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South Africa in the 1970's


Guest Chris Rimmer

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Guest Chris Rimmer

Here's list of what I miss from the South Africa of my childhood,

Kinekor Bioscope on a Saturday morning.

Catching Kurper and Carp at Germiston Lake.

Scope centrefolds.

Watching Rabbitt and Clout on Pop Shop.

Shopping at Carlton Centre and Hypermarket in Boksburg.

Hanging out at Club Chicago in Joburg.

Tessa Comics. - the bikini wearing crime fighter!

Ice skating at the Carlton Ice Arena.

The sound of the frogs at night.

Simmerpan in Germiston.

Being able to buy 20 cents worth of biltong.

Having a braai on a half oil drum. (now we have outdoor entertainment solutions!)

Cans of Ocean Fresh Curried Fish.

Marmite, Pro Nutro, Kellogs Country Morning and Bonox.

Umslhanga rocks at dawn.

Umsloti beach.

Beehive huts.

My dad.

My brother.

Cremora and Joko tea.

The sound of Xhosa being spoken.

The smell of Boxer tobacco and Gold Dollar cigarettes.

Seeing people taking snuff.

The veld turning brown in winter.

The incredible khaki hued quality of light in the bush.

David Rattrey, Robin Alexander on Radio Highveld, Donald Woods, Trevor Rabin and Ballyhoo.

Ten O Clock tales on Springbok radio.

Watching Graeme College 1st Rugby team beat Kingswood College.

Brut 33 body splash.

Chevrolet Contantia cars.

Paarl Perle wine by the flagon.

The smell of coal fires in winter.

Spingbok Hits

Highveld thunder storms.

The song of the La De Da bird in the morning.

What do you guys recall?

Chris

Edited by Chris Rimmer
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Ah, Chris,

What great times they were!

The Chelsea Underground listening to Evoid,

Schwarmas at mi Vami Hillbrow.

Fontana chicken at Highpoint at 4am

Cafe Vien

Rocky Street, especially Rockerfellas

Foxy's and Falcons Nest

Being able to just play in the veld.

The Heidelberg train museum

Oh, those were the days!

Jacqui

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Guest Karooseun
Ah, Chris,

What great times they were!

The Chelsea Underground listening to Evoid,

Schwarmas at mi Vami Hillbrow.

Fontana chicken at Highpoint at 4am

Cafe Vien

Rocky Street, especially Rockerfellas

Foxy's and Falcons Nest

Being able to just play in the veld.

The Heidelberg train museum

Oh, those were the days!

Jacqui

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Lots of the above plus :

the smell of rain on dry ground

highveld thunderstorms

afternoon showers

window shopping on a sunday evening

the hit parade late on a Friday night

squad cars on the radio

saturday tea and pancakes in Greatermans restuarant after the movies

wilsons toffees

rainbow and buttermilk lollipops

the drive- in movies with a picnic in the car and slap chips on the way home

those cheap and nasty tiny pink sweets that My mom told us would make your wee pink!!

movies on a projector in the school hall on last day of school

Foefie slides

going to Jhb for a treat at christmas time on the train, and riding the escalator in ok bazaars (did not have one in our town!) coming home with a lucky dip after meeting santa

fridge tart

can go on and on ....

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Thanks for some evoking some great memories ....

OK, mine weren't all in the 70's, some in the 80's for me but all great memories of growing up in Jhb (clearlya lot of misspent youth :ilikeit: )

The SunnySide Hotel on a Friday eve

ditto Hot tin roof aka colonial (in Rosebank)

Oxbox at Rosebank Hotel listening to Heather Mac & Ella Mental

Hyde Park Hotel

Balalaika Beer Garden

Sleepy Hollow Hotel in Rivonia

58 in Hillbrow

caravella snooker/pool rooms

All the 'underground' spots in Rockey Street Yeoville like "Speakeasy","Rumours" "Cafe Bijou", "Tandour"

Tribe After Tribe at the Chelsea

The Summit Club

Jamesons, The Yard of Ale & The Dawsons Hotel in the City

Ice skating at Corlett City

The dolls house in Louis Botha Ave & the White Pigeon in Randburg

The Radium Beer Hall

Ford escort one six double oh sport & XR3

The smell of a veld the day after it has burned

Fishing? in the Transkei at Imbotyi, Hole in the Wall & Coffee Bay

50c movies, cooldrink & popcorn at the Gala in Randburg on a Saturday Am

The 4-ways & 5-Star drive inn's

Edited by Barnone
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Bella Napoli restaurant and club in Hillbrow

Sally Vaughn at the Ambassador Hotel Hillbrow

Saturday nights at the Chelsea Hotel Hillbrow

Dolls House in Louis Botha for burgers after the drive-in

Ice skating at the Carlton Rink

Christmas lights in Joubert Park

Those were the days my friend, we thought they would never end!

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Wan to take a real walk down memory lane? Listen to these old Springbok Radio and Highveld snippets.

The Radium Beer Hall

Do you remember those awesome Russian rolls they sold there and the way they used to end off the night during the week with REM, the first 4 tracks of Automatic For The People, ending with Everybody Hurts. You knew it was time to go then.

I forget the name of the pub across from the hospital in Parktown, where they used to have the Sunday afternoon jazz sessions.

Supper is cooking right now and memories of Mi Vami and The Dolls House are not helping. Awesome late night food especially those schwarmas at Mi Vami!

Great reminders of great times on this thread!

22chappie.mp3

53squadcars.mp3

Hafternoonhighveld70.mp3

Hrequests78.mp3

Hvisitinghour70.mp3

Hhomwardpre79.mp3

Edited by alanb
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The 70’s …

It sure brings back memories:

* “Braaivleis, Rugby Sunny Skies & Chevrolet”

* Playing Rugby for Rand Leases in Roodepoort

* Getting plastered at the Witpoortjie Hotel

* I still remember the lyrics of Ballyhoo’s “Man on the Moon”

* Going by train from Roodepoort to work in Johannesburg.

* Driving to Babsfontein to dance

* Following the Frans Vontsteen and Marlene Lehnberg cases in the newspapers.

* Reading Andre P Brink’s “Kennis van die Aand”

* Listening in awe to Chris de Burgh’s “Spanish Train”

* Studying at Goudstad Onderwyskollege and RAU

* Fishing at Hartebeespoort Dam

* Operation Savannah, getting called up, saying goodbye to people, the look in your mum’s eyes…

* The Rocky Horror Picture Show

* Memorable times at the Top Star, Randforntein, Witpoortjie Drive-Ins

* Marveling at experimental rotor engines for cars

* SABC/SAUK TV Seepsteen Battaljon, Pop Shop, Dokter-Dokter

* Buying a bottle Klipdrift for Two Rand and fifty cents in the NCO Mess in Oshakati (I kid you not)

* Thinking a Volkswagen 1600 is the best thing ever invented

These are what I could think of in a nutshell

Dax

Edited by Dax
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Ah, Chris,

What great times they were!

The Chelsea Underground listening to Evoid,

Schwarmas at mi Vami Hillbrow.

Fontana chicken at Highpoint at 4am

Cafe Vien

Rocky Street, especially Rockerfellas

Foxy's and Falcons Nest

Being able to just play in the veld.

The Heidelberg train museum

Oh, those were the days!

Jacqui

Wow Jacqui

Sounds like you were a party animal, must have had a jol.

Michael

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I throughly enjoyed reading this thread and thought I might add a little something myself. I came across this site awhile back and really enjoyed this segmant of his Webpage. He has quite a sense of humor and it makes for interesting reading. I lived in Durban so the parts where he writes about his 'Durban holidays' were of particular interst to me. For those of you living in the area he comes from, I am sure his story will bring back lots of memories.

A Retro look at South Africa

Edited by eileen
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Squad cars 7.00pm on Springbok radio Friday night

Forces Favorites .....

No 5 Commisioner street (Chinese resturaunt without a name

Wurst Bude in Hilbrow

Jhb Busses with rear entrances and conductors

mini cine one

Hilbrow flea market

Wembley ice rink (near wemmer pan)

potroast and biltong - Dennis Maclein et all - commedians

Luyt Lager, Kronenbrough 1308

The 70’s …

It sure brings back memories:

.

* Studying at Goudstad Onderwyskollege

Dax

Dont you mean studying at "Stoutgat"

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Squad cars 7.00pm on Springbok radio Friday night

Forces Favorites .....

No 5 Commisioner street (Chinese resturaunt without a name

Wurst Bude in Hilbrow

Jhb Busses with rear entrances and conductors

mini cine one

Hilbrow flea market

Wembley ice rink (near wemmer pan)

potroast and biltong - Dennis Maclein et all - commedians

Luyt Lager, Kronenbrough 1308

all of the above esp Des's

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Dont you mean studying at "Stoutgat"

Ooooooooh Yesss :D;)

At times one sort of wondered yourself: "And we are future teachers..." :ilikeit:

Cheers

Dax

Edited by Dax
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Guest Chris Rimmer

This photo is from the Death of Johannesburg website. I'm certain it is the place where the Fontana Chicken joint used to be in Hillbrow. How things change. KFC in Sandton maight be a better idea if you value your life!

Ah, Chris,

What great times they were!

The Chelsea Underground listening to Evoid,

Schwarmas at mi Vami Hillbrow.

Fontana chicken at Highpoint at 4am

Cafe Vien

Rocky Street, especially Rockerfellas

Foxy's and Falcons Nest

Being able to just play in the veld.

The Heidelberg train museum

Oh, those were the days!

Jacqui

Edited by Chris Rimmer
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Hey!

Looking back, maybe I did do my fair share of partying!

There was Jugs and The dog box in Hillbrow

Spats at the Rosebank

Hee hee...what about the Thunderdome and Q's!!

Boksburg Ice Rink

The Jolly Roger

I looked at the deathofjohannesburg website with great sadness. These were the places to be way back when. Sadly it's something my child will never experience but boy oh boy, can I share some stories!!

Jacqui

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Guest Chris Rimmer
Hey!

Looking back, maybe I did do my fair share of partying!

There was Jugs and The dog box in Hillbrow

Spats at the Rosebank

Hee hee...what about the Thunderdome and Q's!!

Boksburg Ice Rink

The Jolly Roger

I looked at the deathofjohannesburg website with great sadness. These were the places to be way back when. Sadly it's something my child will never experience but boy oh boy, can I share some stories!!

Jacqui

Do you remember a little disco in Boksburg called Star City?

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Wan to take a real walk down memory lane? Listen to these old Springbok Radio and Highveld snippets.

Do you remember those awesome Russian rolls they sold there and the way they used to end off the night during the week with REM, the first 4 tracks of Automatic For The People, ending with Everybody Hurts. You knew it was time to go then.

I forget the name of the pub across from the hospital in Parktown, where they used to have the Sunday afternoon jazz sessions.

Supper is cooking right now and memories of Mi Vami and The Dolls House are not helping. Awesome late night food especially those schwarmas at Mi Vami!

Great reminders of great times on this thread!

Hi alanb

Thanks for posting those mp3's not sure where you got them but it reminded me that there is a wonderful website where you can find many old sa radio & tv sound bites called "pumamouse" to go there click here

Not sure if you are talking of the Sunnyside hotel close to the Jhb Gen in Parktown or Rakes which had the the Jazz on Sundays my memories are a little faded, can't think why :whome: .

Also Late Nite Al's in Hillbrow and I believe one of the owners is now in Sydney, would be great if he opens Al's there, the mixed grill was a heart stopper !

Chris, I think Spats was at the Sandton Sun ! but I understand why your memory fails you ;) great spot & they also had the Bulls & Bears pub upstairs.

Anyone remember Jaquelines & Limelight? in Pta ?

Those were the best years of my life very few worries & responsibilities ...

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Some Cape Town memories...

Late night munchies at Nauty's Moonlight Grill in Sea Point

Derek Gordon performing at Rompies Pub

The London Town pub in the Adelphi Centre

Surfing at Glen Beach

Ice skating at Silverblades in Green Point

Swimming galas at the Long Street swimming baths

Hiring vinyl LPs from Disque Record Library

Catching the last bus home late at night

Saturday afternoon movies for 10c at the Alvin Cinema in Camps Bay

Springbok Radio Top 20

Toasted sandwiches at Garlicks in Cavendish Square

Club 604 in the centre of town (yes, it was safe at night back then)

Charlie Parkers in Sea Point

Regards,

Scott

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Albert Hammond playing "Seems it never rains in Southern California" in the old bioscope cinema in East London, my first ever rock concert.

Walking to school safely on my own aged 10, via the "wild park" and getting there late 3 times a week.

Sea scout camping at the boat-house next to the Nahoon & river sleeping under the stars (safely).

Fizz pops.

Nigger balls.

Ag pleaze daddy!

Chameleons in our garden, and frightening our nanny with one (who did a chameleon trick herself and turned white).

Pinball during lunch break from Selborne school.

Cream soda.

Big friendly braai's with family friends.

Driving up to Zim with a caravan towed behind us and stopping (safely) on the side of the road at those lovely picnic spots (anyone know if they are they still there, or maintained?)

Cub scout camps at Hogsback and going off into the bush with my friends (safely).

Bunny chow.

Filling my 50cc tank for R2.50

Gecko nests in the bush.

My first rhino and ele...

Ah sweet memories eh!

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Guest Chris Rimmer
Albert Hammond playing "Seems it never rains in Southern California" in the old bioscope cinema in East London, my first ever rock concert.

Walking to school safely on my own aged 10, via the "wild park" and getting there late 3 times a week.

Sea scout camping at the boat-house next to the Nahoon & river sleeping under the stars (safely).

Fizz pops.

Nigger balls.

Ag pleaze daddy!

Chameleons in our garden, and frightening our nanny with one (who did a chameleon trick herself and turned white).

Pinball during lunch break from Selborne school.

Cream soda.

Big friendly braai's with family friends.

Driving up to Zim with a caravan towed behind us and stopping (safely) on the side of the road at those lovely picnic spots (anyone know if they are they still there, or maintained?)

Cub scout camps at Hogsback and going off into the bush with my friends (safely).

Bunny chow.

Filling my 50cc tank for R2.50

Gecko nests in the bush.

Top 5 South African Songs Of All Time

Subsititute - Clout

Morning Light - Rabbitt

Man Of The Moon - Ballyhoo

ZX Dan - Radio Rats

Better The Devil You Know -Stingray

My first rhino and ele...

Ah sweet memories eh!

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Ok you all, now I've got memories!

How about .....

Joubert Park Christmas light show

Liggies kyk in Jhb middestad

Carlton Centre en die Ice Rink

Boksburg Ice Land

Spriingbok raddio stories terwyl ek supposed is om huiswerk te doen

Wakker probeer bly vir die Top 20 met David Gresham

Jet Jungle!!

So maak mens!!

Sta soft advertensie, " ...... dit hou aan met opskuif nes ek beweeg! Het jy al van Sta soft gehoor? Stasoft? .........."

Whicks bubble gum

Nigger balls

Jeug aande by Hoerskool Jeugland

Die Transvaalse Jeugkoor

Standerd 9 en matriek in Springbok, Namaqualand

Sokkies

Om aleen in Hillbrow te bly in 'n Batchelors flat en R17 te betaal vir 'n maand se bus kaartjie werk toe

Checkers in Goldreigh str

Plumb Crazy

Chelsey Hotel

Rabit

Drive-in

Loop van Hillbrow tot in Braamfontein aleen want ek het die bus gemis en ga laat wees vir werk

Die Sneeu in September 1981

Boyfriends!?

ens ens ens ens

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Not sure if you are talking of the Sunnyside hotel close to the Jhb Gen in Parktown or Rakes which had the the Jazz on Sundays my memories are a little faded, can't think why :lol: .

Also Late Nite Al's in Hillbrow and I believe one of the owners is now in Sydney, would be great if he opens Al's there, the mixed grill was a heart stopper !

Chris, I think Spats was at the Sandton Sun ! but I understand why your memory fails you ;) great spot & they also had the Bulls & Bears pub upstairs.

Anyone remember Jaquelines & Limelight? in Pta ?

Those were the best years of my life very few worries & responsibilities ...

Rakes was the one for the Jazz! I remember Spats was great for that free snack buffet and the happy hour after work. We frequnetly had "supper" on the house although by the time we had paid for all of our drinks into the night it was quite an expensive dinner. Wasn't the Sunnyside an awesome place to sit anf have beers in the garden. Late Night Als was amazing and I did get to Jaquelines & Limelight on occasion but it was rare so I really don't remember too much about them. My happy hunting ground was JHB.

I've been trying to do some quick mental math here (with whats left of my brain :wacko:) and I am wondering how wealthy I would be today if I had invested all the money I spent at all of the bars, clubs and pubs mentioned in this thread. B) It was a big chunk of my disposable income over time, ah well, such are the joys of a misspent youth.

Another real great time was New Years on the Durban promenade. Trying to do the Golden Mile pub crawl (never made it to the end).

And of course, an absolutely great time in Durbs, The London Town Pub with the sing alongs and the white styrofoam bowler hats.

Edited by alanb
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Jussie, forgot about Limelight & Jacquelines. I used to drive up there for weekends (1100 kms from EL and funnily enough, the same distance back). And then hair of the dog in Hillbrow after non-stop jolling for 2 days, and that schwarma place you okes are all talking about. I never knew the name, my mates just took me there.

Chappies bubble gum, ha stole some when I was a choir boy and got it stuck behind my ear and had to cut a big chunk of my hair off... wonder if that was a message to behave by the Big Guy? hehehe

Top 20 with David Gresham, completely forgot that one!!! Well remembered Nilo !!!

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Walking from the "The Med" to "Sandpebbles" and catching the 11pm bus home from the Durban Workshop in town to Montclair. And then my friend and I walking from the Bus stop back to our home at almost mid

night and we were both around 19 or so.

Wow those were the days...

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Loop van Hillbrow tot in Braamfontein aleen want ek het die bus gemis en ga laat wees vir werk

Ons het kort na ons troue in 'n woonstel in Braamfontein gewoon - Jormelle Flats naby die hoek van Melle en Jorrisen Strate.

Toe ons studente was het ons baie by die Devonshire Hotel in Braamfontein gekuier... :P

Cheers,

Dax

Edited by Dax
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