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- [S128] Russell, Jackie, email, jackie@russell62.freeserve.co.uk.
Extracted from a supplememt to A Time to Plant
- [S109] South African Government, Cape Archives, 27 Jan 2003, MOOC 6/9/659 404.
Second name added from James Collett's death notice
- [S119] Stanton, Ellen, Stanton, Ellen, 6 Mar 2003, #708.
Microfilm #1560965 > Methodist Parish Records: Cradock > Item 15: Christenings: 1842-1868
- [S119] Stanton, Ellen, Stanton, Ellen, 6 Mar 2003, Microfilm #1560965.
Entry #708 Child: Charles Hedley COLLETT Parents: James and Mary Born: 11/21/1862 Baptized: 2/3/1864
- [S172] Collett, Lynne, 12 Mar 2004, Memoirs of LHC, lynne.collett@postino.up.ac.za.
My father, Charles Hedley, was born in the Hanover District and married Amy Minnie Williams who was born on the Pacific Island of Samoa on the 2nd September 1874 and came to Durban in 1875. More about this courageous woman later. They were married on the 27th March 1895 in the Congregational Church, Smith Street, Durban (the account of their 61st Anniversary says, the Aliwal Street Congregational Church).
He was educated at Graaff Reinet and a Mr Godlonton for whom he and his father James had the greatest respect, was the Principal. . It was while Charles, aged 14, was at this school in about 1876 that he wrote out that beautiful copy of The Lord’s Prayer, which is attached. The original measuring 29†x 17†is in the possession of Hedley Collett (Aubrey’s son) of Cathcart. Rev. Rundle in his account of their Golden Wedding mentions the fact that Charles also went to Grahamstown. Charles, my father, much to his father’s disgust, joined the Bank of Africa in Graaff Reinet apparently after his expedition to the Kalahari to collect ostriches (see Daily News Account 26.3.57 of 62nd Wedding Anniversary).
He was an accountant at this Bank’s Branch in Bloemfontein when the Railway from the south was opened (see Natal Witness cutting 31.3.51). Brian Hedley has the chiming wall clock, still keeping accurate time, which Dad won at the big Sport Meeting held to celebrate the opening of the railway. See photo, which I have dated 24 May 1893 and clock, which Brian has.
While he was in Bloemfontein, Charles assisted with the laying down of the first cricket pitch at the Rambler’s Club in 1888 (see photo of 1882 cricket team and cuttings, The Friend 10.4.40 and 2.9.54). I remember him telling me that they were having difficulty in getting the pitch level when he brought along a leveling plank shod with a straight piece of hoop iron on one edge with a broom handle. In no time the pitch was level and the old Boer foreman, who was I suppose, in charge of the Club grounds, exclaimed aloud to the chairman and Committee members who had gathered to do their bit, as was customary, after 5 o’clock “Die Meester Collins (he always referred to Dad by this name) is slimmer as ‘n Boerâ€.
From Bloemfontein Dad was posted as Manager to Bethlehem and he had some hair raising stories to tell of his weekly or fortnightly journey on a Cape cart to the then branches at Kestell, Reitz, Senekal and even as far as Ficksburg, carrying thousands of Golden Sovereigns in a kist under the seat of the cart, more often than not across rivers in flood and without an escort, or agter ryer. He also had to visit a branch in Harrismith where his future brother-in-law Mr. A. Williams was manager but his romance with Amy Minnie started in Bethlehem when she came to visit her sister Mrs. Percy Goble. Percy became Mayor of Bethlehem, a post which he held for about 20 years.
Charles was sent to the newly opened National Bank in Johannesburg for a short period. One day a Mr Sam Strapp came into the Bank at Bethlehem to arrange an over draft in order to buy a farm on the Little Caledon River, 29 miles from Bethlehem and 26 from Fouriesburg. Mr. Strapp told Dad he did not like the name of the farm and asked him to suggest another. Dad had just read a book about Dunblane in Scotland and suggested that he call it Dunblane, which Sam did. This is the farm my father bought from Sam Strapp’s estate 15 years later.
Early the following year Dad left the bank to go back farming at Rynheath. This move involved taking all the family, belongings and furniture, and as the railway had not yet been opened as far as Bethlehem the moving had to be done by ox wagon to Kroonstad. Two incidents concerning this undertaking come to mind. The wagons were assembled and being loaded at Percy Goble’s Auctioneering Office not far from the Bank. The whole town had come to see us and the Goble Family (except Uncle Percy) who was apparently going along to help my mother settle in, in her new home at old Rynheath. Brother Douglas had the most amazing fair to ginger curly hair which all the women folk greatly admired. On this occasion one elderly lady came up to Douglas who promptly sat down in the road and held onto his bonnet with both hands. The other incident was when one of the wagons got stuck in a drift crossing one of several streams, and the team of sixteen oxen from the one wagon had to be hitched in front of the team which had got stuck. There was a tremendous amount of shouting and cracking of whips but still the wagon would not move. Finally my cousin Eric Goble, who was a good bit older than I, decided to assist by pushing from the back and I of course followed his example. As we did so the wagon seemed to leap forward with the result that we both landed on our faces in the mud - we of course were firmly convinced that it was our efforts that got the wagon out. Mother used to recount another incident regarding this trek, which could have ended tragically.
Apparently while we children were sleeping in the wagon, the adults were having supper under the wagon. A candle had been left burning inside and this was hanging above where Douglas was asleep. Mother fortunately heard him moaning and grousing and came to investigate and found that the candle fat from the spluttering candle had been falling onto the child’s face, who could only move his head from side to side and so was nearly suffocated by the warm candle fat.
Charles and his family finally settled down in the old Rynheath home as James had by then built Colleton and with Denham moved across the way. Willie, Charles’ youngest brother had by then returned from University and was Dad’s assistant and lived with our family.
Named Dunblane, boughtit and farmed here.
Lynne gives birth date as 1861 which conflicts with baptism record.
- [S172] Collett, Lynne, 12 Mar 2004, lynne.collett@postino.up.ac.za.
They were married on the 27th March 1895 in the Congregational Church, Smith Street, Durban (the account of their 61st Anniversary says, the Aliwal Street Congregational Church).
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