The typical experience of the descendents of the1820 English speaking settlers to southern Africa would be the dramatic changes they would face over a 30 year period that would incorporate two South African (Anglo-Boer) wars, the gold and diamond booms, the rise of British Imperialism, the controversial establishment of the British South Africa Company and finally the beginning of their demise as a community with the coming into power sharing of the Afrikaner Nationalist Party to South African government in 1923.
Contrary to the often held belief that settlers lived amidst plenty and splendour, those who lived far from established towns and cities lived with what they found in undeveloped areas and brought with them their own cultural pursuits such as ‘huntin, shootin and fishin’, ball sports, their love of nature, gardening, arts and letter writing and so enriched their barren lives.
Coincidentally, living amongst some of the legendary giants of development of southern Africa was my great grandfather, Arthur George Tranmer.
Born in 1867 at Mount Prospect, Natal where the 1st Anglo Boer War Peace Treaty was signed by Transvaal Republic President Paul Kruger and Boer Generals Brand and Joubert, a year old when the first diamond was found in Griqualand west, in his late teens when he rode out with the Natal Field Forces during the 1st Anglo Boer War to protect railway bridges from Boer Commandos who were trying to prevent trains with British Troops reaching their republic for annexation.
Arthur George Tranmer (seated on left chair) with Natal Field Forces during 1st Anglo Boer War
British South Africa Company offices in Salisbury, Rhodesia – 1890-91
When the British South Africa Company was established by royal decree in 1889 in England to be led by Cecil John Rhodes, the mining magnate, he was in his 20’s.
Rhodes was given the right to govern the ‘two Rhodesia’s’, now known as Zambia and Zimbabwe, and develop and control all their resources.
The objective of the Company was to establish in Africa what the East India Company was to India, a great Southern African Federation of states to the Upper Nile, developed and controlled by Imperialism. After the Company had severely quashed the Matabele uprising in southern Rhodesia in 1893, three senior Bechuana chiefs began to become suspicious of the company designs in their own territory. Rhodes, who considered Bechuanaland as the ‘Suez Canal to take control of Central Africa’ had annexed large areas of Bechuanaland. His ambitions were curtailed when in 1896 senior Bechuana chiefs visited England asking protection from the Crown from British South Africa Company expansionism in their territory. All annexed land was rescinded back to the territory except for three blocks in Lobatsi, Gaberones and Tuli, some 690,000 acres to be used by the company for cattle ranching.
Marriage certificate of Arthur George Tranmer and Maria Agnes May Cresswell in Johannesburg in 1895
Marriage photograph of Arthur George Tranmer and Maria Agnes May Cresswell in Johannesburg in 1895
By 1923 development of ‘the two Rhodesia’s’ began to require a permanent form of government and control of them was taken over by the Crown. The company was only allowed to retain its mineral rights which were to be handed back to the Crown in 1986. The Company in 1923 received a cash payment from the Crown for the loss of territorial rights.
Arthur George Tranmer trekking cattle across the Limpopo River in the Tuli for the British South Africa Company
In 1896 my grandmother was born on her parent’s farm in Yeoville, near Johannesburg. Today Yeoville is a high density inner city residential area of industrialised Johannesburg which has been developed on top of the old gold mines.
Gladys May Tranmer in Johannesburg, 1900
By 1916 my grandmother found herself a school leaver kicking her heels on the Lobatsi Estate, ‘Woodlands’ farm. Her father, a speculator, owned mines in Rhodesia and shares in the British South Africa Company. During the expansionist years in southern Africa he had prospected for gold in Pilgrims Rest, rode out with Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, a fellow randlord, brushed shoulders with another writer, Rider Haggard and even spent time with Rudyard Kipling during his African visits as a guest of Cecil John Rhodes.
My grandmother, to while away the hours, found herself a bantam and bee farmer on the Lobatsi Estate, while in far-away England my grandfather, a young trooper, Brian Croneen, was resigning from his horse regiment, ‘The King’s Colonials’,
his head full of the exploits of the popular adventure hero of that time ‘Legionary (mercenary) ‘Maori’ Browne of New Zealand and as his daughter Peggy Ruth Elizabeth May tells her father’s story further;
…….…At the age of 21 his father gave him a boat ticket to Africa, five pounds, a trunk containing bare necessities, a dress suit and an alarm clock. He landed in Cape Town, pawned the trunk, alarm clock and dress suit and bought a rail ticket to the Bechuanaland Protectorate (now Botswana). Arrived in Lobatsi he got a casual job at the creamery. Shortly afterwards he joined the BSAP (British South Africa Police) in 1911 in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. He did foot and scotch cart patrols, particularly in the Kariba Valley which was later turned into a wonderful lake.
In 1913 he returned to Botswana where he joined the Civil Service. War broke out and in 1914 he served in the forces in South West Africa, now Namibia and there he contracted black water fever and had to return to South Africa for treatment. Black water is a very severe form of malaria and in those days very few patients survived. He then returned to Bechuanaland and joined the Bechuanaland Protectorate police force.
He married Gladys May Tranmer in 1918 in Lobatsi, on Woodlands Farm.
Brian Croneen and Gladys May Tranmer on their wedding day at Woodlands Farm, Lobatsi in 1918
Arthur Laurence Croneen was born on the 7th April 1919 and Peggy Ruth Elizabeth May Croneen on the 15th June1920
The children Arthur and Peggy with their mother and grandparents at Woodlands Farm, Lobatsi
Brian and Gladys spent very exciting and dangerous years in Bechuanaland. They stayed in outlandish places with no electricity and running water. They were stationed in the Kalahari Desert at a place called Tsabong. .
From left to right- Ramotsa Police Camp – 1920; Bains Drift Police Quarters-1931; Kanye Police & Magistrates Office -1925; Tsabong Police Quarters – 1920; Gaberones Police Quarters- 1937 with Peggy & Arthur bathing their favourite dog, Mask
The only Europeans for miles and the only form of transport being camels. Brian had to do long patrols on camels and leave Gladys alone in Tsabong with only bushmen as companions or protection, if you will.
They also stayed in lonely places in Ngamiland swamps, with only four walls and two tarpaulins in place of a roof and to prevent sunstroke. This place was called Tsotsorogga. They were also stationed in Maun, the so called capital in Ngamiland, also Kasane which is now known as Chobe, where they were the only whites.
The time he was in Ngamiland he did patrols on horseback or on foot, followed by a scotch cart, very often followed by lions, which became a great threat as they often ate the oxen. When possible Gladys accompanied him. Both of them were excellent shots which helped to keep lions at bay. Brian was a very good equestrian and Gladys too was excellent and rode side saddle, which very often upset the police horses as they were not used to it.
Dad founded the very first Mounted Depot in Bechuanaland and trained many men both black and white in the art of riding. He also trained the Royal Mounted Escort when the Prince of Wales visited Bechuanaland.
And so in conclusion, in semi-desert climes in farflung Bechuanaland police outposts they grew honeysuckle over their turtle dove nests, produced their pigeon pair, who like other settler children in remote areas these two would share the inevitable fate of being sent off to ‘suitable boarding schools’ 1000’s of kms away and family lives would be tacked together by their letters that would lead to war zones and the final cycle of marriage and children of their own. My grandma’s collection of her children’s letters from 1925 (the year her father died fighting a bush fire on the Lobatse Estate during particularly ferocious dry season) to after the 2nd World War tell a poignant story of the separation settler families faced, their eternal longing for home always to be sacrificed for the ideals of the British South Africa Company motto ‘Justice, Freedom, Commerce……………’
Their father’s letters to the children and the promised donkey in the photograph
Children's letters from 1930 to 1946
Molpole
22.11.30
BP
My dear Mother and Father
I had a nice drive with Mr Knobel, the road was lovely and green from the rain. Mom you remember those little kittens that we gave Betty, well they are as big as Mummy Kitty all ready. Betty is sitting next to me writing all sorts of rubbish and says that she is writing to Mrs Booker and she is telling all her secrets and says that she is going to send it by the boy but I dont know how she is going to that though because there is no boy here. We are going to play with come-back this after noon. Mrs Booker is takeing this letter for me. Please give my love and lots of it to Dad and to Ween and Mummy Kitty and Tiny Tim and the pigeon and Stumpy. I am having a nise time here. Well now I must end with lots and lots of love and kisses to you and Dad from your loveing Peggy
Bonzo Bay
East London
Date Sunday
My darling Mom and Dad
Thank you ever so much for your letters I was pleased to get them I am out at Bonzo Bay is lovely out here in the shack Mrs Baker is so nice to me and the boys to, but Dick is very fond of teasing, he is always teasing me, but I dont mind it. It is just pouring with rain but still we cant miss our swim so we are going to go just now we can chose to swim in the river or in the sea Dick is like a fish he lives in his bathing costuem all day his full of sport Mrs Baker's Mother and Father are out here and so he must tease some one so had just cought a rat so he put it on the kitchen table to frighten Gramma as we all call her and she looked round and saw this rat on the table and she screamed and made us all laugh I will be very sorry when I have to go back to school. I hope you got the report allright I addressed it Mrs Boily said we must. My dear Mom please get leave for me I cant stand boarding school, I just must leave if you wrote and tell me that I cant leave I will pack it straight away and run away that night even if you say dont be silly I will go Mother dear you have no idea how much I hate boarding school I promise to work very hard for you if you let me leave here I havent had a proper nights sleep since I left home I worry the whole night and then dont feel like work The last few nights I was at school I cried all night till the morning I know I didnt go to sleep because I cried all the night through Mother I have been at school for a whole two months and I havent been really happy once. I am always looking unhappy even the girls say I always used to be so cheery the first few days and I always are looking so unhappy now I feel absolutely miserable these days and I never shall be happy until I leave here for good and I will grow up to be a very unhappy little girl nothing will make me happy until I can come home or else go to Johannesburg some where better than here where I have some relations. I shall cry all day and night if I cant leave remember what I said I can easily do it because quite a lot of other girls are making up their minds and they say that they want a few more and then they will go so if I join them we will go so dont blame me if I turn up some day because I have warned you about it. Remember please do try and imagine it Mom and Dad please. Mrs Baker's Mother (I dont know her name) saw me reading a book that Dick had given me to read and I put it down and was looking at another book so she picked it up and started reading it and then she said you mustnt read this book it is about murder and Dick said it is a jolly good book anyway she went and got another book and said it was a good book and Dick said lets have a look and he looked in the front of the book and saw a picture of a man murdering a nother man it was worse than the other one we laughed like anything Dick and I sit and play cards at night but Hue goes to bed he is tired he fished all night and we play gambeling with beans it is fun he is good sport he always stops home and helps his mother with things and he and I lay the table for Mrs Baker and dust it is funny to see a big boy like that dusting and doing things, he made a little bat out of a piece of wood and a marble and we played for a long time and then Mrs Baker and I went out for a bathe in the pouring rain and the sea water was so lovely and warm we are going to bathe again just now Dick can get a new name for me he would he calls me Piggy instead of my proper name – he is full of fun and always happy. Yesterday Mrs Baker and I went for two bathes in the rain. Mrs Baker took a towel and sand shoes but I just went down with just my costuem and cap the sea water was lovely and warm the both times that we went when we were comeing back it just poured as hard as anything it was lovely to feel the rain and it is still looking rainy but still we can bathe the boys say it is to cold but Mrs Baker and I love it Mrs Baker and I are always together Please excuse me writing in pencil but there is no ink here Mom I am afraid that you will get this letter late because there is no letter box here and Mrs Baker is only going in on wednesday so I coudent post it early I am so sorry but I think it is quite long one it is my most amount that I have ever written and I think tomorrow or later on I will have more news. My dear Mom & Dad I must end now because Mrs Baker is going in today instead. My dear Mom & Dad please please get leave for me I cant stop at boarding school please please get leave Ma I will really really run away un less I can leave please please Mom I must end with lots & lots of love & kisses from your poor little Pegs please please please take me away Peggy
Bonzo Bay
East London
Date
My darling Mom & Dad
I am writing you a small letter as my paper is finished only two pages are left. Mom I am feeling most terrible home sick although I am still with Mrs Baker but the thought of going back to the terrible prison and having to think of the next time that I go home that you will be very unkind and make me go back to prison Mom and Dad in the old days I am sure there was not such a place as this it was ever much more that the Girls High (blow the place) is really I cant stand it any longer. We went to town on Tuesday and I went to the school for my poast and there was no one there and the sight of the place nearly drove me mad only three more days and I will be in prison again. We have had a lot of rain here lately On Wensday night we took the boat down to the river and Hue rowed us up to the end of the river he woudent stop until we got there we dident get back till ten 'o clock it was lovely in the moonlight the boys take me for a bathe every morning Mrs Baker took us the first morning but she is not well so is not bathing so I go with the boys I dont like it very much because I am not used to it but still Mom & Dad you must think I am mad always worring you but if you knew what it is like you would take me away it is impossible fore me to do my work because I feel worried and all sad and feel as if I could burst out crying any minute please please please take me away Mom please I shall just fade away if you dont take me away Dad please take me away if you knew how unhappy I was really (tears) I sigh as I write this and tears come into my eyes as I write this Mom & Dad this will be the last letter that I write to you if you write and tell me that I cant leave because the next one will be with my own lips or never because I will die of sorrow and heart broken if I cant leave OH MOTHER & FATHER please get leave for me My Heart is Breaking Now this minute please please please Mother Mother Mother oh please tears are tripling down my face Dad please get leave I am sure you will Dad & Mom I just cant leave here I am fading away even Mrs Baker says I dont eat much but I just say its how I feel how sad & worried oh Dad I am sure you will if you dont I shall just fade away just go please take me away I am sorry that I have to change paper but I havent got any of mine left so Mrs Fapsins lent me some We are going down to the beach just now Mom & Dad have a heart and let me go home and leave school please let me leave school. Dick is a little monkey he is fond of teasing me but he cant get anything out of me. Mrs Neale wrote a letter to Mrs Baker and says that you arent going to be transferred. I am pleased that we are going to stop. How is my dear old pets especially dear little 'Timy' and old Stumpy poor old horse Dear Mom & Dad this is the last letter that I can write to ask you to get leave for me so please have a heart and let me go Mom please I have never been so unhappy in all my life and it is spoiling my life and when I am big I will always look unhappy & miserable that life wont be worth living Mother I cant stop at school I am so unhappy that I dont know what to do. Mom & Dad it makes me feel terrible to think that when I come home in June I will have to leave you again I cant stand it any longer if you could see how thin I was you would take me away straight away I cant get fat if I dont eat and I never will be fat till I leave because I wont eat I am to worried and home sick I dream about you & Dad every night and home now and then I worrie all the more please oh please please take me away I shall die of broken heart if you dont Mom I know it makes it very hard for you when you get my letter pleading you to take me away but it is worser for me I have got to suffer the most oh dear Mom & Dad please please take me away please Mother I cant live with out you Dad & HOME Sweet Home oh Mother please take me away Mom if you dont I shall run away as sure as anything please please it is no joke. I can assure you if you knew what it was like you would run away as quickly as anything I have never been in prison before and I could understand it if I had done saeme thing wrong but I havent so I dont intend to be kept in prison so I am going to pack up and go right home oh mother dear & Dad please please please take me away I cant stick it any longer please please please get leave for me. It is a slump here and so they make us put 2d more on the letters now and they have put a lot on to other things about threepence I am going to play tenneecoils with Mrs Baker I have got some thing in my eye & its hurting anything I dont know what to do Mom I am feeling so home sick Mom please take me away I have no one to care for me and I just feel lonely and forgotten about. I have a little play mate here she is in our standard. Sue is quite nice her name is Marie. Well my dear Mom & Dad I must end with lots & lots & lots of love and kisses from your Poor little baby unhappy home sick little Peggy.
Please have pity on me I wont know how to thank you if you take me away weanie
Girls High School
East London
1/3/31 Sunday
My darling Mother
Thank you ever much for your letter and also for the lovely long string of pearls they are lovely and those nice shoes they are lovely and comfortable. I miss you so much my dear mother. Donnie wodent let me go out for the free weekend. And yesterday just four of us were left here so we went out for the day on the beach for lunch and when we get there we got into our bathing costum all day we had lunch in our bathing costum, and as a special treat we were allowed to bath in breakers it was lovely. We were at lunch to buy anything we liked excepting ice cream because they say that AI ice cream is bad but it is not true it is rubbish but still it was lovely. The night before last we were all asleep and we woke up with a funny tapping and we saw a funny tall white standing next to our lockers we all saw it so it is true because when we woke up we all said that they had seen it we got a terrible fright it is no joke we have just come out of dinner and had a good feed. The other girls are comeing back tonight. Lorna has asked me to go out with her for a drive so Mrs Gray says that I may go it will be nice we are going out at 3 o clock.
My darling darling mother I wish I was with you please give love to Gramma and tell her I will write to her as soon as I have a chance. I wrote three pages to Dad before I wrote to you. My darling I must end now there is now news here.
My darling darling mother good buy with lots and lots and lots & lots & lots of love and kisses from Peggy.
GHS
EL
8/3/31 Sunday
My darling Mother and Father
Thank you ever so much for your letter I was pleased to get it. Arthur came and saw me yesterday and brought me an ice cream. When he saw me first he asked me if I was alright and if I was sure, he is a funny kid and I saw him at church again. It is nice to have somebody to come and see me on Saturday, I dont feel so lonely. I came forth from the bottom, and last time I was third from the bottom so I am better Mrs Booty was very pleased with me. I am pleased with myself. Miss Donland says we can all go to see Iolanthe on next Saturday night. I am going it will be nice. Here we play that the one of the big girls are our mother and Freda is mine we all call her Freddie she is a nice girl and Jean is Pearl Brill's little girl so we are going to have our snaps taken today I will be able to send you a snap of it I can swim already I can swim on my back and on my front and I can float alone without any body helping me it is great fun. Dr Waddle has just been to see me and says that my tonsils are much better and says that I am looking much better. Selborn has got the measles so they cant play cricket against the Dale collage, How are all my old friends and all my dear pets please give heaps and heaps of to darling Timy and tell him that he must still be playing so that he can play with me in the June hols, only two weeks and five days left for the ten days hols the time has passed quickly. The ones that want new bathing costeum can get the colours green and white they are very nice, last time we went for a bath there was hardly any water in the Quanza and it was terrible cold and the big girls could stand in the Deep end and I could stand at the five foot easely it was funny. Last night we were very naughty we jumped all over the place and threw pillows through the little window into the dressind room and it hit Mrs Gray and when Mrs Gray came in we all got into any ones bed and when Mrs Gray asked who threw it we didn't answer and Mrs Gray lost her temper and started stamping her foot on the floor, and we all laughed and she went out because she didn't know what to say. I expet Dad was pleased to see you back again There are some very nice girls here they are all very nice to me and are never cross with me especialy Freddie she is so nice to me I havent been to Donnie for being naughty yet and hope that I never will. No body has been cross with me since I have been here. But still I dont like it at all I wish that I could leave here I always feel so home sick and just long to leave here. Well my darling Mom I must end now with lots and lots & lots & heaps & heaps of love and kisses please write soon you and my darling Dadrills lots and lots of love and kisses from your lovely little Peggy
GHS
EL
19/4/31
My darling Mom & Dad
Thankyou ever so much for your letters I was so pleased to get them. Thankyou ever so much for the snaps they are lovely especially of Dad & Timy he is a darling, his tail is a Size! Really. Tell my little Tims that I often think of him and long for him. I expect Gramma is with you now I would love to be at home but Oh! It is nearly hols oh! Mom I am so excited please excuse my pencil Mom please excuse my writing because there is such a naughty little kid sitting next to me she keeps on trying to be funny. Mom you know that Luie Gorge kid he always wink at me when I get hold of him he had better look out all the girls tease about him he anows me. I havent felt home sick once for a long time. My darling Mom & Dad I have got now newese please dont think that I dont want to write to you but there is no newse Matron took us out yesterafter noon to the cemetary the graves are lovely well that is all my newse with lots of love & kisses from your poor little Peggy
GHS
EL
7/6/31
My darling Mom and Dad
Thank you ever so much for your letter's I always kount the days for your letter's. I am writing half of my letter now on Saturday afternoon. “Queen Town” boys came to play Selborn and of corse Selborn won. Our exams are finished I only found the Grammar I dident know where to put the answer, and in the Arthmetic I only got one sum right. It is the first time I have got one right in tests it is better than none isent it. We have just come back from church and I saw “A”, he was shy. Mom I am so tired of this place Mrs Booty always goes for the boarders I hate her like poison, Oh! Mom only 12 more days. Mom I am so fed up about Dad only being at home for such a short time, it is such a shame. Mom I leave here on Friday the nineteenth at half past eight in the morning lots of girls travel up with me Freda my best friend I call her my mother just for fun Mom she is such a sweet girl she is always nice to me how is my darling little Timy please give him my love and give heaps & heaps of love to Darling Dad and to Grans too now I must end darling only one more letter to you with heaps & heaps of love and kisses from your Poor lovely little Peggy
GHS
EL
Sunday 19 July
My darling dear Mom & Dad
Thank you ever so much for your letters I was pleased to get it. Mom I am going to tell you about my terrible journey from dear old Gabs, when we left we had to stay out on the balcony it was awfully cold and then we went into that compartment that has washing hanging out of the window both of us went in there we seven of us, there were two ladies, two little boys & Arthur & myself and a little baby it was terrible I had a lovely time in Johannesburg I am finding the work much easier than before Arthur came to see me yesterday he is quite happy we have six new pots and we have had the new pots concert it was fun but I would like to be at home have you found those keys that we lost, everybody loves old Teddy & so do I how is my darling Little Timy & Mask give my love to them all have you still got Micky at the house. We have got nice little GHS badges they are awfully pretty. Mom I am going to try and write to Dad now. I must end darling with lots and lots of love from poor little Peggy
GHS
EL
9/8/31
My darling Mom & Dad
Thank you ever so much both your letters please tell Dad I can read his letters it is easy I do look forward to getting your letters it seems funny only getting your letters once every two weeks Mom we had a bazzar yesterday I bought quite a lot of things I enjoyed myself at Mrs Benetts place it was so natural and nice Mom if you want me to learn dancing you must write to Miss Donald tell you that you want me to learn. But I would love to learn we have got to have a fuga silk costeum for it some colours or other. How old is Mask???? The school work is quite hard we have to do eight sums before we go home Some days Mrs Booty says that I will pass and others she says that I wont so I dont know which Well my darlings there is no newse so I must end with lots & lots of love & kisses from your lovely little Peggy
GHS
EL
Sunday 23 August
My darling Mom
Many happy returns of the day. I hope you have a very happy birthday with lots of love & best wished for a happy birthday. Mom I just sending you a little present it is not very nice, I hope you will like it. I am sending Dad a little thing too as I have got them both here I will send them to you. Mom there was another play called “Patura” it was lovely. Elaine Ireland's sister was the leading one, the same as Iolanthe the scenery was lovely and the dress was lovely too Mom I am quite bucked I came two places up in class last time I was 30th out of 37 and this time I am 28 out of 37 thank I am not with the bad girls any more I hope to come higher this time though. Oh! Mom I am so tired there is no newse at all Mom we have only 14 more weeks to Christmas hols and only 12 wks of school Oh! My darling Mom there is no newse so I must end with L & L of love and best wishes for a very happy birthday & kisses from Peggy your baby
How is little Mask
GHS
EL
Sunday 23 August
My dear Dad
I am just writing a short letter to you Dadrills I hope that you go back to Bains Drift it must be lovely there Dad I am just sending you a little present with Moms birthday I hope you will like it We went to a play called Patient it was lovely one of the girls here sister was the leading one. Dad you know what we got for dinner the other day we had carrot tops for spinage it was just like grass and Miss Trollip made me eat it “OUGH” some taste we are turning into horses soon I will be with Stumpy my darling I must end with Lots & Lots of Love & kisses
from Peggy (your baby)
GHS
EL
10/10/31
My darling Mom & Dad
Thank you ever so much for your letters I do so look forwards to getting them I am writing in prep today Miss Donald takes the little ones letters in today I wish that the hols were here. We went for our first bathe today but the upcountry girls were only allowed to stay in for 10mins. But it was lovely in the water. Mom I hope I pass to five I am trying so hard Arthur hasint come to see for a long time I havent had that five shillings either but I wont worry, we have a new house mistress called Miss Newington she is nice but we do miss Miss Trollip so I wish she was back Mom I wish that it was this time 8 wks. I hope I see “A” in church tomorrow Mom none of the other girls have got costuems they only have pumps the first quarter. Last night I had such ear ach and Miss Donald put some hot oil in my ear with cotton woll and now it is alright Mom darling I must end now with lots of love & kisses from Pegs your daughter everloving Lots of love to Dadrills
GHS
EL
4/4/33
My darling Mom & Dad
Thank you very much for your two letters I got this week and thank you Dad darling for the money you sent me, this term we have first 4 days holidays then later again 2 days so I will be able to buy ice creams!!!! hot dogs!!!! whoopee!!!! Only 10 more weeks mother & Dadrills darling and then altogether we have 6 days out so really 9 more weeks just fancy it is a bit early but still it will soon pass. Mom what must I put on my labels? I mean please answer this question it is very important. Yesterday evening it started to rain and ever since it has poured and now it is this evening the play ground is absolutely flodded
Saturday
It is only the morning now so I will see “A” later I got a nice book for him it was 6/- before I got it for 2/6 it has a boy diving on it I will give it to him today though it is a bit late
Sunday
I have just come back from church and as you know it is Palm Sunday and I got a cross. Mom you know the procession that goes round, up the aisle, well this time the Selborne boys had to join on then the Sunday school children, when “A” came round I saw him it was an awful crush and he was pushing and taking small steps when he passed as he burst out laughing but Toney didnt see him She was too busy singing. I got a letter from Gramma yesterday. Vere has got 7 Boiles on a rather unconvenient place where you rests your-self when you are tired that's putting it polietly ahem!!!!! Then Seniors went to see a play called “A Bill of Divorcement” but we couldent go because we are juniors I mean Middle schoolers ahem!!!! “A” seemed to enjoy his birthday Well Mom & Dadrills darling I must end with lots & lots & L O T S of L O V E from your 2nd Baby Pegs
GHS
EL
Sunday 1933
My darling Mom & Dad
Thank you very much for your letter I was glad to get it. It is the weekend out but I am going out. Sheila asked me out for Monday But Miss Newington would'ent let me go because she said that I was not to go out with anybody but Mrs Baker. Mom if you did say it please wont you let me go out with other people because it is the boys last holiday and it is pretty feeble staying in if you think I can go out with other people because she wont let me out other-wise. Mrs McCullam wrote to the Principal Mrs Jones and she told Shelia to go to Miss Newington with the note. And told me about what you told her and that was all she did not even write to Miss McCullam so I am going to write and thank her for asking me tomorrow. We went to the bio yesterday “Tasan The Apeman” it was simply georgeous. I wish you could have seen it. I saw “A” at the Hospital Rag yesterday he did look a freake.
Well darling there is no newse Miss Jones send her love I must close with love to all animals and every body Sorry such a short letter Mom but no newse so I must end “A” went with Colin to the Longa Hotel with HEAPS & HEAPS of love
love Baby Pegs
GHS
EL
12th April 19
My darling Mom & Dad
Thank you ever so much for all your letters that I got I was pleased to get them and thank you also ever so much for the lovely easter Eggs and for all the lovely tuck it was lovely and for all my little trinkets too and for the watch strap it was fine. Mom you musent put two stamps on your letters only in the Union so dont waste your pennies only we have to. Mom why did you wire to Donnie she called me away from school and I missed an whole hour of school and I cried that whole hour but Donnie was very nice to me and asked why I was so unhappy so I told her that I was feeling home sick and said that I was unhappy but Mom dear I will try and be happy now I have made up my mind at that so I will try but it is very hard oh Mom Mom there is one thing that I will ask you that is will you please cancel that going to Lobatse un less my toncels are bad because they are quite better because it is worying me to think that I will have such a short hols and I will spend most of them in hospital so please cancel it. I am sorry that my report was not good and you wear'nt pleased. I will try and do better there is only four more weeks left and it will be the week end off it will be four days I might stop here but I dont know Mrs Baker may ask me. Mom who is Mrs Balintine is it that lady who was shopping with Mrs Mark if it is I would like to of course I would rather go to Mrs Baker if she asked me but she asked me first and Nole lives there and we would travel up together in the train but it will be nice I would love to go how are all my dear old pets I am glad that we are not going to FrancisTown so I will be able to ride old Stumpy And see Sheila I cant ask you to take me away because I have made up my minde and you will only tell Donnie. Well my darling Mom & Dad I must end now there is no newese With lots & lots of love from your poor little Daughter ask Dad not to be cross any more because it makes me unhappy With lots & lots of love from little Peggy
GHS
EL
23rd April
My darling Mom & Dad
Thank you very much for your letters. I do look forward to getting them. My word!!! Mom & Dad you are getting quite gad abouts Whoopee!!! I wish I was at home now it must be lovely to just run into Mafeking in ½ an hr gee!! I would like to see Mrs Paul again does she live in her same house and has she still got Polly. When will you go over to spend the day with Alister, when you do please give my love to Mr & Mrs Paul I saw “A” yesterday and he is looking wonderful well, he told me that we are going to leave here in 8 weeks time A girl in Vere clase died on Monday of diabutious Donnie was dreadfully upset. I felt soory for her. I also saw “A” in church today Selborne beat us in Hocky 4-nill but wait a bit when I play we will beat them HOLLOW Ahem!!! I have gone crazy on collecting Film Stars Janet Gaynor & Charles Farrell they're OK. Miss Donald is going to let us go over the bar this term to go over a boat I hope I dont get sick especially in the basket Well Mom & Dad I am dry now I have no newse only look after yourselves see With lots & lots of love & kisses from Pegs
Mom now to answer your questions yes thank you I got the shorts and my watch was found in my handbag love from Batty Pegs
GHS
EL
6/5/33
My darling Mom & Dadrills
Thank you very much for your letters I do look forward to getting them it is only Saturday now but I feel a bit blue so I am writing I am so glad that we have got a gramaphone now when you get the record please try and get “Red Lips kiss my Blues away!! “A” showed me some snaps today of the camp he has got a posh one of Colin Church and himself on the pier. I tried to pinch it but he caught me, it is not in my possession yet!! But!!
Sunday We have just come back from church and I saw “A” he passed us on his Bike and I also saw Hugh and Stumbles & George Cox they went up in Mrs Bakers car they have hurt their legs in football or something. Yes Mom we do brak up on the 16th only 40 more days but I may leave on Wednesday the 14th so that I can get a connection at Johannesburg but you will have to ask Miss Donald please find out Mom Poor old Polly I suppose he is getting old Is Alaister engaged to Miss Spit finger? I dont know how to spell it. 6 girls went to the Selborne dance last night Vere, Evelyn, Daphne Brussow, Pearl, Marian Hartly & Ruth Everit. Evelyn saw Arthur and the other boys, Vere & Evelyn when over Selborne last night. Hugh took one of our teachers the one that took me to foot ball and the tea room. “A” didnt go nor did Church or Todd. In 2years time I am going to the GHS dance Miss Earp says that my work is improving, But Grammar & Afrikaans are my weakest subjects but I am working hard only on Saturdays & Sundays I fool
Well Darlings I must end I havent any newse my newse is not worth readings
With lots & lots of love & kisses from Batty Pegs
GHS
EL
15th 1933
My darling Mom & Dadrills
Thank you ever so much for your letters and for the swanky pyjamas, I am sorry you cross with my letters I just felt in a mad mood Mom you know that there is no silly nonsense between Hugh & I or any other boy I have never liked that rubbish, beside Mom Mrs Baker was in town and Hugh asked me to go with him and I couldent say no I am not allowed to go out with you it would seem as though I was scared he would run away with me or something, well they are going to Rodesia at the end of this year so I wont go out with the boys any more. Mom I have got quite enough sense (at least I hope I have) to look after myself so please dont worry I am going to write to Marion and ask her what day she reaches Die Aar and Joye van Blek travels up on the same train so I will have three people to look after me Joyce, Arthur, Marion. Mom I asked “A” to come with Doreen but he says it will cut his lessons too much and he dos'ent like dances so he wont come, I am going to ask Brian Stumbles. Mom it is quite allright about my dress I dont mind what it is made of or how it is made it will be an evening frock I am looking forward to seeing it. The dance isent till the 11th of next month just think only 8 weeks and we will be going HOME for 7 weeks hols. Mom if any teacher or anybody writes and asks you if you are better or what the matter was or anything connected with illness say you are better or something because when the girls asked me what the matter was I said that you were ill dont forget now
.
Thank you ever so much for letting me get the shoes Mom darling I am really and extravagant little beast arent I Miss Newington says I must go to the dentist for and inspection and I know I have a hole so there goes 10/6 really I am awful sorry Mums & Dadrills darlings.
Well darlings please give my love to all animals and insects and everything.
Well darlings I must cast anchor and I will be quite as a mouse now
Well Lots & Lots & Lots & Lots of
Love & kisses & hugs
from Baby Pegs
ARTHUR'S LETTERS TO HIS PARENTS AND LITTLE SISTER
Sunday (1925)
My Dear Mommie and Daddy
Thank you for your letters. Billy is a very naughty little donkey not to eat the carrot I will have to teach him I am going to have the mealie for lunch today Peggy and I
Much love Arthur
Woodlands
Monday (1925)
My darling Mommie
This is to wish you Many Happy returns of the day for your birth day
I have made you a little necklace I hope you will like it.
We had a lovely slweep last night
Love and XXX to dear Mommie and Daddy Arthur
Selborne Collage
East London
April 25th 1929
My dear Mother
Thank you ever so much for your lovely letter. I wasant happy till I got it. I am glad you got home safely. Thankyou for the stamps was needing them, It was a pity I couldent see you off. There was a terribly axdent the day you left that afternoon the booms were down and a train was passing through a tram came down and the train driver couldent put his brake on and smashed into the boom, the drivers head was all cut from some iron that fell from the top. Tell Peggy I am sending this little doll I got in a lucky packet and some stamps, you stick the coulard part on a piec of paper and put some water on it and rub it till the paper is quite thin then pull it off. I have nothing else to say so I will say good by
Your loveing Arthur
SC
EL
2nd Nov 1929
My dear Mother and Father
Thankyou ever so much for your letter also for those shoes you and Father sent me it was nice of you I use them only for Sundays. Dr Rattray told all the boys they must tell their parents to address the letter to Selborne College Hostle because if you address it to Selborne Collige the post man delivers it to the school so the boys dont get their letters till later on. It is cricket season now I am learning to play cricket now. We play cricket against the other classes and often beat them. The Inspector hasent visited us yet I think he is coming to us next week. How is the bike now, can Pegs ride it yet did you get my letter last week I hope you got it I hope you are all quiet well and happy. Well I will close now with lots of love to you all from Arthur
SC
EL
Nov 16th 1929
My dear Pegs
Thank you ever so much for your letter. How are you getting on now how is the cat and Kim Have you had the Inspector yet we have. I can play rugby now and cricket. I have very little news to tell you. Can go ride my bike now Pegs it is quite easy to ride. I will soon be home Pegs I am excited. How are you all. I am quite well I will have to close pegs I have no news but I will write on Tuesday again With lots of love from Arthur
SC
EL
Nov 23re 1929
My dear Mother
Thankyou ever so much for your nice long letter I was pleased to get it. I hope you are quite well and happy I dont need a hat down here Mother it is quite cool here I am glad Peggy is better again. I am looking forward to holidays they soon be here.
I have sent you and Father some snap of the Cadets on Armisters day I havent much news to tell you. It was raining on Thursday again. Well I will close now. I will write again on Wednesday With lots of love from Arthur PS Good news Mother I have passed into Std 4
SC
EL
Nov
My dear Mother
Thankyou ever so much for your letter I was pleased to get it.
I am so excited because the holiday will soon be here The new pots are having hard work now, it is most of them there last quarter and next year they will be old pots. I will need about 12/6 for standard four books, I am buying them second hand for half the price and they are almost new If I had of bought them new I would have to of payed 16/8 for them so I am glad I bought them Dr Rattray said that the Inspector must of slipped me becaus I passed into standard four. Will Pegs still be in school when I come home Or will she be having holidays I will ask Dr Rattray what day I leave here and tell you at once. I hope you are all quite happy I can tell you I am specialy the night I arrive I will have fits of joy
I havent any news to tell you Mother I will tell you when I come home With lots of love from your loving Arthur
SC
EL
28.2.30
My dear Mother
Thankyou ever so much for your letter I was pleased to get it. I am sending you this paper the teachers give each boy one and you have got to sign it if you want me to learn it I couldnot worry about it it is 7/6 a term pleas dont sighn it unless you do want me to learn I dont think it is neassuary Mother, I am glad to hear you like Gaberons Well how are you all keeping. If I was at home now I would fix those old tyres up I tell you what did you bring those old tubes with you if you did ask Piet to cut them round and then he can put them inside the tyre then it would be alwright but please dont get new ones keep the old ones still mother. It must be quite pleasant in Gaberones having plenty of tennies now.
I have payed my money for tennies on these courts here at the college it is only 1/- here so I pay every afternoon here I get plenty of practic now Well mother I will close now With lots of love and kisses from Arthur
SC
EL
29.3.30
My dear Mother
Thankyou ever so much for your letter I was pleased to get it.
Well the holidays have started this term has gone quickly.
I am glad you like the new car no I havent seen the new one in East London. I havent seen Mrs Nettleton yet I suppose she forgot about it.
I am sending Pegs a few comics there are quite a few I dont think she has seen them.
How are you all keeping I hope quite well. There is no news here at all
No we are not going to the top school now But I have got into the sports there are going to start in the quarter comeng so I am practicisig
Well I will close with love and kisses from Arthur
SC
EL
26-4-30
My dear Mother
Thankyou ever so much for your letter I hope you received my last one asking you for that money for those togs they are cheap arent they.
We had a very happy week-end from Friday till Wednesday on Wednesday we started school again there were 36 of us here in that week-end it was fine going for picnics nearly every day, we were never short of grub or anything else, we went out to sandy hill and signal hill just behind the beach the most and had the most fun I can tell you. One time we raided another camp but only got their appels till they were fine all the same. How are you all keeping I suppose quite well Grama is with you now isnt she you must be excited having her with you the whole time she is pleased too I know myself it is a long time since you saw her isnt it Mom.
The Governer General was down here on Tuesday. He is going on his last visit round Africa then he is going home to England all the cadets were down at the Town Hall the Selborne cadets were the best there even the General himself said so you should have seen them mother they were fine, and he looked fine too he came in a lovely big Crysler, Princess Mary and Princess Alice were there too all the ladies that were behind me made me sick with their aren't they sweet they both inspected the guides they were in guide uniform too. Many cadets fainted five of them in two hours still that was too long to stand there wasent it even some of the parade masters almost fainted it was quite hot that day still we got the day off from school that was one thing.
It must of looked smart I should of liked to of seen Father he must of looked fine didint he Mother I can just amagine him on his old horse at the front of those twelve native police behind
I will be glad to be able to learn to ride old Stumps he must be a funny old thing as you say.
I suppose dad looks forward to the duck shoots I wouldent mind if I was at home with him it must be lonely. Well Mother there is not much news to tell you here My it is cold here now of course it is winter and we are freezing but dont send any more clothes down these vests are fine and warm. Rugby starts on Wednesday again I am going to try and get my game for the B team I might I think. Well Mother I will close now with love and kisses from Arthur
SC
EL
3 May 1930
My dear Mother
Thankyou very much for your letter a fine long one. It was very rainy yesterday but we got off at half past twelve and we had halfday Sports on Wednesday it will be fine I dont think I am in any race except the bicycel race and the 880 yds, we have little butons with colours of one house on it is yellow and black with a R on it which means Rodes (!!!!!) We just watched them down on the Town Hall as he came in his chrysler 77 it is a lovely bus.
Yes it must be lovely to be able to drive the bus I suppose it is quite easy all the same except for the changing of the gears is it the same. What did dad go to Mafeking for I suppose for some duty or something. Yes it must be nice having Grama with you again, have you taken Grama for any drives lately I dont suppose so.
There is no news here at all to tell you mother, I think I will send some soaps along if I can get them from the chap upstairs There are photo of when Selborne played Qeens. Well mother I will close with love from Arthur
SC
EL
25.7.30
My dear Mother
Thankyou ever so much for your lovely long letter I was pleased to get it.
I am glad you were pleased with the puff that was the prettiest I could get.
How did dad like the pouch, I suppose he is back now from Mafeking how did it come off did the boys drill well I wish I could have seen them myself. It was quite nice here I went to it. I havent seen Mrs Baker yet.
I had bad luck in the dormitry the other night it was the 13th of corse the unlucky day I trod on a nail wow!! it was sore and all the floor was full of blood I went strait to Mrs Marshall. It is quite healed now. How is Pegs and the rest of you I hope quite well I suppose Kim is glad dads is back so he can have some more hunting the hunting season is nearly over now I suppose father misses me chaseing after the birds but still I never found one.
Miss Benner is being strict now keeps us in till about five till our sums are all done then she lets us go. There is a tennis tournament on soon I believe I am going to enter for it I play tennis nearly every afternoon Mother there is a lovely pair of tennis whites down town I have still of that Mr Taylor gave me and they are only 4/6 Tell me if I may buy them for tennis that I want them for. Well mother I will close now with lots of love from Arthur
SC
EL
25.8.30
My dear Mother
Thankyou ever so much for your two letters I was pleased to get them. I am sorry I havent written because I have been in bed with those old measeals I did feel rotten and talk about itching. I suppose Dr Rattray told you about them didnt he.
How is Pegs getting on with her lessons I suppose she has them every day now. I must buck up with this letter because I dont want to miss the post.
Old Lowis is getting on fine, another boy Rotchild and I are showing them all round, the part he enjoys most is the Harbour. Oh yes I forgot to tell you there is a tennis tournament on I have entered it is under 12 that I am entering for I might get a chance anyway. My mother I am weak and thin I must weigh myself again you would laugh if you saw my legs now They look just like matches and when I run my knees knock together. Today is my first day of school I felt rather rotten but I feel better now Well mother I will close now With lots of love and kisses from Arthur
SC
EL
28.10.30
My dear Mother
Thankyou very much for your letter I was pleased to get it.
I got my blazer and shoes, the shoes cost P1.2.6, and the blazer P1.11.0 so altogether it cost P2.14. The shoes are nice and strong I think they will last a good long time. Mrs Marshall fixed my old blazer up fine so there is no need to wear my new blazer up fine so there is no need to wear my new blazer so much, I got it a good size. I shall have to take my boots to be repaired. I came better in class this week I came 19 the work seems much more easier now, rt one thing I am glad about and that is I understand the sums they all come into my head I dont think I could ever forget them and I can do dictation alright all that pulls me down is Grammar,.Dutch and Geography. How is Pegs getting on with Shela I suppose they still ride my old bronco is she still going strong How are you all feeling I hope you are all well. I think Mr and Mrs Neal have left I have not seem them at all.
It has started raining again now I wish it would stop and go to you What is the weather like up there I suppose it is still dry and hot.
Well Mother there is no maw to tell you so I will close with lots of love and kisses from Arthur
SC
EL
1-11-30
My dear Mother
Thankyou very much for your letter. I got it this afternoon it must have been delayed for I only got it today. The Inspector will be with us on Thursday. I must learn up all my work I do hope I pass into V. How is Pegs getting on with her school work. I hope she is getting on well.
I suppose you will be expecting Mr and Mrs Neal back soon. The weather has been fine the whole week, but as soon as the week end comes it rains. It has rained every week end in the quarter so far.
I went to the circus this afternoon it was good there five clowns they were good the one act was man versus Kangaroo three round boxing the kangaroo knocks the man out in the end, at least he supposed to be knocked out. They have a horse with a human brain, the ring master plays home sweet home and asks it if it can play it better and it nods it head to say yes and then it plays it. And the elephants play mouth organs.
Well mother I will close with lots of love and good Mum from Arthur
SC
EL
March, 20
My dear Mother
Thankyou very much for your letter I was pleased to hear from you.
I hope you had a pleasant journey and arrived safely I went down to see Pegs yesterday and as I got there all the little girls had their suitcases with them I went over to them and Pegs said it was their weekend out and they were going for a picnic to the beach, she was very cheerful. And later in the afternoon I saw her again I had just bought an Ice cream I was going to give it to her but she said she wasent allowed to have it but she took a hefty great bite and went on it was a loss to my ice cream I can tell you. This morning saw her in Church again but only the small girls were there again the big ones must have gone for week end. There is not much other news to tell you. Selborne won by 56 runs against Queens quite a big score. Well Mother I shall close now with lots of love from your loveing son Arthur
SC
EL
March 8th 1931
Dear Father
Thankyou very much for your last letter
I went and saw Pegs on Saturday morning and she was quite bright, but she seems so thin, I suppose it is the change of climate that she is so thin she says she cant understand the sums. I again saw her in church this morning and she waved to me she seems alwright.
I hope you and mother quite well. The shooting season is drawing nearer and nearer now I suppose old Kim knows it too. I am afraid we will have to get rid of Coffinface as you say he is hopeless and will never be any good at hunting as long as he lives. We shall have to get a puppy, I hope he will be as good as Kim but I doubt it Kim was a real star and old Nick will be too soon.
I am getting on fine with my lessons still, a week tomorrow we start our tests I think I will do quite well in the tests seeing it is almost the same a six. Well Father there is no more news to tell you so I will close with love from your son Arthur
SC
EL
April 18th 1931
My dear Mother
Thankyou very much for your last letter which I received this morning I went and saw Pegs this morning she was quite happy and well, I was with her quite a time, plenty to talk about.
I watched the rugby this afternoon up at the school Selborne had to play three matches, under fifteens A had to play Selborne 3rds, 3rds won 24 nil, then our 2nds played Technical College 2nds it was a draw, then 1sts played Technical College 1sts our team beat them 9 nil, so Selborne lost no matches.
I hope father gets the car back safely, but I shouldent think so after all the rain you have had but I suppose it has done some good to the veld but not to your flower garden. I am also writing to Gramma as well.
You must feel lonely when Father is away but you have Gramma to speak to it is not so bad.
There is no news at all Mother otherwise I would write longer ones.
Well Mother I will close now with lots of love and kisses from Arthur
SC
EL
23 May 1931
My dear Mother
Thankyou very much for your last letter, I cant understand how it is you are not getting my letters it must be because I am only putting on one stamp but I heard that it is not a rule up here so I only put on one.
I hope you received the hunting knife which I sent on Saturday it cost 8/6 and 1/- to send it off.
Yesterday Dale College came down and played us, our under 15 lost 9-6 our 3rds 23-0 our 2nds 0-0 and our first 8-0 our first played a very good game and won 8-0 and so did the seconds comparing their size and weight
I hope you are very well, I suppose father is still away in Rhodesia.
Well Mother I will have to close with lots of love from Your son Arthur
PS I got the money for that book from Mr Floyd
SC
EL
4th June 1933
My dear Mother and Father
Thankyou ever so much for your letters I received from you and thank Father for his letters
Yesterday I could not go and see Pegs because all the boarders went over the bar. On Friday night I had to go and see Miss Donald about the wire I sent you, It seems a terrible mix up about these tickets. The train we leave by leaves East London on Friday and reaches Mafeking on Sunday morning so I suppose we will reach home about 10 o'clock I am look forward to these holidays, I am glad old Kim is working so well again.
Yesterday our 1st 2nd 3rd 4th and U15 played Queens we came off victorious for a change our firsts drew 3-3 our second won 15-0 our thirds lost 14-8 our 4th won 16-0 over U15 won 6-3 all the matches were jolly good.
Well Mother I must close now as I have no more news to tell you. I will write again next week. With love from your affectionate son Arthur
SC
EL
August 13th 1933
My dear Mother & Father
Thankyou very much for your letter
Yesterday our firsts, seconds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths played Dale. Our firsts won 9-8 our seconds lost 3-0 our 3rds lost 11-0 our fourths won 6-0 and our 5ths lost 3-0. The under 15 played when the Wallabies played and the beat Dale unders 15 16-0. I was so glad our firsts won it is the first time they have won for a long time they played very well.
Last night they had the Selborne Rugby Dance I did not go but I watched it, and I was a waiter. It was quite a succes.
I did not go and see Pegs because I was watching the rugby. How are you and Father I hope you are quite well.
I am glad you enjoyed your camp at Ramontsa
Well Mother I must close now with love to you and Father From your affectionate son Arthur
I am saving up for a 2 valve wireless. Hugh is selling it for P2.15. I have 35/-
SC
EL
3 – 34
My dear Mother and Father
Thank you very much for your letter which I received on Friday.
I hope the Princes visit was a great success. I am glad you were able to see him at Johannesburg, there must have been a crowd there.
I was not able to see Peggy yesterday because we had the heats for our sports. I am running in two races and I am also going to run in the long distance races. On Friday afternoon we ran the cross country it is a hard race I came about 15th.
On Wednesday our 1st 2nds and 3rds played Dale College our 1st lost by 9 runs and our second and thirds both won their matches.
We break up on the 29th of this month I think I will be staying here. We have our sports on Friday. We have started having tests.
It is a pity Piccanina has got so wild I .......... will be quite alive now when one gets on his back. Those bioscopes in Johburg must be fine. What time does Prince George get to the station about 2 o'clock I suppose.
Well Father and Mother I have no more news to tell you so I will close With lots of love from your affectionate son Arthur Croneen.
Give Mask my wags please
ARTHUR'S LETTERS AS ADULT – 2ND WORLD WAR – 24yrs old
Lt A L Croneen
Durban
22/11/43
My dear Peggy
Thankyou ever so much for your letter card dated 12th I was pleased to hear that your wedding went off so successfully and that you and Bruce are so happy together.
Pegs I am so sorry my present arrived late for your wedding, I wrote from Mombasa to Father asking him to give you a cheque, I thought it would reach you in time but apparently the mail was not sent off promptly.
Mother gave me a fairly detailed account of the wedding, apparently Father had rather a bad time but managed to make the grade and seems to be quite happy about it all now.
CK and I are still being mucked about here, we are going up for an interview today and tomorrow so we ought to know something definite soon. I was sorry to hear Bruce had failed his course, tell him from me its time he pulled his finger out.
Well Pegs the post is off in a few minutes so I must close off.
Lots of love, your loving brother, Arthur
Lt A L Croneen
Durban
12/12/43
My dear Pegs
Thankyou so much for your letter dated the 2nd December. I was glad to hear you were keeping fit and that you had been able to see Bruce again.
You probably be astonished at receiving so many letters from me but it does give one something to do and I look forward to getting replies from you and I hear all the family news and doings.
CK and I had a rather hectic night in town last night and I have been playing tennis and golf all day today so I feel that I am going to pound the old “snore bag” very successfully tonight. Well they havent managed to separate CK and I yet, we have both been accepted for the Royal Marines, I thought I had slipped at first but was surprised to hear that I had been selected. Tommy Thomas has also been accepted for the Marines, he is a hell of a nice chap. I saw Ginger last night, he was rather in the party spirit as well, it was the first time I had seen him for a few weeks, he was very interested to know how the wedding had gone off and he sends his regards to you We had a few drinks together and then he went off to a dance with a chap Andy Dennie he is also from Mafeking and is a 2nd Lt.
We start some training or other tomorrow so that aught to keep our days occupied while we are hanging around here this doing nothing all day becomes very demoralising and we start thinking about the Union and home again. Hell when I think about how we spent our leave in the Union I get really mad, to think of all the enjoyable time we could have had, instead of this business of having one drink up after another and living in a perpetual state of semi-coma.
Mother and Father still seem to be trying to make up their minds about the farm From what I saw of the place when I went there last it seems to be a dead loss now, that bloke who is running the place has no interest in it at all and has let everything go to rack and ruin
Well Pegs that exhausts my drivel for the time being so I will close up.
With love from your loving brother Arthur
Portsmouth
14/2/44
My dear Mother and Father,
Well here I am again back in front of my fire but I am afraid with very little news, we have got more settled in now and we have made ourselves fairly comfortable for the time being. We are due to stay here until the 19th and then we are being given a weeks leave which we will probably spend in London. I am going to try and see Uncle Seymour during that week, When we get back we hang around here for a few days and then we get posted to the different sections we are going to.
We have been very busy for the past two days, having measurements for new uniforms changing buttons and badges, having passport photographs taken and to finish off the day today we had a very strict medical which we dont yet know the result of.
To pass the weekend yesterday Tommy, CK and myself went to see a bioscope in Portsmouth and ended up by having dinner in town. We have been able to get in some squash here, they have a marvellous gymnasium and squash courts here, it is really like a small town with every convenience.
I received another little card from you today, it was dated 26th December, they have got rather mixed up in the Middle East but I should imagine they will all turn up in due course, it is hard to make sense of the things because the connecting letters havent turned up yet, for instance you mention sugar in the petrol tank it is the first I had heard of it. The commanding officer here was at Hangerishe with us so he CK and I have quite long chats about the days we spent there. We had a rugby practice this afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, it is marvellous running around in this weather as you have to keep moving to keep warm. They are all very anxious to see us play so we have been booked up for matches on Thursday and
Friday and again the following Saturday our little team is going to have a hard time keeping up its name it got from the one match in the Middle East when we pulled off that collosal scare.
Well Mother and Father that exhausts my news so I will close off. I hope you are all keeping well, I am very fit indeed.
Lots of love from Your loving son Arthur
London
2/3/44
My dear Mother and Father,
I wrote an airgraph to you two days ago so I have really very little to tell you, but I thought I may as well give you a detailed account of what has happened up to now.
We arrived here on the 6th of last month and were treated like lords, we have been absorbed into the marines and they have taken every step to make us feel at home. It was all very different to what we had formerly experienced and we were all rather overwhelmed, the unit has existed for well over three hundred years so you can imagine there is any amount of tradition attached to it and it didnt take them long to pump it into us. We had to change our uniforms badges and buttons and they gave us a week to get all that straight, what a business it was, we now wear Marine buttons and badges. Our headgear is a blue beret with a red patch on the left side and a marine globe and laurel badge on top of the patch, we look like real Christmas trees.
Well after our first week of initiation which included cocktail parties, formal mess and the like, we were given a weeks leave in London and thoroughly enjoyed myself, we made a tour of all the famous places including the well known pubs and dives, they really were very interesting indeed and provided us with hours of amusement, we were particularly impressed by the cockneys and the funny little men with bowler hats who always arrive most punctually at the pubs and have their pint of old and milk which seems to be a custom in these parts. The country is really marvellous and I hope you can all come over here when this beastly war is over.
We heard ghastly stories about the weather we could expect when we arrived here, but up to now the weather has been very mild indeed, there have been a few cold spells but nothing to make our toes turn up. We got one rugby team together when we arrived here and played the local garrison team, we managed to beat them 26-0, I am afraid the size of our chaps rather overshelmed them, we managed to have another match on Saturday before we were all broken up and we beat a naval side 64-0. It is a pity they had to break us all up as we had developed a great spirit between the 26 of us, still I suppose you cant keep together for such a long time that we sort of knew each other inside out, I am still trying to get to the same lot as him but it seems rather hopeless at the moment.
I am afraid I cant tell you the different things we have gone to but they are connected with Marines so that will give you an idea of our jobs. It is strange learning all about the navy after being with the army so long, but it is different and much more interesting.
I am sorry I had to get you to pay in that money to the paymaster, but now that I have more space I will give you a detailed account of my reasons for doing it. Each month I was paying an amount back to the paymaster repaying a debit balance that had been incurred by them overpaying me while in the Middle East, I was able to come out fairly reasonably on this amount while in the Middle East but when we came over here we had to buy so much equipment and living is so expensive that I thought it best to pay off this amount and draw my full pay at the end as it is so difficult to have money sent up here. When this is payed off I will be able to draw my 13/6 a day at this end plus any allowances they give us and you will be paid your full allotment of 9/- a day, this should take place as from the 1st February of this year. I hope you did not have too much difficulty in getting the money, I am sorry it was so sudden but I thought of the best way and I wouldnt have any more hindrances with pay while I am in the unit.
I havent had any more letters from you since I returned from leave but I am expecting same at any time and am looking forward to hearing all your news, I am also particularly interested to hear how Fathers course went off.
I am sending you a group photograph of us taken before we went on leave, there are also a few small ones with it which I would like you to distribute to whoever you think would be interested. As a group it is very good indeed but as individuals we look rather sullen, one thing we do look uniform at last. I will try and have a photograph taken of myself in my new rig out next time we go to London, but there are no promises forthcoming.
Well Mother and Father I am afraid that exhausts myself so I will close up.
Look after yourselves, Love from your loving son, Arthur
I wont write all this over to Pegs so please give her my love and any news worth passing on. Delighted to hear about Grama's pension. What a weight it must be off your shoulders. Please give her my love.
Portsmouth
5/3/44
My dear Mother and Father,
I have had no more mail from you since I last wrote, there seems to be some delay with our mail, it will be good to hear from you all again
The last week has been spent very quietly, most of the chaps here left and there are only eight of us left here now, we have been doing a course of seamanship for the last week and we have found it fairly interesting. We played rugby yesterday afternoon, five of us represented the local team but found it very different to playing with our old team, we had quite a fast match and were beaten 14-5. I havent been into town since CK and Tommy left, I miss them quite a lot but I suppose we will have to get used to being split up now that we are over here. We are expecting to move off on Saturday to our units, I will be glad when we can get down to some construction work again after these months of illness.
I sent the photos off to you yesterday, I dont know how long it will take but I would imagine it will be some time as it will probably go by sea. I enclosed one for Mrs Brown which CK asked me to send off as he left in rather a hurry.
I spent a very lazy day today, I slept until 9.30 this morning, got up, had breadfast and after lunch went to bed again and slept until 5.30, it has been very cold today and we have all spent the day either in bed or huddled in front of the fire.
Well Mother and Father I am afraid that exhausts my news, I do hope you are all keeping well at home.
Love from, Your loving son, Arthur
Safaris by Captain Croneen
Inspan at Panda-ma-tenga 1916
Letter written at Nekati in 1916 where Captian Croneen was commissioned to guard Sekgoma Khama, the father of the chief at that time in Bechuanaland
Nekati
19/10/16
My dear Gladys,
You would have laughed this morning – I was playing with old Pat in the moonlight on the square last night & I kept stalking him on my hands & knees, this morning when the boys were brushing the square they could see this spoor, it was most amusing to see them, they think it’s a spook of some kind & can’t make head or tail of it. I laid on my bed & positively screeched with laughter – I don’t think Pat could quite fathom it, he kept clearing for all he was worth especially as I was making weird noises. The weather here the last two or three days has been too terribly hot for words, & oh I have been feeling so rottenly cheap, I shall be lad when the rains come & cool things down a bit, the only thing one can do is to sit about & wait for the evening , it is far too hot to go gadding about in the sun.
I am sending you this mail another roll of films, will you do them for me please, I am afraid they are not too interesting but I must fire them off as the films will not last very long up here at this time of the year I’m sure – 20th I am sure I don’t know how men can stick it dear sweetheart, day after day with nobody to talk to, especially when they have nothing to look forward to as I have, if it wasn’t for you & your (& mine) dear old home I think I’d go quite dotty, when every I get exceptionally down hearted I start to think of you – what we would be doing if I was with you, how lovely the days were that I spent at Woodlands the restfulness & generally sweet environment makes it stick in my memory & I do so look forward to Easter, I do wish that the governor’s schemes had worked out & I had been able to come to Woodlands as a clerk & stop there for ever & ever – I really have no home now you see in England – Mother is going to dodge around & live with my brothers & sisters & at other times here in an hotel, & all the people I knew have split up now. I do hope this wretched war is over soon – I don’t think my best ‘friend’ could ever accuse me of ‘cold feet’ – but I know what it will be, I of course shall go I suppose when I can get out of this crush, & then it means drifting away from you for some time & I hate the thought – I do want so much to have you for my very own – I was quite wise to decide not to apply for Xmas leave, as I anticipated, the road now is in a frightful condition, & the last lot of wagons to come up lost oxen, there is one stretch of 4 days without water and I suppose if I had have risked it & lost animals they might have given me a severe smacking – Are the Ledeboers still at Lobatsi! I have a sort of an idea that they have left, where I got the idea from I don’t know – The weather is the outside edge here just now the heat makes me feel rotten & I like a fathead thought I would be a good boy and didn’t bring any drink with me, & now of course I shall not be able to get any until I come down, & one needs a little stimulant after these frightfully hot days, You ask the Governor if they don’t when he has his sundowners tonight? lumme I would like one!!!!!!!!! Borty noy – was extra specially good – didn’t bring any cigarettes wither – silly arse – that’s all for today dearest. Good night – 23rd The hot is getting more obnoxious every day & I am fed up to the nines – Caught Pat eating eggs the other day – gave him a sound thrashing and put an egg shellful of mustard in his mouth – he hasn’t been near the fowl house since & it used to be a favourite place of his – Ill give him one more chance, & if he does it again I shall shoot him – he is a splendid fellow but I will not have a disobedient & bad-habited animal. I had such a pleasant surprise, I had been counting my leave by a 1916 calendar, like a fathead, & whilst looking through the prayer book Mommie gave me, it suddenly dawned upon me, when looking thro a table to find Easter that it would be 1917 & instead of Easter Sunday being Apl 23rd I found it was on the 8th so in exactly five months from today, if my leave is granted I shall be starting to trek into Francistown. I stayed in bed yesterday until sundown. I have been feeling so mighty queer these last few days but I feel much better now – the heat is too teriffic for words up here & every blessed thing in the house is quite hot & to top the lot a high wind is blowing just as if it was coming from a big furnace, & incidentally covering everything with dust – I don’t anticipate getting a mail for about a month now, cheerful aint it? 26th Well I don’t think I have anything to say for these last few days, the heat still continues, but I am feeling ever so much better & consequently more cheerful – I do wish it would rain tho’ – You know I wouldn’t mind it a bit up here if I had congenial companionship, I do as usual every afternoon take Pat for a run & every day I think – I could live here for ever if only Gladys was with me - and when I am out for my walk I think how different it would be if I was going back to a nice tea table , cake & tea & you to talk to, then when I get back & realise – then I feel dumpy. 27th This morning I have had a long long yarn with you, & we have been into ways & means the whole illustrated, by diagrams, illustrations and finance & we both decided that if I stop in the police, that I shall have saved enough money & shall be earning enough for us to get married on your birthday. Sept 29th 1919, we discussed furniture & everything even to your dress allowance & my tobacco ditto, I’ve got it all down on paper, & lo & behold I opened my photo book & you smiled assent – so that it is an understood thing eh? I do wish it could be sooner, but they won’t allow you to get married until you have been in the corps 4 years, still the war may still be on when my time is finished next Sept & if I go I do hope you will marry me first. I have been making a small garden on the off chance of something growing, when next you write put about 6 pumpkin seeds in the envelope please sweetheart. A storm came up last night, but didn’t break worse luck, sorfully ‘ot still – I have 2 hens sitting but these fowls are the limit – they lay about 9 eggs. as usual being female are very truculent!! I put them in water to try & make them right again & they seem to LIKE it !! Goodbye once again dearest:- Oct 29th I got a mail this morning with three such lovely letters from you thank you ever so much dearest, also for doing the photographs, you have done them so nicely & for the two snaps of yourself & Miss MacFarlane. (insert photo) I do wish I had been there, your letters were quite the best I have ever had – here goes for going thro’ them & replying & commenting!- No I have not heard the “Angel of Mons” I hope I’ll like it – the whistle aint much good I am a fool at music & yet I love it so – I am jolly glad you got one of my letters on your birthday, I hope it wasn’t a ‘strafer’ but please excuse dear heart I have been very dumpy here at times – Of course where else should your thoughts be but with Apollo!!!!! – I am not an ‘unkind’ old person: grrrr – which photo did you send Mother, if its one I have’nt seen please send me one – Really Gladys I think you did jolly well at your tennis exploits. Ledeboer would of course delight in trying to make you nervous, the man is an utter cad, thank goodness I wasn’t there, I hope I never am when he starts that game – I know the style ‘ an insolent & cynical stare’ ye gods I do hope he never does it when I am about, it will be the end of all things, I should go straight up to him and hit him in the mouth – it sounds very coarse dearest but I do hate that man now & the thought that a low down cur like that with the morals of an ape should put you to inconvenience, make me gnash my teeth the rotter, entre – nous dear heart he has the vilest reputation imaginable, & beneath that veneer there is a beast – I have lived with him & you don’t know anybody until you have done that – Phew! That’s off me chest – I suppose by now you are at the coast, I do hope Mommie goes too, she needs it – I hope you have a jolly splendiferous time old lady. Why? – I don’t understand about the bantams. Don’t worry about the recipes (I think a certain young lady was very cross about something by the style of one page) Wow. Wow. Where will you have the smacks?!! No I didn’t use the yeast Mommie gave me to tell you the truth dearest I got in an awful knot over the whole thing – Mrs Royle unravelled me. Really Tonay your letters have bucked me up especially your comments on my future ideas, I value them as I know that they are not mere words & insincerity is a word you don’t & I hope never will know the meaning of. I wish I was near enough to squeeze you! There I’ve said it now.
Secwana – don’t it gives me the headache, when I saw ‘two vowels in juxtaposition coalesce’ & ‘there are exceptions to these exceptions’ – I swore mightily why can’t they write the blessed things in understandable phraseology I’d like to know & make it more or less readable to the average blockhead – I don’t like missionaries they are chancers – Yes please I would like the gramophone, that is of course if you do not use it –it is very sweet of you all to think of me so, & I appreciate it immensely, I will let you know later where to send it to; Dear Mommie – ye gods Gladeyes it isn’t often one comes across such a nature in this rocky old world-, I’ll send & let you know where my address will be at or about Xmas time – Yes sweetheart Easter is a long way off as you say, but I don’t think Miss Interference will have any necessity to say that because Mr Independence will not be in any hurry to spend his time anywhere but with Miss I. Mr I having already decided not to go to Joburg – Mr I has a changeable nature hasn’t he – If you will persist in calling me Mr Croneen, I shall call you ‘The demure young maiden wot farms bantams’ - & I shall do it in public. My name is BRIAN d’ye ear – serbozup ---!!! Or I might vary it sometimes & call you Mademoisselle avec la nez sur – Yes I expect so – I am so fond of ‘the world of peoples’ & always think brieteeeish things – Its awfully good of the Guvnor to write about the onions to Johannesburg but as you will see I have crossed out something about it in this letter – which will explain itself later. That sammy seems to have made a muck of the garden the last season or two doesn’t he?- Right I’ll have the tie without skipping for it – I’m H1 at it now & ‘ll be so thin when you see me that you won’t recognise me – Umps. Should be ‘Hard Labour contingent – been snobbish has he infernal cheek – detestable worm – Thanks you ever so much for the copies dearest – I see Mr Wise has been down again yes I met him once & like him, I see his son has been wounded in France – the bantams again – what have I done. By the way I hope you haven’t given the chicks away I want at least a cock in a month or 2 & some of Mommies hens if I may have them – I’m glad you missed the mamba I have’nt seen any snake lately and don’t want to, be very careful dearest – I am so sorry to hear you have been ‘dicky’ also the Guv. I do hope you are now much better – Look after yourself my dear little lady Right ‘O I wont even mention it ‘but if ‘err is ‘err ‘ll get rheum. Chased – I heard last mail that Steedman has transferred to the infantry & is off to German East, he told the nurses in the hospital at Mafeking that he had got his commission in the Flying Corps & was going home – I can never understand that trait in S’s character he is an awful perverter of the truth & has on more than one occasion done an infinite amount of harm by telling uncalled for lies – I heard in my last letter from the clerk at Francistown that an official letter is on the road up to me ordering my transfer to Shashi bridge station it is 16 miles south of Francistown & is on the main line – we are getting so short of men that I have to go there & shall have about 3 – 4 stations to run at the same time, & of course the line stations are the most important. It will of course be nice to be back to civilization & in touch again, & I think that the change is to have me near Francistown & to shunt me into a good billet there at an early date, anyway I shall not be off the map line, from a health point of view it is a very good change, I shall also be able to get vegetables, plenty of mail & letters from you & shall generally be in touch with civilization, still I am quite contented here, & shall be very sorry to leave Nekati, despite its many bad features it has several good ones although I rather dislike being quite out of touch one never knows what might occur, the most trifling accident or sickness & you couldn’t possibly be got in to a doctor under 14 days & the possibility of anything serious means finish doesn’t it, the trip down will be awful owing to the thirsts but I hope before I go that it will have rained, I have heard nothing officially yet so don’t anticipate that I shall be down for at least 6 weeks to 2 months – it all depends what the dispatch says they may want me to stop here until the hut tax collection is finished I have got £100 collected after much strafing & you would laugh to see me hiding it in different places in my houses, I am so frightened anybody might steal it – My headquarters will still be Francistown so anything addressed there will get me, but please don’t send the gramophone or Mommies hamper until you hear from me again. Are you pleased about my transfer Gladeyes? We had a little rain this morning (31st) but not very much still it looks hopeful, I shot 4 namaqua partridges with 1 shop at the well this morning, made fine eating – they are as doves you know – very small, but larger than the ones you get down your way, 1/11/16 Poor old Hetty the hen & Ronald the Rooster, won’t half be fed up at being parted. I am small minded enough to get quite fond of my fowls, I have two sitting now, & six other hens & Ronald – I am getting 3 eggs a day too – Pat sends his love & says tell my little missis that I have not eaten any more eggs since my whipping, & will never do it again – (I shall of course take him with me) Your letters were dated 1st 8th & 15th – The rain has gone away again – good night dear one – no news. Ill write a note from time to time until a mail goes (when I can find someone to take it) Those nigs I coped shooting buck got £25 each or 4 months hard labour each (Och! Brian don’t talk shop!) 3/11/16 Well my official orders came this morning & I shall be leaving here in a day or two to arrive in Francistown on or about the 27th – I have to give evidence in a case that day, I suppose this letter will go down with me as I shall not have a post going down before – It is raining like one o’clock as I write – hard luck is’nt it, I have had the worst of the year here & just as the good time is coming I am shifted. Ah will its no use cribbing – I wish I was not so jolly hard up, I would put in for 10 days leave & try & come down at Xmas but I bought such a lot of goods and chattels thinking I should be here a long long time & of course they stop it from ones pay, still it will all be paid before Easter, thank goodness. 8/11/16 Well I’ll close up, this letter now & take it with me to Francistown for post I am busy packing up all my goods & chattels there have been a lot of storms in the vicinity but they have evaded that par of the world still I hope they will have some on the road – I start tomorrow – good bye dearest – 19/11/16 Well here I still am and hope to be in Francistown on Wednesday, so far I have had a splendid trip, before I left Nekati they had evidently had good rains all down the road & there was plenty of grass & water, all the trees were out & everything beautifully green, Royle lent me a gun & I got plenty of jolly good small buck & bird shooting – the country was really magnificent – pools all over the veld with green grass round them & the most splendid wild flowers & sweet smelling lilies – I thoroughly enjoyed it – I shop the biggest puff adder I have ever seen & then a few days later an enormous mamba made a rush at my leader & oxen, luckily I had just left the road after some guinea fowl ( I usually walk in the road about 100 yds in front of the cart), the shooting & yelling of the boys frightened it into a hollow tree, but I could just see a coil of it & shot it – snake tales are usually tall – but this was the most gruesome I have every seen 12 ft long. I tell you dearest I was quite terrified – I don’t think there is anything in the world frightens me more – I saw a big lizard up a tree & shot him he is over 3ft long. I’ve got his skin. Well its time to inspan so I must shut up & get along. I am writing this at BB 111 police camp, this was to have been my station when I first came to Francistown last year – instead of which I went back to Mafeking – worse luck.
23/11/16 Well dearest I have arrived at Francistown, & received all your letters which I will reply to later – I am to be kept here & am going to help Captain Martin (an awfully good chap in the office & am also to act as Sanitary Inspector for Francistown for which I get £3 per month – they have stopped us leaving the corps now to go to the war, the High Commissioner has put his foot down. Well dear heart more later I want to get this away today.
Good bye dear heart
Your loving
Brian
My love to Mommie & chin chin to the Guv.
Recommended Southern African Legends:-
1. The lost legionary in South Africa – Col G Hamilton-Browne
2. Rhodes the man – Gertrude Millin
3. King Solomon’s Mines – Rider Haggard
4. Jock of the Bushveld – Sir Percy Fitzpatrick
5. Mafeking Road – Herman Charles Bosman
6. Monarch over all I survey – Sir Charles Rey
This site was compiled by Annette Lorraine Croneen from material given to me by my grandmother, Gladys May Croneen (nee Tranmer) in 1989.