Que Que High School Swimming Team 1960 Back Row standing: Diana Hirsch, Erica Leonard,Wendy Corbyn, Leslie Ann Newton, Melody Hannaford, Diana Forester, Jennifer Baker, Patsy Papenfus, Maryalice O.Hagan. 3rd Row: Brenda Rees, Gillian Hulley, Kay Whittaker, Miss Midge Henderson (coach), Stella Fullwood (captain), Grace Glover. Kneeling: Betty Botha, Lillian Stevens, Tess Banfield, Lynn Alcock, Shiela Varkevisser, Front Row: Dawn Brogdon, Charmaine Whittaker, Pamela Lundt, Lynette Samson.
I was Victrix Ludorum
In my baby book my mother wrote ‘I was quick and bright for my age. At two I never stopped talking and was very affectionate, giving hugs and kisses indiscriminately, especially to men’.
I was Victrix Ludorum
But my brightness faded. I had a deaf ear at the piano. I did not know my left from my right at ballet. I could not remember even one line in any of my mother’s pantomimes.
My older brother, Brian, refused to leap up from Wolf Cubs to Boy Scouts and follow Baden Powell’s lead. Never-the-less he lived up to my mother’s hopes by being an outdoor boy, in the spirit of James Percy Fitzpatrick’ Jock of the Bushveld. My younger brother, David, was winning the prize for the Best of Class every year while I sometimes won Most Improved.
I started swimming before I could walk. We were sent to the paddling pool to cool our tempers, slobber over watermelons or suck on mangos.
The Dolphin Club at our big new Municipal Swimming Bath opened in 1953 and introduced us to competitive swimming. Mr. George Eames was our first coach who taught the Tadpoles, followed later by Mr. Horricks from England, who was horrible.
I cycled over to the pool before school, got in through the back gate and did a mile before I cycled home for a quick Maltabella porridge and wedge of paw-paw. I did another mile or two in the afternoons after school. Suddenly, I started winning all the club and high school events at the galas. I was Victrix Ludorum in my age group until I went to boarding school.
Dressed in our school uniforms, blazers, felt hats and lace up shoes we would get on the train late on Friday, the darkness adding to the excitement, loaded with our duffle bags for the overnight trip to Bulawayo or Salisbury. Each cabin accommodated six in bunks. The steward came round and rolled out the bedding. The sheets were starched crisp, the pillows plumped, but we hardly slept. We had pillow fights and lost a few out the open windows. There was a wash hand basin in each cabin, and we played with that.
There was strict separation of the boys carriages from the girls. The coaches, Miss Midge Midgly and Mr. Peter Cox had their hands full because over the clickety-clack of the rails and Elvis we plotted and schemed of ways to straddle the coupling link and invade the boys quarters. We discussed our latest crushes and pashes and the merits and demerits of the one we were ‘going with’. My mother hated ‘boy madness’. Her antidote was Girl Guides. I had ‘flown up’ from Brownies reluctantly. I knew I would never be champion there.
Early in the morning the uniformed steward came round, rapping on the door sharply, with a steaming hot stainless steel pot balanced on a tray. Coffee in a thick china cup and saucer was served.
I cut my long hair to a short bob for swimming. There were strict rules about school uniform and personal conduct. Girls could win deportment girdles. Vanity boxes were left at home: no make-up allowed. I didn’t possess a vanity box. They wailed over every pimple and scrubbed and scrubbed with Phisoderm.
I returned from one of these gala’s in 1960 to find that I had missed the surprise installation of the first TV in Que Que in our very own living room. I was furious. Reception was poor to non-existent in big downpours of the only snow we’d ever seen blotting out Leave it to Beaver on screen. Dad said it didn’t really matter as we had our own happy family in real life to enjoy.
44 Comments
sue knight
March 12, 2011I have puzzled over those whose names you can’t remember. Their faces are very familiar but their names remain lost in the mists of time. I thought the sports mistress’ name was Midge Henderson but then again my memory might be wrong. Midge Henderson was a great character.
Diana
March 12, 2011Sue,
Henderson! You’re right. I’ll fix flickr and the blog. I was afraid of heights. I remember standing on the 3 meter diving board for a whole period. Midge would not let me back down the stairs. I finally dived off head first. Never again! Tell me more about her.
Diana
Ed Goldberg
March 12, 2011Ah yes – TV in Southern Rhodesia. We were the first country in Southern Africa to get a TV service back in 1960. We were living in Bulawayo at the time and purchased a TV set before the launch date. I remember us watching the first broadcast but don’t remember what the program was. We were lucky as we were living on 7 Greystoke Way, just down the hill from the Bulawayo TV studios and got pretty good reception. There was only a couple of hours of TV a night, ending with the national anthem (God Save the Queen) and then with the Indian Head Test Pattern:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RCA_Indian_Head_test_pattern.JPG
South Africa didn’t get TV service until 1975/76. In South Africa the National Party, viewed television as a potential threat to its control of the broadcasting media, even though the state-controlled South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) had a virtual monopoly on radio broadcasting. It also saw the new medium as a threat to Afrikaans and the Afrikaner volk, giving undue prominence to English, and creating unfair competition for the Afrikaans press.
Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd compared television with atom bombs and poison gas, claiming that “they are modern things, but that does not mean they are desirable. The government has to watch for any dangers to the people, both spiritual and physical.”
Dr Albert Hertzog, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs at the time, said that TV would come to South Africa “over [his] dead body,” denouncing it as “a miniature bioscope [cinema] over which parents would have no control.” He also argued that “South Africa would have to import films showing race mixing; and advertising would make [non-white] Africans dissatisfied with their lot.” The new medium was then regarded as the “devil’s own box, for disseminating communism and immorality”.
Diana
March 12, 2011Ed,
You always have great information and history to bring to the table. Yes, you were lucky being close to Bulawayo’s TV studios and got great reception. I think we got our signal from Salisbury and 120 miles is quite a way. Of course it always “snowed” at the most exciting moment, or important point in the news bulletin.
Yes, the contrast in attitudes between Southern Rhodesia and South Africa illustrates so well the reason my parents emigrated from South Africa after WWII. Its a great example. Thanks for pointing it out.
Some little personal asides about television in South Africa. My father learned to be bilingual from watching TV when he returned to SA in 1975 to land the Chief Medical Officers job at ESCOM (the only non-Afrikaans applicant). Coverage was in Afrikaans alternate nights. I moved to SA in 1979 from America for four years and my oldest son, Andrew (age 6) became a TV celebrity doing all the Cadbury chocolate commercials, Plascon Paints and Pyotts Animal Zoo biscuit ads etc. He was blue eyed and blonde, (not to mention a precocious reader with exceptional comprehension) just the stereotype they were looking for. He was much in demand.
Diana
Bob Atkinson
March 15, 2011The first TV set in the Silobella District was owned by the an ex RAF guy that Bill West employed as a manager on the Leopard Mine. He was my hero as he was in the 617 Squadron (The Dam Busters) as a rear gunner in the Lancasters. As long as one was persistant he could be persuaded to tell of his experiences. When my folks visited the Wests for supper us kids would slip away and watch TV at his house. One night we were watching when the program was interupted with an announcement that President Kennedy had been assasinated. We rushed back to the West’s house to tell our parents who initially would not believe us.
Diana
March 15, 2011Bob,
Its amazing to think that as far away and remote as you were in the Silobella District the news of Kennedy’s Assassination came over those snowy airwaves and you caught it first. When we heard that terrible news is still etched on everyone’s mind. I was at boarding school at St. Peter’s Diocesan School in Bulawayo and we heard it first after early morning mass on our transistor radios tuning in to Martin Lock’s Top of the Pops while we did our homework (a bit slow behind the cloistered hedges).
My brother, Brian, was a great fan of the Biggles books by W.E. Johns. They were set mostly in WWI I think, but he was a very prolific writer for many years on through the 60’s. I don’t think Brian missed one of his books. I bet your RAF guy had a yarn or two worth remembering with their incredible daring. We couldn’t have won the war without them–a salute to Bill’s manager–the real chaps that risked their lives for us.
Diana
Tess Harris
March 15, 2011Thanks for memories of the Swimming Team and those train trips to Salisbury or Bulawayo which meant 2 nights sleeping on the train! After some searching I have discovered copies of the QQHS magazines from 1956 to 1962. For those out there that are interested here are the names relating to the above photo:
Back: Diana Hirsch, Erica Leonard, Wendy Corbyn, Leslie Ann Newton, Melody Hannaford, Diana Francis, Jenny Baker, Patsy Papenfus, Maryann O.Hagan.
Second Row: Brenda Rees, Gillian Hulley, Kay Whittaker, Miss Henderson, Stella Fullwood, Grace Glover, Enid Reynolds.
Third Row: Betty Botha, Lillian Stevens, Tess Banfield, Lynn Alcock, Shiela Varkevisser.
Front: D. Brogdon, Charmaine Whittaker, Pamela Lundt, Lynette Samson
That was fifty one years ago!
Tess
Diana
March 15, 2011Tess,
Thanks for the complete list of team members. Now that I have them before me all the old familiar names come back to match the faces. Memory is a strange thing and certainly needs a jog here and there…especially after 51 years.
You have saved a wonderful store of history. What about sending me a photo of the school or a copy of a poem or something from one of the magazines along with a blog to post?
Have enjoyed all the wonderful photos and materials you have sent to date.
Diana
Tess Harris
March 16, 2011Will follow that up when I can! Maybe going away for a few days next week.
Tess
sue knight
March 17, 2011Well done, Tess, the only school magazine I have is 1961, all others disappeared over the years. I am still hoping to scan some of the photos of that year plus some earlier photos of Betty Bell in a musical, not even sure which one.
Antoinette Dick (nee Fourie)
March 22, 2011So enjoying reading and remembering. I remember Betty Botha and her marrying a teacher. I believe she’s deceased now from a heart attack. I wonder what’s become of so many others over time? Really appreciate all of this. Thank you.
Diana
March 25, 2011Antoinettee,
Yes, she married the science teacher, I believe and they moved to SA. She had two sons. Yes, unfortunately she died some years ago. She was a beautiful ballet dancer and did a lot of solo’s in Mom’s panto’s.
Ann Christensen, Betty’s best friend died in her mid twenties in London I believe.
Diana
sue knight
March 22, 2011I think Betty Botha married the games master for the boys, Cox? The head girl, Jacqueline Davies, not sure for which year, married Jeremy Wilkinson, also a teacher. Lesley Anne Newton was in South Africa, not sure if that is still the case. Just to add, Patrick my brother, was very pleased to get the contacts for Morris Sloman and has already been in touch.
Diana
March 25, 2011Sue, I thought Betty married the science teacher. Stella Fullwood (swim team captain in 1960) married the sports master and I thought his name was Jeremy Wilkinson? I’m not sure about Jacqueline Davies.
Lesley Anne Newton married a policeman by the name of Roy….and was married the week after me I believe. I married a Roy, May 23, 1967. Our mother’s both gave us the same silver tea and coffee service for a wedding gift. Lesley Anne and I both had our first child seven years later, both named Andrew. I believe she settled in Dallas Texas. I have lived on all three coasts in the US but was in Houston TX for 25 years. Lesley Anne and I never corresponded, it was just all coincidence. We were not friends, she was a year younger than me. Her best friend was Barbara Robertson if I recall correctly, who was a good swimmer.
Glad to have made a connection for Patrick.
Kevin shadwell
September 14, 2015Hi does anyone know how to contact Barbara Robertson ?
sue knight
March 25, 2011I have given some thought to the teacher that Betty Botha married and the name Innes comes to mind, whether this is correct or not, I am not sure. I think Jeremy Wilkinson taught history or geography, I could be wrong.
Diana
March 25, 2011Sue, Betty Botha’s brother was much older than her. Did you know him? He lives in San Diego. My husband Jan is occasionally in touch with him. I could find out…and report back to you. Cox was the PE teacher in the late 50’s into the 60’s. Innes is another school name that rings a bell but cant quite place. There obviously were quite a few student/teacher relationships going on I knew nothing about!
Diana
Antoinette Dick (nee Fourie)
March 25, 2011Anne died in Salisbury of a sudden heart attack and while quite young still, and I attended her funeral. She’s taught me piano in Q.Q. SO sad. / Lesley-Anne’s living well in Jhb. and has homes in various places. I remember Roy very well. Are they still married? / Patrick’s in Jhb. as is James Benson. I hear Pat’s done very well for himself too. James’ wife Roz is on FB. / I am pleased for them all. I had hoped James or Patrick would access my FB school pic to identify others therein for me .. can any of you do so?/ What became of Barbara Robertson? / Pat (Cosgrove) Tarr lives in Australia and her daughter’s in California. Pat visited us in Kentucky last year for a week & the last time we saw each other was 50 years ago! Sylvia Nunan (Van der Berg) lives in Half Way Hse., near Jhb. Murray DesFontaine’s still in Q,.Q. /Lilliane Seton-Rogers lives in N.Z., and James (Jim) in Hre./ My brother Louis is in Pretoria & “Stompie” (Jean-Pierre) is in Hre./ I remember Les & Barbara & a bunch of other girls chasing Jimmy S.R. home on their bikes & wanting to sort him out, & he arrived home in tears his mom said, with a group of girls right behind him! He’d reduced me to tears with bullying & Les & Barb would have nothing of that!!! I think Les was Head Girl at Q.Q. Jnr. at the time. Do I remember right that she was an H.G.?
Diana
March 27, 2011Antoinette Yes, Anne always had a “bad” heart even as a small child. She was so beautiful with those blonde curls and ice blue eyes and round face. Like an angel. She played the organ at our wedding in Hillandale. It was outdoors and we got the organ transported up the hill. She was surrounded by red hot pokers. A memorable tableau etched in my mind.
I was rather fond of Jimmy Seton-Rogers. He and Clockie seemed to be at the tail end of a large family getting the short end of the sick most of the time. Brian and John were very good friends and did many adventurous camping trips together as teenagers.
I dont know what became of any of the others.
I only remember that Wendy Allen was head girl at QQHS in 1963 and Cecil (Chummy) Munks was head boy when I went to boarding school in Byo.
Bruce Hulley was head boy some years before.
Ed Goldberg
March 25, 2011The Christensens were our next door neighbours on Old Bell Road on the G & P in the 50s. Ann was a bit older than me but her brother Billy was the same age as me and we were best friends. I have memories of us climbing on the roof of their carport and picking granadillas.
Diana
March 27, 2011Ed,
Yes, granadillas grew well in QQ. My mother used to make a pudding called Queens Delight. It was a tin of sweetened condensed milk with as many granadillas as we could find on the vine scooped out into it and stirred in. She served it in stemmed glass bowls and it was truly delicious. We licked the dishes in a most unlady like manner!
Billy and his older brother Donald were friends of David’s and they camped together at Dutchmans Pool when they were older say age 12 or so.
Diana
Antoinette Dick (nee Fourie)
March 26, 2011Then you must have been friends with Louis my brother Ed, ’cause he was also good friends with Billy. Whatever happened to the Slomans? Mannix? What I remember Pat D. and James B. for is how they were always so polite and well-mannered. I wonder what became of Glyde Mitchell? We used to cycle from school with him going to H’dale.
Diana
March 27, 2011Antoinette, Ruben Sloman’s family: Aaron is Professor Emeritus at Birmingham University. Morris Sloman is Dean of Computer Engineering at Imperial College London. Eileen is in Cape Town ?real estate management (not sure). Marcus Sloman’s daughter Renee is in Israel.
Perhaps some of the other bloggers can fill us in on the others.
Diana
Ed Goldberg
March 26, 2011I was only in Que Que until 5 years old and so don’t remember too many other friends. Billy is burnt into my memory because he lived next door and I still remember often saying “can Billy come to play” over and over.
sue knight
March 27, 2011Both Wendy Allen and Cecil Munks were in my class at school and 1963 was my last year at school. The teacher who I am sure everybody in the class was very fond of was George (Gabby) Turnbull who taught English, not very tall but he held himself very upright supposedly the result of a war injury. I think the boys even took an interest in English Literature with him although I remember we had some pretty horrendous set books such as Emma by Jane Austen. There is a legend that when the boys went to have a quick smoke near the school bus, he would go and have a few puffs with them before bringing them back to the classroom!
Diana
March 28, 2011Sue,
Gabby Turnbull was a great teacher. Everybody loved him. He got me through Twelfth Night for O Level and we did The Mayor of Casterbridge if I remember correctly which I enjoyed.
Diana
Antoinette Dick (nee Fourie)
March 30, 2011Hello one and all. / Yes, I DO have many great memories of Anne. I think their family got their strong, attractive likeness through their mom. I liked her so much. I can imagine your wedding setting Di. Must have been so pretty. Thanks too for all the info. on the Slomans. Jimmy S-Rogers sure was one for the girls! My! Many girls had crushes on him. He works for, I THINK it’s Toyota in Hre., and has for many years. Richard’s deceased from a heart attack. Ruth & John are in the R.S.A. / And you’re right Di, memories’ meanderings are sometimes hard to tack down! So much time has passed, not so? The last I saw of the Mannix’s was in, I believe, the 80’s when I was passing through Q.Q. & stopped in somewhere. / Gabby .. what a sweetie he was, and so interested in us all. / We had moved to Chingola, N.R. for a while & we returned for me to finish High School in Q.Q. before going to work with Rhodesia Broadcasting Corp. for some years and as a Prog. Operator. I LOVED that job.
Diana
March 30, 2011Antoinette
glad you are enjoying the memories. Thanks for the forward of the RBC program operator stories and others. I plan to savor them on my way to LA on Friday. Treading water right now.
Diana
Maryalice O'Hagan
April 7, 2011Hello Diana – just learned that you have a blog. I plan to follow it! In the photo of the 1960 swimming team I’m the short kid, back row, extreme right, and my name is Maryalice, not Maryann!!!! But you’re forgiven because no one EVER gets my name right! It’s really great to read your stories. I want to write too… need to JUST DO IT!! Take care, Maryalice.
Diana
April 7, 2011Maryalice,
Thanks for the correction. Memory lapses after 50+ years, have to make allowances. Yes, I am Dr. Hirsch’s daughter. Best of luck with your writing. Keep me posted. You do just have to take it Bird by Bird as Annie Lamont (?sp) said in her how to book.
Check in with me when the mood moves.
Diana
Maryalice O'Hagan
April 7, 2011Diana, was your dad Dr. Hirsch in Que Que?
Yetta Ehrman Harnik
April 24, 2011Hello Diana, I just got the link to you blog from Gillian Shatil, she is Lynette Samson’s cousin. My father was Rev Aaron Ehrman, I saw the picture with him in the blog, the date is 1963, my parents lived in QQ from 59-64 I left for Israel in 62, I was 15. Gillian Midgen, today, lives in Seattle Washington and Lynette in London. I remember Brian came to visit us during the late 60’s when he was at the kibbutz in the Golan. My father passed away in 98, my mother Ibi is enjoying a healthy life, she is 86. My brother Isaac who was same class as Gillian, born 52 and I both live with our families in Israel. I was very happy to read about the Slomans, I was in the same class as Morris. I have fond memories of your parents, our fathers had a very special relationship. I did sourcing and manufacturing business in Africa over the years and had offices in Nairobi and Cape Town, we still visit for holidays, we were at the V Falls in 2005, my best Yetta
Diana
April 24, 2011Yetta, Wonderful to hear from you. I saw the pictures of you and Isaac and the Malkows with Gillian in Israel on Gillians facebook page. You all look wonderful, thriving there.
Yes, I thought the picture caption of the opening of the Gatooma Synagogue was misdated…I got it from the Zimbabwe Jewish web site which is a wonderful resource. Do you have any pictures of the QQ Jewish Community Hall or activities held there that you could share with me, or stories of your experience in QQ and what challenges your father felt were particular to Africa or QQ especially? Being a Sabra you were tough and adventurous…imagine going back to Israel ahead of your parents at 15!
Brian went to Israel at the outbreak of the Six Day War in June 67. he was in his final year at University. Had great visions of doing his bit for Israel in a combat capacity but was assigned to shovel chicken shit at a kibbutz and came home disillusioned. He immigrated to Canada and is a grandfather of two.
David is still in Johannesburg living in Berea.
I immigrated to the States in 1967 and have lived all over. Retired now to the Oregon Central Coast. It is a great place to write. Beautiful and unspoiled. Rains for 8 months!
My regards to your Mom. To Life!
Stay in touch. Diana
Yetta Ehrman Harnik
April 25, 2011Diana, this is really going down memory lane, I will definitely look through my albums and send you some pictures. It is amazing how you are all living in different countries. It is very interesting to read the articles, you are doing something very special. My best Yetta
Diana
April 26, 2011Yetta, I look forward to some memorabilia from you. Gatooma has quite a well recorded history but I havent found anything on QQ so far. Tap your Mom for some anecdotes! Diana
Alan Smith
May 13, 2011Great reading ,I worked for Miller & Wixley in their Ferrania film processing plant with Denis Scott and often met with RTV Announcers as we both were freelance cameramen also for ITV, Ian Dixon often came by the Lab. I have lost touch with Denis , he and I were also in the Police Reserves. I made email contact with Ian he is in the UK.
Diana
May 14, 2011Alan, Yes, television expanding our visual connection with the world beyond newspaper pictures and the Movietone news at the bioscope was a really memorable advance we all remember. Wonderful that you can boast your were a creative part of it. It was symbolic too of our status in Sub-Saharan Africa, as leaders in technology, agriculture, health, education for Africans and so on…The internet revolution has connected the great Diaspora of ex-Rhodesians. We all have such happy memories of the place we once called home.
Vivian Silva
October 2, 2011My mom was Betty Botha. She married Rob Innes, the science teacher. She had 2 sons and 2 daughters. She passed away in 1996. It has been so nice to read through your blog. There are so many familiar names from so very long ago..
Diana
October 2, 2011Vivian, It is so wonderful to hear from you. It’s too sad Betty passed so young. I am sure you still miss her very much, but cherish the memories all the more. She was a wonderful ballet dancer and I have many pictures of her solo’s (and others) in the annual pantomime my mother wrote and produced in the 50’s and 60’s. Betty was in my class from my earliest Junior School days on. I remember her house well on the middle of 5th Street. She was always in the top five in class, and good at all sorts of sports: an all rounder. Her mom was very tall and thin and made all of Betty’s beautiful costumes and clothes. My husband Jan and his family went fishing with Mr. Botha and Dirk. So glad you are enjoying the blog. Diana
Jacqueline Turner ( Davies)
June 21, 2016great to see the photos as I am a techno phobe ( pathetic really ! ) but had to correct a couple of things_ I married Gerry Hurlbatt in 1961 and Stella Fullwood married Jerry Wilkinson! Jerry was best man at our wedding !Gerry died in 1988 from bladder cancer and I now live in Yorkshire after i retired from 50 years of teaching . my last posting in Zimbabwe was at St John’s Prep.
I remember Gabby Turnbull very well.When we were in the sixth form ( there were only 5 students that year! He used to invite us to Davy house sometimes to listen to his classical music “concert” in the evening. he was addicted and followed the whole piece on a copy of the score! We also loved “Soupy” Owen who took us for maths – without him I dont think |I would have passed my O levels. great memories – thank you jackie
Diana Polisensky
June 22, 2016Jacqueline,
So proud that you have conquered your techno phobia and have logged on. I am sure you will enjoy my much larger work Whitewashed Jacarandas which is available on Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Whitewashed+Jacarandas. Do write a review on Amazon when you have read it.
Sandi
August 13, 2016Happened to stumble on this….my mother is of Midge Henderson who left Zim & lives in the UK. I will pass this link on to her.
Diana Polisensky
August 14, 2016Oh that’s amazing, connecting with her! She was a great coach. We had such fun on all the ‘away’ meets riding the train overnight to Bulawayo and Salisbury. She had her hands full.
Sandi
August 18, 2016Hi. I sent the link to Midge, who was very excited to see so many ‘old’ faces and the ensuing conversations. I think she intends to reply to the link…when she gets off the golf course!
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