Rick’s Oranjemund history lesson

[Michele Alexander (Voden)]

  Ricky - this makes great reading!

[Bertie Horak]

Great Ricky, I love these lessons! 

[Michael Alexander]

I think this is an awesome topic and a brilliant idea for the forum, Well done Ricky, Here is the condensed factual version as requested.....

"Once upon a time.......1779 actually, a Scottish Dutchman (I kid you not), Robert Jacob Gordon, a commander of the garrison at the Cape, after having visited the area two years earlier, decided to rename what was then called the Gariep (which simply translated means "River"). He named it the Orange River in honour of Prince William V of Orange. This saved thousands of people the indignity of growing up in Gariepmund! (This will probably be the curse of the next generation, as I believe that the river is reverting to its original name)

Fast forward.......In 1920 Ernest Oppenheimer initiated Consolidated Diamond Mines (CDM) in which Anglo American, a new organisation of which Sir Ernest was chairman, held the controlling interest.

Fast forward......While there had been much excitement regarding diamonds on the Southern side of the mouth (Alexander Bay), it was approximately 1928 that prospecting got under way north of the river, and in January 1935 operations, on a minor scale, began in "G" area. By 1936 rough buildings had been established and marked the inauspicious beginnings of a settlement called Orange River Mouth (actually references to this name date back to 1930). In 1940 the "River" was dropped and it became affectionately known as "Orange Mouth"
Question: When (month and year, please) did the name Oranjemund become official?


Part 2 – Babes and/or booze:

Life for our forebears in the 20s and 30s was seriously harsh in the "oasis" we called home in the 50s and beyond. Living in very basic 'pondoks', with no running water or electricity, and the East wind that still gets angry today (remembering that they had absolutely no trees or other windbreaks), social activities were also non existent. Until the mid 30s no women were allowed south of Bogenfels, but far more alarming was the fact that alcohol was strictly "verboten"! (would you have survived those days Michael?) Every week the men would pack their dirty laundry, clothes to be repaired and other personal items in "wash-boxes" (about the size of large suitcases) and these would be transported to their wives in Elizabeth Bay or Kolmanskop, and later to Pomona. (they had to keep their wives busy you see!). The boxes would be returned full of exciting things and perhaps a well hidden bottle of "booze" to add some cheer!

In 1937 the first "married accommodation/ dwellings were shipped out from Germany and erected on site. The houses were brightly painted, but did this cheer the men up?

By 1942 an "Appie" was earning 2 shillings and sixpence (about 50c) for an 8 hour shift, and after 1 year of uninterrupted employment, was entitled to 5 days annual leave. The employees and their families were given 1 free trip to Luderitz every 3 months, but I quote; "The workmen shall not be entitled to the free conveyance of alcoholic liquor" Legend has it that because of the shortage of women and recreational facilities, alcoholism was obviously a problem the "Company" had to deal with. And they took it seriously! "Any form of drunkenness will give the Company the right to discharge a workman immediately without first giving notice".

You can breathe easier Mike, as soon after the situation normalized, and drinking was allowed "in moderation". Finally a red letter day occurred when, to the satisfaction of most (men that is), the veritable institution of "Caseys Bar" a males only bar, was opened in 1957!!! (A parrot, also named Casey , I believe, was the only "bird" allowed through its portals!)

Question 2: After whom was "Caseys Bar" named?

The Ghost of Hohenfels!

As mentioned earlier, prior to 1935 it was decreed that no women should be allowed south of Bogenfels. The chronicles of the time tell us "The section Manager and his assistant had obtained permission for their wives to live at Hohenfels which was the nearest point any woman was allowed to Oranjemund. Hohenfels, which was situated some twenty kms up the river, was built by the German military authorities in 1908. It was a stately castle like building with a beautiful garden and lovely trees. However, no-one would live in it!
The Section Manager soon found out why! The wives complained of opening and shutting of doors and weird noises at night. Workmen were sent out to secure the locks and doors but could find nothing wrong. Matters continued to get worse until the men received an ultimatum from their wives; either they provide transport to return them to Luderitz, or the gallant ladies would walk (the tannies were tough in them days)! The house was obviously haunted!

Other stories substantiated the wives fears. The surrounding Namaqualanders (some of whom had tried living in the house) had apparently spotted a headless female apparition flitting about on moonlit nights. Apparently Martha van Zyl, while ironing one day, saw a uniformed rider on his way up to the house. She called to her mother, who had not heard the approaching horse, and on entering the room, the mother found Martha in a faint on the floor. After questioning her daughter the mother heard that Martha had looked up from her ironing and seen the "hideously mutilated face of a coloured woman peering at her through the window" On investigation, no trace or spoor could be found.

The ghost did not appear to be discriminatory in her choice of victims as testified by Petrus Julius, a new recruit, who, huddled by the fire, related that he had seen a headless woman walking on air about the house.
Thirty odd years earlier, as the story goes, after the completion of the building in 1908, a Wachtmeister and a corporal were stationed there to patrol the area between Hohenfels and the "Orange River Mouth". The wife of the Wachtmeister and his seven year old daughter came out to join him. Apart from the monthly camel patrol they saw no other people and it must have been an awfully lonely life for them. The wife was extremely lonely and died in childbirth the year after she arrived. The father sent his daughter to school in Namaqualand and then on to a convent in the Cape.

On her return trip home in 1914, the fifteen year old daughter realized that all was not as it should be at home. The Hottentot housekeeper had 'obviously risen above the call of duty", and was more than a housekeeper to her father! So, while the Wachtmeister was out one day, the housekeeper and the daughter had a difference of opinion. The daughter, not being able to stand the fact that her authority had been usurped, went into her father's study removed his revolver and killed the rival of her father's affection. Although the corpse was buried, the spirit stayed, and was still haunting decades later! Thus it is not surprising that the Company (CDM) hurried to provide married accommodation in Qranjemund!"

Now if somebody would kindly spend a weekend at the site (I would hope it's still there), and report back as to the veracity of this story, it would be much appreciated!

Question: Until 1944, all houses (pondoks) were of the "corrugated iron and wood" varieties. What was the address (no and avenue) of the first brick house built in Oranjemund?

Some of the folks I spoke to believed that the first brick house was that of the General Manager, but apparently.....In 1945 there were 55 houses in "Orange Mouth" and only 12 permanents were employed in town, and in November 1947 three men from Pretoria landed on "an airstrip in Oranjemund", with a contract to build 18 brick houses. Building operations were severely hampered with post war shortages, difficulties in transporting of material and labour problems. Eventually the first brick house was completed at 24/4th Avenue (at the time the houses were not built in avenues, but rather in a rather "find a flat section and build" approach). On arrival in Oranjemund in 1951, my parents occupied a wooden house and only moved into a brick house a few years later!

"What ho Sport!"

Once the mine office moved from Luderitz to Oranjemund in the early 1940's community life started to take shape. The first sports club to be established was the tennis club (one court!) in 1943. A library was opened in 1944 and the cricket club was founded in 1946 with W. Anderson and "Vennie" Venske at the helm. Anderson was known as the father of sport in Oranjemund, and the first "grass" rugby field was named after him. No rugby teams were allowed to visit Oranjemund (and there was no bridge) so all the games were played at Alex Bay. The rugby team would meet at the x-ray and would strip to undergo the necessary security checks. Climbing into a lorry, they headed off to where the pump station is at Swartkops. After offloading all their kit, they clambered onto a donkey wagon which would transport them to the river's edge. They would jump onto the barge (which had been in use for a few years and was the only means of crossing) and would pray for good weather or else they would get soaked! After the game each man had to pay 2/6d (about 50c), which was a day's wages for some, to Pop Anderson, who would provide brandy and beer.

The Cricket club started with borrowed gear and a sandy pitch where the dry cleaning depot now stands. Its chequered history continued in the 1950s, until they moved to the river bank where they had a pitch parallel to the river. The pitch was washed away, and finally moved to its present site, using a matting wicket. Many was the match that had to be called off when the sand and dust got too severe. In the early 70s, the turf pitch was laid (the first in the Namaqualand area I believe)

The first ever all grass nine-hole Golf course was opened in O'mund in 1953, only to be swamped by floods on numerous occasions.

The Soccer and Boxing clubs were started in 1947, and any travelling that was done went via Luderitz. I guess one had to play some sort of sport, as the scribes of the time tell us that in 1942 there were only TWO single girls on the property and they were obviously hugely popular! (Facts and figures from May Barron, Nancy Stocken and Alison Corbett's "History of Oranjemund").

Question: Who was the first "Oranjemunder" to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games?


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?


Camels, Trucks, Barges, Busses and Bicycles built for three........

Until the mid sixties transport was a particular problem for the hardy folk that populated Oranjemund. Until the late forties the DDD (security) had the luxury of riding camels on their patrols, which on occasion could have been up to ten days at a time! To shelter the animals from the heavy mists, and with corrugated iron and timber being very rare, a plan had to be made. Wild tobacco trees growing along the river bank were harvested, and together with baling wire from lucerne bales, frameworks were made. Flattened out cement drums with punched holes were laced on to the frameworks and the shelters were serviceable. Unfortunately by 1949 the camels were no longer considered practical so they were shot and their humps used for soap! (Nothing went to waste in them days).

To cross the river, the good people of the village were transported to the river by truck, and then ferried across by barge. Animals, materials and humans were thus able to cross the river while Owambos were stationed at each side to carry the men women and children to and from the barge without them wetting their feet wet!

To go north, after originally using lorries, which could take a couple of days to get to Kolmanskop, a rudimentary road was established and hardy busses would transport the womenfolk, and their young offspring, to the shopping "Mecca" of Luderitz (Barb and Clive might have been on these trips as toddlers). Although the Oranjemund store was established, things like curtain material, tablecloths and the like had to be purchased in Luderitz. This was an absolute mission as meals had to be packed and everything had to pass through the x-ray department. After an afternoon of shopping a night would be spent in a hotel, and the following day they would return home.

Throughout the forties and early fifties the transport system in Oranjemund was extremely basic. High school pupils went on a long overnight bus trip to Bitterfontein where they would board a train to their various destinations. Besides the transportation to the mines and a few Land Rovers, the townsfolk walked to the shops (or sent there "house-boys"). This tended to be an all day affair as there was no self service! Once one had been to the "Store" and sat on a bench until one's name would be called, it would be the same at the Butchery and the Market (self-service was only introduced in 1961).

By the fifties bicycles made a huge difference in the lives of the townsfolk! Legend has it that; "It was not unusual to see a couple arriving at a dance disheveled and sandy, having fallen off their "bike" on the way"! Many of the roads had been tarred so it was not necessary to own a "dikwiel" bike, and the ability to get around was infinitely easier. Most bikes had carriers onto which you could hook your "basket on wheels" and complete the shopping in half the time. Some still carried the normal wicker baskets (These were pre Spar plastic bag days remember)!

Our family had the transport problem waxed! Dad would cycle to the swimming pool at about 5h30am to catch the bus to Uubvley. Abraham would walk from the compound to the pool and cycle to our house, from whence I would cycle to school. After school it was back home, Abraham would cycle back to the swimming pool on his way back, and Dad would pick up the bike and cycle home....A bicycle built for three!

How many of you remember the annual "Bicycle fancy-dress"? Every year, on a specific Saturday (I think) all the pupils would "dress their bicycles up" before cycling through town and then have a competition to find the best dressed or most original "bike costume".

In the mid sixties Vespa scooters were allowed into town and a fleet of 17 cars (Anglias, I believe) for hire were introduced for recreational purposes. The cars could be hired for anything up to thirty days at a time for about R1.00 per day or R20.00 a month! You had to pay for petrol, but considering the lack of long distance routes one could travel, it was not an issue....At least you had "wheels"....Now if there were only enough Babes to impress!

Question: The first ever airlift for high school pupils to Cape Town occurred in which year?
Clue: Bertie wasn't born yet!..Neither was Michael.


Education, Population, and Edification.

As mentioned in a previous "lesson", women were only officially welcomed into Oranjemund in 1937 when suitable accommodation (dwellings that had been shipped out from Germany and erected on site) was supplied. This of course meant the first children moved in as well. A year later a small school, with 12 pupils, was established in a pondok, but because of their differing ages, teaching was a real challenge! Now the townsfolf had a duty to populate the school..........

Breeding became a popular pastime for the previously bored married mine employees, while the single guys had a choice of playing sport or playing with themselves. In fact the first primitive hospital was established in 1943, prior to which all medical problems or births meant another bus or truck trip to Luderitz. The first child known to be born in Oranjemund (Orange Mouth at the time) was to Dr. Behne, the first Doctor in town. One of his first permanent nursing sisters, Hilda Stark, married Fritz Heiser (family of Dieter perhaps?). One recurring situation throughout the development of Oranjemund was the ferocious wind, and with very few windbreaks of any sort, being outside was a genuine hazard to ones health. Many were the perambulators stuck in the sand when a mother innocently went to visit or to shop (tarred roads were still many years hence)! The wind also had another side effect in that the women complained of developing wrinkles way before their time because of the heat and attempts to keep the sand out of their eyes. The above topics remind me of a story of a young Afrikaans child who, when asked to explain the word "plooi" explained to her teacher; "my ma het soveel plooie dat as sy glimlag lyk sy nes n opgevoude pram"!

Further to assist in the "upliftment" of the village, a library was opened in 1944, and with very rudimentary wireless availability (approximately 3 hours per day), this move proved very popular. It also gave the single guys another option as to how to occupy their off duty hours (what would they have given for Oranjemundonline?).

As far as edification of the townsfolk was concerned, a community hall was built and the different church denominations took turns to "book the hall" for their services, while others gathere in private homes. On occasions when visiting priests came to town the mess hall was used. Reverend Wratten became the first resident minister, while Dominee P.A.M. Brink ministered to the Dutch reformed Church (under the Luderitz Diocese), and Mr. Percy Green catered for the Methodist community. A church for the Owambo and Kavango people was established in the town compound.

By 1950 the school had 80 pupils (not bad for the number of permanent employees), with two teachers, Mrs.Revington (I recall one of the contributors in "Mike's e-mails" mentioning her) and Mr. van der Westhuizen and the principal, Mr. Anderson. By 1952 the new school was ready to rock and roll once the clock tower had been  brought down from Kolmanskop. It consisted of eight classrooms, a kindergarten section, a woodwork room, a library and a "hall". (By now there were 90!) The other important happening of that year was, as reported in the area press; "A son was born to the house of Barron"!

Nevertheless, the parents helped in selecting a school song and badge, while the first prize giving was held in 1956 (and a daughter was born to the house of Boehme!).

As we enter the times when some of the present contributors to this site  were starting off (those born in Oranjemund) I clearly remember attending the first "play school" which was started in 6th Avenue, by Mrs. Snow and Mrs. Brinton, and where 25 tots were given an idea of what was to come. The aptness of Mrs. Snows name was evident in her pure white hair!

Oranjemund was on the move..........

Question: In what year was the Oranjemund Newsletter inaugurated?"

[SandyB]

Call  back  the past >>.

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

The first edition of the Oranjemund Newsletter was published in 1956 (I'm disappointed that you couldn't get that one Diana), and it presented a forum which lit the "fuse" to a time bomb that had been ticking for some years! More of that later, so sit down, no, sit up, and take note!

Rewind to 1950.....Them and us! (The natives were restless...)

As has been mentioned in previous lessons, the period between 1948 and 1957 saw a huge amount of development and "upliftment" in the lives of the "modern pioneers", while the mining side was still to be developed to a large degree (new plants were still to be established until the late sixties, and even later). With post boxes and telephones being made available, ( until well into the sixties the only way one could phone "out" was via a switchboard linked to Port Nolloth) and clubs, a school, a dramatic society, sports fields and many other 'socially interactive' activities blossoming, things looked good............... to an outsider!

On arrival in Oranjemund, "Daily-paid" families occupied German prefabricated wooden houses, while "senior" staff employees were accommodated in brick houses (mainly 5th Avenue at that stage). From about 1953 brick houses were available to all, so from the outside all things looked hunky dory, however, on entering a house, any housewife could tell whether the occupants of said dwelling were staff or monthly-paid.......And the word "Apartheid" had yet to be coined!

The most obvious giveaway was a fridge....Staff members had one......Daily-paid, no such luck. As far as the rest of the furnishings were concerned, daily-paid employees had cane furniture and a lounge carpet, while Staff would have a Chesterfield suite and carpets in every room. Mother Barron tells of times when because of the wind and heat, a cold drink would be a godsend, so Abraham would be sent to Georgie and Arthur Waite's house, to obtain a jug of ice. To put this in perspective, Mr. Waite, an engineer, resided in 4th Avenue, while 'Villa Barron' was in 12th Avenue!

My mother's prayers were answered a few years later when the owner of a personal fridge left town, and because of the fact that any fridges brought into town, stayed in town, she was able to procure this luxury, and as she succinctly puts it; "I was in heaven!" An interesting oddity about the new houses was that, while all the houses were built in neat rows (avenues), fences were only erected once the houses became occupied!

A non Oranjemunder who has been visiting Oranjemundonline recently asked me why, on the death or retirement of an employee, the family had to leave town. Well, De beers had decreed that each individual house was designated to a specific position, or job description on the mine, so 17/12th Avenue (my home) was designated to the Electrical department. At the time of my father's untimely death in 1972, after 21 years service, my mother, who worked in the admin department, knew her time was up. So after packing up her personal belongings, sans furniture of course, and with my 11 year old sister in tow, she moved to Kimberley, and my father's replacement moved in. No emotion, "rules is rules".

The strange anomaly of the situation was that while staff members could not work "overtime" they received an annual bonus (and more leave), while the daily paid employees could work overtime, and often ended up earning more than the "white collars". This, in effect, could entitle him to the Chesterfield suite and fridge.......go figger!

Sadly certain Staff employees (a minority) felt that they were indeed superior, and there were often prickly moments when the two "classes" frequented the same social events. The Dramatic Society actually put on SIX different shows in a single year, which attracted the entire town, and if one did not book early it was a case of "sorry Bob, try next time". A meal at the "Mess" before the show was an absolute treat for the daily-paids, and this would be one of the awkward moments referred to earlier.......

Fast forward.......The sh*t hits the fan!!

As mentioned at the top of this "lesson", the Newsletter was introduced in 1956 at the behest of Stan Devlin, the General Manager of the day. The townsfolk were encouraged to write in with queries and complaints, as well as poetry or generally "newsy" articles. A particular column, known as "The Management Angle" in which the residents could air their grievances or gripes, which the management would then respond to, was initiated. (Management reserved their right to complain as well!)

To quote Alison Corbett; "There was much debate over social hierarchies, and in one of the first issues Vic Cummings wrote an article called "The Centre Path". This was met with indignation from most directions as Cummings was criticizing social class! Apparently there was quite a lot of snobbery among some groups but generally speaking there was a happy atmosphere."

Bob Molloy, an erudite Irishman, was a regular contributor, with thought provoking comments regarding this farce/fiasco. (How's that, erudite, Irishman, and thought provoking, all in one sentence!) Bob, an artisan, was a skilled and accomplished wordsmith who spoke for many of the people, and by getting to the crux of the matter ruffled quite a few feathers. On leaving Oranjemund Mr. Molloy penned many articles which were carried by the finest publications and newspapers in the land, before returning to his beloved Ireland.

A few years later Mr. Des Borchers, who followed Mr. Devlin as General Manager, said; "tot hier toe en nie verder nie" (my quotes, as I'm not sure if he spoke Afrikaans, but the message was clear), and let it be known that everybody in the town was to be treated equally! Chesterfield suites and fridges for all (to be replaced after a certain service period)!

A victory for democracy and equality...The natives were vindicated...and peace returned to the village!

Question: As we all know, crime was illegal in Oranjemund, and should one upset the powers that be, one would be ejected within forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Legal matters, however, did crop up in the community, but had to be dealt with in Luderitz, or on the odd occasion that a visiting magistrate would visit. In what year was the new Magistrate's Court opened in O'mund, and what was unique about the arrival of Mr. Nel, the first magistrate?

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Sorry Ricky I was  .  Must think on this one......not 1956 PERHAPS????

[Clive Symes]

Ricky,
A apprentices, Koos JAcobs and I both worked in the old telephone exchange, I think we were paid R 3.00 to R5.00 a night ( from 20.00 to 06.00) and then still went and put in a full days work on the mine.
The exchange was linked to both Luderitz and Alexanderbay exchanges from where we could access every where else (albeit through obscure exchanges like Goggas) In those days (early 1970's) we all worked as a team helping each other to place calls all over the place. International calls were placed either through the CapeTown or JHB international exchanges.

Over the weekends for the period that the exchange was closed, we used to use a patc cord to link Alexanderbay and Luderitz exchanges with security and the Local Oranjemund police station

[Michael Alexander]

Clive...does anyone have any pics of the inside of the old exchange?

[Clive Symes]

I dont think we were allowed to photograph strategic installations like post offices  & police stations etc.

Mike I did see a similar exchange at a science fare a few years back, it was on various telephone installations through the ages and brought back some memories

[SandyB]

@ Mike .. remember the questions about " class " in  bar fights ?/ well you can see part of the history ..
On to the subject of  widows  having to leave  .. my  mum  was  one of the  few anomalies  in the whole   equation ..  i recall a few " single mothers '  The Chemaly family , she was a dental nurse ..  Lionel  Dicksons mom .. Sister Collard  ( Colleen Collards mother )  had one of the small houses  opposite the bakery  .. also some of the anomalies to " policy ' after my Da passed my Mom was asked to stay only condition  she give up the house ( explains the ' allocation ' )  and move into a duplex ..  when her  retirement time came at the  then 55 for Women .. she was asked to  stay .. and if  she  felt she wanted to  expand her horizons she could  move to Jo'burg head office  procurement  section ..   that she declined  for  reasons ..   more  on that one  day .. I'm assembling an article  ..  what Mrs B did after  she  left O'mund .. not  many know .. but  I  owe her the honour of her courageous moves and to those  friends that stood loyal by her side honouring her decisions...

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

A science fair..... 202  Oh yes I do remember you guys working at the exchange.

What Mrs. B did after she left O'mund, yes very interesting memoirs for all be you young or old.     Mrs B

[Clive Symes]

JA Diana,
I think we sometimes fell asleep with people still hooked up and chatting to girlfriends or boyfriends in SA


Sandy,  looking forward to Memoirs of Mrs B as narrated by Sandy B

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

Hi Sandy,
You're quite correct in your comment about certain widows being allowed to stay on, although  that was only if alternative accommodation was available. Nigel Boraine's family also fell into this category. I believe that at the time of my dad's demise, there was no such accommodation, so she had to leave!

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

Greetings Clive,
If it's the same guy, I remember Kosie Jacobs (brother of Dawid) well, as they lived just down the road from us in 12th Avenue! You're probably the best person to ask about the exchange system....I recall that because of the availability of lines, it was often quicker to send a telegram, or "wire" when someone had to be contacted "post haste". My question is: When, if ever, were the inhabitants able to phone out directly? I don't think we could by the time I left in 1974.
Regards, Ricky.

[barb (Fry)]

Question: As we all know, crime was illegal in Oranjemund, and should one upset the powers that be, one would be ejected within forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Legal matters, however, did crop up in the community, but had to be dealt with in Luderitz, or on the odd occasion that a visiting magistrate would visit. In what year was the new Magistrate's Court opened in O'mund, and what was unique about the arrival of Mr. Nel, the first magistrate?

Back to the topic - it had to do with the method of transport he used to get into town !