My cousin who worked for SAA, Paul from Jo'burg
One night we got lucky from Uncle Bob's boat and
caught these grunters on light tackle on mudprawn.
Port Alfred - Page 4
Some things become apparent only later in life. At what specific stage did the 'sleepy coastal town' disappear ? Is it progress ?
Accommodation Establishments
Probably better known as Boarding Houses. Wow - the Kowie was full of these many
years ago. There was SeaView (up on the east) then down the Hill the
Vic had a number of "permanents" and a few yards away one had the
Killarney "Hotel" - and literally around the corner, Standringham.
Residents were those who had made their 'fortunes' in the Transvaal or elsewhere
- and come down to retire at the coast - on the sunny east bank with a sea view.
Up on the west was the place that the Barrow-Dowlings had. The name escapes me
at the moment but it was up at the top of the Wesley Hill. "The Links" ?
Down the hill was another place - and towards the Kiddies Beach was yet another
"private hotel". Was it called the "Central" ? Out towards the golf
course was the St. Andrews boarding house.
Tom Moore and Frank Gardner bought property further out and established Flame Lily - out at Bretton Beach.
My cousin who worked for SAA, Paul from Jo'burg
One night we got lucky from Uncle Bob's boat and
caught these grunters on light tackle on mudprawn.
Johanna (Bags) van Rensburg who worked at Standard Bank Main Street,
wife of Piet - they had a farm halfway to Bushmen's.
It's also where my old Vanguard landed up as a 'springhaas'
identifier and stew-creator.
OK - who remembers Mr. Smith the Gents Hairdresser ? In that little shoppe near the Cherry Tree. La Pebra and Vitalis prominently displayed. Later Bill and ummmm Mrs. Kruger opened a hairdressing salon in, I think, Biscay Road. Their daughter was Valme' who was a bit older than me so I didn't know her well.
Mr. Flower was the Barclays Manager and his son Derek went to Kingswood. So did the Sholto-Douglas boys whose Dad had a holiday house in Kowie. The one Thackeray lad (Edwin - Ronnie's brother) worked there for years. Ronnie was in the same class as me at school - His Dad's name was Wilf and I recall that he worked at the Opel and Chev garage. Lenore Godfrey married Piet van Greunen (of the Pos) who is mentioned on page 1. And Pat O'Healey moved from Grahamstown and started working at Uncle Trevor Reed's butchery. CAH 107 was the registration of Uncle Trevor's white Mercedes.
Ian Lapsley was the Standard Bank Manager. Allan Lilford (wife name: Pam) also worked there. Titch Mayhew-Ridges used to arrive on relief duty. One of the regular clients was Ken Fountain who lived out a bit further than Neale Bradfield. Then there was Derek Bradfield, (wife Dot) who moved to town, then to PE. Daughters Caroline and Linda. Boozie Davies (wife: Daphne) worked for BP I think - and drove a VW Beetle - son Jimmy used to play wicketkeeper for the mental side whilst still at school at Port Alfred. This was quite an honour. Remember, Port Alfred school went up to only Standard Eight in those days.
Who remembers the floods ? When the whole of Main Street and the West Flats were under water. I once heard, but cannot vouch therefor, that Les Mould's wife - or Mother - or Sister - was cooking in her kitchen, scooped down with the frying pan - and put a fresh mullet on to cook. Hey Man ! Pass the barbeque salt, please. It might have been Les Orffer ?
Allie (Alan) McIver and sister Moira, lived at Killarney when I think Mr. Myhill still owned it. Rob Smith and Ticky Tarr used to drive through from PE on their motorbikes - a Matchless and a Triumph Tiger Cub if I remember correctly. Noisy machines, first class guys.
The big day when Sid Alder harpooned a manta ray from a fishing boat and the town gathered near the bridge to watch the manta tow the boat up to bridge - but it's 'wingspan' was too wide to pass under the arches of the bridge so it would turn around and tow the other way again, accompanied by pitiful 'cries'. It must have been fifty feet across (16 to 17 metres). It was very exciting - and I am only judgmental in hindsight. After all I once shot, with a speargun, a five pound mullet in the Lagoon. Ask Dave Alcock - he was there at the time. I was going out with his sister Gillian (Jill).
