Die bundel, ter viering van Johannesburg se eeufees, is ‘n versameling van vier ooggetuieverslae van die lewe in die beginjare in die myndorp. Die joernale, geskryf tussen 1888 en 1909, is:
‘All the World Around!!! with pencil, pen and camera’; deur Charles Du-Val
‘Sunrise and Advancing Morn: Memories of a South African Boyhood’; deur Thomas Adlam
‘Letters, 1902-1909; deur E Bright
Uittreksels uit die memoires van William T. Powell.
Johannesburg Markplein
Du-Val se eietydse artikels is in 1888 geskryf, toe Johannesburg slegs twee jaar oud was. Charles Du-Val was ‘n professionele akteur, joernalis en skrywer. As twee-en-veertig-jarige het hy deur Suid-Afrika gereis en opgetree. Hy was ‘n skerpsinnige waarnemer van menslike gedrag wat tydens sy besoek artikels geskryf het oor sy ervaringe en indrukke van lewe in die nuwe dorp. Sy reeks van vier artikels was in die Weekly Irish Times in Dublin gepubliseer.
Corner House (H. Eckstein & Co se kantore), opgetof vir Koningin Victoria se 75ste Gedenksdag – 1897
Thomas Adlam is gebore in Suid-Afrika en sy pa was die eerste kurator van Joubert Park in Johannesburg. Sy verslag oor sy vroeë kinderjare in Johannesburg het ‘n jeugdige, bekoorlike onskuld. Die fokus is op lewe in Joubert Park, die Marist Brothers’ Skool asook belangrike gebeure soos die dinamiet ontploffing, die 1897 Jubeljaar, die oorlogsvlugtelinge se vertrek uit Johannesburg en die feesvieringe ter ere van koning Edward VII se kroning.
Die Gaiety Teater Johannesburg, in die 1880’s
Uitsig op Johannesburg 1888
Die Bright Letters is ook eietydse verslae, maar dek die interessante tydperk van 1902 tot 1909. Edmund Bright was ‘n Amerikaanse oujongkêrel wat meestal tyd spandeer het saam met mede-Amerikaners. Dié groep het meestal bestaan uit besigheidslui of ‘n elite groep Amerikaanse myningenieurs in Johannesburg. Bright het ‘n gesofistikeerde sosiale lewe gelei wat bestaan het uit etes, teater- en tennispartytjies en bofbalwedstryde.
Fontein in Joubertpark, Johannesburg
William Powell, ‘n Engelsman, was twee-en-twintig jaar oud toe hy in 1902 in Johannesburg aankom. Hy het net meer as ‘n jaar vertoef. Powell het ‘n stil, nederige lewe gelei en het ‘n jong, ruwe Johannesburg ervaar deur die oë van ‘n ambagsman wat vir wa-bouers gewerk het. In die aande het hy gewerk as toneelkneg by die Gaiety Teater waar hy die vroeë dae van Johannesburg se teater lewe waargeneem het. Hy was teenwoordig tydens die opening van die renbaan waar hy die wedders aanraai om die jokkie te steun en nie die perd nie.
UITTREKSEL UIT DIE TEKS (Memoirs of William Powell)
Life in Johannesburg
– – We arrived at Park Station in Johannesburg at about nine o’clock on the 15th of October, 1902. We were expecting to go through the customs, but they hardly glanced at us. When we were on the train, the soldiers told us to take all the army blankets that we wanted but, as we expected to go through the customs formality, we declined the offer, not wishing to be found with Army blankets. I wished I had taken a couple, as I could have made use of them later.
From the station to the built-up part of the town, you had to go through a sparsely built section at that time. After checking our baggage, we set off to scour the town for a job. There was very little doing, as we soon found out.
Wevell Brothers was the largest firm in town. Bill Russell and I went in there, but he said, ”You try first, as I would rather work elsewhere, if possible.” I stepped in and asked the foreman, if he needed a body worker. He wanted to know where I had worked before. When I told him I had just landed, he said no, he had no openings, but that he knew that a man was needed at Krugersdorp. That was about twelve miles out of town and there were no means of transportation. Then he caught sight of Bill Russell and said hello to him, and told him he could start at once, if he wished.
We left Wevell Brothers and went up to the restaurant. It was called the Standard. It was across the street from the Standard Theatre. They opened for two hours, three times a day for breakfast, dinner, and supper. lt was table d’hôte. You could eat till you burst and then pay one shilling and sixpence as you went out. It was the same price, if you ate nothing.
Well, I did not burst, but I do not think they made any profit on my first meal there. I loaded up to capacity, as I knew I had only enough money for three loaves of bread, and two or three pennies left. (Incidentally, I put them in the plate at church . I noticed they looked at me as I did so, but at that time I was still financially embarrassed). I tried to buy a penny banana from a coolie fruit peddler. He shouted at me, and I never tried to spend pennies again.