FIRSTLY, a very warm and hearty congratulations to Mr Billy Rees for his magnificent innings of 106 not out.
I have enclosed a cartoon dated January (or November) 1939, sketched by a then 28 year-old Margate lifeguard by the name of “Billy Rees” for my father,
the then eight-year-old, Etienne du Toit.
My dad and my grandparents were all on holiday in Margate at the time (up from Fish Hoek), when he met up with young Billy there and they struck up a friendship, and Mr Rees taught my dad how to surf… 78 years ago.
Just after Billy’s 100th birthday was reported six years ago, my parents managed to get into telephonic contact with his good lady, forwarded to them a copy of the cartoon he had given to dad in 1939 at Margate, and attempted to arrange a reunion of sorts for the two gentleman after the seven decades since they had last met, but sadly this did not happen due to various reasons.
My dad passed away from mesothelioma in January 2016, never having got to meet up with Billy again, but I’m sure that wherever he is now, that he is also very happy to see his old friend still going strong.
Rowan du Toit
Pinetown
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