Rick’s Oranjemund history lesson

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

@ Mike, you correct Koerien Swanepoel used to live across the road from us in 12th avenue. She was a swimmer and had polio. Elsebe, Johan and ? Depola were her step brother and sisters. Johan is now apparantly working for Peninsula Quaries. I met him a number of years ago at Cape Town Airport when I was flying home.

Regards,

Pepe

[Michael Alexander]

..... and Coreen still lives and teaches in Oranjemund, Expect to see her at the Reunion in November.....

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

..... Thats real cool to know, havn't seen her in years. The last time I saw her was in the 1970's. 

[Michael Alexander]

Her Boet, Derek left here about 4 years back, but is still with the company in Windhoek.....

[Bertie Horak]

If I'm correct Coreen swam to Robben island as well, way back in the 70's.  It was quite an achievement!  She was a superhero to us.  Her boet was in OPS same time as me - he sang quite well, and was quite the clown in class!  Him and his friend William Brindle used to get into trouble all the time with Felix Nieuwoudt at choir practice!

[Andre Neethling]

Pepe

The other DePola sister of Johan was Dalene there is a few pics of her in the other forums....

André

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

Yo Pepe, I believe the "missing" sister is Marianne!

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

Communication BA (Before Alexander)

In the mid forties, news and reading material of any sort was hard to come by. On a Friday night after work, the employees would make their way, often in howling sand storms, to the building that was used as a "post office". The sight of glowing cigarettes lit up the sky and the weeks happenings were discussed and debated. Gradually a hush came over the men and then a shout, from who ever was on sentry duty, would electrify the air; "I see the lights, can you see them?" (These "lorries" would often take days to travel from Luderitz to the Orange Mouth community.)

It was post night and the lights of the lorry could sometimes be seen when it was still an hour away. An anxious, excited burble would fill the air as the men's anticipation of receiving mail rose. The standing rule was that if the lorry arrived before 10pm, the post would be sorted that night, otherwise they would have to wait until the following day. The inevitable question would be; "who is driving tonight?" If it was Hermann he was sure to be in good time, if it was Fidi he might just make it, but if it was Willi, we might as well go home! Finally, depending on the driver, the mail would be sorted and handed back across the crowds of men. The first post boxes (without locks or keys) were established in 1947.

Huddled in their coats with their hands up to protect themselves from the wind, they hurried back to their "little" homes to immerse themselves in the contentment of contact with the outside world. This was the men's only link with their families and friends and allowed them to hold onto reality!
There was a radio station next to the "camp" which linked them with Luderitz, but it was used solely for the internal interests of the Company. Orders for the mine as well as the hiring and firing of personnel came by radio from the head office in Luderitz. It was only in 1944 that some form of internal telephone was installed. The General Manager had the first phone installed in his residence in 1948.

After the first "bridge" was officially opened, post arrived faster and more often, but newspapers were still delayed somewhat. I recall fetching the post in the early sixties, purely to read the Cape Times! The Monday and Tuesday editions would arrive on a Thursday, Wednesday and Thursday's on a Saturday, and Friday and Saturday's on the following Tuesday! Of course the important headlines would be known on time, as I'm sure many of you that were around at that time would have had to be quiet at certain times so that Dad could listen to the news on some form of wireless! Many was the time that groups gathered in the Single Quarters to "watch" a rugby test match. I say "watch", because it seemed that if one stared at the wireless long enough, one seemed to hear better!

In approximately 1970 Michael Alexander was born............

Question: When was the "original" Ernest Oppenheimer Bridge formally opened, and what was its significant record breaking achievement, relative to the Southern Hemisphere?

[Jeremy Dixon]

Was it not the longest non railway bridge in the southern hemishphere?

[barb (Fry)]

I would hazard a guess at it being a private project - we are talking about Oppenheimer here.

[Nada Ulbrich (Rall)(RIP)]

1950, and it was the longest single lane bridge in the southern hemisphere.

[Clive Symes]

February 1951, I think the actual date is on the Plaque at the Northern end of the Bridge

[barb (Fry)]

I concur with Clive

less than a km in length, single lane road.  Felt very long as a passanger driving over it.......................

1951 the same year Oranjemund took its name being Orange Mouth previously.

[Clive Symes]

The Yanks, dont think the name changed, looken on Google Earth to day and am sure I saw Oranje Mouth

[barb (Fry)]

I know I entered my place of birth on an American site and it came back as Orange Mouth.................

they wouldn't accept Oranjemund.