5. MID- AND LATER LIFE
5. Mid- and Later Life
Despite an early “hiccough” with Stuttafords (which company he had joined in July 1955), Cecil persevered until rewarded with his first meaningful promotion to Operations Manager at Bree Street. Through dedication and hard work, he progressed up the ladder, along the way being involved in palletisation, modernization of the transport fleet and moving to Searle Street.
His one and only venture off the continent of Africa occurred in 1968 when he visited the USA accompanied by David Bradford to take a look at the “American way” of handling removals. His return trip was via UK and he took the opportunity of visiting has sister Betty and family in Tunbridge Wells.
He also stopped off in Harare (Salisbury) to visit Bill and Maureen and check on progress with their new home in the course of being built.
Mamie had her sights set on travelling but Cecil was not that interested saying, “See your own country first”. Undeterred she traveled “round the world” on the MV “Canberra”, to the Far East in 1972 with Edna (and her unfortunate weak bladder), to South America with Beryl Stuart on the “Reina del Mar” and widely through Europe with Earna Stierlin – the latter included, what was then, a clandestine visit into East Berlin!
When Edna died, Mamie inherited “Le Reduit”. As the steps were too much for Mamie, Bob and his youngest son, Kevin-John, moved in. Various alterations were carried out and the sunken garden was filled in before, finally, it was sold.
After retiring from Stuttafords in February 1979, Cecil and Mamie sold 45, Camps Bay Drive for R37,000 and moved to Hout Bay – initially staying in a cottage called “Petit“ at the Hout Bay Hotel followed by a brief spell at “Flora Bay” holiday apartments before moving into their new home at 18 Empire Avenue – which cost them R33,000 - the next “Morland“. At the time Bob was also living in Hout Bay in Royal Avenue.
In the interim another sad day had arisen when Glynn and Steve decided to move to Australia. Cecil and Mamie went to Jo’burg to assist with the packing-up as Glynn had broken both her wrists. Their stay in Australia however did not last long and upon their return they purchased a house, also in Hout Bay, a couple of doors down the road in Empire Avenue. Both homes were sold soon after and Glynn and Steve built a new home on Luisa Way which incorporated a “Granny Flat” for Cecil and Mamie.
Cecil and Mamie’s Golden Wedding was acknowledged in a congratulatory telegram from the State President and Mrs Botha, dated 15 June 1987, which read “Congratulations on your Golden Wedding Anniversary today. Thank you for your support over all these years. South Africa has always needed people like you”.
Mamie’s health deteriorated to the poInt that, after the celebration of her 80th birthday – attended by Bill and Maureen flying down from Zimbabwe for the occasion - it was decided she needed further care and they moved to Bridgewater Manor a retirement village in Somerset West in 1991.
Mamie passed away in her 81st year on 20 March 1992.
(Ed: Maureen and I were in Singapore spending the last night of our trip to the Far East when the news came through.)
The unit at Bridgewater was sold and Cecil lived briefly with Glynn and Steve and then also Bob and Pam before moving to “The St James” previously an upmarket hotel built on the False Bay coast in 1928 (co-incidentally when Cecil was serving on the General Botha at Simonstown) but since converted to a retirement complex.
His unit was later sold and he moved into “Anchusa” in Meadowridge, also a retirement complex, very well appointed and near to Glynn and Steve’s Constantia home.
