Port Alfred - PAGE 5
THIS PROCESS NEVER SEEMS TO END. THERE'S SO MUCH...
Dabbie Blair - (Dickie Blah Blah) Kingswood centre, boxer. Father was Dr. Blair - TMF (The Most Feared) dentist in Grahamstown. Dabbie aka Derek, but I must admit that I haven't hear anybody call him Derek since Jungle Wakeford played on the wing for EP. Our most-loved friend Dabbie used to go steady with....ummmm...was her name June ? And he used to drive an 1100 (Austin/Morris) bought from Malcomess Motors in Grahamstown. I don't think I've EVER seen Dabbie cross with anybody, ever, anywhere. We had the odd few bears at Dabbie's flat (Wexford) in the mid-seventies.
I've got a scar in my lip from running into Shaun Bownes when I was playing rugby for Albany - the annual game at City Lords - and he was the Rhodes fullback. I kicked ahead, he caught the ball and turned his back. 10 stitches but I was at the after-game drinks at the Graham ! Anyone else ever drunk Castle through a straw ? Ray Carlson was fly half for Rhodes. Dr. Dreyer - Donky's father stitched me up.
But let's not involve Grahamstown - this is a Kowie page.
John Roberts was also at Rhodes. So was Ben Dekker. Yessir, THE Ben Dekker. Lately of Port St. Johns (Sunday Times back page). Pomping prawns in the lagoon without a pump, with a chick. The only shirts that could fit him were the XXXXXXXXXXXXOS khaki shirts that one got. Stood for Parliament down in Cape Town some years ago as an independent candidate. Oh man - and John O'Green. And Penny Siopis. And Ann White who went with us in a crowd to Mozambique in 1969. Some people who were at Rhodes have not aged well but hey, that's life, huh.
These guys qualify to be on this page, for they contributed to the Langdon liquid assets fund.
I think it was Athol Emslie once at cricket who called a guy "Harpic". When asked why, he said "'Cos he's clean around the bend". Somehow I never forgot that one. It's a saying typical of the, essentially pineapple farmers who it seemed, had a lot of time to think up sayings that were classical. And Uncle Joe Clayton used to say: "Rolie's comin' ova", meaning that his son Rolie would be coming through for the weekend from Port Elizabeth. Then Rolie and Neville Scuddingh ran the Opel and Chev garage for some time. Neville was a very neat fullback who had a few games for WP if I remember correctly. Stylish - in the mould of HO de Villiers, his predecessor. Neville's now in PE with the Renault dealership and has progressed into bowls.
Mrs. Pixie Johns. Now there was somebody that you never got down. Always wore a little hat with a South African flag on it. Lived up on Southwell Hill. Pixie's Mom.
Gustav van der Merwe. His brother Marinus. They lived at the Police Station where their old man must have been the top cop.
Jock Kilian was a teacher, had a daughter Ethel and son Andrew. Piet Wagenaar was an Afrikaans and history teacher and drove a beetle. Joy Jackson was a 'take no nonsense' teacher then married Nigel Webb (?) I think. Joyce Heny also taught at one time. Younger daughter Judy-Lynn now lives near to where we do. Mrs. Wedderburn was also a teacher at one time.
They say that growing up in Port Alfred makes you strong. When I look in the mirror I am informed that the writer is no spring chicken. Yet he has a two year old son. Jadies and Lents, I present to you Calvin my son and wife Tracey.
Eldred, fetch the rod Boet - flat rocks looks good !
My son Martin Junior and daughter Mariska...
and the following picture taken of my late Dad, my Mom and Junior and Mariska
