Can you help? - 1954 Diamond Queen Ball Clock!

[alan]

thanks for these photo's every little snippet of information helps shall be home from Portugal on sunday so will send a better range of photos
regards
alan

[alan]

hi here are the other photos as promised I do hope they will jog some memories

[henniek]

Thanks Alan , this really added value- another bit of history that we can treasure .

[henniek]

Question - when was the first diamond queen ball held ? 1953 ? where is Old Bill Basil Raines  - MOTH ? 1950 's ? does anybody remember him  - he organized the diamond queen ball events ??

[henniek]

while we are on the social events: 1960 October the annual Masonic ball took place. The Masons engaged a six-piece dance band from cape town . Apart from the special band , each lady was presented with a daintily packaged handkerchief , while her escort had a carnation pinned to the lapel of his jacket

[henniek]

Attention Bob Molloy: Does the names "Doreen " and "Monica " as princes's ring a bell ?

[Bob Molloy]

Memory is unreliable at this distance from the event. The only likely people were Doreen Wright and Monica Watson, but I can't recall that they were Diamond Queen Ball princesses.

[alan]

all of this information about diamond queen is fantastic now some names i do hope at some point names can be authenticated but i do appreciate it was a long time ago once again thanks to all those who looking

[henniek]

Attention Allan : the plot thickens . Your clock - did you buy it in England , South Africa , or Europe. tis is very important , and secondly your clock is missing its glass dome . I attaché a pic of mine - sadly lost - things always go missing when one move to another location . sort of evaporated in thin air , so I can not give a better picture - look in the background on the sideboard - directly above the dogs head

[Mike Stenson (RIP)]

I wonder if Namdeb/CDM has any records of this.
I'll forward this topic to the Namdeb Information Officer.

[henniek]

I am positive that I have the story - But needs verification and permission from people involved . People who can verify are far and few between - as Bob said that things that distant gets fuzzy and confusing . Some old timers .. looking through the mists of time do remember certain things - it just needs to be put in order ! Allan . This is what I have. The diamond princesses received a bracelet and medallion . the husband of one of the princess , glued the medallion to the base of their mantelpiece clock . So , the clock was not the prize for the princess. but I believe they got some other things like Gold Premium Whiskey etc . They emigrated to England . The clock broke . most probably the tout wire that suspend the 4 x oscillating pendulum balls  , and  between moves the out of order clock was lost .

[alan]

hi thanks for all info  yes the clock has a glass dome I removed for photos I came across this clock on an auction site here in England and since you mentioned "medallion" on a closer look it does appear that a medallion is in fact glued to the base so that clears up a lot
the clock has since been repaired and is working o.k keeps good time I shall keep visiting your web site I find it interesting maybe one day I would love to visit your town but I myself am in the advanced years so if I intend to visit it would have to be in the next 2/3years
my regards to all please keep safe and well

alan

[henniek]

At first - I thought the clock was lost , but in fact the clock was donated to a charity shop in Kent . [  To clarify - give to a  "Charity shop" is our way of saying  one has been burgled and items stolen ] This Happened early 1990's so the clock was actually stolen .  Allan - do you know who the seller was ?  The clock was bought in Luderitz around 1955 1956 .. - most probably at Metje and Zeiglar' s shop . They were the importers of linen , fine crockery , jewelry , utensils , well almost everything one could even buy a car from them 

[Michael Alexander]

Wow! Hennie, stirling work, the clock is starting to have an interesting history....

[alan]

o.k I will get everthing I know together i.e place of purchase person purchased from and any other info I can to help you what worries me now is that I may be in possession of stolen property