For those of you who might be interested or knew some of the names from the era 1956... here are is a transcript of the minutes of the Optima Lodge in 1956, the Lodge was at this stage one year old.......
Those Minutes ,, 1956 my year of birth .. Now you got the brain cells rattling and I hear my Moms voice echoing in my head with these names .. .. not many old timers around that are on the net to tell us more . Mom where's your telephone connection ?? anything I needed to know I would just phone .. miss that part but I am sure Messr Bruce can add some more here ..
Archie Gunn , Arthur Davis , Blueuler were social friends of my Mom and Dad.. story attached to the name Kemp is one of the family members Got it thnks to Eddie Daniels Stephanie Kemp .. being locked up in those days for "political crime " hush hush you did not say it too loud .. Brian and Martha Mitchell and Pat Honeybourne also friends of my folks in those byegone days
Way to go Sandy, the purpose of the site, remember ..remember... I concur, I am sure Mr. Bruce will know a name or two.....
Thanks Mike .. I will consult dreamland for some more memories ,, For those who have come later on the site or dont follow up .. go to
http://www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/index.php?topic=341.0
they can see some of the activity and put pictures to some of the names I thought for a moment the one pic had Blumenthal in it but then I remember it was a Mrs Bloem or Bloom ?/ we remember the darndest things at times ... amazingly so Old Ronnie Young is still alive and kicking and still with Vina ( ex mac Donald ) I think most of the others have gone and left us as " orphans " or bereft of our extended family of aunts and uncles . .
These words just fell into my mind now .. I share >>.
" Oh Mother time , you are a hard taskmistress .. from our day of birth you move in luggage , hatboxes and all , rob us firstly of our youth , then our elders , then our peers , but yes we embrace you as you give us wisdom as we go along this precarious path called life .. "
Wow Micheal a lot of those names are printed on Old Tyme Nite beer mugs and an ashtray I have here at home which belonged to my Dad and proudly displayed on the wall unit. My Dad joined in about '62 or '63 and I have fond memories of the braais and Guy Fawkes evenings held at the Lodge in those days. I suppose some of the guys mentioned in the minutes were at these functions but I was too young then to be able to put names to faces.
Good one Mike
AS with Sandy B also the year of my birth.Was Arther Davis ,Bruce's father? the Brother Du Toit was he not the Post Master in the late 60's early 70's.
Unfortunately, I was not yet born, I never knew the folk, but one hopes that soem of the new members to the forum might no something.....
Diane, Gordon Davies was Bruce's father. We worked together in Management Services, Work Study Division under Brian Johnson. Both super guys.
Kindest Regards
Gordon
Thank you Gordon.....it took 18 months for somebody to answer my question. sorriso2
The moral of the story...never give up,all comes to those that wait.
I recall so many of the names. So many parties and braais and the rec club events were rip-roaring successes due to the comraderie and community spirit generated by the people above. My dad (Alan Bruce) was a very active Brother especially when it came to stocking and unstocking the bar...!
I remember the movies we as kids were taken to at the Lodge. Saw the favourite Disney movies there - Snow White, Bambi etc.
Nice to see the minutes for the extension. Check out the costs. Wow! But then that was a lot.