Wednesday 14th October, 2009-10-14
My Dear Jeremy,
After crossing Beit Bridge and going through Passport control and Customs we entered South Africa and drove through the Northern Transvaal admiring and wondering at the Baobab tress which grew beside the road. We stayed with Joyce, Dennis and Shawn where we were warmly welcomed.
After a rest of a day or two we drove on to Bathurst to visit Granny and Grandpa Sadler. As we drove down from Grahamstown I remember pointing out the rabbit on the hills this is a group of bushes shaped like a rabbit and I remember my Father pointing it out to us when I was young. I am sure we must have visited Port Alfred during that time too before we drove on to East London
Pop and Darling had hired a holiday shack at Leach's Bay which was an old stamping ground I knew so well. We would walk up the hill to visit Uncle Leighton and Aunty Nellie on their farm. They had a little shop where we bought provisions and the children spent their pennies on sweets. It was a very happy time with much fun and laughter. My Mother could walk up that hill faster than I could. We walked along the sands while the children ran up and slid down the dunes and collected shells. They loved the pools where little fishes swam and the tide kept washing in and out. Pop and Michael went fishing from the rocks but I do not remember them catching any fishes.
One night we went to the cinema in town. Aunty Nellie came too while her maid stayed with the children. I always had a great fear of fire as once a house burnt down in the adjoining village and the memory of that burnt out shell which I saw on my way to school stayed with me. So imagine how I felt when on the way home we saw a fire on the horizon . I felt quite panicky as the shack was lit by candles and lamps so it was a relief to find all was well when we got home and all was safe.
As it was winter time we did not do much swimming but there was a little shallow blind river where the children were able to paddle and play boats, and the water warmed up in the sun.
We set off on the long drive back to Zambia. After some days travelling Jill piped up from the back of the car: "It is nice just being us again."
Back at the College I was asked to do some project work with the students. I think it was one lesson a week. I chose amongst other subject to research the Nkana Copper Mine. I went to the Mine Offices and asked for someone to come and talk to the students. They sent a young man, very serious and earnest but not very stimulating. I then approached Sid Slaughter who was working at the college and the mission as a builder. He had worked on the mines. His lecture was quite outstanding and had us all on the edges of our chairs. He moved about the classroom, picked up the chalk from the blackboard and illustrated everything he discussed. This was one of the best lectures I ever heard.
I had also asked if the students could be taken underground to see the mine working. This was organised but if I went they could not go to the deep level - well, I was not all that keen anyway. So Daddy and Albert Nixon took the students down. It was a great experience for them all.
One terrible night in September I shall never ever forget. We had just gone to bed and put out our light when the police arrived at the door to tell us that my lovely, lovely Mother had died. I just could not, nor would not believe it. It could not be we had only been with her a few weeks before. But the message had come from Gerald in Bulawayo. The College did have a phone but Gerald did not have the number. I was devastated and could not make sense of it as she had been so fit and well, how could this be? I never really recovered from that shock. It affected the rest of my life. I lost my confidence.
Michael immediately booked me on a plane for South Africa but I had to stay overnight in Durban. He wired my old friends Jean and Errol Trennery to meet us and put us up overnight and to put us on the plane for East London the next day. Jill and I flew from Ndola airport. It was night when we flew over Durban so the pilot switched the lights in the cabin off so the passengers could see the light of Durban. . Jill's clear little voice broke the silence :"Isn't it wonderful when the lights in the plane goes off, on go the lights of Durban."
My friends met us and saw us safely on to the plane for East London the next morning.
I dreaded meeting Pop, Bazil and Gerald and felt inadequate to be able to comfort them.
Love you, Mum
PS (Added comment in Sep 2012) : The slaughter family moved to New Zealand where they farmed. Their son Gary had an accident with a tractor and was killed. Sid died a few year later from a hear attack. Years later Michael met Amy in Canterbury visiting her father. Another time when she came over we met her, Muriel, Elsie, Phyllis at London bridge and spent the day together. A very happy reunion We stayed in contact but I have not heard from her since the Christchurch earthquake (2010 & 2011) and not been able to make contact although I have tried.