Takeover

By Norman Smith in Other Family Histories 0 Comment

When Norman Crawford Smith was invited to join Metropolitan-Vickers in 1949 he could hardly believe his good luck. In his final year at U.C.T. many of his lectures were delivered by Prof. Goodlet. He was a brilliant man and an excellent teacher. When asked by a student how a particular operation was performed he would consider for a moment and then say that you could do it this way or that way “But at Metrovick we always did it this way”. (He had received much of his training and engineering experience at M-V) So he came to understand that as far as electrical engineering is concerned, Metro-Vick was the Rolls-Royce of the profession.

In this blog, Norman Crawford Smith opens a window on what life was like in the maelstrom of corporations where sometimes idiosyncratic management styles and behavior created resentment and anxiety.

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International Relationships

By Norman Smith in Other Family Histories 0 Comment

At the end of his “brainwashing tour” for the Company in 1963 Norman Crawford Smith and his wife departed on their own own “Grand Tour of Europe“. They left London in an Air France aircraft and, after a smooth and uneventful flight, landed at Orly Airport just outside Paris. Cleared through Customs, they chartered a taxi to take them to their hotel. It was a “first” for both of them so they sat like a pair of country bumpkins, soaking up the passing scene.

Norman Smith provides a melange of episodes that comprise and define an overseas trip. Partly the issues that arise are a consequence of misunderstanding of different cultures but they can also arise due to not having a lingua franca.

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The Forgotten Sketch

By Norman Smith in Other Family Histories 0 Comment

Norman was standing at his study window, gazing idly at the peaceful scene across the valley. On the far side, the airport slumbered in the dusk. A very thin mist hung over the runways. An aircraft on short final approach. its headlights probing the gloom. made an interesting picture. Suddenly his memory jerked back fifty-odd years….

Main picture: London during the Blitz

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Norman Lovemore: Reminiscences about a Life Well-Lived

By Dean McCleland in Other Family Histories 0 Comment

As his life wound down but before the candle of his life guttered and fizzled out, Norman Lovemore “decided to amuse myself by rambling amongst the many memories which haunt [ed him]”. In 1982 in the twilight of his life, he set out on a new adventure, a journey to record the highways and byways of his interesting life for posterity. The only detours that he made was to knowingly exclude those parts of this journey of which he was ashamed.   

In using Norman Lovemore’s transcribed reminiscences, I have largely retained the original script but have detoured to improve readability and have often converted the first person into the third person. I have also taken the liberty to improve his grammar and vocabulary where required. In all other respects I have been faithful to Norman’s original text.

Main picture: Norman Lovemore as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during WW1

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History of the Wood’s Family in Schoenmakerskop

By Dean McCleland in Other Family Histories 2 Comments

Humans understand facts by categorising them in multiple ways. The most utilised method is a three way distinction. In reality this method, whilst providing simple solutions, most are completely incorrect as it does not allow for nuances as life is a shade of grey and not black or white. Hence incorrect conclusions are derived. Despite these reservations in this blog I have used the classification the Good, the Bad and the Extraordinary. According to this methodology, Clarence Wood can be classified as extraordinary.

Do you concur?

Note that the Woods referred to are not Ashley and Doreen Woods of number 36, but rather Clarence Wood of number 44.

This is the Wood’s story as recounted by Rosemary MacGeoghegan [nee Wood] with additional information provided by sundry other people.

Main picture: William, Elize and Harry Wood in South End in 1864

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John Dunn: Part 1 – Background to the Bondelswarts People & the SAC

By Dean McCleland in Other Family Histories 0 Comment

Now faded in the mists of time, the Bondelswarts Rebellion of 1922 is a mere footnote to the history of Southern Africa. In the early years of the 20th century, the whole of the area was in tumult. South West Africa was captured by the South Africans from the German colonisers in 1915. With South West Africa now controlled by South Africa in terms of a League of Nations mandate, the khoikhoi peoples of southern SWA became restive, mainly for legitimate reasons. 

This series of blogs covers the first-hand account of a South African Police Force officer, John Dunn, who was involved in the suppression of a rebellion by the Bondelswarts people in southern SWA. 

Part 1 provides context to this rebellion, the Bondelswarts way of life and their homeland and only provides a terse introduction by John Dunn into being assigned second-in-command of the S.A. Police Mobile Squadron. 

Main picture: John Dunn in later years

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John Dunn: Part 5 – Through a Desert Wonderland to Kalkfontein

By Dean McCleland in Other Family Histories 0 Comment

Now faded in the mists of time, the Bondelswarts Rebellion of 1922 is a mere footnote to the history of Southern Africa. In the early years of the 20th century, the whole of the area was in tumult. South West Africa was captured by the South Africans from the German colonisers in 1915. With South West Africa now controlled by South Africa in terms of a League of Nations mandate, the khoikhoi peoples of southern SWA were also restive. 

This series of blogs covers the first-hand account of a South African Police Force officer, John Dunn, who was involved in the suppression of a rebellion by the Bondelswarts people in southern SWA. 

In Part 5 of the series, John Dunn describes in exquisite detail the beauty of the trip from the Orange River through the dusty town of Warmbad to the railhead at Kalkfontein. 

Main picture: John Dunn in later years

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John Dunn: Part 4 – Unspeakable Cruelty to the Donkeys

By Dean McCleland in Other Family Histories 0 Comment

Now faded in the mists of time, the Bondelswarts Rebellion of 1922 is a mere footnote to the history of Southern Africa. In the early years of the 20th century, the whole of the area was in tumult. South West Africa was captured by the South Africans from the German colonisers in 1915. With South West Africa now controlled by South Africa in terms of a League of Nations mandate, the khoikhoi peoples of southern SWA were also restive. 

This series of blogs covers the first-hand account of a South African Police Force officer, John Dunn, who was involved in the suppression of a rebellion by the Bondelswarts people in southern SWA. 

In Part 4 of the series, John Dunn provides in graphic heart-wrenching detail the level of unspeakable cruelty inflicted on the donkeys during the convoy’s journey through impassable sand between Steinkopf and Goodhouse on the Orange River. 

Main picture: John Dunn in later years

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