1

the history of Deneysville

Deneysville News - Looking back at Deneysville 2

The early inhabitants of Deneysville by Gordon Young 3

The farm Elandsfontein 4

Factors leading to the construction of Vaal Dam 7

Vaaldam 7 The history of Deneysville 8

Refengkgotso location 10

Metsing township 11

Simon Poho remembers 12

Groot Eiland 12

Early days by Carol Meyer 13

I remember by Roz Ruggli 15

An O'Grady tells of the old days 17

The original drawings of Deneysville 18

The history of the flying boats 19

The flying boats 20 The Short Empire flying boats by Bill Yenne 21

Solents 22

Southampton 22

Sunderlands 22

Calcutta & Mayo Class 22

The BOAC era of flying boats from Flyer magazine 23

A flight across Africa in a flying boat during the war

by Clare Reed 24

Deneysville 1970 25

The mini-skirt and Vaaldam 25

Die NG Gemeente in Deneysville 27 Lake Avenue Inn 28

Deneysville Castle by Gordon Young 29

Brentwood Lodge 29

The Deneysville Aquatic Club by Graham Brown 30

Deneysville Bowls Club 31

St Peter's Combined Church 32

BirdLife Vaaldam 33

The rising tide at Vaaldam from SA Yachting May 1988 34

Sailing at Vaaldam 35

Looking Back at the Sailing Scene by Lex Raas 36

Deneysville a sailing centre 38

At the bottom of Vaaldam a précis in English of the book 40 'Op die bodem van Vaaldam' by Victor E. d'Assonville.

Map of Vaaldam 45

2

Deneysville News

In mid-May 1999, the Watchkeepers, a sort of ratepayers association, brought into being the Crows, patrollers on

bicycles to keep an eye on Deneysville, to which residents subscribed. It was Neil Luck's idea, the chairman Peter Lambie agreed and turned to Julien Girard and said "Do it".

One of the marketing principles was to issue a monthly

newsletter. The first appeared in June 1999. Then the

committee, always full of bright ideas, thought that

Deneysville might need a newspaper and advertisements

could cover the cost of printing. This would incorporate the

Crow Patrol News. Once again it was "Julien do it." After 14

issues of Crow News (14) months of the Crows, the first issue

was published in August 2000 with Julien Girard as the

editor. The publication has appeared monthly ever since.

The first advertisers were Lily' Garden Nurseries, B&T Electrical, Farm Fresh Eggs and Thys Campher Eiendomme.

The first contributor was Lily Coetzee; she and Harry had a

nursery, with a column title Lily's Garden Corner.

B. P. Geldenhuys wrote the first letter published; it was an

open letter to the Deneysville Municipal Chief Executive, Mr.

Makhale.

Andre Cronje was the second regular contributor with

his column Out of the Council Chamber.

In 2001 Working for Water started removing trees around

Deneysville. In March 2001 a letter was published headed

'The fish eagles no longer land on the tree chopped Groot

Eiland" written by Chris Farrington. In May the first Bird Club News appeared and the TREE LINE an update by

Margaret Williams on Working for Water.

At this time Deon Serfontein started his website

www.vaalshopper.co.za and in June 2001 his first 'Deon's

Computer Corner' appeared. He is still a contributor today.

Clare Read was asked for a review in the October issue

covering the 20-11 disaster. His heading - New York...... New

York. His first Pet's Para appeared in the December issue

that year. Peter Clare Read remained a popular contributor

until his death.

In the December 2001 issue the first Looking Back at Deneysville series was printed. It was entitled In the

beginning - the varied inhabitamts of Deneysville. and was

written by Gordon Young. This publication is the collection

of all these articles which have been published monthly ever

since.

Looking Back at Deneysville

3

A report on the skull, found in

High Street near the Gawie de

Beer Nature Reserve on the

21st of August 2008, was

received by the Deneysville Library. This was compiled by

W.C. Nienaber of the Forensic

Anthropology Research Centre

of the University of Pretoria.

"The skull, mandible and

scapula were part of a skeleton

buried in a tightly flexed

sitting position.

The only indication of

age of the remains are in

association with the site.

Based on oral tradition the general area was settled by

the Kwena Sotho-Tswana

people between 1550 and 1650

AD. The Fokeng also had their

origins in the area at roughly

the same time (Huffinan,

2002). Archaeologically the

first Iron Age Farmer

communities to settle in the area are the Nguni migrations

out of (present day) KwaZulu-

Natal and the Fokeng with

Nstsuanatsatsi facies pottery

moved into the area around the

mid 15th century (Huffman,

2007). Also, according to

Huffman (2007), the

Olifantspoort facies of the

Maloko tradition corresponds

with the pottery and

stonewalling found at the site. At this stage too little is known

to securely assign it to any of

these traditions, but

preliminarily it is thought to be

Sotho-Tswana on account of

the stonewalling, which needs

testing."

Some of the recommendations

are: "The site should be regarded as significant and can

possibly elucidate Iron Age

Farmer settlement in the

area ...... any archaeological

resource that might add to

current knowledge regarding

Nguni expansion on the

Highveld is extremely

valuable. This site might

contain evidence for contact

between Kwena and Fokeng

people, again significant. Phase II mitigation work on

Erf 41 will establish the

validity of these assumptions

and can guide a Conservation

Management Plan for the

archaeological remains in the

Reserve."

"A Conservation Management

Plan for the archaeological remains in the Gawie De Beer

Nature Reserve must be

developed and implemented ...

to minimize the impact of

development on the site."

"Interpretative signage for the

archaeological remains in the

Gawie De Beer Nature

Reserve must be improved. It

is suggested that these

recommendations be

implemented as a partnership between the private land

owner, the Municipality,

SAHRA and a research

instituion."

Probably a Sotho-Tswana skull

Special tool cast in Deneysville foundry

Deneysville News May 2009

The skull found at the site in

High Street not far from the

Khoi ruins on the nature

reserve situated on the koppie.

Because of the strong flowing Vaal River

and it's once teeming wildlife, the area we

now call Deneysville, attracted a variety of

indigenous and transient peoples. Some

20,000 years ago, upright walking, hairy ape-like men lived along the river banks in

hollowed out caves. They used finely

chiselled stone implements, which have been

found here.

Over a long period of time Tswana

speaking people migrated from the north and

built and settled in a band of 'Iron Age' stone

igloo type structures. They stretch from

Thabazimbi in the west, to Deneysville in the

east where ruins, dating back some 600 years,

abound.

Their arrival in Deneysville displaced hordes of Khoi Khoi who had migrated from

the south and settled here as hunters over a

period of many thousands of years.

The Tswana speaking inhabitants

hunted, but also planted crops. They in turn

were displaced by the roving "Impis" of

Chaka Zulu and other warring Bantu tribes.

With the departure of the Tswanas, the Khoi Khoi returned and lived in the circular

stone buildings that had been abandoned.

They hunted, but now also turned to

cultivating crops. They made iron spears, and

arrow tips, as did the Tswanas, using air

bellows for their ovens. Thet also made a

variety of baked clay pots.

The coming of the Bantu and white

settlers displaced the Khoi who now became

a more nomadic people retreating to semi-

desert areas.

The construction of the Vaal Dam commenced in 1932 to provide jobs during

the depression. The housing of the workers

was the start of the populated Deneysville,

Skull found in the village

Workers digging

foundations at the site of

Happy, the electrician's

house, unearthed a skull.

The police were called

to investigate and have

checked by their forensic

experts.

The skull was damaged by the diggers, suggesting

that it has been in the ground

for a very long time. It is

generally thought to be of

Tswana or Khoi-Khoi origin.

A 'Khoi' skull was found in

the area some years ago but

disappeared and

unfortunately does not form

The varied inhabitants of Deneysville by Gordon Young

This as yet unpatented implement, was

cast in Deneysville and the manufacturers

were unaware of the great marketing

possibilities of their design. '

The manufacturers cast them for their

own use during the Iron Age. They were the

early Tswana inhabitants. A most useful tool that could be marketed

today! These implements were found while

digging foundations in town.

Similar implements are on display at the

Deneysville Library together with other

artefacts, some from the earlier Stone Age

period.

Early iron implements found in the

Deneysville area.

4

The farm Elandsfontein (Translated from the original in Afrikaans)

Groenpunt Prison some 10 km from Deneysville on the Vereeniging road is situated on a portion of the farm Elandsfontein.

A school was established there in the early days.

Chris Fourie has kindly given a copy of the history of the farm and life there from the eighteen hundreds written on the request

of the principal and compiled by Mr. Michael C. Engelbrecht. Readers will be treated to interesting facets of life and history of

the earlier days.

Forward by C.H. Chris Fourie

In 1960 the 3-man Engelbrecht School was moved from the farm Elandsfontein to Deneysville, with teacher, pupils and all.

There were then 72 pupils attending the school while Deneysville only had 6. The principal at the time was Mr. W. C. H.

(Wynand) Fourie, my father. This history refers to three schools, the Stofberg Gedenkskool, Engelbrechtsdriftskool and the dagskool van Stofberg Gedenkskool which was instituted by the N. G. Kerk where black teachers and Leeraars were in-

structed. The personnel and students were later transferred to Turfloop (the University of the North) and to Witsieshoek.

The 'dagskool' was for the children of married students and black personnel. Engelbrechtsdrift School was a primary 'farm

school' for children of the white personnel and children of the neighbouring farms.

Burgers' rights

Farms of about 4000 Morgen were given to the 'burgers' who took part in the Basotoe wars. Piet van Vuuren was the original

owner after the wars and he sold the 4350 Morgen to Gerhardus Christoffel Engelbrecht in 1870 for 300 pounds. He built the

first house of clay and thatch, 'sinkplaat' was still unknown. He in turn sub-divided it amongst his nine children. One sold his

portion to Willem de Kock who in turn donated two morgen, where the Engelbrechtsdrift School stood, to the Department of

Education. The corrugated iron building, which is still there was erected and the school was opened in October 1903.The first

teacher was Mr. Jan Kruger. He was followed by Mr. Louw Malan in January 1904 and Mr. W. Oberholzer was appointed in

his place in April 1904

Life on the farm 1870 to 1908

The first house on the farm was built of clay with a thatch roof. Corrugated iron was not known yet in the interior. Game was

so plentiful that the veld became a dust bowl where only the youngest and strongest of the farmer's cattle could be kept alive

during the winter months. Game included springbok, blesbuck, wildebees and hartebees. Jackals, lion and 'wolwe' were

plentiful. No one cultivated the land.

After 1880 when farmers could sell hides to dealers, the extermination of game took place on a grand scale. Thousands of

animals were shot. They were skinned and the carcasses left in the veld. After a few years this brought about the great trek of

the animals to the north. They gathered in herds and single mindedly swept through the countryside and fording rivers in their

thousands. The weak, lame and drowned were food for the beasts of prey that followed them. Soon only small handfuls of buck

were left scattered throughout the whole of the Free State.

The usual fare in the evening was game and stamped mealies with. 'growwe brood', whole wheat bread. Butter and milk were plentiful, tea was unknown, and because coffee was so expensive the housewives regularly mixed it with burnt bran. Ready-

made clothes were not available. They were all handmade by the housewife.

Doctors were few and far between. The housewife had her own medicine chest with a remedy for every illness, all except

'witseerkeel' and 'pokke'. Doctor Bloed was the first in the area. He arrived in Heilbron in 1890, ten years after the town was

established. It was fortunate for old Mr. Gert Sheepers of 'Stroom-af' next to Elandsfontein. There was an epidemic of

diphtheria fever and most of his very large family contracted the disease. With the help of Doctor Bloed they all survived. In

1895 a start was made to inoculate children against smallpox. M.C. Engelbrecht, the son of G.C. did it himself The pus from a

child inoculated a few days earlier was used. They all took.

Until 1880 the nearest shop was in Kroonstad and the 'smous' would take his wares from farm to farm. The best sellers were coffee chintz for the ladies and corduroy for men's clothes.

In 1387 Willie Kock obtained the rights to establish a shop on the farm, a boon to all in the area. At this time there was so

much game that only the strongest of the few cattle and sheep the farmers had could survive on the little grazing left. There was

no thought of even trying to plant any crops.

Leeukop

Leeukop was also part of the original Elandsfontein farm. The Matatese, a native tribe lived here. They were a peaceful people.

They were virtually exterminated in 1836 by Silkaats who plundered the area and murdered all but a few young maidens, which

he took back home with him. One youngster by the name of Malgas escaped and returned to the farm and lived there with his

offspring for many years. Their village was exactly where the Stofberg Gedenkskool stands today. He died in 1895, a very old

5

man indeed, and was buried on the farm. The skeletons and in particular skulls of the Matateses slaughtered in this raid and

the second Boer War can still be seen at Leeukop.

The Church

Until 1880 the nearest church was in Kroonstad which could only be reached by ox wagon. A long journey for the writer

when he got married. In this year Heilbron was established and with the first 'predikant' Dominee Minnaar.

As the people could not attend church regularly, they insured that their religion was not forgotten. It was the custom for the

head of the household to conduct services at home. Especially on Sunday mornings he would a special service

'huisgodsdiens' where all the children and the servants attended. G. C. Engelbrecht, the owner of the farm held his services

under the old pear tree which he originally planted which was still there in 1959. The old round rock under the tree bore

witness to his daily prayers there. He died in 1890.

Nicolaas Roots lived on Knoppiesfontein, the farm where VaaIdam was built. It was his 'burgerreg'. He always held a Sunday

school for the children of the neighbouring farms. He even held Catechism to be taken into the church. Gert Scheepers of

Kruisementfontein also held Sunday schools but he conducted burial services in the area without the help of a minister. The

cost in those days was ten shillings.

The minister would hold services at Elandsfontein. They used these services to christen the children. It was only after 1890 that a few people used a car or horse to get to church services.

Until the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, Kimberley was the most important destination. Many of the old father G.C.

Engelbrecht's sons and sons in law were important 'transportryers'. The ox wagons went to Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg to

load up with goods for Kimberley. Goods were even collected from 'die Baai', Port Elizabeth, and taken to Kimberley. After

the establishment of Johannesburg in 1886 most of the traffic went there. The local farmers in the area now started producing

grain crops on a large scale. They now had a large market for cereal, horse fodder, live stock, butter, eggs and poultry. As Johannesburg expanded so the transport riders descended on the area. They came from far and wide with their loads. Mr.

Fourie's own father, he writes, erected the first corrugated iron house in Johannesburg, which he brought with ox and cart

from Ladysmith. These transporters were plagued with cattle disease like red-water and lung sickness. This often delayed

them for months before they could deliver their load.

The road to Johannesburg ran through Elandsfontein where the Engelsbrecht School was built. Wynand Fourie explains that

the ox wagons ground the pot clay into a hard foundation like a tennis court. In 1960, some 50 years later the hard bare

patches could still be seen in the veld round the school. When gardening one often found this hard layer a few inches under

the flowerbeds. The Vaal River was a great stumbling block for the transporters. There was no proper drift. In 1888 Theunis

Engelbrecht the son of G.C. approached the governments of the Transvaal and Orange Free State to construct one. This was

built above the point where the stream joins the river, hence the name Engelbrechtsdrift. Later a new one was built a little lower down.

The pont During the summer months after heavy rains the river rose to such an extent that the wagons could not get through for long

periods. In 1889, a brother, M. C. Engelbrecht and Thorn Cew (spelt Keogh), a carpenter from Heilbron decided to build a

pont. John Pierce of Heilbron lent them the money. The pont was so successful that the loan of £300 was repaid in two

months. It was a big pont able to carry an oxwagon and a team of 16 oxen. The cost was £1 for a full wagon and 10/- for an empty one.

At times transport riders would be held up for a week or two when the river was in flood and the pont could not operate. The

pont would then have to be looked after day and night so that it did not come to rest on the ground as it weighed thousands of

pounds and then could not be shifted.

The transport traffic to Johannesburg increased to such an extent that hundreds of wagons now queued up to cross the Vaal,

on the pont, which was now working day and night. The two owners had now made enough money to expand their business

interests. Mr. M.C. Engelbrecht bought another farm while Thorn Cew bought a bottle store in Heilbron. A certain farmer was

in a hurry to reach the market decided to use .the drift. The river was running fairly strongly and it was a little chancy. Against the warnings of the other transporters he started crossing with his team of red Afrikanders and his load of wheat. The leading oxen reached the main current and animals and wagon were swept down stream. A few young Engelbrechts who were good swimmers jumped in and cut most of the oxen free. The rest tumbled down stream never to be seen again. With the coming of the railway the ox and wagon was no longer economical and this form of transport disappeared.

Tax collectors

Mr. Thom Barry who later lived in Heilbron, was the first tax collector at the Orange Free State border. All purchases made

in Johannesburg were taxable. This included clothes, groceries and household articles. The transporter was assessed after

crossing the river at the pont. Until Johannesburg came into being, little grain was produced at Elendsfontin. The lands that

could be irrigated were planted mainly for the farmer's own use. This all changed with the mining of gold and farmers in the

area began planting mealies on a large scale. At this time there was no fencing and the animals had to be herded and kept out

of the fields. It was only in 1896, ten years after the establishment of Johannesburg, that the first fence was strung across

6

Elandsfontein. This original fence was still in existence in the nineties.

Rinderpest of 1896

With the growing rumours of the outbreak of rinderpest, which started in the north of the country, the Free State Government

placed guards along the Transvaal border to ensure that livestock did not cross the river into the Free State. It was to no avail and the disease spread amongst the farmer's cattle.

Two men appeared from the Transvaal and claimed that they had a ‘miracle’ vaccine against the disease. Over 600 cattle

were injected on Elandsfontein. A week later they started dying and after two weeks only some 30 had survived. By this time

the men had fled never to be heard of again. The neighbouring farmers injected blood and even gall from uninfected cattle,

with the result that relatively few died of the disease.

Schooling before the 2nd Boer War

Teachers were scarce in the old days. Shortly after G.C. Engelbrecht acquired Elandsfontein a man pitched up professing to

be a teacher. It was later discovered that he was a deserter from the army. His name was Meester Merrit. At least he taught

them to read and write and a bit of "Vader Helmbroek". This was a book used to prepare children for confirmation in the

church.

In 1894 another deserter arrived at the farm, one Heiter Little. He wasn't much of a teacher and the children l;earnt very little.

"We all received a reading book and we were left for the day with it open in front us.” After a few months he received his

marching orders. Shortly after one of the government's visiting schools arrived. The teacher was a Mr. Rust from

Malmesbury. He was good and taught all to read, spell and write, and how to do figures and arithmetic. We were also taught

English. The older kids were taught geography and history. The remains of the school building can still be seen, it forms part of the home directly opposite the post office. After two years the touring school moved to Kruisementfontein to Mr. Rooi

Frans van Vuuren. It remained there until the second Boer War. The system fell away after the war and the children were

taught in English. Here and there a little Hollands was taught as a language.

During the period preceding the 1899-1902 Boer War the folk of Elandsfontein enjoyed their sport. They enjoyed 'skeifskiet',

jukskei and quoits, an individual game played with iron rings which are thrown over pegs placed some distance apart. When

a flooded Vaal River prevented the wagons crossing, the wagoneers spent their time playing these games.

There were no less than fourteen homes on Elandsfontein, all children and grandchildren of G.C. Engelbrecht. In those days

it was not unusual to find a household of ten or more children.

There were many young people at Kruisfontein and it was general practice for the young boys and girls of the two farms to gather at one of the houses. They would sing hymns and psalms together. If they gathered early enough a service would be

held first and then they would sing until lunchtime. The housewife would take catering for this bunch in her stride. After

lunch there would be more singing before all went back home.

The second Boer War October 1899 - May 1902

Twenty-four able-bodied men from Elandsfontein took part in the war. Except for three who were wounded they all returned unscathed. After the war the families returned from the concentration camps and restarted life in abject poverty. Eleven of the

children had died there. The English Government issued rations to the returnees to keep them alive. Not one house was left

standing, they had all been burned to the ground or demolished. It took at least a year before the people could start standing

on their own feet. Most of the youngsters married and moved away from the farms. In 1908 Frans and M.C. Engelbrecht sold

their farms to the church and left the area.

Today the Stoffberg Gedenkskool stands on the two pieces of ground.

(That was the position in 1959, when Michael C. Engelbrecht recorded this history. After, in 1998 Groenpunt was built

here.)

7

VAALDAM

Construction commenced in 1934 after the promulgation of the Vaal River Development

Act. No. 38 of the same year, and the wall was completed in 1938. As Minister of

Agriculture, Deneys Reitz visited the site in 1935. He had also helped initiate the Vaal-Hartz

scheme. As Minister of Land he had some years previously visited the alluvial diamond

diggings along the Vaal nearby. The quarry, now part of the Deneysville Aquatic Club was

the one used to build the original wall.

With the rapid expansion of industry and the development of the O.F.S. Goldfields the

wall was raised some 6 meters in 1952, which included 60 sluice gates. In 1958 the wall was strengthened and raised a further 3 meters odd and the outlet and tunnel were built to feed

Suikerbosrand purification plant. The water previously obtained from the Barrage had become

so infested with bacteria that it was becoming difficult to purify.

The dam is the third largest in the Republic and boasts the longest shoreline of any dam

as a result of the very flat area, which includes the confluence of the Vaal and Wilge rivers.

The dam is navigable up to the low-level bridge at Oranjeville and to Villiers and beyond

up the Vaal River. The huge surface area at the Jim Fouche Resort area is very shallow and

rapidly turns back to but a river when the level drops during dry seasons. Water is now also

received from the Highlands Scheme and Sterkfontein Dam. It is interesting to hear that the

next phase to increase the capacity of the Highland Scheme has been cancelled due to the

expected minimal increase in population due to aids. In 1987 the dam dropped to some 13% and the island was connected to the mainland. Hawaii, the 'underwater island' became a

peninsula and Beacon Island came to view where a mass of seagulls nested. The weather here

is varied and unpredictable as it is situated at the edge of the cyclonic belt, which brings the

thunderstorms to the Witwatersrand. Besides the few tornadoes, winds of over 60 knots have

been recorded. The general westerly winds are punctuated by strong easterlies which generate

two meter waves that pound the Deneysville shores.

Besides otters and snakes and the occasional hippo the dam is populated by yellow tail,

carp and barbel, which grow up to three meters in length. The Vaal Dam monster? Divers at

the wall are real scared of them. Fresh water prawns have also been seen.

The dam was commonly called Lake Deneys, but the name was ignored and still remains

Vaaldam.

Factors leading to the construction of Vaaldam

Bibliography: History of the Rand Water Board as printed in the publication "Vereeniging 1892-1967" the story of a South

African town recording its growth during 75 years from a riverside colliery village to a

major centre of the Republic's industry. (Statistics are Circa 1967)

It was not long after the gold rush before the small streams on the Witwatersrand were unable to supply sufficient water

for the prospector's needs. Sir James Sievewright headed a syndicate, which was granted a concession to supply the area with

water. In 1887 the Johannesburg Waterworks Estate and Exploration Company Ltd. was formed which sourced its water from

the area. Barney Barnato soon had a controlling interest in the company. Boreholes had to be sunk to meet the growing demand. About

6.8 million litres was supplied daily. A severe drought in 1895 raised the price of water to two shillings and sixpence a bucket.

Water was now being sourced from Zuurbekom and the Klip River.

In 1902 steps were taken to form the Rand Water Board to replace the private companies and supply water from Springs

to Randfontein. Using the Klip River and newly sunken boreholes at Zwartkoppies 10 million gallons was supplied daily. The

Barrage was designed to provide an additional 10 million gallons a day.

The newly formed Rand Water Board developed its rights in the Klip River Valley, boreholes were sunk in the

dolomite underlying the far Zwartkoppies and adjoining farms, and by the middle of 1910 the board was supplying 10 million

gallons per day. It was now recognised that an ample supply of water for the Witwatersrand ultimately depended on developing

a river scheme, and in 1913 they proceeded with the "Lindeque's" scheme on the Vaal River.

The Vaal is the major tributary of the Orange River. It rises in the highlands of the then Transvaal and is the most

important river draining the inland plateau. It is important as the boundary between this province and the Free State and its juxtaposition to the diamond mines of Kimberley and the gold and coalmines of the Northern Free State and Southern

Transvaal.

In terms of the Rand Water Board Supplementary Water Supply (Private) Act 1914, the Board decided to construct a barrage at

the Lindeque's site, 25 miles down stream from Vereeniging where the Vaal River had a width of 620 feet. This barrage was

designed to provide an additional 10 million gallons a day, but the outbreak of the 1914-18 world war delayed construction

until 1918. Work commenced on the 1,400-ft wide barrage, as well as river intakes and the main plant in Vereeniging which

included pumping plant, sedimentary tanks, filters and clear water reservoir.

Despite every effort at reduction, water consumption had reached 13.448 million gallons per day in 1920. On July 2nd 1922,

Technical Advances - 1930

From a review published

by the Star newspaper.

On February 22, 1934, The Star announced a bold

Government plan to harness

the waters of the fickle Vaal

River, which only five months

before had run dry. The

summer of 1934 witnessed

billions of litres of floodwater

going to waste simply because

the Vaal had no storage capac-

ity.

The £3.5 million cost would

not only give the country the biggest irrigation scheme down

to Vaalhartz, but supply the

Rand, with it's expansion, with

all the water needed for the

next 50 years. (The time span

was spot on: 50 years later, to

the year, the Rand was in the

grip of one of it's worst ever

droughts.

The lake to be formed

was unofficially called Lake

Deneys. The Star wrote of how this vast stretch of water would

be a recreational boon to the

Rand. In fact it was to remain a

mostly bare, featureless scene.

The Name, Lake Deneys did

not stick, but the little

8

DENEYSVILLE

This information was taken from an extended essay written by Abram Mahopi Sekete written for his honours degree in history, Potchefstroom University, Vaal Triangle Campus.

Deneysville was named after Deneys Reitz, son of a past president of the Free State. Deneysville Estates Ltd., a company run by Jewish people from Johannesburg (known as Greinamnn Brothers), founded the township of Deneysville during 1936 on the remaining portion of the farm Witpoort and. Wilhelmena. Actually there were three brothers; one of the sons was Mr. Garlick. After the founding of the town they operated as estate agents and. among other things, they set up the town. They did not plan their development properly. They did not start with one section and develop it properly and then go to the next section. The problem was that they concentrated on the entire town and this resulted in inadequate development. Chase and Sons, one of the Vaal Triangles most well known property agencies came to Deneysville after the Second World War. It was in 1946 that Major Cecil Chase and his two sons, Tony and John, founded Chase and Sons (Pty) Limited. In Deneysville, Chase and Sons did not develop the town like the Greinmann Brothers, instead they were mainly concerned with the selling of properties. Deneysville came into being as a result of the construction of the Vaal Dam. The construction commenced during the depression of the early thirties (1930 - 1933) and was completed in December 1938. The project of constructing the dam wall was used specifically to create work opportunities for people. During the construction of the Vaal Dam many people were employed, particularly white people. As a result accommodation was required for the employees. Many people decided to settle near the dam, thus Deneysville came into being. The historical development of the administration of the Deneysville Village Management Board was interesting from the late 1930’s onwards. From 1938 to 1940 some houses and a hotel were built and development such as tree planting and the reticulation of water took place. In 1948 the first election of a village management board took place. The board created many amenities, including a camping ground and there was a fine motor boat for cruises on the dam.

During the mid 1950s a bus was introduced by the village management Board - a bus service of the former South African

Railways operated between Viljoensdrift station and Deneysville, In 1965 the Village Management Board in conjunction with

the Free State Provincial Administration government set aside the scheme for the construction of the road.

The area was declared a municipality on 19 November 1974. The municipality made tremendous development possible, first of

all the extension and improvement of the water and electricity schemes were under way in order to meet the increasing

demands. Capital expenditure amounting to R60 000 was approved. 1n early 1980 the Deneysville municipality made a

number of breakthroughs. While under the Sasolburg municipality they managed to build a library and a mini-clinic.

Sasolburg continued to assist Deneysville with the running of the daily administration. During the late 1980s Deneysville

became more autonomous and less dependent on Sasolburg. The local authority still managed to initiate other projects. By

1994

Deneysville and Refengkhotso were amalgamated and many projects were underway. By 1997 in Refengkhotso, the sewerage

project was put in place along with many other projects.

HISTORY OF DENEYSVILLE POLICE STATION AND POST OFFICE

Deneysville Police Station was founded in 1955, from its outset Deneysville Police Station did not have its own building. The

Rand Water Board helped the police personnel with the buildings. The Deneysville police station provided services for the

entire area. The nearby farms were also assisted by Deneysville Police Station. Although Deneysville police station operated

from the premises of the Rand Water Board, it tried by all means to ensure law and order. When the town and township grew

there was a need for a bigger police station. In 1989 the new police station was built with all the facilities. By 1997 the police station had grown to such an extent that more policemen were employed.

DENEYSVILLE POST OFFICE Deneysville Post Office was founded in 1939 after the construction of the Vaal Dam. The Post Office was relatively small, but

gradually when the town grew the Post Office was also improved. The Post Office became accessible to the Black and White

communities, and the Post Office is still small.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT After the Deneysville village was founded in 1936, people realised that there was a need for administrators, who would run the

town on a daily basis. The first village management board was elected in 1948. The members of the village board were: H. Meyeronetz (Chairman), J.R. O'Grady, J.H. Schoeman, W.H. Brandt and A. Herbst.

In the early 1950s elections were held and the members of the Village Management Board were: S. Kubehen (Chairman). L.

Scheepers (Deputy Chairman). A. W. Auers, J. C. de V. Hutchinson and D. van Loller. Chief official: W.J.F.E. Engelbrecht

(Secretary and Treasurer).

In 1970 the members of the Village Management Board were: C.H. Fourie (Chairman), Dr F.P. Gunn (Vice Chairman), G.

West, Col. P.J. Brits. The Officials were P. du Toit (Town Clerk), S.J. Swanepoel (Location Superintendent), Mrs. A. Pretorius

(Senior Clerk).

9

From 1973 the members of the Village

Management Board were: Dr F.P. Gunn

(Chairman),W.H.C. Fourie (Vice Chairman), P.

Cilliers, E. Dunn. Chief Officials: C.F. Eilers (Town Clerk), A. Jordaan (Treasurer), C. Strauss

(Electrical Engineer) and

Dr. E.R. Oehm (Medical Officer of Health).

In early 1974 Deneysville was declared a

municipality and the members of the council were:

Dr. F.P. Gunn (Mayor), W. Fourie (Deputy

Mayor), Mrs. E. Dunn, P.T. Cilliers, Dr. L.S.

Kloppers. Chief Officials were people from

Sasolburg. In the early 1970s and mid 1970s Dr.

F.P. Gunn, a medical practitioner, was progressive

in forming the council. He also asked Sasolburg

Municipality to help Deneysville with administrative work. Deneysville at that stage

came under the umbrella of Sasolburg Town

Council - the town clerk of Sasolburg was also a town clerk of Deneysville. In 1982 Mr. D. Lubbe was elected as a councillor of

Denevsv'ille and became mayor of Deneysville from 1987 - 1988. He was re-elected in 1988. At that time Deneysville became

more autonomous and less dependent on Sasolburg. Mr. D. Lubbe resigned from council to take up the position of secretary; he

then became a chief secretary of Deneysville. He held this post until 1994.

By early 1994 negotiations started on the interim phase, the parties concerned were the Ratepayers of Refengkhotso and

Deneysville, the African National Congress (ANC), the National Party (NP) and the local branch of the South African Civics

Organisation (S.A.N.C.O.). They decided on a new model or interim phase, where two places would be continued. All parties

decided to opt for a co-ordinating committee of which the members were: L. Rantsane (Chairperson) Mr. Kolokoto (Vice

Chairperson), Mr. Cilliers and Mrs. van der Westhuizen. The co-ordinating committee would also be responsible for the

elections of 1994. The fund was from provincial government. By 1997 the new councillors were: Mr I. Mokgatha (Mayor), Mr.

E. Motaung (Deputy Mayor). Mr. K. Mokoena and Mr. G. Kolokoto.

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

Deneysville has one primary school, which was established in 1952. It was an Afrikaans primary school. During the late 1950s

the school was relatively small. The school from the outset was Sub A to Standard 1 but gradually when the town grew and in

early 1970, Standard 4 and 5 were introduced. The school remained an Afrikaans school until 1993. From 1994 the school

became a dual medium school. By 1997 Black pupils attended the School.

THE LIBRARY

In early 1990 the local authority of Deneysville approved the construction of the public library. Although the library is used by

both the Black and White communities, it is too small to provide services for all people. (In 2009 the library in Refengkgotsi was

completed and teh Deneysville one is more than adeqauate for toe town's needs.)

SPORTING, LEISURE, AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

Leisure activities worked to the benefit of the local industry. Over the years four yacht clubs were founded. They were:

Deneysville Aquatic Club, Manten Marina, Willik Marina and Island Marina (stet). This was followed by boat chandlers, boat building and repairs, chemists, doctors, estate agents, petrol and car maintenance. Shared between the many yacht clubs and

marinas in Deneysville and on the Transvaal side of the Vaal Dam, racing and cruising events take place all year round. There is

a bowling club, two all weather floodlit tennis courts, squash courts and a hall.

GENERAL COMMERCE

Deneysville Omega Cafe and Deli Den Café, Park motors, Loafers Cabin and Pub, Roots garden and a home maintenance

service. Deneysville butchery and transport, Deneysville drankwinkel, Deneysville action and marketing association. As far as

Estate agents are concerned: Deneysville Vaal Dam Estate. Case Estate. Thys Campher and Dickson Estates (stet).

HEALTH SERVICES

The first medical doctor in Denevsv'ille was Dr J.C. de V. Hutchinson. He was appointed as district surgeon for the area Viljoensdrift, Deneysville, Oranjeville and right up to Heilbron. Dr Hutchinson was succeeded by Dr. F.P. Gunn (he was a

general practitioner). He catered for both the Black and White communities. By 1997 there were other doctors. Dr. Hanekom and the chemist which was started in 1986. The clinic was also built by the Municipality in 1992. The clinic provided the services to

Black as well as to the White's people.

RELIGION

The Vaaldam wall and Deneysville in the background.

Photgraph: Marinus de Wilde

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The African Township: Refengkgotso Location

This information was taken from an extended essay written by Abram Mahopi Sekete for his honours degree in history,

Potchefstroom University, Vaal Triangle Campus. (The writer uses the spelling Refengkhotso, not teh now official spelling as in

the title above)

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss when, why, and how the African Township was founded. First and foremost we have

different schools of thought regarding the reason or factors which led to the establishment of Refengkhotso Township.

One viewpoint to be considered is that the area originated from the labourers who were employed to build the Vaal Dam after

the great drought of 1933. They were settled on temporary plots, south of the Dam on the main gravel road to Heilbron.

When the dam was completed some of the people stayed behind and became Refengkhotso residents.

A second argument is that Refengkhotso location came into being as a result of urbanisation. When people started moving from

the rural to urban areas. It is accepted that people who were staying in the neighbouring farms gradually decided to move to the

location. Firstly, the reason being that they wanted to be near so that their children could attend the school.

Another major possibility is that because of the B.O.A.C. (British Overseas Airways) Flying boat people from other areas saw a

golden future for Refengkhotso Location. After this people arrived in Refengkhotso. Some were unfortunate, in other words

they did not secure work at the Dam.

When all these people came to Refengkhotso they were settled on temporary plots because the village was not yet proclaimed a

permanent Black residential area. These people from the outset built mud houses. (The approximate date for the establishment is

late 1930.) Refengkhotso is an old township with an interesting history. The village was controlled by the Estate Company

known as Chase and Sons Ltd.

From the outset, the early thirties, people built mud houses using bricks and underwood frames and iron sheet and grass roofs.

From 1946 the location was moved to its present position, "across the road (on the road to Oranjeville)" The first blockman or

councillor was Mr. L. Mahlasela.

Still a small village, it was proclaimed a permanent Black location on 10th November 1948. The first blockmen were Jacob

Chabalala and Moses Hoyane and the superintendent of the location was L. Cable, an English-speaking person.

After 1950 Mr. Piet Mentz ran the location with the help of seven blockmen in accordance with the regulations of the Village

Management Board. The Chairman was Mr. W. Brandt. In 1976 the growing township was taken over by the Lekoa Town

Council.

A clinic was established in Refengkhotso in 1976 and Melta Mathe was the first sister. This served the small population of 200

four roomed houses until 1980 when the location grew with many new residents and squatter houses.

A new clinic was completed in 1993 situated near the main Sasolburg road consisting of four examination rooms, dentist rooms,

doctors consulting rooms, duty rooms, a labour ward, nursery and washing room. It was a comprehensive health care facility

catering for child welfare, ante natal, elderly care and the control of communicable diseases. There were four professional nurses working from Monday to Friday

The sanitary system was unhygienic. The bucket and pit system was employed, buckets being emptied twice a week.

Although bins were available for refuse collection, dumping in certain areas became a problem. Conditions were made worse

with most of the population using coal and "umbaula" or "poala" stoves resulting in monoxide poisoning and burns. This

continued from 1977 until the recent waterborne sewerage was introduced and the electricity supply installed by Escom.

After the laws on banning the so-called "white-liquor" to blacks in 1962 it was hoped that the illicit shebeens would disappear,

but the shebeen continues to thrive. Licensed or not they remain an entrenched feature of the Black township's social fabric

despite police constant raids and sometimes high prices. They have however played an important part in bringing the people of

Refengkotso together.

The word 'shebeen' is of Irish origin meaning a pothouse or unlicensed house selling intoxicating drink. It is not derived from

the Zulu adjective 'shibile' meaning 'cheap'. This thought originated from the old days when women selling liquor along the

mine roads on the Reef were shouting "obam shibile" - mine is cheaper. The writer makes a point that shebeens, besides

providing alcohol provide a place where people can socialise opportunities to meet women and dance. They are popular among

Black people and of course they create jobs. The negative aspect is also highlighted. Many are unlicensed and in some cases

their owners, their customers and bouncers can contribute to crime. They aggravate social problems. The regular shebeen

visitors spend up to R70 per month causing family disruption and less food on the table. Parents spending time at shebeens tend

to neglect their children, which can also lead to them becoming delinquents.

In the secondary school the percentage of adolescents who regularly use alcohol is quite high among both sexes. The growth of

11

shebeens in Refengkhotso location has undermined the value system of family to foster family norms and principles so

exerting an unwholesome influence on children. According to Lötter, Schurink and Schmidt who have studied and written

about the subject, children subjected to or living near shebeen life are likely to grow up (or at least consider) accepting the

abuse of liquor and other antisocial activities as the norm rather than as the exception so becoming irresponsible and criminal.

In the early fifties, Mr. L.E. Notsi became the Refengkgotso primary School principal, assisted by Mr. J.J. Khubeka after

Mrs. Mokguba and Mr. Hlabhlala had left. By 1980 standard 7 was introduced and within a few years the school

accommodated Standard 10 pupils.

After 1990, because of the severe overcrowding, the L.E. Notsi Secondary school was established using the same buildings.

The following year the Nomsa Secondary school was established, still utilising the existing building. With increasing

numbers of pupils from farms, squatter camps and Oranjeville, another school was established known as J.J. Khubeka

Primary School.

With four schools using the same building the Department of Education now provided funds for the construction of the L.E.

Notsi Secondary School which was opened in September 1996. This building now housed the Nomsa pupils as well. An adult

basic school was established in 1992.

There were limited employment opportunities in the area for the many who had flocked here from veld and farm. Some found

work in Sasolburg while others became domestic workers and 'garden boys'. Some who settled from the farms brought their

cows so that they could be sold later to produce an income. Others sold fruit and vegetables and tuck shops appeared selling

food without the adequate storage facilities.

By 1997 there were three big stores, a butchery and a dry cleaner, who together with the now important taxis, provided

limited employment for locals. Many tried to be self-sufficient using intensive farming methods.

The modern 'loans houses' built by different companies, for which rent was levied, were mainly occupied by policemen,

teachers and government employees. There were also municipal houses, which were rented out.

The Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk was the first church in Refengkhotso established in 1930. Services were held in the

school building until their present building was erected in 1984. The Anglican Church followed and the Methodist Church of

South Africa, their building was erected in 1970. The Apostolic Faith Mission building was completed in 1990. The Roman

Catholic Church played an important role, alternating services with the Anglican Church. Besides a large attendance on

Sundays, women met every Thursday to have their services. The Zion Christian Church, established in 1990 and the African

Apostolic Church are also in the location.

METSING TOWNSHIP

The area was started as a hostel accommodating people building the dam. In 1952 it was popularly known as Scaftin housing

Vaal Dam employees. This paved the way for the township and the building of houses as employees could not stay with

families. The Department of Irrigation, as it was called then, started the construction of five-roomed houses in 1952. It was a

mixed community of Sotho, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and coloured people. It remained relatively small until 1970 when people

from neighbouring farms came and settled permanently there. The farm, which was expropriated in 1920, belonged to a Mr.

van Vuuren.

12

Simon Poho remembers

MR SIMON POHO BORN 10 August 1922 HIS REMEMBRANCES OF Refengkgotso AND DENEYSVILLE. AS

TOLD TO ANNA LEBURU.

I worked at the Irrigation Department in 1944. In the same year arrived a British Empire aeroplane and landed in the

Vaaldam. I t was a ‘shocking moment’ for us all. The plane was tied to a pole. The plane cleaners cleaned the plane as soon as

it landed. It came directly from Durban to the Vaaldam. It carried many white people. They were first taken by a boat called

‘Ecseller 4 Lounge’ (a launch) to land. When they arrived there were buses that delivered them to different places, like

Heidelburg, Johannesburg and many more.

I remember that the Deneysville Bridge was built in 1930. It was built by the Italians. The person who was in charge of

the project was Mr Maccansi.

I, Mr Simon Poho arrived in 1959 and worked for the municipality. I was transferred by Everite from Klipriver. I worked at Pipe-fitters as a plumber. I fitted pipes for the whole town.

I was given a stand by the Dorpbestuur. Which is the Deneysville office. I then fitted the electric poles in Deneysville

with Mr Scott. The Superintendent Officer was Mr. van Dyk.

During that time there was a Maize Grinder called ’Ruler Meal.’ (roller mill). It was launched by Topito Mojuda (Louis

Trepido) and was also a butchery at the mill.

There was also a Doctor called Dr. Hutchinson near the Water Affairs gate. Then arrived another Dr. Redcliff.

Simon Poho, Jonas Mahasela, Voorslag Motholo and Ephraim Notsi were the Blockmen (location councilors). Of the four

Blockmen I was the head Blockman. Properties were provided to people who had worked for 6 months or more in the Location.

As time went on the ‘Sebokeng Houses’ were built in Refengkgotso. Shortly after this Robert’s Construction arrived and

built the ‘Loan Houses’ which all had 4 rooms. Since 1994 we are now receiving the ‘Mandela Houses’ also known as RDP

Houses

Groot Eiland

In 1850 a voortrekker, who had participated in the Battle of Blood River and in the Congela Battle, settled on the southern

banks of the Vaal River. This included today's Groot Eiland on Vaal Dam. The farm was originally 3,000 morgen which was

established by riding a horse around the terrain in a specified period. The participating official was paid a half crown (25c), and

a rifle butt for his trouble.

H.A. Roets had two daughters Susanna and Anna Francina who inherited the land which became known as the two farms

Cyferfontein and Zandfontein.

Anna married Roedolf Grove and their one daughter married Victor Edward d'Assonville. They named the farm 'Oase' and

lived in the homestead at Zandfontein until 1934. In 1899 Roelof Grove, his two sons and Victor d'Assonville joined the Frankfort Commando and survived the Boer War,

Die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog'. Anna Grove and her daughters fled and lived in the banks and the bushes of Vaal River for months

until the Engelse confiscated the cattle, burnt their homestead and took them prisoner and sent them in an open train from

Coalbrook to a concentration camp in Greenlands.

By 1902 Roelof Grove was imprisoned and sent to

Ceylon. His sons fought with General de Wet and were

taken prisoner with Victor d'Assonville. They reached Norvalspont. When the peace treaty was signed,

d'Assonville joined de Wet in the Great Rebellion of 1914

to land up as a prisoner in Kimberley with the other

Heilbron rebels for six months.

The family, together with a bantu, Jim, rebuilt the

homestead where the. RAU buildings now stand. Here he

wrote a detective/romance novel which was revued by

Eugene Marais, a regular visitor to the farm, as was the

poet Totius.

In 1934 the mother, Martha Catharina d'Assonville

died and was buried near the homestead, not in the

graveyard which is now under water. Work on the dam commenced in the same year and the farm Oase was taken

over. Some 40 years later Randse Afrlkaanse Universiteit

took over Groot Eiland and later part of it was taken over

by the Defence Force.

Thr Island (or Groot Eiland), the view from the road to Villiers on

the east side of the dam.

13

EARLY DAYS by Carol Meyer

Deneysville Estates laid out Deneysville as a township in around 1936. Mr. Bermeister and Mr. Garlick had a local sales office

where the village management board meetings were held. The chairman and members were elected by property owners. As

Deneysville fell under Heilbron the meetings were conducted by their magistrate. Voting was by a 'show of hands'. The town

was named after Deneys Reitz the Minister of Agriculture and a lawyer from Johannesburg. Advocate Reitz from Bloemfontein

(probably a brother we think) had two stone rondavels built on the banks. They are today St. Peters Church. The early

development was along McKenzie Street to Water Affairs and the hotel. There was a general dealer, butchery and three manual

petrol pumps run by the Meyerowitz family. This catered for our daily needs. The original buildings are now part of Brentwood

Lodge. A monthly trip to Vereeniging on dirt roads for shopping was a must. The annual trip to Johannesburg plus the

Pantomime at Christmas were the highlights of our year.

One entered the town over the low level, one way bridge, below the dam wall (it is still there), then along the main road through

Water Affairs which is McKenzie Street. The Vaaldam Hotel was built by the owners of the Riviera Hotel in Vereeniging. It

was well run and popular for holidays and Sunday lunches and their special Sunday teas, with cream scones of course. Every

Saturday night there was a formal dance, black ties and a band from Vereeniging! Jack and Jenny Burns, a Scottish couple ran

the hotel and the attached bottle store. At the Water Affairs gate is a stone house built in 1945 by Dr. and Mrs. Hutchinson (my

Dad and Mom). Opposite, on the comer of Garlick and Mckenzie Streets was a corrugated iron building, the Post Office with a

cement stoep, great for learning to roller skate. The Post Mistress was Anna van der Heever. Telephones were manual and on a

party line (no one's 'business' was their own). This is where the local code for survival was formed. "Ek maak net voor my eie

deur skoon! (I only clean before my own door.) ... meaning I only concern myself with what is going on, between me and the

Dear Lord, and forget what the rest of the village has to say about me! As the post was collected there daily it was the hub of the

village. The postbag was brought from Viljoensdrift by bicycle and the postman was often inebriated. On a couple of occasions my Dad, after attending a post mortem at Viljoensdrift Police Station, found him, the post and his bicycle on the side of the

road. He piled them into his car and delivered the whole lot to the Post Office. Mr. O'Grady had a garage, (only for repairs) on

the comer of Oranjeville Road and Main Street.

The Flying boats, like Catalina's, (BOAC) landed on the dam, flying from England via Lake Victoria to Durban and back. The

'stop-over' on the Vaal Dam generated great excitement and delight, not just for the residents, but also visitors to this country

after the war. The passengers were accommodated at the hotel overnight. There is a lovely story that Baden-Powell stayed here

and he went out to wander in the lovely rose garden. Jack the manager thought, as he was a VIP, he should escort him. Much to

Jack's amusement he was politely thanked and given a shilling tip!

A quite imposing terminal building' was built, (roughly where the Water Affairs Hall is now). There was a 'Luxury Bus Service'

which left from the Terminal Building taking passengers to Johannesburg.

An interesting point is that years later when I was selling property in Deneysville (1970 - 1980 on) I found that there were a

number of stand owners from all over the world who obviously bought them in those days. It was so hard to persuade them that

nothing had happened to increase their "good investment" from those good old days.

Mr. Foxcroft was the local Estate Agent. Dr. Hutchinson, my Dad, was the district surgeon and was appointed as BOAC doctor

and Medical Officer of Health. He had to give clearance to passengers disembarking. The launch was run by Mr. Lomax who

was in charge of Water Affairs at the time. Captain Norman Cook was the Harbour Master.

The personnel and their families were accommodated in the Water Affairs houses and the children attended the local

Deneysville Junior School. (The old building in School Street). Mr. Latsky was the Principal with one other teacher. They taught from grade one to standard six. The children were mostly from the surrounding farming community, Water Affairs and a

small sprinkling from the village. We fought the 'Boer War' over every day. If you were English you were automatically called

a "Rooi-Nek", labelling you as a dreaded Englishman. A prefab building was erected as a classroom for "die Engelse" where

they were taught English.

The children in the area were conveyed to school in a big Desert Jeep. It was considered a great adventure. Luckily there were

four of us in the family and we managed to make very good friends with them all, though they never spoke English to us.

A tennis court was built in the Water Affairs camp, which provided days of fun not only for the BOAC families, but also the

local children.

When BOAC left, my dad bought both the jeeps much to the excitement of us children. A few of the names of the BOAC personnel that come to mind are Captain Woodhouse, Captain Giles, Captain Cass, Gladys Downs and Mary her mother, the

Parnells and Miss van Tonder, Nuel and Tilley Joubert (who no doubt some of you recall, they came back and lived here for a

number of years before going to a retirement village in Howick). Mr. Bradford was in charge when the Flying Boat Service was

terminated.

The terminal buildings were demolished and the cement surface became a playground for children to play and roller-skate on.

We have memories of many functions and concerts held in the terminal buildings. The highlight for all was General Smuts' visit

14

Early photographs taken by

Dave Laird.

The foundations of the BOAC terminal at Water Affairs, as they are today. As the dam wall has been raised twice they can only

be seen when the dam is at a low level.

by flying boat from England when he was Prime Minister. All the children met him waving flags and cheering.

The van der Heever family lived in the "Big House" at Water Affairs after Mr. Lomax left as the head of Water Affairs.

Mrs van den Heever was the Sunday school teacher for the English-speaking children in the community and Sunday school was held in her home. She was a very enthusiastic and loving person.

My fond memories are of Sunday school concerts and Prize-giving. Dr. and Mrs. Hutchinson had an Anglican Minister, Father

Preece, who came from Basutoland (now Lesotho) once a month to stay with them. The Communion Service was held in a stone

converted cowshed on their property.

Christenings were held there and a wedding! One of the Water Affairs houses was used as a Police Station. Mr. Bermeister and

Mr. Garlick ran the offices of DeneysviIIe Estates (where the Dutch Reformed Church now is). The employees were Mr. van der

Heever, Mr. Brand and Mr. Cable who planted all the trees in the village and was overseer for DeneysviIIe Estates.

Life was very tranquil and peaceful. There was a lovely drive round the dam from the front of the hotel all the way to the 'Castle Area' (at the end of Main St.). Of course the whole area was veld and in the dip where the Bowling Club is now situated, there

were lots of willow trees and buttercups. We all learnt to swim in the dam. There were rafts where we would suntan and dive

and swim for hours on end in. the summer. There was no electricity, and the sewerage was collected by a 'night cart' drawn by

donkeys, that came round twice a week. Later my dad bought a small farm (in front of Lake view Flats). My younger sister and I

now rode to school on horseback. We all had our horses and rode a lot, to where the school and LDYC now is, just wide open

spaces and no one in sight.

These memories are recalled mainly by my dear mother Gwen West, aged 92 years, and are of the years from 1945 to about 1950. She has lived with us since August 1970. We have lived here for 31 years, I'm an old timer too!! I can only speak of great love of this place and feel blessed that we have raised our five children here and lead a great life. It is so special having my five grandchildren visit us here. They enjoy hearing about the 'good old days'. My Mom has 17 great grand children.

15

I remember. Roz Ruggli writes about her early days here with the help of

memories from David and Nora Laird, her mother and stepfather.

Above: The original dam wall

before being raised twice.

Below:Dr. Hutchinson (far right)

the BOAC doctor used to inspect planes receiving a cigarette case

from M. Billbrough (far left) and

Mr. Hefer manager of Irrigation

Department (2nd on right) .

In 1959 the erf no 1292 was bought by D & N Laird. A prefab metal house was erected and furnished and the garden was

started first by planting trees. As there was no water laid on to this side of town (we were the only people living down this

part of Main/Wendy Ave.) we had to go to the dam with containers to fetch water for the plants, drinking water was bought

along with us from Johannesburg. This carried on for a couple of years.

Then the farm, private open space erf 960, was sold to Mr

Sumner Snr. In which the Village Board of Management wrote

to David Laird saying that "According to the deeds of

establishment every owner of a stand in Deneysville will have access to erf 960."

The first Post Office was an old tin building next to the Water

Affairs gates with a large concrete veranda, which was

excellent to use for roller-skating.

The municipal office was where the NGK now has its "events

room". It then moved to the house where the clinic now is and

it also housed the first library.

In 1962 the building of the Castle was started, which meant

that water pipes were laid down to our area and this obviously

made life much easier for us.

In 1961 the plans for our house were approved and a Mr.

Bester who was also building the Castle started to build the

existing house with 'Old World' concrete bricks, also used to

build the castle. Once the house was completed we were living

in luxury with laid on water, a coal stove in the kitchen to cook

on and for heating in winter, and we had a paraffin stove and

fridge and paraffin lights. The garden started taking shape, a

The photographs on this and the

following page were taken by

David Laird

16

General Smuts in Deneysville.

This was probably when he

returned to South Africa on a

flying boat and then flown to Pretoria afterwards.

fishpond was started, the front lounge was added on and a

workshop built.

The Castle started operating with a restaurant, and movies

were shown once a week. During the week one could find a competitive game of chess being played. New Year's dance

was always a great success.

On Saturday nights there was a dance at the Vaal Dam

Hotel. In front of the Hotel there were at first tennis courts

and then they turned them into a large swimming pool

which all the children really enjoyed it was the meeting

place for the teens. A small tea-room right next to the

swimming pool was run by a Dutch lady, Anne.

You could get almost everything you needed at Louis

Trevena's General Dealers (where Brentwood Lodge now is). He also had a mill and a petrol pump. There was a 2nd

petrol pump at the castle mainly for the motor boats.

The roads were still in a very bad condition the road from

Vereeniging via Groenpunt was full of huge boulders, the

slightly better road was via Henly-on-Klip and Meyerton,

but after heavy rains the bridge below the dam wall was

impassable. This was also the first road that was tarred as it

was in the Transvaal and not in the OFS.

We then got a telephone which was a party line, our ring was 3 long and 3 short, one had to listen very well

otherwise you would have the pleasure of listening to an

interesting conversation, that did not concern you. A few

year later we got our own phone number 13 and we had to

go through the telephonist to get connected, who was

situated behind the post office.

Joy of joys in 1968 we got connected to electricity. Life was

really getting easy.

I started training at the Jo'burg Gen. and when I had a week-end

off I used to get the railway bus from Jo'burg station to

Vereeniging station and would be picked up there.

When things really started moving in Deneysville, I had married

and moved to Switzerland and returned at the end of 1993.

17

In 1943 J.R. O'Grady (Red) and his wife (Lil) and two and a half year old daughter Irene came down from Zambia and opened

Vaaldam Motors next to their house on the corner of Main Street and Oranjeville Road. Besides selling spares he had a hand operated

petrol pump. He undertook repairs on most everything, bicycles, cars, tractors as well as the roller mills housed next to the

Deneysville Supply Stores which is now Brentwood Lodge.

Irene O'Grady now Kriek, remembers the BOAC flying boats roaring in low over their house as they came in to land on the

Above: Irene and

her husband Hennie

Kriek.

Far left: Vaaldam

Motors and the hand operated petrol

pump om the corner

of Main Street and

Oranjeville Road. It

had snowed that

day.

Left: Irene's brother,

Johnnie, next to the

hand operated petrol

pump.

An O'Grady tells of the early days Irene, the daughter of Red O'Grady grew up in Deneysville and operated the telephone

exchange here and became post mistress.

dam. Irene, her brother Johnnie, her sister Anne and younger

brother Peter all went to the local school which was in

School Street. She remembers Mr. Wigget, Mr. Schoeman

and much later Mr. Fourie who ran and taught at the school.

Sometimes there were not many children in the school and

her father jokingly said that there were only five children at

the school and three of them were his.

While the dam wall was being raised the first time,

the contractors children filled the school making teaching

there really worthwhile.

When still small she remembers Al Debbo and

Frikkie Burgers came to entertain the people at the Water

Affairs hall. This was also the venue for regular bioscope

shows. There used to be dancing at the Vaaldam hotel on

Saturday nights and young Peter O'Grady was the lead

guitarist.

At first there was no electricity. The railway bus

travelled from Vereeniging via Viljoensdrift to Deneysville

and on to Oranjeville once a week. In the early days there was

only the Vaaldam Hotel, the old corrugated post office near the

entrance to Water Affairs across the road from Dr.

Hutchinson's house which is now a B&B, Stone Cottage. Then

there was a corrugated iron building which was the police

station, also at Water Affairs, and the Deneysville Supply

Stores The original owner was a Mr. Meyerowitz who sold it

to a Mr. Kublin and then last owner was Mr. Trapido. Of

course there was Vaaldam Motors (later Deneysville Service

Station) and the Village Management Board which was in the

building which is next to the N.G. Kerk.

The doctors that practised here were Dr. Hutchinson,

followed by Dr. Carden and then Drs. Frank and Elize Gunn

before Drs. Burger and Hanekom moved in to the new

building built by the municipality.

In 1958 Irene O'Grady became the telephonist when the

telephone system still consisted of party lines with crank

handle telephones. The exchange closed at 9pm and so did the

police station. There was no after-hour communication or

crime. She became post mistress in 1960 and held that position

until 1963.

In 1964 there was a devastating tornado one evening

which caused a great deal of damage all around the town.

After leaving Deneysville she remarried and has now

returned to the town with her husband Hennie Kriek who grew

up on a farm along the Viljoensdrift - Deneysville road.

18

Harry Coetzee, once mayor of Deneysville, now living in

Howick, acquired an old map of the town, headed 'Township

of Deneysville District Heilbron, OFS on Portion of farms

Witpoort No. 743 and Wilhelmena No. 1175'. It was surprising

to find that many street names had changed. Now we know the origin of one remaining, namely, Wilhelmina, although its

continuation is now Horace Street.

Travelling down Main, the second street on the left, Pier,

is just one block long. This used to stretch all the way to Water

Affairs and the then Imperial Airways flying boat Jetty. A few

years ago, Deneysville Aquatic Club had to purchase a still

existing portion in front of their property to ensure access to

the water.

The road behind DAC, Parr St., was called Twist.

Following perhaps Johannesburg street names, we had a Mooi

Street, it is now Bendet. In the past you would turn left before

the clinic into Regatta Street, now Voortrekker. Pity the town lost that one. Seems the previous government encouraged

every town to rename one of their streets after these pioneers.

Travelling south along the foreshore there once was

Riverside Drive, most of it is now under water, which became

Union Avenue at the intersection of Island and fed into Golf

Avenue, which is now Ross. The present Union is a new road

which cuts through a then Private Space, a proposed golf

course. Rumour has it that the Sumners wheedled this property

from the then Village Management Board and built the Castle

and cottages, including the 'gas cottages', which is now

Sausilito, and the LDYC property. The old township plan shows that if one turned into

Island Street from Main the cross streets were in this order,

Plein Street, Park Avenue (now van der Merwe), Lakeview

Avenue (now Johnson), Wendy Avenue, Golf Avenue (now

Ross), Health Avenue (now Waverley) and the last street, a T-

junction, one would turn left into Riverside Drive or right into

Union Avenue.

Plein Street running parallel to Main became another

Main Street between Park and Golf (now Johnson). The area to

the west of this street, between Golf and Park Street all the way to West was a plot 740 - reserved for future development.

Travelling along Oranjeville Road one had Liberty Street to the

right, then the crossing of Wilhelmina Road (after one of the

original stand names) which, to the left has now been renamed

Horace. Greenman Street is perhaps a corruption of the

original developers, Greinamn Brothers.

Erven designated ADMINISTRATIVE included 14

stands on both sides of the Main and Regatta (now

Voortrekker), the triangle bordered by Henley, Port and Main,

a section between School and Mooi (now Bendet) and Henley

and another around the Koppie along Hospital and Main to

opposite the present municipal offices. Where DAC stands today was Private open Space and

PUBLIC PLACES included the caravan park continuing across

Main including where all the shops now are and the ground

where the Municipal buildings now are.

Hotel sites were earmarked at the old hotel site next to

DAC and other properties now under water at the end of Wall

Street.

Business sites were to be found on McKenzie Road

around and down Handel Street, just the three little stands at

the fork of Main and Oranjeville Road, where the Garage is

and the CBD between Wall and Island.

First published in Deneysville News January 2002.Volume 2,

No.

The original drawings of Deneysville township

The O'Grady family moved down to Deneysville in South Africa from Zambia in 1943. John Redmond O'Grady,

better known to all as Paddy, started Vaal Dam Motors on the corner of Main Street and Oranjeville Road. He Had a petrol

pump and repaired, not only motor vehicles, but most anything including the roller mills housed in the building nearby,

Brentwood Lodge today. She remembers the flying boats roaring low as the came down over the house to land on the dam. Irene, the eldest daughter, and her brother and sister, who were born later went to the local school which was the old

building in School Street. First it was Mr. Wiggit who taught there, then a Mr. Schoeman and later Wynand Fourie. There

were not many children at the school and O'Grady used to jokingly say that there were only five and three of them were

his. When the dam wall was later raised for the first time the children of the contractors made teaching really worth while.

In those earlier days there was the hotel, the O'Grady's hose and business, the old post office, a corrugated iron

building at the entrance to Water Affairs in front of the Hutchinson property and the old police station. Along the then main

entrance road there was the Deneysville Supply Store which was originally owned by Margerovitch, then Kullen and

finally by Trepido. The Village Management Board was housed in the building which is next to the present NG Kerk on

the corner of their property.

There was no electricity and the railway bus travelled along a dirt road from Vereeniging to Deneysville and on to

Oranjeville. The O'Grady's bought their meat in Oranjeville and the bus used to deliver it in Deneysville on its return trip to Vereeniging.

In about 1964 there was a devastating tornado which struck Deneysville causing a great deal of damage.

In 1958 Irene O'Grady joined the local post office as a telephonist. They were still party lines in those days and the

system closed down after nine in the evening, the police station closed too. There was no crime after hours. By 1963 she

was post mistress. Her musical brother played for the band at the local hotel. She remembers a big event when Frikkie

Burgers an Al Debbo came to play at the Water Affairs Hall. There were regular bioscope shows at the hall.

After leaving she remarried and returned to Deneysville. Her husband, Hendrik Kriek, grew up on a farm along the

Vereeniging road.

19

After 1933 British Imperial Airlines was committed to carry

mail to destinations in the British Empire including South

Africa. The first route using land planes was London via Cairo

to Cape Town.

A survey for an African airline route was completed by Sir

Alan Cobham in 1928 flying a Short Singapore flying boat. In

1931 he undertook another survey, formally on behalf of

Imperial Airways, using an S-11 Valetta, a three engined

monoplane.

Later an order was placed with Short Brothers for flying boats.

Designated the S-23 or C-Class boats (their name all

beginning with C), Imperial Airways called them "Imperial

Flying Boats", but the popular name was "Empire Flying Boats".

Canopus was the first off the production line and it made its

initial flight on July 4th, 1936. The Empire Airmail Scheme

was officially inaugurated in June 1937 when 3,500 lbs. of

mail was delivered to Durban South Africa. The 88-foot long

plane was powered by four 290 horsepower 9 cylinder rotary

Bristol Pegasus XC engines. It had a cruising range of 760

miles and

carried a crew of 4 and 24 passengers.

From 1938 to 1940 the planes took off from Southampton, landing and refuelling at Marseilles, Rome, Brindisi, Athens,

Alexandria, Cairo, Khartoum, Juba,, Kisumu, Mombasa, Dar-

es-Salaam, Beira and Lourenco Marques in Mozambique to

Durban. Many of the Empire flying-boats remained in service

until 1947.

The Sunderland was developed by Short Brothers as a wartime

long range bomber. The Sandringham Mk. I made its debut in

1945 as a direct conversion for commercial transport. Imperial

Airways now became British Overseas Airways and ordered

12 Short S.45 aircraft known as the Solent. Powered by four Bristol Hercules 14-cylinder radial engines rated at 1,690

horsepower they could accommodate 44 passengers.

On the 14th April, 1948 BOAC's new flying boat terminal

was opened at Southampton Docks and Solent G-AHIN was named Southampton by the Mayoress and soon afterwards

left on a proving flight to Vaaldam with a party of journalists

and travel agents. The first commercial service, replacing the

Yorks on the Springbok Route, was introduced on May 4,

1948 flown by G-AHIT Severn.’The route was Southampton -

Augusta - Cairo - Luxor - Khartoum - Port Bell - Victoria

Falls - Vaaldam taking four and a half days.

Though they became famous for their luxurious and incident

free travel, their reign was brief. On November 10, 1950 G-

AHIO Somerset left Berth 50 at Southampton on the last southbound flight bringing a most wonderful era to an end.

The flying boat crews founded Lake Deneys Yacht Club and

their company's Speedbird logo graces the club burgee. The

Club committee boat is of course named Speedbird and the

mark layer, Speedchick

The foundations of the terminal building, slipway and part of

the jetty can still be seen at Water Affairs when the dam is

level is low.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 'Deneysville News'

'Flying Into the Future', a pictorial history of Shorts by

Michael Donne

'S.A. Flyer magazine'

'Seaplanes of the world' written by Bill Yenne and published

by O.G. Publishing Inc.

Passengers disembark from a BOAC Solent, to be ferried to

the old hotel in Deneysville Vaaldam in 1948. Photograph

courtesy of the South African Railway Museum. The

photograph was taken by the brother of Wim Hoek, a one time resident of Deneysville.

Two C-Class fling boats of Imperial Airways, Corilonus and

Cambria, moored at Southampton.

Photograph courtesy 'Flying Into the Future' a pictorial

history of Shorts by Michael Donne.

The history of the flying boats at Vaaldam

20

The Flying Boats

One of the phenomena of this memorable decade was

the advancement of aviation accelerated by the war. When the

40's began, airliners took 4½ days to get to South Africa and although it still took three days by the end of the decade,

flying was infinitely more comfortable.

The most popular way of flying was with the "C Class"

Empire flying boat (similar to the Sunderland), which British

Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) had in service on the

'Springbok run' from 1937. Sadly in a way, BOAC replaced

them with the faster Avro York, which SAA was already

flying between Johannesburg and London.

Many seasoned travellers missed these "boats". Not a

few still talk about them as the best way to fly. They used to

take off from the Solent in the English Channel between the

Isle of Wight and the mainland and land at such exotic places as Cairo and Khartoum, on Lake Victoria and on the Zambezi

at Livingston. During flights, which were at a low enough

altitude, for passengers to get a good view of the Nile and the

wild African landscape, the purser would lay out a cold buffet

on a bench. Dinner would be "ashore" in a good hotel while

the great silver craft spent the night riding at anchor under the

African moon.

Johannesburg-bound passengers would disembark at

Deneysville, near the Vaaldam wall, an hour's bus journey

from town.

Jan Smuts airport, although not opened until 1953, was officially named on December 3 1947 at a ceremony at the

site Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Aliment unveiled

a stone which bore the inscription "In tribute to the Prime

Minister of the Union of South Africa, Field Marshall the

Right Honourable J. C. Smuts, OM, CH, DTD". The tribute

was because many believed that Jan Smuts, by his frequent

use of aircraft, had encouraged its acceptance by the public.

This article was found on a photostat from some unknown publication, highlighting significant events of each decade in our area. Should anyone have, or know the source we would like to hear from you. You can contact Julien Girard at (016) 371 1401. Besides possibly finding a little more history we could then credit the publication.

With the lack of good landing facilities across Africa,

British Imperial Airways used the S.23 Empire Class flying

boat built by Short Brothers to fly passengers and mail to

South Africa using waterways to land and refuel. The plane was also known as the 'C-Class' as all their given names began

with the letter 'C'. CANOPUS was the first. They remained in

service until 1947. The wartime Sunderland was developed

from this plane. Later a further development, the Solent, was

used on the South African route landing on Vaaldam until

1950, when they were replaced with land planes.

Syd Gargett, who built the Vivacity 20 in Deneysville,

the first production keelboat, arrived in this country in one of

these flying boats. Rusty Rossiter, the last station commander,

lived in Deneysville. Nuel Joubert, who lived here in the

nineties, piloted them. The father of Bill Eardley, a resident, was also a flying boat pilot.

The flying boat crews founded Lake Deneys Yacht Club

and their company's Speedbird logo graces the club burgee.

The Club committee boat is of course named Speedbird and

the mark layer, Speedchick.

Deneysville News

The Flying boats took off from the Solent in the English

Channel between the Isle of Wight and the mainland. They

landed at Cairo and Khartoum, Lake Victoria and Livingstone

on the Zambesi The first flying boat was the S23 Empire Class "Canopus'

which flew on July 4th 1936. It had a crew of 5 and 24

passengers. Its range was 700 miles. Canopus, Clio and

Calypso flew to SA.

The 'Jungle Junction' where the Solents landed on the Zambezi

above the Victoria Falls shows the route as: Southampton -

Augusta in Sicily - Alexandria - Khartoum - Portobell -

Victoria Falls - Johannesburg (Vaal Dam). On the southern

flight Luxor was used instead of Alexandria. Canopus The first C-Class flying boat and the first to fly to

South Africa, on moorings at Southampton.

One of the last Solents built with the improved v-struts on the

floats, on a mooring near Groot Eiland.

During the war the engineering base for the flying boats "horseshoe route" was in Durban. 21 flying boats were rebuilt once a

year and one engine was rebuilt a day. The route curved from Durban, Mozambique through East and Central Africa to

Khartoum and Cairo through Palestine, Iraueq, the Persian Gulf, India Burma, Siam and Singapore to Australia.

21

Canopus was the first S.23 Empire flying boat and first to fly

to South Africa.Photograph from the author's collection.

"Seaplanes of the world by Bill Yenne, published by O.G.

Publishing Inc. distributed by First Glance Books, Inc.

With the emergence of practical international and

intercontinental airline services, there was an obvious need to

develop air routes to connect London with the Empire.

In 1933, British Imperial Airlines head S.A. Dismore

had convinced the British Government that it could make the bold promise to carry mail throughout the Empire - or at least

to Southern Africa, India, Singapore and Australia - by air for

surface postage rates. Known as the Empire Airmail Scheme,

this plan led to a contract to establish such a service, and

British Imperial Airways placed its order with Short Brothers

for 28 of their big, untried, aircraft.

Canopus, the first S.23 Empire class boat made its initial

flight on July 4th, 1936 and the Empire Airmail Scheme was

officially inaugurated in June 1937 when 3,500 lbs. of mail

was delivered to South Africa.

The S.23 measured 88 feet in length, 31 feet 9.75 inches

high, and had a wingspan of 114 feet, it weighed 40,500 pounds fully loaded and fuelled. It was powered by four

Bristol Pegasus XC nine-cylinder radial engines each rated at

920 horsepower, which in turn provided a cruising speed of

164 mph. It had a service ceiling of 20,000 feet and its range

was 760 miles. It carried a crew of 5 accommodating 24

passengers.

The S.23s were also known as "C-Class" flying boats, because

each was given a name beginning with the letter "C". The first

ship was Canopus.

British Imperial staged its flights through a hub at

Alexandria in Egypt, with the S.23's known as Clio and

Calypso flying the mail to and from Southampton. An aircraft

named Centurion served South Africa, while Calypso

continued east to India and beyond. Meanwhile, the longer-

range Caledonia was used to open a service to New York by

way of Newfoundland. In 1938, the Cambria was

experimentally refuelled in flight as a means of extending its range.

British Imperial Airways (which became British

Overseas Airways before World War II) took delivery of 28

Empire Class boats and Quantas purchased three. There were

11 of the improved S.30 produced before the war. These were

equipped with Bristol Perseus XIIc sleeve-valve engines,

which provided greater range. Powered by Bristol IV Hercules

engines, the S.26 "G-Class" boats had the longest range of the

Empire flying boats, and were intended specifically for the

North Atlantic.

During World War II, several Empire flying boats were commandeered by the Royal Air Force, but most continued

with British Overseas Airways, flying dangerous air routes

between Britain and Gibraltar, through the Mediterranean and

into Asia.

Many of the Empire boats would remain in service until

1947. After the success of the Short Sunderland as a wartime

long-range patrol bomber, it was obvious to Short Brothers

that a version of it should be proposed as a post-war

commercial transport. Anxious to reopen the old Empire

flying boat routes BOAC agreed with the proposal.

The first Sandringham Mk. I, a direct conversion of the

Sunderland Mk.V, made its debut in November 1945. The Short S.45 Solent was a similar commercial aircraft derived

from the Short Seaford, originally designated Sunderland

Mk.IV. Similar to the Solent it had a higher gross weight and

could accommodate up to 44 passengers. It was powered by

four Bristol Hercules 637 14-cylinder radials; each rated at

1,690 horsepower.

BOAC bought 12 for use on its London to Vaaldam

route. They served only from 1948 to 1950, however, before

being replaced by land-planes.

The Short Empire Flying Boats

This extract is from the book' Seaplanes of the world' written

by Bill Yenne and published by O.G. Publishing Inc.

Southampton a BOAC Solent takes off from Vaaldam,

returning to Britain after its first flight to South Africa.

A Solent coming in to land at Vaaldam.

Watercolour painting by Julien Girard

22

The BOAC Solent G-AHIN 'Southampton'

"The last of the Solent batch, (Solent G-AHIY Southsea), launched

on 9th April, 1948, was the last new aircraft to be built at Rochester,

whose gates were to close in the following July. On the 14th April,

1948, when Lord Nathan, Minister of Civil Aviation, performed the

official opening of B.O.A.C.'s new flying boat terminal at Berth 50,

Southampton Docks, G-AHIN was ceremonially named

'Southampton" by the Mayoress of Southampton and soon

afterwards left on a proving flight over the route to Vaaldam with a

party of journalists representing the world's press; the first national

service commenced on the 4th May 1948 and was flown by

Severn."

Sunderlands

The South African Air Force used the Sunderland until replaced with the Shackleton in 1958.

Originally called Sunderland IV, the Hercules-powered Solent saw only brief service with No. 201 Squadron. The Solent

used on the BOAC run to South Africa was a development from this plane.

"Sunderland Vs were first issued in February 1945 to Nos 228 and 461 Squadrons, both at Pembroke Dock, and proved to

have a cruising duration of more than 15 hours, compared with the Mk III's average of 13.5 hours. In fact ML839 stayed up

for 20 hours on test, and much later, in July 1948, one of the Sunderland Vs of No 35 Squadron S.A.A.F. at Congella,

Durban, flew round the Union non-stop from Durban via Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Luderitz, Walvis Baai and Vaaldam

back to Durban, a distance of 2,800 miles, on 2880 gallons of fuel in 19 hours 57 minutes."

Calcutta Class & Mayo Composite

"There was some flying boat activity in South Africa before the war such as the Calcutta Class and the Shorts Mayo

composite. "

Information in quotation marks from Alan McKnight, Public Relations, Shorts.

Another major development was the Short Mayo composite flying -boat Maia-Mercury, intended as an alternative to in-

flight refuelling. The first joint flight was on 20th January 1938, and the first in-flight separation on 6 February. Flight trials

conducted with Captain D.C.T. Bennett of Imperial Airways (later to be head of the wartime Pathfinder bomber force and

then Chairman of British South American Airways) were successful. On one flight Mercury flew from Dundee, Scotland, to

the Orange River in South Africa, a distance of 5,997.5 miles (9,652km) in 42 hours 5 minutes, setting a world long distance

record for seaplanes.

FLYING INTO THE FUTURE A pictorial history of Shorts by Michael Donne.

Solents The Solent of British Overseas Airways Corporation evolved from the S-45 Seaford (originally designated the Sunderland Mark

IV), which flew on 30th August 1944. At first intended for the RAF, which lost interest in it, the Seaford was adopted by BOAC

for post-war flying-boat operations under the name Solent. BOAC and other airlines gave up flying-boat operations on 10

November 1950 (its last operation being a Solent fight from Johannesburg).

FLYING INTO THE FUTURE. by Michael Donne

The BOAC Solent Southampton arrives at Vaaldam,

on its proving flight, amongst much pomp and

ceremony.

Designated the S-23 or C-Class boats (their names all

beginning with C), Imperial Airways called them "Imperial

Flying Boats"; but the popular name was "Empire Flying

Boats". FLYING INTO THE FUTURE.

The S-11 Valetta, a three-engined passenger monoplane

was used by Sir lan Cobham in 1931 on a second survey

flight of the Nile and Central Africa, fomally on behalf of

Imperial Airways. FLYING INTO THE FUTURE.

23

Flying boat training was initiated at Vaal Dam in January 1941

and G-ADHL ‘Canopus’ was the first aircraft to be used there. Crews were billeted in the old Deneysville Hotel. The town of

Deneysville was only established in 1936 during the

construction of the Vaal Dam which was completed in 1938

and was named after the then Minister of Water Affairs,

Deneys Reitz, whose father had once been the President of the

Orange Free State Republic.

Near to Deneysville was 22 Air School at Vereeniging, which

was a Service Flying Training School, operating Harts, Hart Trainers, Hinds and Audaxes (collectively known as Hart

Variants). 22AS urgently need a machine gun range and

bombing range and on December 26, 1940 initiated proposal to

establish this at Vaal Dam. The Dept of Health turned down the

bombing range on the grounds that the explosive residue would

poison the water so an alternative range was established on the

farm ‘Bankfontein’.

Next, the Director of Irrigation and Minister of Lands objected

to the machine gun range due to the bird sanctuary on the

island. However, due to the urgency of the situation and the

fact that there was a war on, a compromise was reached and the

range was completed on May 22, 1942.

In 1942 a training exercise was flown in a C-Class boat to

Hartbeespoort Dam by Chief Flying Boat Marine Instructor,

Capt. EM Gurns and regular training flights were made there after this, in case an alternative to Vaal Dam were ever needed

in bad weather.

It was also decided to establish a landplane training school at

Deneysville Auxiliary Landing Ground. Exactly when this

started is not known but DAW Drawing no 20/115 dated

November 24, 1942 shows the improvements to be made to the

airfield which included a Bellman Hangar, stores building, garage, dining hall and kitchen plus various huts and ablutions.

These buildings were all situated close to the Heilbron - Vaal

Dam road.

22 Air School was tasked to give the BOAC unit assistance and

provided various vehicles for the unit’s use including a Ford 1

Ton LDV, two Ford 3 Ton troop carriers, two Ford 3 Ton

TSGS vehicles, a 3/4 ton Ford LDV, a Chev ambulance and

a Farmall tractor.

BOAC was one of the largest operators of the Lockheed

Lodestar twin-engined transport and this was the main type

used at Deneysville, although details of when the first one was

used there, remain sketchy. Some were however, delivered to

Wingfield for assembly at least eight being assembled there (G-

AGBP - GBW). The type was widely used in East Africa and

North Africa for internal services and examples are recorded as

visiting Durban on numerous occasions between September 1941 and December 1942 (examples being G-AGBU which

brought the Deputy Director General of BOAC to Durban on

August 29, 1942 and G-AGBW which arrived there

on September 3, 1941).

On July 16, 1943, Lodestar EW981 (c/n 2152) carried out a

forced landing near Vaal Dam but struck a rock, collapsing

the undercarriage. In BOAC documents it is referred to only

by the constructors number, 2152. Perhaps it was being

operated in RAF marks prior to civil registration. It was sent to 5AD, Germiston for repair who recommended it be

reduced to spares. It was then shipped to Cairo on November

7, 1943 where it seems to have remained stored. It next

turned up in the early post war period with the Spanish Air

Force becoming N9930F with Minnesota Airmotive in 1955

and then to Field Air in New Zealand as ZK-BUV in 1958

where it was converted to an aerial top dresser and

survived until at least 1987!

Reports in July 1943 indicated that another Lodestar, EW982

(2153) was also in use at Deneysville. It was later given the

civil registration, G-AGJH ‘Lake Tana’. It was returned to

the RAF as EW982 in December 1947 at Kasfareet. Reports

are sketchy but it either went to Spain or was broken up on

site.

In May 1944 two SAAF Avro Ansons 4280 and 4379 were

transferred to BOAC on loan at Deneysville for training.

4280 went to 47 Air School in June and the other one to 43

AS in October. Anson 4263 arrived in October but ground

looped on landing collapsing the undercarriage on November

16 and was returned to the SAAF being replaced by 4547,

which arrived on November 28. It departed on May 4, 1945

and was replaced by 4585 the next day remaining with

BOAC until April 26, 1946. It was sold for scrap on July 24,

1947.

Several Airspeed Oxfords are also known to have been

loaned by the SAAF. The first is quoted as 3552 but was

probably an error for 3352 (ex AS864) which flew with

BOAC from August 20, 144 to November 29, 1945. Next to

arrive was 3662 (BG441) from 26AS which was there from

August 26, 1944 to February 14, 1946 and finally 3583 (BG365) a Standard Beam Approach Oxford painted with

diagonal green stripes and was used from November 25,

1945 to February 14, 1946 going then to 22AS and then for

scrapping on October 16, 1947.

On a nautical note, the semi-cabin cruiser ‘Sarie’ which was

in use by the SAAF at Hartbeesport Dam as a crash boat was

transferred to Vaal Dam with its crew a coxswain, Sgt PA

Tomlinson and Fitter Marine Sgt JJ Orton to act as range crash boat when air firing was taking place from 22AS which

was at this stage using Harvards. The crew was billeted at the

quarters at Deneysville and ate in the hotel.

The flying boat crews stayed over at the old Deneysville

Hotel. One of the most famous of the BOAC captains,

Captain O.P. Jones, an Englishman with a ‘Captain Kettle’

beard struck up a friendship with a local farmer, a Mr

Helgard Muller who spoke no English (and OP Jones of course did not speak Afrikaans). He nevertheless enjoyed

the visits to the farm.

On January 15, 1945 the shuttle to and from Durban ceased

The BOAC era of flying boats

Reproduced from S.A. Flyer magazine

24

as SA Airways had secured sufficient Lodestars back from the

SAAF to resume limited internal services including a daily

Durban return flight.

In addition to the C Class boats which had a wingspan of 114ft

and length of 88ft, shorts also built a much larger version

known as the S.26 G Class. This was powered by four Bristol

Hercules IV (or later XIV) of 1 380hp and had a wingspan of

134ft 4 inches and length of 101ft 4 inches. Its general

configuration and appearance were however similar to the C.

Class. Only three were built and by 1944 only one survived, G-

AFCI ‘Golden Hind’. It was flown to Durban in August 1944 for maintenance after which it operated between Mombasa,

Seychelles and Ceylon. It servived until May 1954 when it sunk

in a storm while under tow to Hamble. At the time it is thought

to have been the largest aircraft to visit South Africa.

In 1944 a commission appointed by Mr. Sturrock declared that

Durban Bay was unsuitable for future flying boat operations and

that Vaal Dam was much more suitable. A considerable amount

of planning had been taking place as a result of International conferences held in Chicago, Cape Town and elsewhere and

there was a swing towards the operation of landplanes for the

post war services.

In the interim the Horseshoe service continued, having suffered

interruptions and the loss of several flying boats due to Japanese

attacks in South East Asia.

Meanwhile Palmietfontein south of Alberton, had been

established as an interim International Airport for

Johannesburg. BOAC and SAA set up the joint Springbok

service to London (using Hurn airfield) at a cost of £167 per

passenger (as opposed to £200 using the flying boat service).

The first service was flown by Avro York G-AGNT ‘Mandalay’

flown by Capt. EF Palmer on November 10, 1945.

In March 1946, Garth Trace who had served Imperial Airways

and BOAC well retired as the regional director of BOAC and

joined the National Transport Commission as the civil aviation

representative where he remained until going back into aviation

insurance in 1949.

On May 28, 1946 a Cairo - UK shuttle was introduced to link up with the Horseshoe route and on June 4, Heathrow (which

had been named London Airport on March 25) replaced Hurn as

the UK terminal for landplanes. The engineering facility at

Durban was deactivated and on October 4, 1946, 72 ground

engineers were paid off. A sad loss was G-ADHL ‘Canopus’ the

first of the C-Class boats which finally left Durban piloted by

Capt. H.L. Fry on October 17. The last India - Cairo sector was

flown by G-ADUW ‘Castor’ Capt. JG Pascoe on January 13,

1947 and on March 2 the Cairo service finally ceased, G-

ADHM ‘Caledonia’ piloted by Capt. Peter Horne being the last

aircraft to leave on March 12.

Despite an effort by a local consortium to procure a number of

the C-Class boats, they were all flown home and scrapped.

Sadly none were kept for posterity. There was much opposition

in Durban to the Minister’s announcement that a new flying

boat service would be introduced later, but using Vaal Dam as

the terminus.

The first of the new boats, the Short Solent, based on the RAF

Seaford, (a successor to the Sunderland) which was not put into

service, was launched on November 11, 1946. Registered as G-

AHIL ‘RMA Salisbury’ it made its first flight on December 1.

All 15 Solents owned by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and

leased to BOAC. Flying Boat Operations were transferred from Poole back to Southhampton to a new flying boat terminal at

Berth 50 which was opened by Lord Nathan, the Minister of

Civil Aviation on April 14, 1948.

At this time BOAC/SAA inaugurated weekly cargo flights from

London to Palmietfontein using Lancastrians but the service

was a financial disaster and was suspended on August 12

having accumulated a loss of £60 000.

SAA had replaced the Yorks with Douglas DC-4’s on the

Springbok service and BOAC had planned to introduce the

Avro Tudor but the latter suffered numerous problems resulting

in the aircraft never operating with BOAC and a bitter dispute

arising between Avros and the Corporation.

On March 10, 1948 Solent G-AHIV ‘Salcombe’ arrived at Vaal

Dam on the proving flight from Southampton and was followed

by a special flight for the press on May 1, flown by G-AHIN

‘Southampton’ piloted by Capt. E ‘Teddy’ Rotheram. He was

one of BOAC‘s more experienced captains having joined

Imperial Airways in 1935 and given his command in 1938.

The first commercial service was introduced on May 4, 1948 flown by G-AHIT ‘Severn’. The route was Southampton -

Augusta - Cairo - Luxor - Khartoum - Port Bell - Victoria Falls

- Vaal Dam in 4 1/2 days. The Solent wingtip floats were

similar to the Sunderland being wire-braced but after problems

were experienced with floats detaching, they were withdrawn

from service on 22 July 1948 and refitted with a V-strut support

being re-introduced again in October.

On January 28, 1949 Capt. H.J. Rose took G-AHIS ‘Scapa’ into

Hartbeespoort Dam, the first landing since WWII and it was

designated as an alternate should Vaal Dam be closed by

weather.

Though they became famous for their luxurious and incident

free travel, their reign was brief. On November 10, 1950 G-

AHIO ‘Somerset’ left Berth 50 at Southampton on the last

southbound flight bringing a most wonderful era to an end.

On November 17, 1950, the Handley Page Hermes 4 was

introduced with G-ALDR ‘Herodotus’ making the first service

to Palmietfontein. The following year NOTAM 53 of 1951

announced the cancellation of the aerodrome license for Vaal

Dam.

Since then few large flying boats have been seen in South African skies apart from the SAAF Sunderlands which lasted

until 1957. Sadly, little from the flying boat era has been

preserved and one has to go to the UK, USA or New Zealand to

see examples of the Sunderland or Solent. Our only link, which

remains, is the amphibian Catalina that remains parked at Rand

Airport, the last of the succession of Catalinas, which have

come and gone from our skies. It remains to be seen whether

one of our very few preservation groups will come forward and

save this aeroplane for the future

25

There have been numerous articles, paragraphs and snippets over the past few years - here as elsewhere, locally and nationally -

recounting the long service role played by the Empire Flying Boats, as they were commonly called, in speeding up mail and

passengers between Britain and South Africa. What were the figures? Roughly down from a fortnight to four or five days. And

seventy years ago this was truly a remarkable advance.

May I add a personal touch? I was lucky enough to do the trip, in wartime. We set off from Durban. And this was an astounding event for aircrew trained on land planes. You scarcely noticed as you pulled away. But as you gathered speed, at between, say

thirty and eighty miles per hour (I never saw the cockpit) the bow-wave built up to the level of the cabin windows - alarming! -

until, with perceptible effort (to me, anyway) and an almighty whooosh!, the water fell away from the porthole by your seat, the

craft lurched gratefully forward - and you were skimming along and then away from the water. There was quite a bit of sound

and fury all around. But the immense solidity of flying-boat construction by Short Brothers gave you a wonderful ride.

We then climbed with dignified grace and power to cruising altitude. What was it? Probably between five and eight thousand

feet. And there we sailed along, hour after hour, at roughly the speed of a well-maintained mid-range sedan along one of today's

freeways. Sometimes less. The beauty of it all was that it was not only perfectly cool, but that we thundered along, reassured by

those wonderful Bristol engines, at a height that permitted you to see Africa as you should from South to North: leisurely, at low

level, in a bit of detail, making your way through clouds with the utmost calm and confidence. And then the steady throttle- back

told you that you must have done about 500 miles or so and that another of Africa's great stretches of inland water awaited you.

Landing was not a touchdown as experienced today on a runway. You skimmed along, then suddenly, as you really made acquaintance with the water, that steady pressure on the hull slowed you at once, but greatly. The water you needed so much

cushioned you like a headlong dive into a featherbed; and, as the flood rushed up again to your porthole and then down again,

you had arrived.

You travelled in some luxury. Minimum refreshments en route, however. But upon landing you met Africa's tremendous heat,

tempered with a cold beer, punkahs and Indian waiters. Sometimes you flew on to the next lakeside hotel or city. The Kisumu

Sailing Club was a bit of Europe transplanted to the tropics - dinghies, green turf and everything else. How I felt like a sail. In

Khartoum I caught a West End comedy.

What were the greatest sights from our unequalled, low-level vantage point? The first was the red-black baked wilderness of

Central Africa's Abyssinian mountainous regions, abandoned and desolate from the air. And, somewhat later, the unparalleled

sight from the desert wastes split in two by an unbelievably green ribbon ahead of us ... and out of sight. The Nile valley -

greenest of green things. Every shade and tint imaginable through to emerald. Well, we at least knew where we were. The navigator had got it right. How could he go wrong? There'd be Khartoum, then the distant Mediterranean. Egypt. It was all over,

of course. I only wish I could remember more to share with you. But I've never been one for a diary. Perhaps just as well; one

shouldn't reflect too much on the past, eh?. Nevertheless, this brief, self-indulgent dip into my early days has given me immense

pleasure to set down.

Postscript. When did the change from olde-tyme air travel to sardine-can modern jet take place? Well, much later than you think

- or remember! Post-war DC's were certainly more efficient. They were also more uncomfortable. And for quite a while they did

little more than shave a day or so off the pre-war adventure. But nothing since those days has equalled the excitement of the

Flying Boat.

If you cast an eye over last month's column you may have wondered what your scribe - younger and sillier- was doing in an

Empire flying boat travelling Africa South to North. Simple. He had completed a Maritime Navigation course - turn right for

Cape Town, left to Durban - at George. Now, how to get me to the Near East? I was lucky. Provided with a Portuguese passport,

identifying me as a civilian - a hairdresser, nogal! - I was offered a (wartime) luxury lift in the magnificent C-Class Flying Boat. Why the hairdresser ID? We would be landing at Beira. Perhaps. Nothing is quite certain in wartime. And neutral countries went

by the book whenever they could. Both sides did it. Both sides knew the form. So for 36 hours I was a hairdresser: a small price

to pay for the days to follow.

A flight across Africa on a flying boat during the war by Clare Read

Reproduced from an article wrtitten for the Deneysville News by Clare Read , a resident

26

DENEYSVILLE 1970

The entrance to the town consisted of Omega on the right and the garage on the left, not the posh building that stands there now, and Lucky's Cafe round the corner. That's all. Except for the old O'Grady building on the comer of Main and

OranjeviIle which housed, shelf after shelf, old car engines, gear boxes and parts.

Along McKenzie, where Brentwood Lodge now is, there was a mill and a second hand sacks warehouse. (Use a Yiddish accent and you get the 'sex shop'.)

The Post Office was on the right and the Council Offices were opposite, now the 'NGK Jeugsaal. It was run by Mrs.

Anne Wood and an assistant, that's all, and very efficiently too. Oom Davie Malan, the father of Pieter and August, ran the

Parks Department. He and his few handlangers kept the town spic and span, even dug trenches for the new waterpipes in

record time. He had his way with the workers. One person who could tell us a great deal about our town's history.

The CBD consisted of E.I. Marine, builders of the Vivacity 20 and 24, the Jaguar and later, the Thetas and a Lavranos

40. Sid Gargett owned the business and son in law, Ronnie Stewart ran it. Later it became the Nu Boatyard. They had

another building in Wall Street. It was mainly a storeroom. Arthur Wilson, the once Mayor and local electrician used it as

his licensed premises. The front was the Boatique, 'Inch' Schrauwen's shop for boating types. He only sold rope at discount prices, chemical toilets, ex airway's life jackets, things sailing clubs could give away as prizes and tackies. The last was a

big seller during the week for the few hours he opened. He first organised bulk deliveries of anthracite and his foresight

ensured that we got a bowling green.

The building on the comer of Island and Johnson was first a hardware shop then a sort of Spar run by the Pieter Malan

family, and later, for a short while, Sleepers, a restaurant.

At the end of Island was Triton, a 'marina' and boatyard. It was here that Fred Raas developed the Mistral. He also a

designed thirty footer, the Villain; his first boat was called Rascal, some say a telling name.

Lake Deneys Yacht Club had just left the Triton premises after a short and unhappy stay, after purchasing their present

ground from the Sumners.

Triton Sailing Club was started here. After all their boats were attached by the Sheriff for the second time (some mix up

with Triton, the business), they moved to Vaal Marina and became Pennant Nine Yacht, the friendly club.

DAC was firmly established with Eric Hutcheons as commodore and his merry men Palmer, Ken Brown, a Koen or two, Dunn an du Plessis all mainly power boaters. Gerhard van den Bergh, John Ainslie, George Wiehahn were members

with the first Hunters on the Dam and Les Wright had a Squib.

Henry Vink, the boat builder occupied the stone house next to DAC. This was the birthplace of the Deneysville Aquatic

Club with Radcliff and Hutch's gang. Later the Martins, father and daughter repaired boats here before he went to the other

side of the dam and built the Debonair, a variation of the Mistral. Then Nick Kloosterhuis moved in and repaired boats and

served teas.

Hans van der Willik appeared on the scene and built his house at the end of Wall Street.

The boating operations were all at loggerheads, LDYC and DAC did not particularly like Triton and the clubs were in

constant competition. Garget of E I Marine was a member of LDYC, so they got on well.

The road to Sasolburg was still dirt, so Vereeniging was the favoured shopping town.

The Castle was there, run by Joe and Bella. Saturday nights were movie nights, mainly Wild West flicks. Weekend teas

were the order of the day.

The telephones were still hand cranked on party lines. My ring two shorts and two longs, my favourite, same as on the

farm. The exchange was closed from 6 pm to 6 am. The police station too, could not be contacted. Paying a little extra, you could have a nightline. The complicated system of hundreds of plugs and wires at the exchange ensured that the operator

would get it wrong. From 5 pm on, the exchange would test ring all the nightlines. It was actually a most useful system. If

you went visiting, they usually heard you making the date. Incoming calls were often diverted to your new venue. Cheaper

than a cell phone. It was also a news centre. The favoured were brought up to date on all the latest 'aggy' by the exchange

operator.

The mini-skirt and Vaaldam

The Rev. Arthur Sexby ordered 5 women out of his Johannesburg Church in April 1969 - because they were wearing mini-skirts. "This is my own private war ," he said. "If it comes to a last resort my congregation will have to choose between me and mini-skirts.' It was, in fact, a very public war. Rev Sexby became joint leader of the National Association for Morality and Welfare, formed expressly to 'crush the evils of the mini'. His fellow campaigner was Gert Yssel, the man who claimed that 'until the shameful parts of women are covered, I am convinced that God will not fill the Vaal Dam'. Quoted from South Africa's Yesterdays published by The Reader's Digest

27

Die NG Gemeente Deneysville deur Ds. C.H.T. Schiel

Die NG Gemeente Deneysville het sy tien jarige bestaan gevier in Junie 1980. Alhoewel die NG Kerk al hier werksaam was van voor 1970, het die gemeente Deneysville, net egter eers formeel selfstandig begin bestaan op 17 Junie 2004. Die NG gemeente was eers deel van Oranjeville en moes daar heen ry om eredienste by te woon. Dit was nie ‘n mooi grond pad nie. Oranjeville het in hulle buitewyke op Sondagmiddae dienste gehou. Vanweë die swak bywoning van hierdie dienste is dit gestaak en dienste op Deneysville begin. Sondagmiddae (in die somer was dit in die aande) is dienste in die ou skoolsaal in Skoolstraat gehou. Op Sondagaand 26 April 1970 word die kerksaal op Deneysville ingewy. Ds. Strumpher preek uit Psalm 26:8 “Here, ek het lief die woning van U huis en die woonplek van U eerlikheid.” 181 lidmate was teenwoordig. In 1979 word daar begin om ook die sakramente van doop en nagmaal op Deneysville te bedien. Die kerkraad van Oranjeville neem ook in hierdie jaar die besluit om voorsiening te maak vir ‘n afsonderlike bediening op Deneysville. In 1980 “verdeel” Oranjeville se kerkraad in twee wyksrade, te wete Oranjeville en Deneysville. Albei doen verslag aan die gesamentlike kerks-raadvergaderings te Oranjeville. Deneysville bestaan op hierdie stadium uit 4 dorpswyke, vier wyke by Waterwese en die Vaaldamplase.

Op 12 1983 Februarie word proponent P.J. Oberholzer bevestig leraar om

Deneysville te bedien. Hy vertrek weer in 1987 en word op 13 Junie opgevolg deur

proponent C.H.T. Schiel. In die vroëe negentigs begin die gemeente ook met ‘n bybelstudie

vir Engelse sprekendes. Hierdie versoek het gekom uit die Engelse deel van die gemeenskap.

St Peters gemeente nooi in hierdie tyd ook jaarliks die ander gemeentes uit om deel te neem

aan ‘n gesaamntlike Hemelvaartdiens te reël. Hierdie diens word huidiglik gereël deur die St Peters, Volle Evangeliese kerk en die NG kerk. ‘n Pragtige samewerking ontwikkel alhoe

sterker tussen die plaaslike gemeentes.

n 1993/1994 word voorbereidings getref vir die afstigting van Deneysville as

selfstandige gemeente en was gestig op 17 Junie 1994.

In 1995 word daar veranderinge aan die kerksaal aangebring. Die vooraansig word

verander om o.a. te verhoed dat dit nie by die voorder inreën nie en ‘n konsistorie/kombuis

en kantoor word aan die agterkant aangebou. Later word die jeuglokaal verander en uitgebrei

en die Vrouediens skuif hulle kombuis daarheen.

Die gemeente begin ook met werk in Vaalmarina en Mistybay. Enkele gesinne van

Groenpunt begin met toestemming van Vaalpark (vroëer Viljoensdrif) gemeente ingeskakel

by Deneysville. So groei die gemeente dan ook deur die genade van die Here vanaf 245 belydende lidmate in 1986 tot 373 in Mei 2004 (22 wyke). Ons dank die Here vir Sy genade

en die groei wat hy gee.

Die NG Kerk in Deneysville wat in Mainstraat gebou was.

28

Lake Avenue Inn

In the beginning the house on stand 536, that is 17 Lake Avenue, was conceived and built by Roy

Hilligan, a Canadian, and one time Mr. Universe. A very large glass cabinet graced the entrance

with the many trophies he had won. The property included a spa and gymnasium which was originally decorated with a life-size photograph of his lovely wife in the 'all together'. There was one

of him too. The wood panelled pub in the house was named 'Camelot', perhaps a knightly pun. He

built a few houses in the town including the 'Pink Flats', the present Lakeside View complex. They

were naturalists and they and the kids enjoyed soaking in the warmth of the sun around the lovely

swimming pool. Their guests included the evangelist Ray Macauley and a regular weekend visitor

was Anneline Kriel, Miss South Africa at the time. A press photographer caught her lounging round

the pool in less than a bikini and the pictures appeared on the back page of the Sunday Times,

rocking the country and turning a spotlight on Deneysville.

Later, it seems, the government was not too happy to have these foreigners in the country and they

moved to the states. At the auction, the property was bought from the bank by a Hennie van der Walt, a then relation, by marriage, to Thys Campher. The smart motorboat 'PLAYBOY' and

Landrover were bought by Hans van der Willik, who had established Willik Marina, now named

Anchor Creek.

During this period the house was rented to Ziggy and Deta, two Germans who leased gambling

machines, mainly to South West African customers. They were called back up there to re-adjust

them as the pay outs did not fall within the law at the time.

Di and Dave Dolley bought the house in 1990 for R196,000 and renovated it completely to start a

restaurant and the first accommodation establishment in Deneysville, after the old hotel near DAC

had closed down some years before. Di was experienced in this field, as her previous husband was a

Mr. Therman of restauranting fame in Johannesburg. They named it Lake Avenue Inn. It soon became known for its excellent and homely ambience and excellent fare, comparable with the best

in Johannesburg. It was the place to wine and dine.

As the Inn became popular they asked the Girards to start a B&B to take their overflow. So Rose

Lodge came into being. To keep Dave occupied during the day they started Roots, the first garden

service in the village.

They decided to move to the greener pastures of the Cape and acquire a hardware business. George

Macauley, who had recently retired, and his wife Joan took on the challenge and kept up the high

standard of the establishment.

In 2005 Andrea Flitcroft bought Lake Avenue Inn and ran it single handed until it was sold to John

Boswell in 2007. He and Charmaine made extensive alterations ensuring, amongst other things, a

proper sized kitchen and a wonderful lapa for an outdoor pub. Later extra rooms were added and

they proudly created a motorbike museum, one of the few in the world.

29

Brentwood Lodge

In the beginning McKenzie Street was the

main road in Deneysville and on the corner of,

aptly named Handel Street, the first commercial

building was built, a general store with a petrol

pump. It also housed a mill. The owner Louis

Trevena served the small community for many

years and in 1974 the main trade carried on here was in second-hand bags. The locals called it the

sex shop; after the heavy Jewish accent of the

owner who confirmed he sold "secks".

Ria Holz took over the building and

adventurously started a candle factory. Bert and

Thea van Aarle, sailors and weekenders in the

village wanted something to occupy their day,

having retired. They bought the business and the

building. Having become experts in the wick and

wax business they soon established that it was no

easy task to compete with the larger manufacturers and closed it down.

Miranda Peters and her husband acquired the

building and with mother, Hilda started Ziba

Lodge. The large original building became the

dining room, dance studio and hall. New and

altered outbuildings provided units for overnight

accommodation.

It was sold again and renamed Brentwood

Lodge and has been extensively renovated and is

managed by Woody Woods

and ?????????????????

Deneysville Castle Gordon Young

The castle was built in 1963 on a 2.5-hectare plot with

one of the finest waterfronts in Deneysville.

It was designed as a unique restaurant to seat 400 people inside and outside including a roof beer-garden. It also

housed the unique Al Sumner collection of medieval weapons

and shields.

"The Castle" was the inspiration of Alfred Sumner, who

lived an arrows flight from Windsor Castle in England. It

took three years to complete.

"The Castle" was widely known, and was visited by

weekend crowds of people, mainly from the Witwatersrand.

Even today it is not uncommon for 30 to 50 cars to visit it

over a weekend and gaze at the ruin.

During the week and long before the advent of TV, it

was a popular evening meeting place for low cost meals and 16mm film shows and was a real Deneysville social club.

The owners, the Sumner family, were devastated when

in 1985 the then manager was involved in a sharp altercation

with a young visitor who was expelled. That night "The Castle"

was torched and has stood derelict ever since, a court could

not find sufficient proof to prosecute.

"The Castle" has not been rebuilt due to the enormous

costs involved with heat-damaged reinforced concrete and

purpose made blocks. The site is worth some R1,5 million.

This castle was once a member of the S.A. Bachelors

Club, with its headquarters in the Moulin Rouge Hotel in Hillbrow (April 1967) and called "The Castle" its country

club and guaranteed 'Ghost Free'.

This article was written in 2001

Brentwood Lodge was once a mill, store and petrol pump station. The

original building is on the right.

The castle in Deneysville as it was originally with its large

swimming pool.

30

A speech given by the Commodore, Graham Brown, at the function celebrating the Club's 21st

anniversary in 1986.

It is my pleasure tonight to talk about the last 21 years and the people. John Ratcliff and Norman Palmer visited the area and decided to form a club. They approached a Mrs. Brynse

who owned a stone house on the waterfront and offered a rental of R40 per month. LDYC was

renting the house at the time, and I was secretary of LDYC, and the decision was not to match

the DAC offer. (Incidentally the Round-the-Island race was run for many years from this

storehouse.)

Ratcliffe and Palmer were joined by Eric Hutchons, all being members of Eligwa at that

time. Arthur Wilson, then mayor of Deneysville, joined them and the club was started in the

stonehouse.

I believe all owned property above the quarry and parked their caravans there. Ratcliff

was Commodore and Eric Hutchons was his Vice Commodore. That was 21 years ago.

John Ratcliff passed away suddenly and Eric became Commodore automatically, and

was voted in every year thereafter until 1978 when he stood down due to ill health. I owned the house next to Norman up the road and he eventually persuaded me to join DAC.

I drove onto the property next to the stonehouse one Sunday afternoon and was promptly

thrown off by Eric for parking on the lawn - that must have been in 1968. I was offered a beer

and told to put my money in the slot in the counter we had in front of the kitchen for many

years. That was my first encounter with Eric Hutchons.

Six weeks after I joined the committee was reformed and I was put into it and was not

allowed off until about three years ago. Names many of you will remember in the early days

of the club were:

Horst Karolius - still a current member.

Zimmy & Frieda (The Zimmermans) - They are in garage No. 1. They built the original bar.

Steve & Glassie Smit - both deceased. Harold Howes - Deceased.

Willie Koen, the Floyds, Zelda, Rowland & Rea Geard and so on.

A ladies committee was formed very early in the life of the Club headed by Babs Palmer

who more often than not, either donated the meat or paid for it herself. Eric expected the

whole committee at the Club on Sundays and the wife of the duty officer had to provide lunch

for everyone.

In 1965 Dr. Verwoerd, Prime Minister at the time, officially opened the Club. He spent

the day at the Club and brought with him the S. A. Navy band. The photograph is on the wall.

C. D. Bulman is another person worth mentioning as a Club member. He was the oldest

powerboat pilot in the world at the age of 82 and he lived to 84. The waterfront stand

belonged to him and was donated to the Club on his death - we had only to pay transfer fees.

Deneysville Aquatic Club

The clubhouse and foreshore at Deneysville Aquatic Club

31

There were a number of enthusiastic bowlers in Deneysville in the early days. They played at Groenpunt Prison where the Commandant encouraged the sport amongst his staff. Later some became members at John L. Sharp in Vereeniging. David and Nora Laird, Harry Coetzee, Jan and Joey van Rensburg, Wynand and Sarie Fourie, were joined by Monica van den Bergh, Jack and Jill Ashton, Eddie and Sarie van Baalen. Mark and Jean Vella and Tom (forgotten his surname) came all the way from Oranjeville. Then there was Chris Wentzel and Frank Lubbe and Yntze Schrauwen. It was ‘Inch’, as he was known to his friends, who had a vision of a bowling green in Deneysville. With the help of the bowlers and others including Julien and Rosemary Girard and the Baums amongst others, the Deneysville Sports and Social Club was formed and all contributed to this by enthusiastically participating in the monthly draw, July sweepstake, Bingo evenings and raffles. Sarie’s excellent cooking attracted the bowlers to well attended socials in their garage. Inch had a premonition that he wouldn’t be here to see his dream fulfilled and handed the fund raising project over to Rosemary before he died. His ashes were scattered around the green after it was built, and there is a sundial in his memory. A survey was carried out by the Free State Province to find the most needed sporting facility in Deneysville and the bowlers outnumbered even the fishermen. In February 1989 the Deneysville Sports and Social Club's main committee consisted of: Julien Girard (chair) David Laird Jack Puttick Arthur Lardener Monica van den Bergh (sec.) The bowling section was: David Laird Des Baum Jack Puttick Jan van Rensburg

The Deneysville Bowls Club In answer to the council's request for the number of possible players, the committee reported the following: Present players 26 Future members with bowls 6 Committed beginners 14 Total 46 Harry Coetsee was mayor when the province offered the council some 80% towards the cost of a green. In March 1989 the motion was passed by the Council and work commenced. The tender of Roadgrass cc of Boksburg was accepted for the amount of R53,600. The council's additional costs were estimated at R18,850. The Deneysville Bowls Club was formed in April 1989 with Janse van Rensburg as chairman, Jack Ashton, Eddie van Baalen and Monica van den Bergh as secretary. They were assisted by Joey, Harry and Nell Coetzee and Jill Ashton. Jack drew up the initial constitution. All was now ready for the grand opening which took place on the 11th of April, 1994. Jack Ashton was asked to perform the opening ceremony and Harry Coetzee, mayor and bowler delivered the first bowl. Jack Ashton became our first official coach and it was Brian Smith who also took some of the new recruits under his wing and taught them how to deliver and play the game. “Your delivery must have as few variables as possible” and “you should get down lower”, some of his well remembered advice. The Vaal Bowls ladies were so excited with our new club and to encourage us, they came out in force on a full coaching day. One of our first bowlers was the long-suffering Alistair Wilson who tried to put up with all these newies spreading their bowls across the green. He led the first ever team to the Nationals in Durban. Julien the lead who put everything into the ditch, Des Baum second, who had to try not to, and 'big bowls' Jack

who did not seem to help much either. The first ever ladies national team consisted of Christine Glaus, Jean Roberts, Jill Young and Lynette Nieman. Christine Glaus a prominent bowler from Johannesburg appeared on the scene with Vin Henry, best known for his special bowls case which contained glasses and the bottled goodies for the 22nd end. A tent was erected between the van der Bergh caravan pub and the building for the first ever open-day and visitors in the area thoroughly enjoyed the Deneysville hospitality. `The clubhouse consisted of a kitchen, the ladies and gents and a little veranda. The funds accumulated over the years paid for the shade structure in the corner of the green and enabled the club to offer to build the remainder of the clubhouse. Pieter Nieman a member and local QS was responsible for the drawings and quantities. Municipal regulations of those days demanded that the building had to go out to open tender. The club’s tender of R14,000, at cost, was of course accepted. This was accomplished with Eddie van Baalen offering to undertake the project at cost of materials and labour, not accepting a cent for his work and supervision. Julien Girard became green keeper, initially a job negotiating with the municipal authorities and workers. Dup of Sasolburg Parks came onto the scene and guided the new keeper who knew nothing about ‘Horti-’, 'Agri' or ‘-culture’,

and promised the best green in the district within three years. Oom Klaas, and John who still works at the green (this is 2010), got stuck in and we did have one of the best greens in the district. The first singles championships were held during the 1991/2 Season. Alistair Wilson was the Men's club champion that year and Monica van den Bergh was the ladies champion. There was the Sasol Day, an annual event that came into being after the Club's first ever open-day. The annual Ladies Day is another tradition where the men make the breakfast and try and give the ladies a day off from the kitchen. Jack Ashton carved a chain and a lock in wooed and added it to a bowl as a trophy when the Club first started, it was the Ball and Chain trophy to be awarded to the winning couple each year. With fewer couples playing bowls it is now played for by mixed couples. In 2004 Jill Ashton won it with Julien Girard as her partner. Jill too passed away in 2007 and the event has been renamed the Ashton Day. The Club has participated in the district competitions and has developed a reputation of a small club with teams to be reckoned with. They have won a number of tournaments and are often runners up. The ladies in particular have done very well. A number of members have represented the province, including Christine Glaus, Jean Roberts, while they were still members, Ena Maartens and Esther Motaung. Deneysville was one of the first clubs in the district to

The Deneysville Bowls Club boasts one of the best views.

32

St. Peters Combined Church After attending a mission by Rev. Jack Cook entitled “What have you done for the Lord?” a new resident of Deneysville,

Alma Malherbe was motivated to do something about an English church in Deneysville. She shared her thoughts with Suzie

Rossiter (now in Switzerland) and Rosemary Girard.

Rev Bill Meaker was contacted to help. The idea was to

start with ‘cottage interdenominational services’.

Carole Meyer joined the group consisting of Bill, Alma, Suzie and Rosemary and they organised the first ‘cottage’

service. It was held in April 1976 at Alma and Piet Malherbe’s

house at 7 Johnson Avenue (next door to the present church),

attended by thirteen people.

Other ministers came to Deneysville in their spare time

once a month. These included the Anglican, Michael Wimmer,

Bill Meaker of course who was a Methodist and Presbyterian

Roy Mallinson and Father Blazer of the Roman Catholic

Church.

Services were held at 5 pm, allowing the Sunday sailors

to get back in time. The group, now including the local doctor, Frank Gunn, took turns in offering their houses for these

services.

As the congregation grew, new larger premises had to be

found. With the permission of the local school board and the

principal Mr. Fourie, services were held in the Deneysville Primary School hall.

The first Church Council was elected in 1978. Dr. F. P. Gunn, mayor at the time, was the chairman, Arthur Lardner the

treasurer, Rosemary Girard secretary and Piet Malherbe and Carol Meyer. The search for premises homed in on the then vacant old stone cottages on the foreshore. They were originally built by the brother of Deneys Reitz, the then minister of Water Affairs and after whom the town was named. They would make a lovely home for the church in a wonderful setting. The municipality was approached and finally a rental agreement was signed. Plans were drawn up and approved for the renovations, and mainly under the guidance of Dr. Frank Gunn, completed in 1978. The church foundation stone was laid by Reverend Bill Meaker. By the time the church became known as St. Peter’s Combined Church in 1978 many of the congregation had built, found or made much of the furniture and fittings. Rob Warrington donated the altar and bishop’s chair. Eric Jay built the pulpit while Arthur Wilson the local electrician made the pews and did the lighting. Arthur and Kay Lardner made the cushions for the pews, Margaret Puttick, the altar cloths and Dorothy Blain the tapestry of the Last Supper. The toilet in the rondavel built by Mark is “Carey’s comfort corner". Mrs. Lou Molyneaux was the first pianist. Saskia Emery and Libby Hamman also gave of their time and talents freely. A tape recorder with a collection of hymn music was also used when a pianist was not available.

Chairpersons over the years included David Laird, father of Roz Ruggli, Pat Whitehead, Stuart Catterall and Robbie Pitt.

Other dedicated members during the early years included Happy and Minnie Richards, Bill and Rosemary Cable, Ted and Villeria Croft, David and Nora Laird, Arthur and Kay Lardner, Rosemary Girard, Mary Ainslie, Jack and Margaret Puttick,

Arthur and Maud Wilson (also a one time mayor), the Lendrums, Susie Rossiter, Bridget Burke, Geoff and Pam Hartwell and of

course Carol Meyer and her mum, Gwen West. Over the years the church has had many inspiring ministers like the challenging Andre Blydenstein, Alan Robertson who went the extra mile. Reverend John Deacon has been the “minister responsible for St. Peter’s Church for a number of years now. Anglicans, Reverend Stephen Letloenyane - from Sasolburg and Pieter van Zyl from Parys, Reverend Mike Basel - Presbyterian from Henley-on-Klip, Mark Edgecombe from the Church of England Vaalpark and Jake van den Bergh from the Divine Ministry International Church, Vereeniging, give of their valuable time. Many travel even further to hold services. The Sunday school was started by Sharon Gates on the 18th April 1992 and Alison Dyble took over the following year before handing over to Sylvia Dyble in 1996. Jenny Sanders, who now runs it, took the helm in 2003. Dominee Schiel, the local Dutch Reformed Minister is a rather special person who gives bible study classes for this English speaking congregation as well as his own. He has always been available and has conducted wedding and funeral services at St. Peter’s. The prayer group was formed in 1992 after members attended a seminar given by Mrs. Terry Vermaak of the Catholic Church in Vereeniging. That was when they were still part of the combined church group. Besides these weekly meetings they also have a prayer chain, all of which have been answered in so many wonderful ways. The ladies group is very active, making dolls for the Victim Support Centre, fund raising and arranging social functions. The care group was started on the 9th of August 1993, after Joy van de Au of the Vereeniging Anglican Church gave a talk on the subject. Their motto is “actions speak louder than words”. These special members of the community reach out to those who need care, are sick, lonely, bereaved or require assistance, not only in our congregation, but the community of Deneysville as a whole. They compiled a database of resident's details so that they can be cared for in an emergency and their family could be contacted. Gordon Young started raising funds in 1966 to build a Wall of Remembrance. Hans Ruggli, our local architect designed the wall. On April the 10th this year Bishop Paddy Glover visited St. Peters and was their guest at a luncheon function held at the NGK hall.

33

BirdLife Vaaldam

It was 1998 and Mary Littlewood, Rosemary Girard and the Van Aarles were relaxing on a houseboat on Kariba. At sunset, the

skipper took the families out on the smaller powerboat to game watch with the sundowner. They clambered aboard, Rosemary

with a borrowed bird book and binoculars and the pilot was told that it was birds, not animals, they wanted to see.

Back in Deneysville, Tony and Eileen Jones suggested that the village needed a bird club. Tony approached BirdLife SA and Vaaldam was on the map, it was April, 2000. Tony was the first Chairman and liaison with BLSA. Soon he was getting stacks

of emails from them. One was a request, asking the Vaaldam branch to undertake the largest water-bird count ever undertaken

in South Africa. He had mentioned that the Caspian Terns were nesting on Beacon Island again and ears pricked up. The count

would be held under the auspices of the Avian (now Animal) Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town. Nothing

daunted this small handful of birding beginners took on the task, and in the October of 2002 invitations were sent out to a

number of interested parties. The event was a great success but, with nothing unusual being seen except for our resident

breeding population of Caspian Terns.

BLSA were very pleased with the result and suggested we look for a sponsor for future counts, Sasol was approached and they

agreed. Sponsorship was desperately required as Vaaldam has a shoreline of some 900 kilometres and much of which can only

be reached by water. The cost of fuel for boats, overnight stays, air tickets, administration, the Sasol Supper and all the other

things that go with an event of this magnitude could now be covered. The first Sasol Vaaldam Big Bird Count was held in January, 2004.

Over the years since then, Sasol have most generously sponsored all the counts and the event has grown in stature with 2006

being the highlight when 97,000 birds were counted, 76,000 being black-winged pratincoles. The dam was rising, the insects

were moving back, and being opportunistic feeders, this was the pratincole's big day. More were counted than the estimated

total world population. Over the years, there have been highlights, pink-backed pelicans now number six, the ospreys breed on

Groot Eiland, a Marabou stork took up residence at Kollegeplaas, the greater flamingos come and go but the fish eagles,

Goliath herons and African spoonbills are increasing. The ADU requested a late mid-year count for returning migrants and this

year, a grey plover was seen off course.

Outings and guest speakers are arranged on a regular basis and the club works closely with the Vaal Birding Society and latterly, Wits Bird Club, Henley-on-Klip and the East Rand Branch. Birdlife Free State has always supported the counts,

sending up a knowledgeable contingent.

The club acquired the bird sanctuary on the foreshore, thanks to tireless efforts of a previous member, and is fortunate that the

Municipality increased the area. With sponsorship, it has been fenced and many of the water birds have returned.

Tony Jones has been sadly missed since he and Eileen moved to Hartebeestpoortdam. Not only was he the first Chairman but

also the first President. Stan Madden and Deon Coetzee were both made honorary members in recognition of all the work,

encouragement and help they have given the club over the years.

The present chairman, Rosemary Girard was elected on to the council of BirdLife South Africa in 2006 and has added stature to the club and the area. In October of 2008, Birdlife Vaaldam hosted the Birdlife SA Council meeting in Deneysville. A number

of members arrived on the Friday and finally left on the Sunday after a count on the dam.

The Library has always been the venue for club meetings but in 2009, Deneysville Aquatic Club became the new nest for

monthly meetings held on the first Tuesday of every month. Juniors under the age of eighteen have free membership and the

club would like to encourage the youth more. DAC are also the hosts for the Sasol Vaaldam Big Bird counts on the dam.

The bird list has grown by leaps and bounds and is really quite impressive with more species being added on nearly a monthly

basis. An African Jacana was seen at the sewerage works in January. Today Vaaldam is an IBA (Important Birding Area)

recognised throughout the world.

Rosemary Girard, still chairman in

2009, kitted out for a bird watching

outing

The lesser black-backed gull, a

sighting over the years on

Vaaldam, it should not be in the

34

Veronica Farrington winches herself acroos the flooded car-

park at Willik Marina (now Anchor Creek) to get to work

duringthe ,88 floods. Apologies for the quality, we scanned a

old cuttung.

RISING TIDE AT VAAL DAM

Julien Girard gives a spescial report on the cosequences of

the rising water levels at Vaal Dam.

S.A. Yachting, May 1988.

. South Africa is a country of extremes. Vaal dam is no

different. We all know the changes in wind and weather here.

After years of the Dam sitting at 13% and that with the help of

the emergency supply from Sterkfontein Dam, the newer arrivals at the dam could not believe that they would see it full

again, Certainly not in one season. For the first time many

became aware that without Sterkfontein Dam we would have

had to shut down the Reef and most gold mines for the lack of

water.

That all changed. The water started flowing for Sailsure

Keelboat Week in October and by Christmas the dam was full.

From 13% to near 100% per cent in just six weeks and that with

good rains in the right place, no real flood downpours. Then

there was more rain. Saturday 5th March the dam was full and

it rose something like this: 106% 22.90 m Sunday

112,98% 23,45 m Monday

I14,07% 23.53 m Tuesday

115.03% 23.60 m Wednesday

116,4% 23,70 m Thursday

By the time the level had peaked on Thursday 10th of

March there were seven sluice gates open. It is said nine could

cause some problems at Vereeniging. The boaters were ecstatic

to see the water and alarmed at the new heights.

At the new 100% level Willik Marina had to make some

rapid decisions and alterations to their location. By the

Monday, De Boeier was under water and a fast temporary evacuation was under way. Virtually every club on the dam had

problems with jetties and storerooms that were built below the

new 100% water line. LDYC was the only club and Port 'O Call

the only marina that had catered almost fully for this type of

level. But their staff still had their difficulties. Having moved

jetties and hundreds of dinghies and tenders countless times as

the water came up there was another urgent removal overnight.

Dave Smith and his gang at LDYC had to move most of the124

catamarans, 32 dinghies and 174 yacht's tenders.

The roads surrounding the dam went under water. Many of the

places used by day visitors were fast disappearing under water. Government farm on North Bay, where most day-trippers and

caravaners, go was closed for improvements.

So everyone poured into Deneysville. There is only one road

into the town. At the peak there were two groups of traffic

police trying to control traffic. At home time on one particular

Sunday, there was a two and a half kilometre static road-full of

cars waiting to get across the entrance stop street. This was

more than a half an hour wait at times. The many visitors

included some, with strange ideas. They camped on residents

front lawns, swam in their pools, walked into their houses

demanding nourishment. One woman pushing her babe in a

pram was pelted with beer cans. Yes, the cafes did run out of almost about everything and the town is not geared up to or

planned to cater for this massive tide of human beings.

Round the shoreline the houses were planned and built to cater

for the high water. At the marinas on the water, people were

rowing to the upper stories of the buildings to get to work,

Longhaul trucks and those large containers appeared to house

tools and equipment. Parking at some of the venues was halved

and that when everyone came to have a look.

The little church in the creek was evacuated but the rains or

water affairs must have had some pull, the water didn't quite

make the interior. Well, everyone knew it could happen but no

one dreamed that it could happen so quickly.

The sailors had a new shoreline to consider. Who wants the

embarrassment of sticking in the putty at flood level? There

were trees and bushes under water. New obstacles including the break water walls at some marinas.

At DAC where they built up their hard, boats moored along

side, their water lines level with the lawn.

Now, when the easterly wind whips up the waves are once

again above a metre to a metre and a half.

Neglected and shortened moorings and those boats moored

on snap hooks were bundled off their moorings into others or

pounded by more waves on the shore. The insurance

companies must be smarting under the many claims.

All the night races have been scheduled and some have

already taken place. More people are sailing and there is much new blood, the used boats for sale being snapped up

and club membership swelled with more active sailors. After

many years of massive investment by the marinas, their safe

moorings behind walls and step-on facilities will bring a

reward. All they have to do is now wait for the water to drop

to a usable level. And now knowing the correct levels all of

us on the dam can finalise plans for the convenience of our

fellow sailors.

Water Affairs have opened 16 gates as Vaaldam continues

rising during the 1988 heavy rain season. Later the low

lying areas of Vereeniging are flooded.

35

Sailing on Vaaldam Julien Girard

It is said that the crews of the flying boats established the first yacht club on Vaaldam. They left their BOAC

speedbird emblem on the Lake Deneys Yacht Club burgee. Dinghies from the Reef towns came to race here. Later

keelboats appeared. One of the first was an imported boat, said to be a Folkboat, but not the traditional one we know, owned by Syd Gargett. Zahn Logan of DAC fame, an ex Polish sub-mariner, had a wooden boat Hobo. It

was seldom seen under sail. If the wind was fair it would be seen drifting back to moorings with well topped up

glasses on board. An Eventide or two were built at Triton Sailing Centre, now Manten Marina. The first fell on the

builder, a Mr. Lubbe and broke his leg. This boat was later owned by Dave Bullock. The present owner has had it

on the hard in Voortekker Street for many years.

Bill Donnelly and others created the Vaal Cruising Association, the club still exists at allow Fjord. He was

instrumental in promoting the Buccaneer, the first racing class boat originally designed by van der Stadt, a smaller

version of his successful Royal Cape One Design. There were round the buoy races and those long distance events,

the 50, 100 and 150 milers, the latter starting on a Friday evening and ending on the Sunday.

The first production keeler was the Vivacity 20 built in Syd Gargett’s garage and later at E.I. Marine with his

son-in-law Ronnie Steward, not to be confused with the racing sailor and mast man, Bill Stewart. It wasn’t long and

Henry Vink started building the first Hunters. Deneysviller, Les Wright, and his brother owned Squibs, the open deck version. A Soling, Aurora, imported by Don Ord appeared on the dam. It was to be sailed by his son in law,

Guy Butler in the Olympics. Unfortunately South Africa was banned from taking part that year. With the

enthusiasm of Hamish Campbell and others, Solings were manufactured in the Cape. It was the racing class for

many sailing enthusiasts, including Selwyn Tucker and Don Ord of Aoelians, the Transvaal home for the class.

Later, it was Cor Bakker and Julien Girard who gathered most of the Solings from the coast and formed a racing

class at Vaal Dam. Their first and only, official National Regatta was held here.

E.I. Marine later built the Jaguar. Fred Raas had appeared on the scene and designed and built the Mistral.

Later Dick Manten moulded the hulls and decks and they were completed at the dam. Young Lex Raas started

moulding them at Triton and the Debonair from the Manten mould appeared, but that is a long story. Triton lost the

rights to the Trapper mould at the same time and this was later modified and used to build the Nimbus by the

Mantens. IOR, the International Offshore Rule was brought in as an alternative to class racing and a modern way of

measuring and handicapping new designs. This rule did not work for the older boats and every designer found a

new way of making a faster boat, making the last obsolete.

The first IOR race was held with the introduction of the Minister’s Cup. Hal Hofmeyer and his buddy a non-

racing American, Jerry Rossiter, helped get the finances together for the Transvaal Sailing Association. Hal owned

a Ranger 23, Gull, the sister ship of Dove, which was used in the film of the same name. By the time of the second

event in 1975, the Mistral had a new fin keel and it was John Bird's job to compete with the new E.I. Marine Theta

26 designed by Henderson. The Theta won. Paul Elvström came out the following year to sail and introduce the

new Elvström quarter tonner. The Flamenca was modified to the rule and the racing one was led by Rob de Vlieg’s

“Little Red Boat” which, of coarse, was blue. The Sweet Pea designed by Lavranos and built by Lex Raas of Ton

Cup Yachts in the Cape and made a clean sweep of the event for many years. The Durban entry “Fuel Free”, also

designed for the Lipton Cup, skippered by Harry Ellens was their nearest rival. The one-off’s started appearing, like Harry Ellens’ “Tokolosh” named to compete against boats named Zulu, Assegai and such like.

Meantime Jan Hennis had got various van der Stadt plans, which finally brought the Stadt 23, originally an

IOR Mini-tonner design, into being. As it soon became outclassed, the Class association decided to keep it as a one-

design class boat. A wise decision, as it became the most popular racing boat on the dam, perhaps even more so

than the Hunter.

The Mini-tonners appeared, the Kid, E.I. Marine’s own Theta 21, the Lavranos and so on. The van Rooyen

boat was named Manyana and later Neil Luck called his High Tension, because they took so long to be built.

Manuel Mendez built and introduced the J22 class. The fast little boat stirred up a lot of excitement and the

class developed rapidly. Unfortunately the bigger J27 did not.

36

Lex Raas paid Vaaldam a visit in December 2011. He was

here to help celebrate 40 years of the Mistral class; the

keelboat designed by his father and built by the family here at

Triton, where Manten Marina now stands. Here is his story which he wrote for SAIL POWER edited by

Jenny Smith

Triton Sailing Centre, from the air, where the Mistral was

designed and built. This photograph was probably taken in the

sixties. Today Manten Marina is here. The building in the

water on the right is the LDYC bridge which still exist at the

LDYC club after it was dismantled and rebuilt.

Looking back at the sailing scene with Lex Raas

Lex Raas, successul sailor and builder of the Mistral, Noel

Abendroth chairman of the Mistral Association and Jenny

Smith editor of Sail Power.

2011 dawned as an interesting year for myself. I was

signed on for a one year sabbatical in my career, The first time

I was not working since I turned 15. That makes it 41 years of

being honoured to have been involved in some of the best

boating brands in the world, Beneteau and more recently The

Moorings and Sunsail teams globally. Prior to joining the

International arena I was also honoured to have built many

boats in SA for example: The Mistral class, Sweet Pea class,

L26 class and Stadt 23 class (both under license in the Cape),

Archangel (second in World One Ton Cup), Three Spears

(winner of many SA races), Charger 33 class, Fuel Free

(Lipton Cup Winner), Royal Flush (World Champion Quarter

Ton Cup) amongst many other boats. I was truly honoured and

proud to have been part of the South African sailing scene and

to this day extremely honored to have been awarded

Springbok colors for the South African team's effort on

Gwaap in class (under license in the Cape), 1976. More

recently I was also very honoured to have helped build the

Robertson and Caine company into a global player for

producing amongst the best catamarans in the world. In sum-

mary I look back on my association with the South African

yachting industry with pride and accomplishment. I really did

learn the ropes of the industry in South Africa and was lucky

enough to have been able to join the International arena.

Back to my sabbatical, it was one beautiful day here in

Florida earlier this year when I received an email from Noel

Abendroth inviting my wife Carol and myself to attend the

Mistral 40th Celebration. It was just one of those invites that I

did not have to think very hard about. Here was the

opportunity to visit the Vaal dam where my career started and

meet the incredible folks that keep the Mistral class thriving.

A couple of calls and e-mails later, Carol and I headed out to

SA and then on to Deneysville. It would be approximately 25

years since I delivered a boat to the Vaal dam which was the

First Class 8 from Beneteau. Carol and I sold over 50

Beneteau's to various folks in SA between 1980 and 1985. We

successfully raced the First 345 First Lady in Durban and

Cape Town during this period.

Forward 25 years and quite clearly the dam had changed

from what I remember, a raised wall and a nearly full dam

greeted us, those roads that went around the edge of the dam,

where I used to charge almost out of control on my Yamaha

400c scrambler motorbike were no longer there and have disappeared under water. Many roads had now been tarred and

I was older, a lot older... We drove over to DAC so that we

knew how to get there on Saturday morning and then headed

over to Rosemary and Julien Girard where we had booked to

stay for the weekend. What a delight to see them both. Julien

and I worked together at Triton Sailing Centre for a couple of

years. We all enjoyed trading stories of the early days at the

Dam and the Mistral class.

It was at this point that I looked back on how the Vaal

dam sailing and more importantly, for this occasion, how the

Mistral evolved and what made this such a great boat that it is

still raced actively 40 years later, one can travel the globe but it is only on rare occasions that one will see this. Amazing!

In the early 60's, I was at boarding school in Vereeniging

when my father Fred Raas started the Triton Sailing Centre,

first as a sailing school and then a small boat yard. It is

interesting to recall that folks like the Lanham-Love boys,

Gerard Aab and many others started sailing at Triton. Fred

started building various one-offs, first the Waarschip which

was really a JOG (Junior Offshore Group) and the forerunner

of the Quarter Ton Class. A couple of Piver 27ft Trimarans. It

was at this point that Fred started dabbling with the design of

the Mistral, a few models were built and eventually the design was settled on, In the mean time for various reasons I dropped

out of school (at 15... sail, build boats or study?) and attended

the University of Deneysville majoring in small town politics

37

The Vivacity 20, a Bitish designed twin keeler, was the first

production keelboat to be built at Vaaldam.

and Free State commerce first hand.

The number of keelboats on Vaal dam could be counted

on one hand. There was one electric light on the dam wall and

the phone system was the wind up one on a party line and you heard "nommer asseblief". On other occasions the heavy

breathing or the barking dogs of other folks in town could be

heard over the phone signalling bored folks eaves dropping

your calls.

Really made for interesting business discussions and a perfect

way to pass on bad information. Yes, this was a small town in

the Orange Free State with all the drama and interesting folks

one would expect. To name a few, Ron Steward, Yntze

Schrauwen, the Gargetts, the Le Nobles, the Bakkers, the

Raas's and so it went on.

To recall some of the interesting boats on the dam in the

early days, there was Diana, a 30ft trimaran owned by Frank

Wheeldon. Julien reminded me of the Atlantis, a second world

war rescue boat owned by Aubrey Sussens, Bill Donelly and his Bucanneer. And so it went on, the boats were as

interesting as their owners. I can go on and on about the boats

and characters but I will jump to the very first production sail

boat in South Africa being the Vivacity. These were

introduced by Gargett and built by son-in-law Ron Steward.

The first ten were sold by Fred and then there was a bust up

between EI Marine and Triton Sailing Centre (more precisely

Gargett and Fred). This is what probably drove the Mistral to

fruition.

Ponjaart was the prototype Mistral completed by Fred

and myself and was out the box a rocket ship astounding

everyone. Winning overall the Round the Island Race, I crossed the finish line with a Soling sailed by Don Ord. The

Mistral was born and in a few months production was in full

swing. The Mk1 Mistral was moulded by Dick Manten in

Boksburg and then transported to Deneysville for completion.

The Mk 2 soon followed when the entire boat was moulded

and built at Triton Sailing Centre (now known as Manten

Marina). This was a family affair. Designed by Fred, boat,

keel and rig built by myself and a small team, one of the most

interesting facets was that the sails and all cushions were

made by Patricia Raas right at Triton Sailing Centre. Yes, a

true one-stop shop for the Mistral.

What was amazing was that at one stage a Mistral was

produced every week, starting out for the Mk1 at a princely

price of R1,999. The boom of sailing at Vaal dam had kicked

in. While visiting Julien last month we calculated that in the early 70's, between Triton Sailing Centre, EI Marine and

Henry Vink Boat builders there was on average of 15 brand

new boats being launched every month on the dam. In total

about 140 Mistrals had been built between 1971 and 1977

which is when I moved to Cape Town. It is fair to say that

between the Bakkers, Tommy Grootjans, Petro Jonker, Ryan

Smolderen, Gerard Aab, van Rooyens, Coblenz's, Steve

Meek, myself and various other folks, Mistrals won every

single regatta and race on Vaal dam, normally taking the full

podium of top places.

With a team of Jurgen Coblenz, Gerard Aab and myself,

we travelled to Cape Town and won Class 2 Rothmans Week. This was probably the first ever inland entry to win a regatta

in Cape Town.

The Mistral was the first boat to sport rod rigging (the

Cape Yachties referred to it as fencing wire...) however this

was one example of how Fred pushed us to innovate and be

creative. Mistral 50 travelled to Sweden for the World Quarter

Ton Cup. I was not part of the crew however Fred, Patricia,

Gerard Aab and a few others made a great showing. For Fred

and Patricia, just being there was an accomplishment in itself.

It was unbelievable for the International competitors to see a

boat designed, built including rig, sails etc. by a family. The race committee awarded Fred the Viking Trophy for his spirit

of adventure and perseverance.

This brings me to mention how Fred ended up in South

Africa, having been a youngster in a Japanese prisoner of war

Fred Raas and the model of the Mistral which he designed.

The Beneteau First Class 10. Barry Jones had one delivered

through Lex. The famous Bateleur . It now sails off Durban

and is still a very successful racing yacht.

38

camp in Indonesia, the family relocated to Holland at the end of

the war. On completing his studies, Fred and my mom decided to

find a place similar to Indonesia in Africa. Travel the

conventional way? Not a chance for Fred! He bought a

convertible Ford Mercury (2 wheel drive) and headed South from Holland. Taking two years crossing the Sahara and the rest of

Africa he ended up in the Transvaal. In 1952 this was unheard of

but was accomplished, quite a celebrity appearing on the front

page of many car magazines around the world.

Back to Deneysville. Last month - Saturday dawned and

Carol and myself headed for DAC. We were greeted by Noel and

many other faces, all eager to get out racing on their Mistrals. As

I wandered around the Mistrals the memories came flooding

back, the keel designs, the deep rudders, the aerodynamic mast

section designed by Fred, the narrow but flat run off aft, the

fittings that we made at Triton still working. I even saw some

sails that Patricia made. A sense of pride was setting in, I had never thought back on the Mistral as I did that morning and how

much they taught me. How advanced our thinking and execution

had been for the early 70's. I remembered the numerous

arguments at Yacht Club pubs where pundits claimed that keel

boats could not plane downwind. The Mistral planed off the wind

back in those days as did the RCOD. However the challenge was

keeping the Mistral pointed in the right direction not wiping out.

Clearly anyone who could sail a Mistral in strong winds with the

chute up was an accomplished yachtie and would be able to hold

their own at high levels of sailing. This was not for the feint

hearted. Noel had kindly offered us a chase boat to be able to watch

the racing, I was so pumped, I could get out there and take pies

of these wonderful small keelboats, but more importantly I could

get pies of the wonderful folks that sail the Mistral today, this

was a real treat. We were treated with some strong winds and it

soon reminded me how these boats. sailed with a good crew,

could really get up and go. We were all treated by Randolph and

his excellent crew to a perfect downwind run, popping on to the

plane in the puffs and managing to sail deep without broaching.

It was a pleasure watching Randolph and crew making the

Mistral perform at its best.

That evening Noel and his Mistral team arranged a wonderful dinner. There were various speeches and I was

incredibly touched by the letters written by various leaders in the

industry about Mistral class and the Raas family. Thank you to

Rick Nankin, Rob de Vlieg, Richard Crockett and a few others

who recalled the early days of the Mistral and the impact this

little boat and those that sailed on her had made on sailing in

South Africa. The Mistral is a class steeped in history, pride,

innovation, trail blazing and above all character, this was all on

display that wonderful evening as the spirit is intact.

I thank the Mistral folks as I was honoured to represent the

Raas family at this 40th anniversary know that all those from the

Raas family across the globe. Patricia, Marjolein, Andrew and

Monique from Australia shared the pride with Carol and I. Fred

passed away in 2006 and I also know he was Yoking down on

everyone that evening with a big smile on his face.

On behalf of the Raas family I want to thank e, 8' owner of a Mistral for their efforts, these are old ladies of the dam and

need their care and attention. Thank you all so much, it is only

because of you that the Mistral has stood the test of time.

There are so many goals that we as humans strive to achieve in

life, one of the most important is to leave a legacy. I am so proud

of my Dad that - 8 has truly created a legacy that has already

stood the test of time.

Go Mistral, see you all at the 50th!

Reprinted the magazine SAIL POWER

39

Deneysville - a sailing centre

In 1974 there were two boat clubs and a Marina and two boat builders in Deneysville. Stuart Gargett built the first local

keelboats, the Vivacity 20 in the garage of their home in Island Street. His son-in-law Ronnie Stewart, ran E.I. Marine (which

later became the Boatyard, situated in Island Street, which then made the Vivacity 24 as well and later the Jaguar, known in the

USA as the Catalina 22, followed by the Theta 26 and the less popular Theta 21. They then took a bold step in producing a Lavranos 40 footer, a real offshore vessel.

ton class of boats up to 26 feet were the most popular. The Mistral was initially designed as a quarter-tonner and took part in an

overseas international event. It's first rival was the Theta 26 quarter-tonner designed by Henderson in the UK, and later the

mould was used to produce the cruising version. They first squared up to each other in the second Ministers Cup where the

Theta won. One year Paul Elvstrõm arrived to sail and win in his new quarter tonner. Henry Vink altered the Flamenca mould

and introduced the quarter-tonner racing version. The Lavranos designed Sweet Pea was perhaps the most successful of this class, winning many an event. These were produced by Lex Raas of Ton Cup Yacht. The 'one-offs' arrivd, some, a part of the

Lipton Cup rivalry between the Cape Town and Durban clubs. Fuel Free was a Durban entry sponsored by Mediterranean

Shipping Company who recently helped sponsor the Americas Cup entry Shosholoza. With boats named Zulu and Impi , Harry

Ellens arrived with a most memorable entry named Tokolosh to scare them off. All this narrow, over-canvassed boat did was

scare the living daylights out of the crew in heavy weather. Later with a new owner, and left neglected, it was given a Viking

funeral at DAC. The Mini-tonners appeared, the Theta 21, the mould continually altered to get a better rating, the Kid and

Lavranos mini-tonner. The Stadt 23, was a mini-tonner design, promoted by Jan Hennis, and built by Henry Vink. It was a great

success, with a class association that allowed no changes to the boat, keeping it as a class to survive the IOR fad and become one

of the most competitive and popular classes in later years.

Down the road was Triton (now Manten Marina) the original marina and repair yard in the village. They also had regular sailing

schools. Fred Raas, the owner, had designed the Mistral and he built it there, with the help of his son, Lex. They also built a few Highvelders from a mould taken off a Canadian boat. Later, with the help of Dick Manten, a mould was taken off the C&C

British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) employees

originally formed Lake Deneys Yacht Club (LDYC). The club

pennant still has the BOAC speedbird emblem and their

committee boat is named Speedbird and the mark layer Speedchick. In 1974 the club had just purchased ground from

the Sumner family after a disagreement with Fred Raas at

Triton where they had been established. Stuart Gargett was on

the LDYC committee and his wife was known for her

excellent catering at the club. John Randall was the

commodore for many years. Under his direction the club grew

and flourished. The Round the Island Race was created by

LDYC and made famous in the Guinness Book of Records as

the largest inland regatta in the world; one year they had some

seven hundred entries.

The first of the Ministers Cup regattas was hosted by LDYC in

1974. This was an event to cater for, and encourage the

International Offshore Rule (IOR), a formula with design

parameters which gave a boat its handicap rating. Mini-toners,

boats generally not exceeding 23 feet in length and the half-

Trapper 28. Manten Marina used the hull mould in developing

the Nimbus. The last Triton effort was the Villain, a half-tonner,

the first, aptly named Rascal. After a disagreement between Fred

Raas and unpaid Dick Manten, who had the Mistral mould, Fred no longer had the sole rights to the mouldings and these were

sold to a chap on the other side of the dam. He altered the rig

and called it a Debonair. After Triton landed in financial

difficulties the local sheriff appeared and attached all the boats

in the marina including the members of Triton Sailing Club, they

decided to leave and formed the Pennant Nine Yacht Club at

Vaal Marina.

There was a time of the 'Titans' and Eric Hutcheons, the

commodore of DAC, was one. He ruled over his club and

committee with an iron hand. June his wife headed up the ladies who became known, particularly amongst the sailors, as the best

regatta caterers, better than mum could do. Meanwhile DAC

Ratepayer's Bay with Deneysville Aquatic Club at the top

right, then Water Affairs and the dam wall. Anchor Creek

(Willik Marina earlier) on the right.

Manten Marina, perhaps the safest on the dam with

Deneysville in the background

40

developed more and more sailing members; it was home to the

Hunter and Stadt 23 sailors, and later the Transvaal Sailing

Association handed them the Ministers Cup event, which, with

the demise of IOR, became the Keelboat Regatta. Deneysville

Aquatic Club was renting the ground where they are situated today from Water Affairs. In due course the club negotiated

with Water Affairs and bought the land, trading the stands

underwater for the quarry. The final consolidation of the club

grounds took place early in this century when they were forced

to purchase Pier Avenue running along the shore, sealing them

off from the water.

They were an Aquatic Club and most members owned

powerboats. The first of the Hunter 19's, built by Henry Vink

in Walkerville, were owned by the few sailing members,

among them John Ainslee, father of famous Ian, Gerhard van

der Bergh and the Wright brothers. Triton was not very

popular amongst the boating businesses and clubs and particularly LDYC for obvious reasons.

Deneysville was a thriving boat building centre until the great

drought of 1984. In those 'good old days' E I Marine, and later

the Boatyard, Triton and Henry Vink in Walkerville were

producing between 11 and 14 new keelboats every month.

Why it all came to an end after the drought is a mystery.

Perhaps there were too many second hand keelboats on the

market after many had lost interest, perhaps too, there were just fewer new people from Gauteng taking and interest in

sailing. It is interesting to note that at this time there was a

general slow down in the sport nation-wide.

Hans van der Willik had bought the remaining ground with

rights to the water and developed Willik Marina, which to

everybody's surprise grew in popularity as a home for many

sailors. Fred, his son took over and with less capital available,

started a harbour. His experiment with a tyre wall to stop the

easterly waves unfortunately was not successful. He later sold

the property which is now Anchor Creek.

Dick Manten, the well-known powerboat builder in Boksburg

took over Triton after its collapse and switched to sailboats.

He had in earlier years, while producing powerboats, made the mouldings of the Mistral and Trapper 28 for Fred Raas. After a

massive capital injection a harbour was built making it the safest marina on the dam. They took over the moulds of the Formula

One after the Lardners, new owners of EI Marine folded. They also developed the successful Nimbus from the original Trapper

moulds.

Julien Girard had quit Triton and took over and developed the Boatique where you could buy a new or second hand boat, boat

fittings, insurance and there was coffee too. It is Star Marine today. Gargett and Yntse Schrauwen, a character of note, originally

owned it. He had sailed and pioneered the Vivacity 20 for E I Marine and took part in many a regatta. After not being recorded

as having finished a Round the Island race, as he could not find the finishing line that had been inexpertly moved, he broke his

old sailing ties and turned to bowling, and was responsible for the establishment of the Deneysville Bowls Club.

Mr. Kean, a local resident brought the Boatyard into being, which specialised in displaying second hand boats on trailers on their

premises. The business was taken over by Tony Jones, something to do in retirement, and became a most successful operation,

later branching out into the power boat business in Midrand. They later sold to the Collards and stayed with power in Midrand.

There have been some 'fly-by-nights', the less said the better, including those who took over the Vaaldam Boatyard from the

Collards, and is no more.

Lake Deneys Yacht Club foreshore before the start of the

Round the Island Race, which includes dinghies, multihulls

and keelboats.

Keelboats battling to keep their spinnakers drawing, on a tight

reach during one of the Round the Island Races.

41

At the bottom of Vaaldam An abridged translation of '`Op die bodem van Vaaldam" written in Afrikaans by V. E. d'Assonville published by Marnix

Louis Trichardt, the well-known voortrekker tells of his trek to a place where the Wilge River runs in to the Vaal. The farm

Zandfontein was situated here on the west bank, owned by another voortrekker Hendrik Adiaan Roets. He arrived here after the

murder of Piet Retief and the battle of Blood River. The farm was acquired with an 'afjaag'. In the old Oranje-Vrystaat this was

still used in 1850. A horse-rider accompanied by a land surveyor would ride for half an hour marking the borders of his farm

with beacons. He also owned Cypherfontein. Sections of these farms today form Groot Eiland on Vaaldam. Hendrik and his

wife Jacoba Dorothea Christina du Preez previously owned two farms in the Cape, Matjiesfontein and Bulhoek. They had

thirteen children. The eldest son, Nicolaas Johannes would become the owner of the farm Knoppiesfontein where the Vaaldam

wall is today.

1,500 meters north east of Groot Island was a deep part of the river with rocks forming an island. It was here that a tragedy was played out during the first Boer War of 1880 to 1881, which made world headlines. Two British prisoners of war, a captain

Elliot and captain R. H. Lambert had been released from Heidelberg on parole and left on the banks of the Vaal River with a

hose and cart. They were later recaptured when, it seems that they were heading towards a British garrison in Standerton

against their parole conditions which stated they had to leave the country and not fight for the British.

They were ordered to cross the Vaal at a place near Aloe Fjord near where the island is today. When the horse and cart became

stuck for the second time, the Boers, who still thought they were dallying, shot at them. Captain Elliot was fatally wounded. It

seems that they were to be recaptured and not shot at. This was reported in the newspapers in England and a number of writers

wrote about the incident including Rider Haggard, Lawrence Green and Eugène Marais.

From 1850 the Free State community living in the vicinity of what is now Groot Eiland consisted of the Roets, Vosloos,

Steenkamps, Mockes, Groves and D'Assonvilles. They were in close contact with the Transvaalers as they were affected by whatever happened in either colony.

In March 1986 tragedy struck, the runderpes, mainly the Transvaal where over two million head of cattle died. An

extraordinary Government Courant proclaimed emergency measures including the guarding of the Free State border to ensure

that no animal crossed into either colony. The Bloemfontein newspaper De Express reported "Er is thans ééne gedachte

heersende in de gemoedere en dié is de dreigende runderpest." (How Afrikaans has changed).

A young 21 year-old Victor Edouard d'Assonville, son of a French nobleman from the district of Humansdorp was appointed

assistant inspector of the border guards. His area stretched from Viljoensdrif to Wilge River, a distance of some 50 kilometres.

It was a difficult job, controlling over one hundred, mostly, older men on border duty and negotiating with the farmers in the

area. Accommodation was always a problem. His base was a little corrugated iron hotel in Viljoensdrif near the Police Station. On patrol he had to rely on the hospitality of the local farmers.

The farmers supplied the food for the guards and it was d'Assonville's job to record these transactions, claim and pay the Theo.

Farms that supplied Hendrik's grandson Willem, where Deneysville would be established in 1934) included Eenzaam,

Veekraal, Annies Rust, Knoppiefontein (home of Nicholaas Roets, Hendrik's oldest son), Witpoort, Tevrede, Cyferfontein en

Zandfontein.

After a typical highveld storm d'Assonville sent in a report to his superiors. Four of the border patrol had taken shelter in a

stone kraal when lightning struck and killed them all. This was just northeast of Groot Eiland now under water.

Zandfontein was one of the farms he visited, owned by Relief Groves, and his wife Anna who had seven children. The eldest

daughter was twenty-year-old Jacob Dorothy Christina caught his eye and he became a regular visitor. One day finding the family away he scratched a message on a windowpane of her room with a glasscutter on his knife. It read; 'Good-bye darling',

and Kobie thought this to be a highlight of her romantic association with him. All this did not go unnoticed by father. Tactfully

he asked what church the young Frenchman belonged to. He was satisfied when told that he had been christened in the NG

Kerk in Humansdorp. In 1897, after the scourge of the runderpes, they were married in Heilbron and the reception, a great

event, was held on the farm that is now under the waters of Vaaldam.

Part four The people of Zandfontein had a close bond with Christiaan de Wet who fought together in the Heidelberg Commando during

the Boer War. They naturally joined forces with the 10,000 Afrikaners in an armed revolt against the Union Government of

General Louis Botha. What was the cause of the 1914-1915 rebellion? Firstly, General Louis Botha broke the oath made

to De la Rey and De Wet on May 31st.1902.

Secondly, the Union government, despite heavy opposition, decided to annex German South West Africa (Namibia today) with

the defence force for Great Britain. The promise made was; "If we sign now, it is not the end of this business. "I and Jannie

(Jan Smuts) discussed this; when England lands in trouble we will renew the struggle". De la Rey confirmed and said; "Give

me your word, just between the two of us, that we will take back our independence when he right moment arrives." Botha

42

General Christian de Wet and the other rebels of the 1914 rebellion were charged and appeared in the Bloemfontein high

court. The sentence passed by judge F.E.T. Krause was a disappointment for the Union government and the "jingo's".

Botha was found guilty but only received a six-year sentence and a £2,000 fine, not the death sentence. He was to

comment that he was unable to follow Botha and Smuts - but high treason? - he never committed it against his people (volk).

A Zandfontein rebel put it this way - Botha would rather bend than break — De Wet would rather break than bend General

De la Rey was even a fiercer opponent of the government's plan to invade South West Africa. He was quoted as saying

that if they did not reach the final destination, then let us have the satisfaction that we died following the straight and

honest road. Prophetically he was shot and killed in Fordsburg on September 15th, 1914. Followers, De Wet, Beyers,

Maritz, Kemp and Muller believed that the government was implicated. 10,000 people attended his funeral in Lichtenburg.

De la Rey was highly respected worldwide and the volk looked at Botha and Smuts with abhorrence and suspicion. All the

generals that sided against them met in Ligtenburg the following morning where it was decide to continue against the

government wit protests so that their sons were not shot dead for the sake of the English aggressor. They wanted an answer

from the government to their petition to halt the South West invasion by the end of the month. They were ignored! The

commandants had already met with generals Botha and Smuts on the 14th and 15th of August. The Commandants who were against the invasion were silenced, including Dawid van Coller of Heilbron ( Zandfontein fell under his command).

The Lichtenburg meeting never concluded to take up arms against the government, but to plead to avoid the spilling of

Boere-blood for the English. General De Wet organised the first of a number of protest meetings in Koppies. Hendrik

Vosloo, a grand son of voortrekker Hendrik Adriaam Roets, who settled where Vaaldam now is, and rapportryer of De

Wet saddled his horse to inform all the veterans of the Boer War of the meetings.

General de Wet invited all the veterans of the Boer War to a meeting in Koppies to discuss further steps to be taken to halt

the annexure of South West. The Grové and the d'Assonville families and the Vosloo's and Roets of Vaaldam were

included. These families, as many others in the country took sides, some chose to follow Smuts and Botha and others De

Wet, Beyers, Hertzog and past president Steyn. These rifts would last for generations, disputes between SAP en NAT (South African Party and the Nationalist Party).

Victor d'Assonville and Roelof Grové, the last two inhabitants of Zandfontein, the farm where now only Groot Eiland is

left, rallied to the Koppies meeting together with Hendrik Vosloo, Hennie Roets, and Josua Steyn. Most of the others were

loyal to Smuts and Botha and became "Witbande". These 'Whitebands' were burghers who actively supported the

government and helped track down rebels. They wore a white band on the left arm. The table was laid for an armed

confrontation around Groot Eiland.

At Lourens' Boarding House at Koppies the Zandfonteiners met de Wet and one Harm Oost, a journalist who wrote the

meaningful book "Wie is die skuldiges?" (Who are the guilty ones?) and whose records are the main source of information

on the 1914/15 rebellion in the archives. The second meeting was held on the 13th of October, the day after martial law

was proclaimed. This smothered all opposition, citizens were called up and large scale arrests followed. A deputation consisting of Jan Brand Wessels, a member of the House of Assembly and dominee L. P. Vortser of the Gereformeerde

Kerk in Rustenburg was sent to the Prime Minister with their objections. They were arrested.

The irons were in the fire at the third Koppies meeting. The Boere were in the battlefield once again. But the tragedy was

that one group were in khaki uniforms hunting down the others in ordinary clothes. General Beyers and his men were 'in

the field' and the government sent them to prison if they opened their mouths.

replied; "I promise you". He also gave this assurance to General J.H.B. Wessels in Vereeniging saying that war in Europe was

coming and then we will take up arms for our independence.

This was a blatant slight for the Boere-Afrikaners who suffered so bitterly under England 12 years previously. De Wet, De la

Rey, Hertzog, Beyers, Kemp Maritz and Muller joined felt that they had been hit below the belt, Botha and Smuts were traitors to the cause.

De Wet and Beyers signed a proclamation against the government's actions and called the people to use all their powers to

influence to stop the government. No notice was taken and South West was taken over.

This contravened a second promise made in writing on 23rd September 1914 at Koppies - "Het Goevernement heeft

hoegenaand geen intensie om die Burgermacht Reserwes en Nasionale Reserwes voor krijgsdienste buiten die Unie te

kommanderen." The Government had no intention of using the defence forces beyond the borders of the Union. The 1914

rebellion came about because of these broken promises.

43

The rest took to the field. Before first light on the 24th of October 1914 the rebels of Zandfontein rode out armed with

their Mauser rifles. The day when brother would fight brother had arrived. They joined De Wet who had taken over

Heilbron the previous day. He slept in the jail with Commandant Attie van Niekerk, where he had been taken after being captured during the war and nearby the grave of his first wife, murdered by the English.

To the bittereindes surprise, Deneys Reitz had joined Smuts on his return from exile in Madagascar and he became known

as Smuts' peetkind, godchild. He was the military commander in Heilbron and fled the town to Vereeniging on a

motorbike when the rebels took over. Deneysville at Vaaldam was to be named after him, the son of the past president of

the Free State.

General J.B.M. Hertzog arrived at the town on his way to find General De Wet in the Vrede area. He tried to convince the

rebels to throw in the towel and not spill any blood. De Wet, he was sure, was the kingpin in ending the rebellion. His

meeting with De Wet was in vain, he would not budge.

The rebel's wittebrood (White bread or honeymoon) did not last long. They could only muster 247 men against the government 2,000 strong force. A battle ensued at Elandskop where the rebels were overpowered with losses on both

sides. General Van Coller surrendered. De Wet was also overwhelmed. The group was imprisoned in a half completed

shop at Wolvehoek included Roelof Grové and Victor d'Assonville. Josua Steyn and Hendrik Steyn of Cyferfontein were

captured elsewhere while Hennie Roets perished. The last clump of rebels were captured, it was November 1914. The 47

prisoners joined some 200 other captured rebels from the Kroonstad area on the train at Wolvehoek. They were taken to a

dismal and dirty compound prison on the De Beers mine in Kimberley. On the way there, they were paraded at stations

like Braamfontein, Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp, for the benefit of inquisitive onlookers while bands played "God save

the King" and the Union Jack was raised. Something they just couldn't stand. At Kimberley station d'Assonville jumped

out in front of the paraded rebels and conducted them in singing the Free State anthem.

Heft, Burgers, 't lied der vrijheid aan

En Zing onst eigen volksbestaan!

Van vreemden banden vry, Bekleedtons klein gemenebest,

Op orde, wet en recht gevest,

Rang in der Staten rij

Rang in der Staten rij.

"Ons sing nie in Smuts en Botha se jingo-koor nie." (We don't sing in their jingo-choir).

Colonel Deneys Reitz, an attorney in Helbron had telegraphed the prison commander, ordering him to detain d'Assonville

in a camp for dangerous men. Over 500 rebels were held in the De Beers compound prison in Kroonstad for some six

months. During this period the farms were regularly visited by the governments "witbande", houses were searched and

inhabitants questioned. Martie, Victor d'Assonville's wife burnt all his letters and documents and the old Free State flag to

prevent the family getting into further trouble.

Josua Steyn of Cyferfontein, the farm west of the present Groot Eiland, managed to escape from his captors in Heilbron and hid himself along the banks of the Vaal River near his farm. He made contact with Martie who helped feed

him in his hide-away until he was recaptured by his stepson.

In the winter of 1915 the rebels were released after six months of incarceration. Victor d'Assonville and Roelof

Grové (the son) were sent back by train via Bloemfontein. Although a "khaki-predikant" was sent to warn them not to

sing the Free State anthem, they did, and the Transvaal one too, which began Kent gij dat volk vol helden moet ... News of

their return spread and hundreds of supporters greeted them at every station on the way, even though the authorities

delayed the train hoping people would tire of waiting. d'Assonville was the last to leave the train at Coalbrook. Hendrik

and Martie his wife were taken to meet him by Mr. J. A. Wiid a teacher friend. They found a defeated and tired man. He

had lost his horses and cart and cattle and had to pay a fine of £200, a claim from Heilbron shopkeepers against the rebels.

He still believed that he had done the right thing trying to prevent Boers loosing their lives for England. Smuts lost the

election to Hertsog in 1924, ten years later, Wiid later obtained a doctorate in Munich and became a professor at

Stellenbosch. Peace returned to the farms that now lay below the waters of Vaaldam. The owners had lived through the first war

for freedom in the Transvaal 1880 - 1881, the runderpes of 1895 - 1896, the Anglo-Boer War 1899 - 1902 and the

Rebellion of 1914 - 1915.

Roelof Grové was an asthma sufferer and A. G. Visser was their doctor. He would drive out from Heidelberg and be

rowed across the river to visit them. Together with the poets Totius (J .D. du Toit) and D. F. Malherbe he founded the first

Afrikaans-medium school near Paarl. Afrikaans culture and language was an important part of life in these parts. He told

them about S.J. du Toit, the father of Totius, now a retired dominie, who was regarded as 'the father of the Afrikaans

language'. The Grové and d'Assonville families approached him to hold a number of services in their area. These never

took place as he had an accident with his horse and cart which was the cause of his death. But following his earlier

preaching, the Gereformeerde Kerk onder die Kruis was formed and the families joined the congregation. Totius the son

served this community until 1914 when the Gereformeerde Kerk took up the Frankfort community van Suid-Afrika. Asthma was the cause of Roelof Grovè's death in February of 1920. His dog followed the funeral procession and lay

on his grave and never left it.

Start proof reading

here

44

In 1922 Victor and Marie d'Assonville decided to build themselves a new house higher up on Rooibult on the farm Zandfontein.

The old one was getting dilapidated and being on the banks of the river it was a lot colder in winter. The shadows of the coming

depression were already lengthening and he had no spare money. Victor was a carpenter and had built houses before like the NG

rectory in Oranjeville for ds. Murray. Northwest of his homestead the ruins of a house he built for Dawid Mocke are still evident. He fired the bricks himself for this building. On Hendrik Vosloo's farm Bloubank, situated north-west of Groot Eiland

and now under water, there was a granite quarry. Faithful Jim and Victor set to chopping and shaping the stone. Vosloo brought

the stones by oxwagan and the building began with the help of Lulu his seventeen-year-old son and his sister Anna.

It was a large, simple, but comfortable house and with it came a new name for the farm, Oase. New Year's day was celebrated at

the house every year until the death of Martie d'Assonville in 1934. The family came from far and wide even the Namibian

branch.

On the south side of Groot Eiland the foundations of the house belonging to the younger Roelof Grové and his wife Sara

Susanna still exist. They lived there until 1936 when they moved to Vlakplaas beyond Vereeniging when the dam started

filling. The house was originally built for Anna Grové who was well known for her herb garden, with the large containers of

medicinal herbs, wynruit, wilde-als, and the Sabeta-struik for sugar diabetes, which she suffered from. She died in 1926 and her gravestone, together with many of the other family's was moved to the island when the waters of the dam covered her grave. In

2002 the cypress tree and a fig tree were still in existence.

The grave of their young son, who died in 1931, is south-west of the RAU complex. The d' d'Assonvilles and the Grovè lived

with their children, all like brothers and sisters. The close knit children often reminisced about rowing across the river to get to

the Vaalbank school on the Transvaal side of the river.

There were no schools nearby in the Free State, so a plan had to be made. The owner of Vaalbank, Daan Kloppers had built a

school, which was later taken over by the Transvaal Education Department. H.S van der Westuyzen was the first principle to be

followed by W.P. Wessels in 1927. Anna d'Assonville who had been schooled at Greys College in Bloemfontein and later

obtained her BA degree as a teacher at the University College of Potchefstroom, held school at Vaalbank from 1926, She too had to row across the river. Victor d'Assonville undertook the task of building a rowing boat to hold at least six people and it

had to cope with the strong flowing waters of the Vaal River. Die boot "Klein Leviatan" was built, tested and launched. Susan

Grové and Kona d'Assonville were the nimble oarsmen. Teacher and children continued with this unique situation for eight

years. The journey took them two hours, sometimes getting wet in freezing cold weather and sometimes enduring the blazing

summer sun.

In 1926 the school consisted of one room. Both grades and six standards were taught by two teachers, yet they managed. When

the room was partitioned it was a real luxury. The scholars did well and some filled responsible posts in the civil service. Then

there was Naas Kloppers who obtained his doctors degree in Scotland. Kona d'Assonville had the highest marks in the Transvaal

in standard six in 1930. One scholar became a university professor. They were achievers even using slates.

Although Victor d'Assonville never learnt Afrikaans, he decided that this language was to be encouraged and he set to on an old Royal typewriter writing the first detective story in Afrikaans; his hero Jean de Ville and his pseudonym was "Viedas". J.L van

Schaik, the publishers gave it to Eugène Marais to review who considered it to be a contribution to the Afrikaans language. Off

they went in the Jowett motor car to Wolwehoek station to catch the train to discuss the detail with Mr, van Schaik in Pretoria.

Sjieling, as he was known worked for three generations of the Grovè's. He arrived from 'Johannie' and was probably a miner

from Mozambique as he did not speak the local native languages. He had a good life. The grandchildren were his closest

friends. He taught them to throw with 'kleilatte', made them stick horses, made a ball from leather thongs and gave them great

joy. He was getting old, his 'peperkorrel' hair was now grey. He always found something to do. When one day he felt ill, the

family was really worried. Anne Grové nursed him, eventually feeding him soup in his sickbed. They gave him medicines and

provided a sheepskin to prevent bedsores. he left this earth gently and peacefully. "Baas-Wietel", Victor made a coffin and he

was buried in the family cemetery, not in the traditional farm workers one. The family and all the workers attended the funeral, which was held in the European manner. A bluegum tree grew next to the tombstone and it was left in his memory, now a stump

under the Vaaldam.

From 1911, professor doctor J.D. du Toit, known as the writer Totius, was a regular visitor to Zandfonten, staying there when he

held services for the Reformed Church under the Cross in Frankfort. He enjoyed resting here and fishing in the Vaal River. He

christened Anna Susanna Grové here in January 1922. Part of the translation of the bible, which he undertook, was done at

Zandfontein. This all happened between 1924 till about 1931. His manuscripts lived in a brown leather case together with a

Hebrew Bible and a Hebrew dictionary together with a commentary on this particular Bible. The case became known as "Moses

and the prophets".

45

The Vaal River was also an inspiration for some of his poems. Here he describes the reeds. (The dictionary gives another meaning to 'Biesie' - a peach of a girl)

Some 159 metres north of the RAU buildings there was a threshing floor. The corn was delivered here on the banks of the

river. The floor was prepared with a hard flat surface; the ground here was suitable even for a tennis court. The sheaves were

laid out in four circular rows along the outside and then the horses were brought to trample the mealies with a man handling

them from the centre. The well-trampled corn is lifted in the air with a fork and a light breeze blows the chaff away. Oxen and

donkeys were also used. Before the dam was built Steam driven engines made their appearance driving threshing machines

with wide belts.

The son, Lulu d'Assonville studied at Greys College (now UOVS) to be a teacher in the twenties. With the depression it

was not easy to get a reaching post. In 1928, at the drop of a hat, he accepted a post in northern South West Africa. This was

the year when the Angolan farmers trekked across the Kunene River to South West. He started a school at Outjo and had

established a number of farm schools the Department of Education, namely Manina and Nina. He became sick and died at the

early age of 32.

During his short life he tackled an interesting task. He converted an old Chevrolet to run on charcoal instead of petrol. He arrived with the car at the farm Oase on the Vaal River where it created a great sensation and in Heidelberg too. The

cylindrical gas tank was placed on the baggage rack at the back of the car (this was before cars had luggage boots). The

charcoal gas was made in a 'fireplace' under the tank. Two little purifying tanks filled with horse tail hair filtered the gas. He

dug a 5-metre ditch and filled it with camelthorn stumps and made the charcoal for the journey. He sent a telegram to the

nearest post office in Oranjeville to say he was coming. He completed the 2 500 km journey for his mother's birthday on the

11th of December 1933. It was to be last. The journey cost him 12/6 pence, R1.25, the cost rail freight to rail ahead 4 sacks of

charcoal to Keetmanshoop and another 4 to Kimberley. He returned using bluegum wood to make charcoal. The journey was

undertaken again in 1934.

In 1934 it was a rare occurrence when a biplane flew over the farm and low over the river. The children rushed into the

house and described the 'erreplane' to their mother. They said it had four wings and it had a wheel in front like the windmill.

They saw the fliers clearly with their large spectacles. At an airshow some years later they identified the plane as a Tiger Moth. The Governments plans to build a dam on the Vaal river came to a head and in 1936 the waters engulfed the farms in the

area as the seas overflowed and engulfed the Titanic liner as it sunk in 1912. It covered most of Zandfontein's 13,336 hectares.

The two show farms Eiland and Tweeriviere, subdivisions of Zandfontein were completely covered by the dam waters. With

the death of Martha Cathrina d'Assonville on the 4th of March 1934, the history of Zandfontein came to an end. She was the

last to live in the house before the farm was taken over by the State. Her last wish was not to be buried in the family cemetery

but near the homestead on what is now Groot Eiland.

Ds. H.S van der Walt, an old friend of the family, arrived from Heidelberg to perform the burial ceremony. He, as were

many of the mourners, rowed across the river in the old rowing boat by Susan Grovè.

As ek op de waterbaan

golfies sien wat rustig gaan,

en die rus weer stil geniet

van die Vaal se stroomgebied, - og, dan staan jy biesieplant,

buigend aan die waterkant

en jou arme steeltjie beef,

of ‘n sieltjie daarin leef;

en ek vra verwonder: o,

Waarom beef die biesie so?

And then he describes the drought of 1933

when there was only sand in the river.

Hoe traaglik het die Vaalrivier al maande en maande aaneen

in sleepend-luie slingergang

hom voortbeweeg, omdat die son

uit sy fonteine water drink.

46

Aloe Fjord

Viking Bay

Government Farm

Groot Island . The Narrows

Hawaii Shoal

- Misty Bay

Dam Wall Villain Point Vaaldraai Power Fools Lines

Mistral Point Point

Rose Big Bend Bay Graveyard

Beacon Reef Island

Catcher Point Power Tombstones Lines

Wilgedraai Bunny Brook

BridgeLeeuwbank

Branddraai

Riviera Enkeldoorn Pt

SpurwingSweet Home

NORTH BAY

LDYC BAY

SOUTH BAY

ORANJEVILLE

WELTINA BAY

WILGE BAY

DENEYSVILLE

Inloop Point

Macky Point

Bayshore Marina

Sandy Bay

Aeolians

Hunter Bay

The Creek

JIM FOUCHE RESORT

BBBmapVD

1

2

3

4

5

VAALDAM

CLUBS & MARINAS Deneysville Aquatic Club Anchor Creek Manten Marina Lake Deneys Yacht Club Penant Nine Yacht Club

N

1

2

3

4

5

Draaifontein

Hearts Ease

Zandfontein

Leeufontein

Rusplaas

BirdIsland

47

Passages marked are quoted from the magazine SA FLYER.

"Near to Deneysville was 22 Air School at Vereeniging, which was a Service Flying Training School, operating Harts, Hart Trainers, Hinds and Audaxes (collectively known as Hart Variants). 22AS urgently need a machine gun range and bombing range and on December 26, 1940 initiated proposal to establish this at Vaal Dam. The Dept of Health turned down the bombing range on the grounds that the explosive residue would poison the water so an alternative range was established on the farm ‘Bankfontein’."

"Next, the Director of Irrigation and Minister of Lands objected to the machine gun range due to the bird sanctuary on the island. However, due to the urgency of the situation and the fact that there was a war on, a compromise was reached and the range was completed on May 22, 1942." Augus Malan, who was a youngster at the time remembers a concrete structure which was used for bombing practice. It can still be seen when the the level of the dam drops to the original high water mark before raising the wall twice. It is situated off

Government Farm next to the plots opposite to where the Seben Schwaben restaurant is.

"It was also decided to establish a landplane training school at Deneysville Auxiliary Landing Ground. Exactly when this started is not known but DAW Drawing no 20/115 dated November 24, 1942 shows the improvements to be made to the airfield which included a Bellman Hangar, stores building, garage, dining hall and kitchen plus various huts and ablutions. These buildings were all situated close to the Heilbron - Vaal Dam road."

Augus pointed out the situation of the airfield situated near the present water reservoirs along Oranjeville road stretching to

Refengkgotso bordering on the road to Oranjeville and Heilbron. At the time Refengkgotso only consisted of a few mud and

stone dwellings.

"On a nautical note, the semi-cabin cruiser ‘Sarie’ which was in use by the SAAF at Hartbeesport Dam as a crash boat was transferred to Vaal Dam with its crew a coxswain, Sgt PA Tomlinson and Fitter Marine Sgt JJ Orton to act as range crash boat when air firing was taking place from 22AS which was at this stage using Harvards. The crew was billeted at the quarters at Deneysville and ate in the hotel." Alan Stokes' father, then stationed in Pretoria used to come out to Vaaldam to service this crash boat. (more on that later) Augus Malan remembers the aircraft in the area doing aerobatics. All very exciting in those days, particularly for a young boy

growing up on a farm. He also tells of the quartermaster at the airbase arriving on his Harley Davidson motorbike with a sidecar

to collect meat and vegetables which the Malalns supplied to the mess. precise timing got him a ride on the machine to the farm

gate.

Jan Smuts, a keen

aviator, lands at the

Deneysville airstrip in

the good ols days. These images were

copied off snapshots

taken by Dave and Nora

Laird.

If anyone can tell us

more about this visit,

we wouls love to hear

48

The Malan's remember.

In the old days, before Vanderbijlpark and later Sasolburg were built, there was no bridge over the Vaal in this area to

Deneysville. Vehicles used a pont situated at Engelbrecht's Drift.

Originally the road into Deneysville crossed the low level bridge below the wall and continued into McKenzie Street

from Water Affairs. What is now Brentwood lodge was the Deneysville store. It had a petrol pump and one could buy most of

what was needed. It belonged to a Mr. Meirowitz and a Mr. Greenman. It later belonged to a Mr. Weiner before finally owned

as a store and a mill to Louis Trepido. Later Mr. O'Grady had a fuel pump and he repaired motor vehicles. The quaint old

building was situated on the corner of Oranjeville Road and Main Street, where today there is a motor spares business at the

end of the row of shops which include 'die Oogkundige' and Omega bottlestore.

Deneysville originally had a Village Management Board. Some of the people who served on it include Piet Mentz, Wolf

Engelbrecht and Dawid van Coller. The original 'municipal' offices is the old building on the NG church property. There used

to be two tennis courts there as well.

Augus and his wife built the first butchery in Island Street, off Main, now the Village Inn. The shop was built on the

boundary of the property and when he added a little porch at the entrance the municipality taxed him and extra R50 for the use

of their ground.

The original school was situated at Water Affairs. Later the new school was built in School Street, the dilapidated old

building still exists. Some years ago it was used for an exercise class. This was all before the prefab shoal was built which is

now painted a dark blue. In those early days Deneysville had, percentage-wise, more twins in the school than any other in the

country. Of a total of 80 odd kids there were 7 sets of twins.