Eric Clapton and the Kings Concert - Swaziland 1989

A collegue was telling me at lunch time he is going to see Eric Clapton next week at the O2 in Dublin - I thought about seeing him, but honestly there are just too many concerts to see these days, but I was telling him about when I saw Eric Clapton in 1989 in Swaziland.

My BFF had gone to a Rock Concert with her brother the previous year in Zimbabwe to see, Bruce Springsteen, I was very jealous that I was not going with, she also came home with some amazing stories, that I will tell you about some day.  So when another friend of mine invited me to go with them to see Eric Clapton and a host of other bands in Swaziland, I jumped at the opportunity.

My friend and I were going with a mutual ex-boyfriends brother and his friend.  Well the friend that came with was a BIG marujana smoker and smoked in the car all the way up.  We left at about 10 a.m. on the Friday morning 21st of July 1989, the concert was on Saturday evening in Mbabane at the Somhole Stadium, it was the Kings Trust concert, basically a concert to celebrate King Mswatti II 21st birthday - he aparently had a private concert at the palace.

So we drove to Oshoek border and got through relatively easy, aparently that night and the next day there were 5 hour waits.  We had no accommodation, but a tent in the car and a couple of tins of tinned food, my friend had organized with some mates of hers that worked there that we could camp on their property or stay in the house, and this back in 1989 when there were no cell phones or email everything was done on trust and hope.

We eventually found the guys place, well the house that they stayed in was so filthy that we even decided it was not worth using the toilet as we did not know what we would catch, so we really roughed if for the week-end.

I don't remember too much detail but remember it was an awesome week-end, I am going to go and dig up my old photos and scan them in.  While searching the internet for any information about the concert I came across this newspaper article which describes everything to a T.

Travelling back on Sunday, we decided to go through Piggs Peak as again there was a 5-8 hour wait at Oshoek border post, which was probably a wise move.  We got back and I had to have 3 baths to get rids of the dirt, and my husband wants to know why I don't like camping!

 If you can't read the article I have posted here, here is the link which should be a lot clearer: http://samusicheritage.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/swazi-rock/

The Great Bank Tunnel Robbery

In 1977 (42 years ago now) the biggest and bravest bank robberies in South African History was staged in Krugersdorp South Africa, it was over an Easter week-end.  

The Standard Bank in Krugersdorp was robbed of over R400 000, which back in 1977 was a lot of money, considering we bought our house in 1996 for R100,000.    

A shop across the road from the bank was rented, they used a false name (Mr Nightingale) and an address in a Johannesburg Suburb.  Mr Nightingale said he was opening a photographic studio and therefore pasted Newspapers all over the windows of the shop.

In 1977, during the Easter weekend, the Standard Bank in Krugersdorp was robbed in one of the most daring robberies in the history of South Africa. More than R400 000 was taken.

During the day, the robbers dug a tunnel to the bank, placing the soil in bags which were then removed from the premises.

What counted in their favour was that the ground was relatively soft and there were no underground cables or pipes on the route. They even installed wooden props in the tunnel, leading people to believe they had mining experience.

They did their homework very well – they knew that compressors were being used nearby, enabling them to mask any sounds they would make during the excavation – in fact, the bank turned off its trembler alarms for that very reason.

The robbers tunnelled for three months, digging 21 metres under four adjacent shops until they struck the bank’s vault, without anyone knowing about it.

During the Easter weekend, the robbers broke through, took what they wanted and disappeared. No arrests have been made to this day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Krugersdorp_bank_robbery

The "Big Snow" in 1981

This week was the anniversary 10th of September of the Snow we had in Johannesburg in 1981, majority of us kids had never seen snow in our lives before, so it really was a novelty.

I remember the week so well, the week before we celebrated Spring day and it was starting to get warmer, the blossoms were out.  I remember leaving for College on the morning of the 10th, there was no sign of a cold weather and it was rather warm.

I caught the Nr. 45 bus from Linmeyer to Eloff Street in Johannesburg, and as we drove through Rosettenville the sky was absolutely black!  We got to college, it was situated towards the end of Eloff street towards the station and we were on the 11th floor!


The snow started lightly, we were all looking out the window until it started coming down much heavier, then when it started to settle we took this opportunity to make snowballs and start throwing them down at the people in the street below.

There was absolute Chaos and the Principal said that only the kids whose parents said they could go home could go home, but I think we all just took this opportunity to bolt.

In the side road "Post Street" running down to Risi Avenue, some kids had rolled a GIANT snowball in the middle of the road, so no cars could get up or down.    A week later it still hadn't quite thawed out and the Fire Brigade had to use pick axes to smash it and get it to melt.

I would love to hear about your stories from the Snow in 1981 in Johannesburg!


It's amazing how to this day, 38 years later everyone who was around that day have their own stories to tell.   We were lucky living in the South of Johannesburg as we had more snow than anywhere else and it lasted for at least 2 days!  I heard that in the Northern suburbs it didn't even really settle.

I found this really cool website of Snow in South Africa from 1853 - 2014, some really good photos on the website as well.

Highveld Primary School - 1973 Standard 2 (Grade 4)

I was quite surprised that at this stage of my life where this Class photo was taken over 40 years ago that I can remember everyone's names in my class:

Our Teacher at the back was Ms Da Silva but for the life of me I cannot remember her 1st name, then Back Row from Left to Right - Andre Van Tonder, Emilio da Silva, Neil Smith, Gary Palmer, Pieter Van der Spuy, Russell Thompson, Graeme Els, Graham Littleford, Anthony Garbers, Robin ?, George ?, Richard Moore, Glen Coyle

Middle Row: Theresa Divine, Michelle Stadler, Sharon ?, Glynis Tutton, Leora Farber, Bernice Myburgh, Lisa Schoeman, Nicolette Nienaer, Lucia de Olivera, Debbie Hales, Tania Tsangaris, Lesley Norton.

Front Row: Martin Pape, Clinton van der Stadt, Ralph? Me, Melanie Moore, Antoinette van der Heever, Stella Rykaart, Lee Garnett, Shaun Reilly, Alex Loukakis, Steven Brandt.

Front Front:  Robert Levy, Colin Humphries

The Bug House ....

Our main entertainment growing up was going to the "Movies", there were only 2 movie houses in Rosettenville which my father referred to as the "Bug House", mostly we would go to the "Grand" which was in Main street, Rosettenville. 

My mom would take us to the "Bioscope" on a Saturday afternoon, I remember before the movie started they would have "News Reel" which would have news mainly from London and all in black & white, then they would show a short either "Flash Gordon" or a disney short.

Then they would have a 15 minute interval and the movie would start, just enough time to get an ice-cream, my favorite was the Zoom ice-cream that had a collectable disney toy in the bottom of the cone.  It was 3 flavours of ice-cream in the shape of a rocket, strawberry, vanilla and chocolate at the top, covered in a bit of real chocolate.

It was this shape but made from real ice-cream! 

When we were teenagers we were allowed to go to "The Adelphi" which had been revamped and for the life of me I can't remember the name, I just know they had Kinekor Kiddies Club on a Saturday morning, so you would get in to see a movie for less than on any other day and you would get popcorn and a drink with your ticket.

I remember seeing "Grease" there when it first came out, and my friend Morag and I went to see "Mary Poppins" during the school holidays, there was a lady sitting behind us singing to every song, until we told her to Shut up!!!

Later on we were allowed to go to the Kine Centre in Johannesburg to watch movies, it was across the road from the Carlton Centre and the place to go.  When I was at college, I remember going with all the college girls, my friends Heather and Nicole were part of our group, anyway we took up a whole row of seats - but I have no idea what we went to see! 

There was a guy on his own who sat in front of us, anyway we were passing popcorn up and down the row and I remember someone dropped it, and it went all over the guy sitting on his own ... he didn't budge, until the lights went out and then he moved seats, probably because we spent the entire time killing ourselves laughing ... poor guy!

I saw my first "No under 18" movie at the Kine Centre - Heather, Nicole and I would catch the bus to college together, Nicole would always entice us into bunking and it was the time "American Gigolo" came out.  The usher was checking our tickets and I almost didn't get in, he said to me "You're not 18" and I said I am, he said "No you're not, you're only 17", (and I was), he must have seen the shock on my face and just let me go in!  He never queried Heather and Nicole who were the same age as me, but I guess I just never wore as much makeup.

I just found this really interesting web page on Movie Theatres in Johannesburg > https://johannesburg1912.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/theatres-in-early-johannesburg/

My dad owned a Movie house in Yeoville and in this article it talks about the "Bug House" in Yeoville, which must be where he got it from.  ‘Bughouse’ bioscope in Yeoville - My mom and dad lived in Fortesque road in Yeoville when they got married in 1956 and I remember my dad saying he owned a bioscope, we still had the projector when we were kids and loads of Black and white TV shorts from America on film called "My little Margie".

Before the Kine Center, we would sometimes go to His Majesty's or The Colosseum in town to see movies, at one stage they were showing all Elvis's movies at His Majesty's and my mom love Elvis so we were dragged along to see them, however I grew very fond of Elvis!!!

If you have read a lot of my blog, my father was in construction and had his own construction company, he helped build his Majesty's in the 40's and I have a photo somewhere of him shaking hands with General Smuts.

Would love to hear your memories of the Movie houses in Johannesburg.


 

Southern Suburbs Sports Club

Do you remember the SSSC - I have fond memories from my teenage years of spending a lot of time at the club.

We played Squash often at the club, I think it was the closest Squash club to where we lived!   We would go and watch cricket there, I think my friends dad was the chairman of the Cricket club back in the late 70's.

Cyril Mitchley the umpire was a member of the Cricket Club and his son Cyril Mitchley played for the club, but please correct me if I am wrong, my memory is not as great as what it used to be.

I just researched the SSSC to see if it still there and they mentioned the public pool??? When did that happen, it looks like the club has gone from strength to strength.

There used to be disco's every now and then at the club and of course when we got to the "drinking" age, if the pubs weren't open on a Sunday at least the Clubs would sell alcohol!

The tennis courts were superb and I would sometimes go with a friend as her parents played tennis.  I only really got back into tennis a few years ago and now lead the tennis club at my work.  It's not great playing on outdoor courts in Ireland as most of the time it would rain, or just generally be bloody cold out there, I have photos of us playing in our winter rain gear ... lol.

Anyway back to the SSSC - I think almost every kid who lived in the South would at sometime have been to the club, would love to hear your memories. 

There were also the koppies behind the club, where we used to go and climb over the rocks or take a short cut to the club, even though our parents forbid us from ever going to the koppies! 

Facebook .... ugh

The more and more I think about Facebook, the more and more I want to delete my profile, but I have so many friends that I keep in touch with that I just don't have the heart to delete it. 

On Friday it was a late friends birthday, I have known him since I was about 5, he lived in the same street as me, went to the same school and I had the hugest crush on him! 

Because no one has deleted his profile he is still up on Facebook and I get the reminder for his birthday as do his other 1000+ friends, Marc passed away in October last year and after his passing there were so many messages on his Facebook page in regards to his passing, it was very sad.  So come this year on his birthday, people were posting FB messages wishing him a very happy birthday and many more????  I ask you!

Seriously, some of the messages read "Happy birthday. I hope you have a great and blessed day. May GOD bless you with many more wonderful and blessed years to come. Enjoy" - 

If people only use Facebook to post messages when it's someone's birthday, I don't understand the logic for having Facebook?
 

de Villiers

I have been researching my Mothers ancestors, her mother was born a de Villiers whose forefathers came to the Cape as part of the French Huguenots, here is some information on the de Villiers wine

The de Villiers family of ancient Franco- Norman descent defended and saved Europe against the Saracen invasion in 778 A.D. together with the last Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Charlemagne.

At the end of the eleventh century 1096 A.D. They embarked on the first Holy Crusade in defense of their faith and quest for land where they conquered Palestine, Lebanon and Syria from whence their coat of arms originates. (Note the curved scimitar on top of the coat of arms).

Three Centuries later the Crusaders were driven from the Holy Land, however it is reputed that Jean de Villiers the Grand master of Acron and First Grand Master of Crete of the order of St. John of Jerusalem took with him certain vine cuttings the Noble Syrah (Shiraz) red grape which came from Syria (originally from ancient Babylonia) and the white cultivar chardonnay which originates from Lebanon.

Hence these noble cultivars were introduced to the European wine regions and subsequently world-wide.

In 1688 the de Villiers Vignerons fled France from persecution to retain man’s God given rights of religious freedom independence and the pursuit of happiness.

The de Villiers family arrived at the Cape of Good Hope South Africa in 1689 in defense of their faith and quest for land and introduced their firsthand knowledge and experience in the art of winemaking to South Africa more than three centuries ago. They were the first Pioneers arriving in South Africa with wine making knowledge and skills hence the south African wine industry was born.

For more than Three Hundred years the forefathers of “de Villiers wines” were the proud owners and cultivated world renowned wine estates such as “la bri”, ”de Leeuwenjaght”, “Lekkerwijn”, ”Boschendal”, ”Coetzenburg”, “Zonnebloem”, ”Babylonstoren”, ”Zorgvliet”, ”Bethlehem”, ”la Provence”, ”Hondswijk”, ”Estherdal”, ”de Goede Hoop” and “Nantes”.

The three de Villiers brothers were the only pioneers arriving at the Cape of Good Hope with a letter of recommendation from the Heeren Sewentien in May 1689, of the Dutch east India company at that time the biggest mercantile company in the world informing Simon van der Stel; the Governor of the Cape, that the brothers Pierre, Abraham and Jacques de Villiers had a good knowledge of viticulture and that he should assist them on their arrival.

“Ideal climate-Unique terroirs-Choicest vineyards-Superior wines.”

In 1770 fortified sweet wine was shipped via the Dutch east India company to Hong Kong Beijing and Shang Hai-China Malaysia and Singapore. There the wine was traded for exotic Chinese silk crockery and pottery and it is reputed an oak barrel of cape Muscatel was presented as a gift to the Chinese emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty to the Court at the Forbidden City in Beijing 1795, by Isaac Titsingh representative of the Dutch Embassy to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign.

In 1805 Vignerons began to export fortified wine and brandy to Great Britain and her dominions.

From 1812 a barrel of sweet wine was sent to the island of St. Helena every year to the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his aide de camp First Lieutenant Yon(the only French companion allowed during his banishment) until his death. It was reputed to be Napoleon’s favourite wine! Still unto today 200 years later, de Villiers Wines of the Cape exports wines to Dean Yon Weinimporte via Hanover to European Wine merchant and direct descendant of First Lieutenant Yon.

 In 1867 under their flagship “Paarl Rock Brandy” and other fortified wines they were of the first distributors to the diamond fields of Kimberley to the various towns of the Orange-Free-State and in 1873 further north to Pretoria and the goldfields of Johannesburg: the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek (Z.A.R -South African republic known as the Transvaal/Gauteng).

The present.

The continuation and fruition of these principles and more than three-hundred year old tradition is perpetuated by our Company today.

Villiers de Villiers the tenth generation in South Africa and present shareholder and brand Ambassador of the Company himself once a Vigneron for twenty years in the Paarl wine region.

Today “de Villiers Wines “under the personal supervision of Mr. de Villiers, personally tastes, selects and blends hand chosen grapes from the Choicest Vineyards with their Unique Terroirs culminating into a Superb Quality range of wines which also offers exceptional value to satisfy all the needs of the discerning customer under the flagship National and International brand-names “de Villiers wines” comprising three ranges : the normal superior-quality-value de Villiers Range the superb de Villiers Reserve range as well as the Dutch “Heeren Van Oranje-Nassau range.”

 The company’s head office is situated in Paarl – in the heart of the cape wine lands of the Western Cape region

DNA - My Heritage

So about a year ago, Em and I did our DNA tests and got the results, which to me were a bit of a shock as I always thought that I had Scottish and Irish DNA and a lot of French from my mothers side.   I still don't know how these things work but it turned out I have:

English                                                     71% (No Irish, Scottish or Welsh, just English)
North and Western Europe                    10.1% Includes French, German, Dutch
Italian                                                      9.4% 
Ashkenazi Jewish                                      4% Who even knew that was a thing
North African                                          3.6%
West African                                            1.9%  And no they didn't know I was born in South Africa

The best comment I got from People was - "So you don't have ANY South African DNA" (Ugghhh Facepalm emoticon here) .... lol

Among my mothers stuff from when she passed away, were a lot of family photographs, which I have managed to find out who the people in the photos were, which is absolutely amazing, I will include that in a new post. 

I do recommend getting your DNA done because it is amazing how much you find out about yourself and your family! 

Happy New Year 2019

What a year 2018 was, I discovered so much about my Family History and D's Family History by doing our DNA.

I've spoken to 2nd cousins I never knew existed and to D's 2nd Cousins too.   I'm still not 100% sure I have my father's family tree correct, but we can only hope.

I have learnt some really interesting stuff about my tree and discovered who those people in the old black & white photo's that my mother had among her belongings when she passed away!

It has become so interesting, especially when there are famous people among my family tree, but I will add all that information here.