from and to many countries is expensive and limited and for those especially these messages mean a lot.
ORAFs thanks the owners, producers/authors for the use of any materials used in this weeks Newsletter. No monetary gain is intended nor gained - for sharing purposes only.
Thanks again to all who write in and submit articles/thoughts - I am merely the post mistress- it is you guys that make this all possible.
First Friday evening of each month.
Contact Johnny Ness and or Tony Cowell for details AFA (Gauteng) Monthly Prayer MeetingFirst Saturday afternoon of the month at Dickie Fritz Shellhole.
Contact Cheryl Grover for details
First Friday evening of each month.
Contact Neville Mare (RhAF) for details
Personality of the Week - DOROTHY DUNCAN (1893 - ...)
Social benefactress. Born New Southgate, Middlesex, England, 31st July 1893. She was educated at University School, Rochester, England and Hillhead High School, Glasgow, Scotland. She spent many years in India and was a Commissioner of Girl Guides (1919 - 1924) and Commissioner of Wolf Cubs 1927 -1934. During the Second World War she served in the Women's Auxiliary Corps (India).
Dorothy Duncan came to Rhodesia in 1939, and that same year became Honorary Secretary of a section of the Loyal Women's Guild in Salisbury dealing with the blind and physically handicapped. In 1963 the first Dorothy Duncan Home for the Blind was opened in Salisbury and this was followed by the erection of a new Dorothy Duncan Centre in 1967. In 1971 this Centre had to be enlarged. From 1952 until 1972 Dorothy Duncan was Chairman, first of the Sub-committee then of the Salisbury Branch of the Rhodesian Society for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. On her resignation in 1972 she became the Founder President.
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Sent in memory of Eddy Norris
by Paul Norris & Denise Taylor
RSA & Canada.