The Real Town Pool!

SandyB · June 26, 2009, 06:58:35 PM

Hard to remember correctly ... cos the Lindhouts and the Van Uytenhovens both seemed to be involved ... Mrs Lindout Coras Mother also used to manage the pool as well ..

Diana Rudd (Boehme) · June 26, 2009, 08:19:49 PM

Mrs Uytenhoven had the cafe while I was in primary school late 60's. Cora took over from her. they may have been partners for a short while???? Mrs Lindhout was the pool lady before Mrs Brunner.

SandyB · June 26, 2009, 08:25:37 PM

Dont you remember Murgie Robinson Diana ...

Diana Rudd (Boehme) · June 27, 2009, 10:48:33 AM

Nope...was she the lady that had the clever dog?

SandyB · June 27, 2009, 08:32:07 PM

yup ...

Sylvia Brünner · June 28, 2009, 02:56:02 PM

Cora and Mrs Uyttenhoven were partners for some time in the café. I used to work in the cafe during schoolholidays end of '60. Mrs Lindhout worked in the swimmingpool and in the café ( she baked most of the sausage rolls/pies/ and sweet cakes,etc.) My mom, Mrs. Brünner at that time, worked in the swimming pool when Mrs. Linthout had her shift in the café . My mom also worked at the café when she did not have to work in the swimming pool. What a lovely time I had in those years in Oranjemund.

Bob Molloy · July 01, 2009, 02:12:30 AM

The Cafe
A bit of history here. It was started way back in 1959 by Alf and Mabel (surname escapes me), a warm and friendly Cockney couple, in response to a big push by the ex-pats for a place for the wives to meet and greet during the day.
It was eventually permitted by the GM, Stan Devlin, with a dire warning that it was not to substitute as an eating place for those single men who usually went straight to the pub from work and stayed there until chuckout. The idea was to force them to use the company canteen and eat decent food.
The first menu was dictated by the company to discourage casual eating, limiting it to cream buns and biscuits.
I think King Canute tried a similar tactic in trying to hold back the tide, with equal success. The ban lasted all of ten minutes I think, before the single guys were popping in for a hamburger to stave off starvation.
Alf and Mable ran it successfully for two years before selling out to Doreen Wright and Edna Molloy. Doreen bowed out a year later and Edna - introducing a wide range of food options that made the cafe a central meeting point even after hours - ran it until 1967 when it was sold to Cora.
Regards,
Bob.

Diana Rudd (Boehme) · July 01, 2009, 07:51:29 AM

Great info Bob. How was Mrs Uyttenhoven invovled? I'm sure she owned it sometime in the late 60's.

SandyB · July 01, 2009, 05:56:28 PM

Diana less red

and read the postings ..

Diana Rudd (Boehme) · July 01, 2009, 09:38:27 PM

Leon Sumter · August 01, 2009, 07:43:13 PM

I seem to recall it being mentioned that the Gerards also ran the cafe at some stage when Phillip was in OPS???

Bob Molloy · August 02, 2009, 11:35:49 PM

Hi Leon,
You're right, it was Alf and Mabel Gerard who started the cafe back in the late Fifties. I think they'd had previous experience in the catering business back in the UK, though Alf came to Omund as a qualified diesel fitter.After leaving Omund they went to the Cape and took over a small supermarket in Hout Bay for a few years.
I worked with Alf for a period at Mittag. He was a very congenial character who had a fund of stories, certainly a natural for dealing with the public in any capacity.
Regards,
Bob.

Bev Coates (Now Walker) · August 08, 2009, 02:01:52 AM

now i know why ive had a great fear of plug holes or outlets in pools all my life.....think the story on here is the one i was told way back then.........well i still think its a dream that i actually got to dive of that board again after 45 years..and wish id have done it in day light sober too lol.....