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Robben Island memories & links
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Sadly I only recently thought of the idea of including the emails and pictures I have received over the years; there are many others I have lost in the various moves and computer crashes! Please feel free to share your memories and photos with everyone. author, Michael Klerck |
URGENT REQUEST
There is an urgent request for information about the military history of the Robben Island - if you do have any information, even just memories with a military connection, please email Colonel Lionel Crook at lionel.sal@mweb.co.za
He is looking for information relating to the following:
Major General Moodie and his Coastal Artillery School on the Island (1942-47)
5 Heavy Coastal Artillery (1942-44)
AS WAAS (1942-44)
CAPE COLOURED ARTILLERY CORPS (1942-44)
ROYAL NAVY (SWANS) (1944-47)
ROYAL NAVY (DEGAUSSING)
ALL THE OTHER AUXILIARY UNITS ON THE ISLAND DURING WW2 (SIGNALS, AIR FORCE, MEDICAL CORPS, SPECIAL SIGNALS (RADAR)
SA MARINES (1951-55)
SAS ROBBEN ISLAND (1955-61)
ALSO IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER ANY DETAILS ABOUT THE FARM ON THE ISLAND PLEASE CONTACT Lionel Crook at: lionel.sal@mweb.co.za
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Here below, some emails & pictures sent to me:
Here is a wonderful collection of pictures from John Hennessey:
Hi! John
Hi Michael,
I really enjoyed reading your article
on Robben Island - My Grandfather's family were residents on the island
when he was a boy and teenager. He was born in 1907 so I guess it would
have been about 1917-1923 or thereabouts.
His father was the local baker and
confectioner and owned a little store there which had a flat roof and a
bay window for displaying goods. Other than that I don't know much, but as
a keen family historian would love to make touch with other people's who's
exerience on the island was far different to Mr Mundella's.
I understand that they were forced to
move to the Cape when the island was turned into a military base - I guess
this is probably about the time your parents lived there - so I don't
expect that they would have known the Commerfords, but it would be
interesting to know whether you have any memories of their shop and what
the island was like at this time. My Greatgrandmother told the family that
they used to get the most terrifying storms on the island - and my
grandfather and his brothers used to like diving off the pier.
I would love to hear more, if you have
the time.
Kind regards
Carol Davis
Perth Western Australia
Hello Michael,
Coincidentally, my name is also Michael..... I
have just read your interesting article on Robben Island on the Internet,
and I can truly say that I envy you with your peaceful upbringing away
from the hustle and bustle of populated 'life' with its attendant
traffic. I was brought up in Northern Rhodesia from 1939 to 1945, having
been evacuated there at the age of 5 years, at the outbreak of World War
II. The village where I lived was N'kana, which has now been overwhelmed
by Kitwe, which was at that time a burgeoning township still at foundation
level. N'kana had 3 'streets' and 11 'avenues' in 1939, so you can guess
how small it was. It was entirely surrounded by bush. The
nearest village was N'dola - 40 miles away. I loved it there. Cars were
very few and far between, and crime was quite unheard of.
However, what I would dearly like to have is
an accurate map showing the outline of Robben Island with a few
dimensions, and showing the north point too. If any historic buildings
could also be indicated, that would be a bonus for me. I have searched
the Internet for a map and a historical background, but there appears to
be far more propagandist interest in the old apartheid era than the
real history of Robben Island dating from Dias's time. If you
could put me on the right track concerning the real history of Robben
Island, I would be most grateful, and a map will be the cherry on the cake
for me.
I hope this will not be too much trouble for
you.
Thank you,
Kindest regards,
and a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year
to you.
Michael Elson
Thank YOU for sharing your memories with us. Your writing is fresh and informative and one can feel and smell the emotions that go with your memories. One teeny question …… Are there any shipwrecks on the perimeter of the island or in the little harbour? Was Faure’s Jetty in use during your time on the island? Many thanks once again. Regards Gwen Lustgarten Morning Michael, Well – at lest I know more who were born on the island than you do – we have literally a whole tribe right here in Mowbray – members of the Haupt family – one of them told me this morning that 6 (or was it 7) of her peers was born on the island – (only Catholics can have such big families). It seems that their father took over from my grandfather as superintendent of the leper “colony”. Also, I know there is a man (whose name escapes me right now) in Newlands – who used to work with the SABC – who was also born there. Cheers = Reg (Bishop R. Cawcutt) What a lovely website! - I really enjoyed reading
about your life - very interesting.
Dear Michael Klerck
I am Laura Dorrington, a student at St Teresa’s
Mercy School in Rosebank Johannesburg. For our History Matric portfolio
one of the requirements is to have a historical investigation. The topic I
have chosen to explore is to compare Robben Island Prison and Alcatraz
Prison. While I was doing research I found your website and it was very
interesting to read about your life story on the Island and I learnt so
many new things about the History of the Island. Our teachers encourage us
to use primary sources if in anyway you could assist me with research on
Robben Island I greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for your time.
Regards
Laura Dorrington
Hi
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your memories of
Robben Island. So nice to be able to see it from another perspective! I
am taking a complete chance here, in the hope that you can help me. I am
trying to help an old man in East London, Siyetha Ngona Simon, who was
imprisoned with his brother, Jimmy Simon, on Robben Island. Jimmy died
there in 1960 and Siyetha was released in 1966. He is looking for closure
on this and wants to find out where his brother was buried and any other
information he can. Do you have any idea who I can contact?
I would really appreciate any help in this
regard.
Many thanks,
Sandra-Lee Hensberg
Hi Gillian Crossan Dear Michael, I recently came across your article on your childhood memories of Robben Island. I also grew up on the island between 1950 and 1959. A bell is ringing deep in the mists of far ago – I’m sure we knew each other during that time. My father served with the forces, involved with the maintenance of the coastal artillery guns and moved to the Marines and then into the SA Navy as instructor. He was also the Fleet photographer at some time – hence the photographs attached. I really enjoyed your article – it brought back such vivid memories. Thanking you, Keith (George from those days) KG Woolf Manager: Instrumentation, Quality and HR Alkantpan, a Division of Armscor Business (PTY) Ltd
I have just read your article and would like to know if you can recall a Jean Small whose Father was the lighthouse keeper there, some time in the 1900’s before it became the famous prison for politicians & after it was a leper colony? Brenda van Deventer
Hi there,
Thank you for a lovely website - found while
trying to get some information on the Army base before, during and after
the war.
I have just found my father's letters to my
mother during the war when she died last year.
My father was Capt. Chris Lessing - he died
tragically just after I was born, on Robben Island "while cleaning his
gun" in September 1946.
I am trying to fill in the gaps and plan to
visit Robben Island soon - I have been told that one cannot walk around
anywhere but the designated tour around the prison. Is this so?
Your lovely photographs help to imagine my
parents living there just after the war.
If you have any suggestions, I would love to
hear from you.
With best wishes,
Lan Reid
Good morning Sir,
I stumbled across your article, Robben Island - Childhood Memories a personal reflection, I found the article most interesting. I wonder if you could possibly assist me with some information. I have now come to a point where I am totally stuck.
I am researching my Fathers past. Unfortunately I was a bit of a “laat lammetjie” and did not really take notice of the past as many children do. We used to have many discussion about WW2; he had always led us to believe he was a pilot and had fought in Egypt and Italy. He did not talk much about his family or his past, but then being a kid I did not worry about it then. I have two girls of my own and realized that if I do not get down and write down all my memories they would land up like me, not really knowing my Father. He was a shift worker and the only memorable time we had was when we went fishing together. He unfortunately passed away in 1990.
With my research I had found that he had actually been an Anti Aircraft Gunner and was captured in 1941. He was a prisoner for the rest of the war. When I started working through his military record I found that my mother was his second wife. He had never mentioned this to anybody that he had been married. I can not find any reason why he had not told anybody, as just about everybody that was linked to my father, those that I know, has passed on.
Now to where you could assist. According to the military records three children was born on Robben Island as he had been transferred to the Cape after he married his first wife. I am aware that you where very young around that time but you are the only person that I know was on the Island around the same time as they where. Please look at the following info:
Wife – Elizabeth Jacoba Kruger (Married in Potchefstroom 14 Sep 1946) Son – Pieter Johannes Christiaan Krueger (Born Potchefstroom 2 July 1947) Son – Nicholaas Jurie Kruger (Born Robben Island 18 March 1949) Son – Paul Johannes Stephanus Kruger (Born Robben Island 27 November 1950) Daughter – Elizabeth Jacoba Kruger (Born Robben Island 26 August 1952)
The address that I have where they lived was – T41 Sheareea Ave, Robben Island.
I was always left to believe I am the last of my Fathers descendants. I believed the blood line will stop with me as I only have daughters. I really would like to trace my brothers and sister. I don’t know if they would want to see me, but it is worth a try. I have no intensions in disrupting people’s lives, all I want is understanding on why.
Is there any way that you could assist or put me in contact with somebody that can.
I appreciate your time and effort.
Regards
Peter Kruger.
I read with interest your article on your childhood
recollections of life on the Island.I am one of a fifth generation of
Islanders with many of my descendents buried there . There should be many
interesting ,untold stories of characters and life which could perpetuate
the non- political history of the Island.
I went over to the Island with my father a couple of
weeks ago and the place looks like a bomb has hit it , such a tragedy.
Perhaps , it is time that the pre-war inhabitants`
memories were put on paper. My father who is 86 is attempting to compile
his recollections but given his age I have reservations as to accuracy of
his memory .
I would appreciate you comments!
Kind regards ,
Clive Luden
PS : I have a twin brother ( Graham ) and we were
born in 1954 which makes us roughly the same age. It is possible our paths
might have crossed as youngsters !
My Granduncle lived on Robben Island, I think he
was born in Cape Town, his father ? Hurley married to ? O'Sullivan was the
lighthouse keeper. I visited Robben Island last year in November. I must admit that I have never felt different as when I was on the Robben Island. Bathusi Mmatli Hello Michael
Hello Michael,
Thanks so much for producing
a serious attack of "heimwee".
I was raised on the island,
arriving there in 1950 and leaving in 1959. So, even though we are a few
years apart in age, we must have known each other in some way. My father
was navy- in fact he was the cook at the base and when you talked of
visiting the farm, the cows and the mole snake- I could almost smell what
you were talking about.
We were the Yorke family.
Father was Hugh- he was a CPO, mother was Laura, I am Veronica, (now
living in Oregon in USA; two sisters, Margaret (who lives in Fish Hoek)
and Tess who lives in Denmark.
My sister Tess visited the
island in February this year and she talked about how desolate it was and
how she wanted to cry by the sadness and change for the worse.
Do you have contact with
other people who lived on the island and went to primary school there?
What about photos?
Thanks for writing the
article and posting it.
Best wishes
Veronica Spalding
---see below---
Its Veronica again,
I was suddenly visited by a memory (is this a sign of
getting old). When Sputnik was launched and the old island population
standing on the rugby field to watch it go over head.
Also swimming on the beach near the harbor and trying
to catch the sand sharks.
Best wishes
Hi Michael, My name is Robert Edwards,
I in fact was born on the Island (Sep 1949) as were two of my brothers,
John (Jun 1948) and Alvan (Aug 1952) We were born in the house in which
we lived at that time. I think it was called L37, probably it's allocated
number.
My father was also stationed there,
firstly as a Marine then later transfering to the Navy where he later
became Chief of the Navy.
People still act very suprised when I
mention that I was born on the Island.
I came across you story while trying to
find some indication of who has in fact been born on the Island as my
father has always said that my brother, John, and I were the first
children born there after WW 2 and probably long before that as well.
My memories of life there are very
similar to yours. I in fact have one up on you. I was the first person to
be knocked down by a donkey cart. This was the milk delivery cart. I was
rushed over to the Mil hospital in Wynberg by Crash Boat "St Barbara".
Did you ever go to the main land for a
shopping trip to the OK, first a ride on a double dekker bus from harbour
to the OK then the ride up the wooden escalator to the cafe for a pie and
gravy.
What a way to grow up
Regards
Robby
Christo Theart, whose father was a prison warden, and who was in fact born on the island, shares his recollections on his own personal page - go there now and read his story ...
Sept 2010 Dear Mr Klerck
Looking at photos of Robben
Island I came across your website and read the very interesting story of
your childhood. The reason I am writing to you is that my father was also
born on Robben Island in 1901.
His father was William Walter
Dent and he and his wife came out from the UK to run the general store on
the Island but I am not sure in which year they arrived or indeed even if
I have their names correct. I think her name was Millie but like a lot of
people I didn't begin to take much interest in my ancestors until
recently. My father did not remember much about my grandfather as he
died in 1905 on the island of a burst appendix when my father was four
years old. My father, whose name was Robert George Dent, had an elder
brother, Frederick Dent, and there was another brother born between them
who was stillborn and is buried on the island with their father. My
grandmother who I believe married or lived with an Afrikaner whose surname
was Field, after my grandfather's death, and gave birth to my father's
half sister Clara Field, returned with my father and Clara to the UK when
my father was 12, the Afrikaner, an habitual drunkard, having disappeared
into the Bush at some point and never again appearing. She never knew
whether he was dead or just didn't want to return My uncle Frederick,
around seven years older than my father, returned to the UK at the
beginning of the first World War and served in the Army being badly
wounded at the Battle of the Somme after which he was invalided out of the
Army. My Father joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 having lied about
his age, and then served in the ground crew of the Royal Air Force in
World War II. My uncle returned to the Island for a visit in the 1950s,
but on his return told my father not to go back as his memories of the
Island would be totally destroyed as his had been. He had obtained
permission to visit the Island, not normally then granted to anyone other
than officials, as his father and brother were both buried there.
I heard many stories of my
father's and uncle's wonderful life on the Island when they were young,
and their trips to the mainland to purchase cucumbers and other supplies
for the store. They were always in trouble on their return as they ate
most of the cucumbers before they ever reached his mother running the
store, and my father, who was terrified of the sea, huddled in the bottom
of the boat chomping on the cucumbers to take his mind off the journey.
He loved the beach though and was nicknamed the sandrat by people on the
Island.
I am not now sure of the date of
my uncle's death, sometime in the 1970s, and his only child, a daughter
Muriel, died around 2005. My father's mother died in 1940 when I was 2,
and my father in 1975. I have no idea of my grandmother's maiden name but
I would love to be able to research into my grandmother or grandfather's
ancestors. If anyone has any knowledge of any family surnames or
connections I should love to hear from them. I know that my father had
some very elderly aunts who lived in Cape Town and some of whom were still
alive in the 1950s but that is all I do know.
I don't know whether any of this
information is of interest to you, but I thank you for the very
interesting and informative details of your own childhood on the Island.
With very kind regards,
Margaret Rayner, (nee Dent)
Cambridgeshire, UK.
Hi Michael My mother was born on Robben island on 07/08/1919 Joan Catherine Grace. She is now 91 years old and has a clear mind. She used to take the ferry to school in Mowbray and her mother was a nurse on the island. Sherril Gail Bauer :: Sept 2010
Hi Michael
I enjoyed reading your
website. I too have memories of the island, but from a different
perspective. In 1954 I was dating a girl called Rosemary Hayward whose
father George was lighthouse keeper at the time. Rosemary and I used to
go across on the Issie on a Saturday to visit him. Inevitably we brought
back penguin eggs for distribution to his friends in Cape Town. The
family stayed at Portswood Flats, Portswood Road, Green Point, which
belonged to Railways and Harbours.
George had at his disposal an army Bedford truck
which at times was used to go to the other side of the island to switch
on the foghorn. Rosemary and I spent many hours roaming the island.
From 1959 to 1962 I was a crayfish diver operating
out of 3 Anchor Bay where most of the divers had boatsheds under the
promenade. We would leave in little 12 foot boats for Robben Island and
the trip would take about an hour. On arrival there we would dive for
most of the day. We used ordinary hosepipes as airlines and these were
provided with air by lawnmower engines. How we all survived this
primitive way of doing things I don,t know.
We often landed on the island while waiting for
other divers to come up, and I collected many a fine piece of
driftwood. Diving on the wreck at Whale Rock was a bit spooky and the
crayfish were reddish in colour from the rust of the boat. These were
not readily accepted by the exporters of tails. To think we received
R15.00 a hundred for the crayfish after risking our lives. The last
year we dived was the year the Government banned all forms of crayfish
diving and we were not allowed within a mile of the island.
Just before the end of diving, three of us got
caught in a raging South Easter and had no option but to run into the
island harbour. We were chased out by soldiers in a threatening manner
and had to run before the wind to Melkbosch strand.
I am 75 years old now but remember all these
things vividly.
Best regards
Bob van Renen
G'Day to you,
My name is Leslie
Johnston resident in George. I am a decendant of the Island. My
Grandfarther Leslie Johnston who was a Scottish stone mason was employed
on the Island at the turn of the century. My Grandmother Mary Ann Johnston
(nee Page) later Barber was a nurse in the mental asylum for woman. Both
Grand parents met on the Island and produced five children namely Charles
Leslie, Alexander, Gibert (My Dad) Lorraine and Hubert. All grew up and
were schooled on the Island and lived in" Ïrish Town"up until about the
evacuation of lepers and all staff except the lighthouse keeper.
I have reseached
over many years my families history and have quite an accumulation of
material other than my family, which I am sure will be of interest to
someone.
I refer to the mail
from a Mr Luden. Harry Luden the carpenter on the Island, was a great
family friend of the Johnstons and the Barbers (my step grand farther who
was the plumber on the Island).
If there is anyone out there
interested in that part of the Islands history, I am more than willing to
share.
You have a great
website, keep the good work up,
Regards,
Leslie Johnston.
Dear Michael, I hope that this mail finds you well. I was sent the link to your lovely account of Childhood Memories of Robben Island by Richard Whiteing. My family and I have recently returned from a visit to Cape Town. Whilst there, we were fortunate enough to be Heritage Guests to the Island, under Richard’s guidance. We took in the tour of the prison, as well as the bus tour to a few main areas of the Island, such as the churches, etc. It was a lovely experience and we thoroughly enjoyed our day. Part of the reason we were there was for me to try and trace my father’s family. My father, Ronald Clive Gower was the only son of Ronald Arthur Gower, who was born on the Island on 29th July 1890. He was christened in the Anglican Church there on 15th October 1890. His father, Percy Gower had worked on the Island from 1890 to 1895, as Chief Clerk and Accountant. This is according to a handwritten letter of Percy’s dated 24th January 1904. In addition, my father (Clive) originally thought that my great-grandmother, Jessie Julia (Percy’s wife) had died on the Island in 1895, so part of my quest was to visit the old graveyard there, but unfortunately we could not find her. I have now found out through some cousins who have traced me via the Robben Island International Historical Society, that this was not the case and that she is perhaps buried at St. George’s Church in Cape Town. Oh dear! Anyway, it was not a wasted trip at all and I just wanted to let you know how at home we felt on the Island when we went there, and I got a real pang knowing that my family had been there 120 years ago. It was wonderful! Your writings were truly inspiring and I only wish that my family history had been so beautifully recorded! Through my cousins, it is slowly starting to come together, but I think it will take some time! Keep up the wonderful work and I wish you a good day, Kind regards, Bronwyn Hill (nee Gower)
Hi Daar
Ons het as ek reg is so by
1990 /1991 gebly op Robben eiland. My ma se naam was Hendriette Gerber (Hetta).
My oupa (Gideon Rossouw) het nog vir Mandela op gepas as ek reg kan onthou.
Ek sal enige iets gee om weer
na die eiland te gaan maar het gehoor ons moet eerder die eiland onthou
soos wat hy was. Het die eiland so baie verander dat mens jou eie memories
wil hou. En die huise waarin ons gebly het...bly daar nog mense of
waarvoor gebruik hul die huise?
Groete
Mariska
G'Day to you,
My name is Leslie Johnston resident
in George. I am a decendant of the Island. My Grandfarther Leslie
Johnston who was a Scottish stone mason was employed on the Island at the
turn of the century. My Grandmother Mary Ann Johnston (nee Page) later
Barber was a nurse in the mental asylum for woman. Both Grand parents met
on the Island and produced five children namely Charles Leslie, Alexander,
Gibert (My Dad) Lorraine and Hubert. All grew up and were schooled on the
Island and lived in" Ïrish Town"up until about the evacuation of lepers
and all staff except the lighthouse keeper.
I have reseached over many years my
families history and have quite an accumulation of material other than my
family, which I am sure will be of interest to someone.
I refer to the mail from a Mr Luden.
Harry Luden the carpenter on the Island, was a great family friend of the
Johnstons and the Barbers (my step grand farther who was the plumber on
the Island).
If there is anyone out there interested in that part
of the Islands history, I am more than willing to share.
You have a great website, keep the good
work up,
Regards,
Leslie Johnston.
Hello Michael
I am an indirect descendant of Robben Island. My Great Grandfather and
_mother both worked as nurses in the mental asylum ~ I found a lovely
article in www.ancestry24.com
where he was “commended” for being brave in the face of a “dangerous”
inmate ~ in fact it looks like he was hurt in the “attack”. It appears
that Susan Nutt (ironic surname for working in an asylum, don’t you
think???) was matron in one of the “sections”. I have never been to
Robben Island but I am getting more and more intrigued as I get deeper
and deeper into my family search. I wondered whether the Chapel records
are accessible or whether they have been archived in Cape Town?? Your
photos are stunning and I will go and dig for the one that I know was
taken on the Island. I keep hoping against hopes that I might recognise
them in a photo but unfortunately have no reference other than what my
Grandparents look like.
Many thanks
Kind regards
Patricia Blacklaws
Good Day Sir I am doing an enquiry in behalf of a friend of mine ,he was born and raised on the Robin Island and is longing to get in touch with some people whom he grew up with. His name is John Andrew Dell and was born on the island on the 23de of April 1953. His father was a prison warden by the name of Johannes Hedrickus Dell and his mother’s name was Saidie Dell. They use to live at the Whitehouse situated in lighthouse road. Please be so kind and assist us with ways or means to get in touch with some of the people . You can also get hold of him on 071 966 5464 Thanks a stax Kind Regards Arthur MacAllister Hello
I was interested to read my nephew John Hennessey's message concerning the
Budd family who once lived on Robben Island.
Our late uncle was in fact living on the Island because he was working and
researching a cure for leprosy. He had left his father's practice in
Bournmouth to live in Roache Cornwall where he joined a Doctors practice.
Whilst there he became friendly with a Doctor who was interested in
working with and finding a cure for Leprosy.
My late uncle finally decided that this was something that he wished to
pursue and gave up practising in England and moved with my late Auntie to
Robben Island.
It was whilst following up cases up in the bush that he contracted
Pneumonia and died. Sadly my auntie and cousin Billy had to return to
England. It was her one wish to return to the Island one day unfortunately
this never happened due to losing Billy when only 21 years old.
I hope that this information will be of use to you
Mary Newman
Dear Michael Let me introduce myself: I am the spokesperson for a group of stakeholders that are trying to stop the Western Cape Education Department from closing the wonderful Robben Island Primary School at the end of this year December 2011. We are in desperate need of history/photos of the school and people who attended this historic school in the past. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. The main reason for closure is the low number of students currently attending this school. (14) After carefully looking into this matter it is of our opinion that the school has not been given a fair chance to market the school and look at a possible sustainable business plan which would assist in marketing the island going forward. I am more than willing to forward further documentation to yourself for perusal. We the “Robben Island Primary School Friends” will be starting a face book page and would love to have as many motivational letters and interested parties to stop this closure as possible to be posted. Robben Island UNESCO Heritage site belongs to the children and people of South Africa and the school which is already 165 years old should NOT be closed before having a fair chance to increase numbers or pupils. We have already secured part financial funding (SAP International) and have numerous environmental organizations like (Jane Goodall International Institute) as well as heritage groups (Khoisan People) behind us on this matter . We are requesting your assistance as a past pupil with possible contacts of more past pupils to assist us as a matter of urgency. Thanking you and kind regards Irene 083 321 5490
Green Wall of Africa S.E.E. Network Projects- Rights for Rhinos- Robben Island Primary School- Environmental Student with Merit “Helping save our planet - brick by brick - for the children of Africa”
The time when you need to do something is when no one else is willing to do it, when people are saying...IT CAN'T BE DONE!! (Mary Berry) 078 643 6430 (Off) 086 510 4969 (fax)
John Hennessey writes eloquently about his great-aunt and uncle Dr Herbert and Lisle Budd - billy their son grew up on the island in the twenties - see some great pics of that period including the hospital staff, and Robben Island Staff also.
Dear Michael My brother, Derek , sent me your “Robben Island – memories and links” which makes fascinating reading. I am sure that you are aware that there is a rich history since early 20th Century of folk swimming to and from Robben Island. My first swim crossing was in 1981 and I achieved my 64th swim crossing in March 2012. Approximately 300 individual swimmers have made the crossing – some many times , some once only. There is a book being published later this year on all my crossings. Kind regards Theodore Yach
Hi Michael, Thank you for this wonderful awakening of memories. My father-in-law grew up on Robben Island, his father drowned and still there has been no burial or closure. His cross still on the coastline – GJ Beeselaar 1955. I have printed all the letters that has been posted and gave it to him to read. It would be nice for him to hear from some of the people, if they recall him and his brothers. They were 5 brothers; Tom, Louis, Fred, Harold and Dennis Beeselaar. Louis, my father-in-law was 9, and the youngest Dennis was a few months old when their father drowned and they were asked to leave the island. This has brought up sad and happy memories. Regards Aletta
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PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND ME MEMORIES AND PHOTOS OF YOUR CHILDHOOD OR THOSE OF OTHERS. YOU'LL BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR CLOSURE, FRIENDS, CONNECTIONS...ETC. Email to me @ mklerck@gmail.com
Thanks to everyone who has made some contribution.
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