I will use the words I remember only once otherwise they will be repeated ad nauseam.
I remember these places: The Addie shop where one bought all school stationery and the lovely lady who worked there.
All the swimming pools in town: Olympia Park (when it was clean and neat), Selection Park, Casseldale, Daggafontein and the pool behind the bridge over the railway line at Pollak Park Station.
This was a mine-owned pool like the pool in Daggafontein.
The bus-terminus at the old library and the old 1936 Daimler buses.
Also going down Third Street after getting on at John Orrs corner, then down Nigel Road into Burrus, Grung, Hills and Pridgeon roads, then back to Nigel Road, tugging on the rope to ring the bell and getting off just after the railway bridge.
Gordimers Book shop, whose owner was the father of Nadine Gordimer, author and activist.
Cuthberts shoe shop, Gray Smiths the grocers, Rouxs Fisheries, John Orrs clothing shop, the Town Hall milk-bar, Scottys milk-bar, Dickersons Florist, Shimwells bike shop and the old-post office, now bricked up (rather sad that).
Dainty Tea-lounge, the old bug-house which later became Fords Book shop, Greatermans corner and tea shop, the Plaza, Palladium and Century movie houses.
The Century being my favourite on a Saturday morning because we got in for a sixpence to watch cowboy movies.
Dr Marks who was also my grandmother’s doctor.
Geduld Dairies in New Era who delivered milk right to one’s doorstep.
Springs Steam locomotive depot where I worked for quite a number of years.
St Marys Maternity home where all four of my sisters and myself were born.
Playing in the Blesbokspruit down the road from our home and playing with klei-latte.
My grandfather was station master at New Era station in 1930 and remembering my mother telling us about the time she put a penny on the rails, and when the engine rode over it it made such a noise she ran away as she thought it had come off the tracks.
Premier motor spares where Felix, now Waynes motor spares, first worked.
The Swiss tavern where birthdays were celebrated.
The old Barclays bank full of brass, glass and wood, now also gone.
The Park hotel, also brass, glass and wood, but is now believed to be a house of ladies of the night.
Also Oppenheimer Circle park which had plenty of swings, see-saws and a slide.
And last, all the children in our road, when our garden was full of them riding bicycles and playing netball.
My apologies to those whose memories are not quite the same as mine, if these details are not the same.
Peter Denton.
