People we knew

Many years later Reg and Vicki visited our home

Irene Lahner holding baby Ann. A photo showing my auburn hair. We did go on holiday to the South Coast of Natal at Amanzimtoti. This involved a steam train ride overnight. We would have a coupe and in the evening the seats became 2 bunks and I slept on the floor. It was actually quite comfortable and of course I loved the steam engine.
Auntie Lahner was a large Afrikaans lady who made clothes. She lived on the same floor of Atlantic Court and was a great friend. When I left in 1972 she gave me opera glasses (which although broken I still keep). One floor down were the Sanvicens. "San" was a cellist from Barcelona married to Ivy a teacher from Leek. Their only child was Gaspar who later joined the choir at St Mark's and recorded "Hear my prayer". San always referred to him as his baby. San loved to cook and would produce different cuts of meat (which they probably could not afford). Vicki Leyman was somebody Mum met at the park and they were lifelong friends. She was married to Reg a Welsh tenor who later joined the church choir and came back to faith. Dad had an enormous influence on people in that way!  Their two children Bronwen and Gareth were completely undisciplined and would climb up the curtains. This was put down to self-expression. I am sorry to say neither of them made happy marriages.
There was a very high slide at Joubert Park and I eventually plucked up courage to climb to the top and go down it. Unfortunately it was a hot day and my little bottom was quite red through my shorts. I always checked the temperature of the slide itself after that! At Christmas Joubert Park was illuminated with lots of lights although we later remarked it was not a patch on Tivoli in Copenhagen.