I think I’ve got most of the diary housekeeping issues out of the way in the last few entries and so I thought I’d make a start on some of the piled-up requests for information.
Frikkie Buys wrote:
Do you perhaps have any knowledge about a restaurant that used to be on the Beachfront in Durban, called the ‘Pick and Shovel?’ Who were the owners? Where can we get a recipe from that time?
Piet Kruger wrote:
Like most of the Bluff community I grew up here, saw and mingled with the Indian shrimpers at Fynnlands and saw a lot of changes throughout my stay here. { 1949-Till date } I am looking for a photo or photo’s of the old Harcourt hotel and or a photo of a view from the cliff overlooking the sea. Or even a photo of the coastal view from the bluff point towards ToTi. Any photo’s will be appreciated. I do not mind to pay or make a donation to this site. I had a complete set of photo’s in the 1960, but when I was called up for military purposes my parents moved and all, and I mean all, my stuff was lost. Years of research!!
Dayle Lee wrote
I was very excited to find this website as I have been trying to find some means of contacting Howard Carpendale in Germany, I knew him well from my school days and would be so grateful in anyone has any means of making contact with him, either through friends or family of his. We were very good friends and sadly lost touch over the years and I have a lot of catch up news to share.
I look forward to hearing from you in this regard and good work on the website, I enjoyed going through it all immensely and seeing all those familiar names and remembering the places.
Please leave a comment on this post if you can help, or contact me in the usual way.
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Mark Billingham
Piet you can find a photo taken from the top of the Bluff looking down onto Cave Rock and the tidal pool at Brighton beach at the ZigZag magazine website.
http://www.zigzag.co.za/
You will find it in their wallpaper section and it is downloadable.
Graham Brown
I happened to stumble across this website, certainly brings back memories! (Toasted sandwiches at the “Cuban Hat” or “The Nest” on the beach front and double thick chocolate milkshakes at the “Tropicale” in Albert Park!)
In response to the question about Howard Carpendale I lived next door to his sister in Yellowwood Park. Her name is Jeanette and I recall that her husbands family lived in the Mandini Amatikulu area up the Natal North Coast. She and her husband moved to live in that area -maybe they still live on the North Coast and can be found in the telephone directory. I dont think it is fair to publish her Married name here but I would be happy to reply by email – contact me by email: iwesa1@gmail.com
(I voted for Howard Carpendale when he was on a series of talent shows at about 6pm each evening on Springbok Radio, he and I forget the name of the band, won and that, probably, was a step towards his career)
I now live on the Gold Coast of Australia
John Taylor
Howard has an official website – http://www.howard-carpendale.de/ – I’m sure that contact details will appear in it, but you’ll have to be able to read German!
Graham Brown
As a child I recall hearing of a Gold Mine situated in or near Blairmont Avenue in Bellair which had actually produced a few ounces, or maybe a few grams, of gold before it was closed.
The hole must have remained for some time because I remember, as a child, my parents discussing a newspaper article about cat that fell into the hole and had to be rescued by the fire brigade!
Does anyone know more about this gold mine?
(I hope that with the price of gold now close to US$2000 per ounce I don’t start a Gold Rush!)
Allan Jackson
Hi Graham.
I do know there was quite a bit of mining activity round and about in Durban and I do know of one researcher who is pursuing that avenue. I’ll be in touch with him to see what I can glean.
Cheers
Allan
Bruce Robinson
There was another mine behind Paradise Valley/Sarnia
chantel stone
I read somewhere on this site a while back about a book that was written about how Treasure Beach on the Bluff got its name and would love to find more info if possible as i now live here and look down on it.
Allan Jackson
Hi Chantel. You’ll see the book referred to in the diary of 29 June 2010. Click here: https://www.fad.co.za/Diary/diary030/diary030.htm.
Cheers
Allan