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Rob Dempster
'Allo 'Allo Gardens! (AAG) Howick (uMngeni) The Dutch Bonnet 3 September 2026 |
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Where to start? My Family's "Grapes of Wrath" style journey through three of South Africa's provinces ended back where it hat started, the Orange Free State. My parents settled in a small gold mining town known as Allanridge (First Photograph). I completed my Primary School education at the Allanridge Primary School, standers 2-5 (Grades 4-7). I returned to Grey College in Bloemfontein as a boarder at the beginning of 1961 to complete my Senior (High) school educations.
In 1961 the Allanridge Primary School put on a play and the cast appears in the second photograph. My sister Shirley was cast in that play and played the role of a Dutch girl/maiden. When Shirley passed away after a long battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis I somehow ended up with the Dutch Bonnet and Blonde (yellow) plaits that were attached to the Bonnet.
My daughter Heather used the Bonnet as part of a Ballet costume and she also wore the Blonde Plaits attached to a Miner's Helmet when we attended a 2010 World Cup Football Match (Third photograph) in which Holland played at the Moses Mabida Stadium(Fourth photograph) in Durban. I have no idea where the Bonnet/Blonde Plaits are now.
Moving on to 2026: I was surprised to receive a Facebook message from someone known as Jaap van Zyl, who was living in Perth, Western Australia. He had contacted me because he suspected that his father, also Jaap van Zyl had taught me during my standard 4 and 5 years at the Allanridge Primary School. He was right and I have fond memories of his Dad (and Mother).
The next Facebook message I received from Jaap had a photograph (Second Photograph) attached. I have copied her image from that photograph and she appears either side of the title of this blog.
To view a larger image, click on a thumb-nail. Click anywhere within the browser context in order to remove it.
Starred thumbnails have an accompanying comment that pops up and remains up, while the mouse pointer is over the thumb-nail.
 Allanridge.jpg
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 TheDutchCap01.jpg
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 2010WorldCup01.jpg
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 2010WorldCup02.jpg
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Some Links
- Allanridge on Google Maps
If you have any comments, corrections, suggestions or plain criticism,
I would appreciate it if you would communicate the same to me.
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[email protected] |
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