Tuesday, June 02, 2009

David Black and Ruth Lomas

Allow me a moment of self-indulgence, but I am busy visiting my Gran and Grampa in Durban... and my Grampa wants to track two of his school friends down, or at least find out what they got up to after school.

Bardsley Scott Sutton (Born 1926 or 1927)
Geoffrey Louis Lass (Born 1928)

They went to school with my Grandfather David Noel Bernard Black at King Edward VII School in Johannesburg where they matriculated in 1945.

A little bit of the story of David and Ruth (the sort he would like to find out about his two school buddies):

After matriculating from KES, David spent two years working on his Dad's (Alan) farm before heading to Cedara Agricultural College in 1948. It was there that he met Ruth Millicent Lomas, my Gran. Her father 'was a rolling stone' and she had gone to school all over as he travelled the country building bridges. She finished her schooling at Warner Beach School via Bulwer, Escourt, Ladysmith, Port Shepstone and other places. Her father Ernest Lomas had come out from England as a Red Coat and stayed. Despite moving all over, she was born in the same room as her mother. In 1949, Ruth and David got married and my father (Malcolm) was born.

They moved to back to the farm in Geluk on the Springbok flats, where if the rain fell it was so flat the water just stayed wherever it landed. They were there from 1949 to 1959 where they had their 3 kids (Malcolm, Thelma and Shelley). In 1959, they moved to Goedgegun (Nhlangano) in Swaziland where they farmed till 1965. In 1966, they moved to Johannesburg to join David's cousin in a toy factory called Reindeer Products. They moved the factory to Hammarsdale in Kwa-Zulu Natal in 1970. A fire in the factory in 1975 soon lead to them having to close shop, and after a few short stints at other toy factories, David joined Liberty Life as an Insurance Consultant in 1976 where he worked until his retirement 20 years later.

Ruth and David live in Kloof now, where if you pop over for tea at 4 o'clock, you are still likely to find David in Grease covered overalls as he potters around restoring antique cars. A big garage and a workshop the first thing he would want in any dream house.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yes quite a remarkable story of two quite remarkable parents. I am the Shelley one and certainly know that the nurture factor in terms of role models in my life stand out as great beacons, yet I know too that my environment and experiences make me unique and accountable for making my own future. You certainly have been accountable Trev. Your courage and strength of character will make your journey one that will always be full and interesting.