Oranjemund experienced a sudden flowering of activity and community involvement with the arrival of the ex-pats. Their employment was a decision made by De Beers because recruitment of suitable artisans from South Africa was proving difficult.
Advertising in trade union journals in the UK attracted a number of applicants. This was just immediately postwar when the British workforce was composed largely of disillusioned ex-servicemen. The prospect of a job with free furnished housing was a big incentive, plus free transport by sea and – not least – the promise of escape from postwar rationing and the British climate.
A further attraction was that the contract was only binding for two years after which most planned to have saved enough to return to the UK. As it turned out, few did. Some indeed stayed with CDM until retirement.
The first few were recruited in 1948 and from then on they arrived in waves until the scheme ended in the late Fifties. Immigration has no appeal to stay-at-home types and those with low motivation, so it tends to select mainly the original thinkers and the pushy individuals.
A further refinement of the selection process which took place in London was the insistence of a high skill level in the particular trade so that only quality artisans made the cut.
Oranjemund, as a community, certainly not only got highly skilled artisans it found itself invaded by strong personalities who tended to take charge and change things.
The first arrivals did indeed get free furnished housing but the houses were was small wooden buildings set in a desert landscape – no trees, no gardens, no fencing. Until then there was a general air of acceptance by the workforce of housing and mining conditions imposed by management, and consequently a high level of turnover.
The ex-pats were made of different stuff. Firstly, they were on a two-year-contract and couldn't leave at whim. They also had a healthy disrespect for authority.
The only sports club operating was the rugby club which appealed to few of them and the only entertainment was the weekly Saturday night film show held in a building incorporated with the single men's mess hall.
Within months they had pushed through demands for extension of recreational facilities, fencing for houses to create gardens, shelter belts, and better shopping. Those few who arrived as single men found the single quarters woefully inadequate and pushed for larger rooms fitted with wash basins. Committees with various interests set up a drama society which converted part of the old bioscope hall as a backstage area and from then on produced high quality plays and annual pantomimes. Within short order there was a cricket club, a gun club, tennis club and moves towards a golf club. Later on the Pink Plan was dredged and a lake created for a yacht club. An archery club was short-lived as was Scottish dancing though its existence motivated the Afrikaans community to form the volkspelers club and also to stage Afrikaans drama. Also about this time a boxing club and a gymnasium was started, as was a photographic society and a fishing club. For the children, Scouts, Guides, Cubs and Brownies were set up followed by the Voortrekkers.
Allied to all this was the establishment of a monthly news bulletin to provide a forum for discussion. This lasted almost for many years. The first editor was expatriate Philip Bruce. He together with brother Alan and cousin John Wright, and their families were among the early stalwarts.
Working conditions were a particular focus for ex-pats. It wasn't long before a workers' group was formed to meet management at intervals to voice their concerns, leading among other things to improvement in worker transport to and from the mines. The usual canvas-covered trucks fitted with loose wooden benches gave way to standard buses. They also achieved provision of lunchrooms at workshops and later reduction of the six day 48 hour week to one of five days and and 40 hours. Sealing of roads to workshops to lower the dust nuisance also went ahead at this time.
As the same time management got the go-ahead from head office for major work on the town, including replacement of the wooden houses with three-bedroom breeze-block homes fenced off from the desert. A newly-established Parks and Gardens department planted shelter belts of trees and the olive trees in Fifth Avenue, and quickly greened up the township in general.
Residents responded with an active garden club that brought in plants and fruit trees from Cape Town nurseries, and soil fertilizer from Beauvallon. Garden competitions resulting in some amazing gardens and Oranjemund became reknowned for its roses.
By the end of the Fifties Oranjemund was a far cry from the dismal collection of huts it once was. It also had a new recreation club building, several bars including the infamous Casey's Bar for singles and a lounge bar for the ladies. Later a an enlarged cinema was built and special purpose building for the Youth Club.
Who were these movers and shakers? My list, by no means complete should headed by ex-Chief Petty Officer George Lovett who worked as a rigger but was later appointed Rec Club manager, a post he managed with distinction. He and a coterie of ex-servicemen set up the Moth Shellhole. One of them, Don Dixon, was instrumental in establishing the Masonic Lodge.
Others included a flurry of Jocks, two of them Alexanders, a Buchanan and a Wallis. The first Jock Alexander was arrived on contract from the engine makers in England to install the diesels in the enlarged power station. After completing that job he was offered a post as foreman at the engine sheds next to the North Electrical Workshops. He was a prime mover in establishing the golf club.
Biff Hannabus, a Londoner, was a standout personality for his exuberance as an entertainer and actor. Then there were also the Fosters, Creedys, Bakers and others too numerous to mention.
As a group they changed the town beyond recognition. They are all gone now but their handiwork is still to be seen.
thanks Bob . I spent a few delightful minutes reading and also remembering quite a few of the folks mentioned
Quote from: henniek on June 03, 2014, 04:32:40 PM
thanks Bob . I spent a few delightful minutes reading and also remembering quite a few of the folks mentioned
Agreed, thanks Bob, nice piece of history, sadly I look at the dying tree belts, lawns and decaying parks to name but a few and wonder what they would be thinking today of all their hardwork going to pot!