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Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 2000-04 > 0954716646


From: "Abraham Kruger" <>
Subject: Re: Royal visit of 1947
Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2000 01:03:45 SAST



This was a most interesting experience. I was perhaps the only civil
servant that was officially forbidden to meet the royal family, notwith
standing that I was closely associated with making arrangements for
their comfort on their first weekend of rest in a very hectic programme.

It was decided that the Royal Family will spend a weekend at the
agricultural research farm Bien Donne in the Franchhoek Valley.
Here I was a graduated professional officer doiing soil research.
It was therefore obvious that I would be closely associated with many
arrangements to make their well deserved rest as pleasant as posible.

Shortly before their arrival I was called in to the office of the
Director of the then Fruit Research, Dr. Nel, and in no uncertain
terms instructed to take all necessary steps not to be in a place
or position at any time to cross the path of any member of the
Royal Family. Quite frankly I understood, agreed and promised to
make sure that it did not happen.

WHY:- Well like Moses "I was not eloquent, was slow of speech,
and of a slow tongue" In other words, I stutter. The King too was
very slightly " slow of speech". Although this was exaggerated.
The many times that I heard him speak, you could hardly notice it.

It is a fact that if two people that are "slow of speech" meet, it is
exaggerated in both. After all these years I have succeeded to speak
normally, well almost, but when I meet someone that stutters I have
great difficulty to speak properly.





>From: Lehmkuhl <>
>Reply-To:
>To:
>Subject: Royal visit of 1947
>Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 21:26:35 -0800
>
>Granada Television in London, UK is trying to track down anyone who met
>Queen Elizabeth II during the Royal Family's tour of South Africa from
>February 17, 1947 to April 23 of the same year.
>Newspapers reported that the then princess celebrated her 21st birthday in
>Cape Town and enjoyed meeting young people at various dinner dances held in
>her honour.
>Since placing adverts in the South African media, researcher Petra Coveney
>has had a tremendous response from South Africans who had met the
>princess. "We have, however, been informed that some of the people who
>met her in South Africa, have since moved to Britain," she said. "We
>would like to speak to any of them for a documentary to be filmed later
>this year."
>The princess made a keynote speech on her 21st birthday, which was on April
>21, 1947, in which she pledged to dedicate her life to her royal duties.
>South African guests at a party hosted for the princess on the occasion
>included Priscilla Ann Waterson, 16, and her brother, Michael Waterson, who
>danced with both Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. The hosts were
>F S Waterson and his wife. Any information on the Waterstones would be
>invaluable, said Coveney.
>She is also trying to find film footage of the royal visit. Can you
>help? If so, call her on 020 7633 2704 or e-mail
>
>===================
>Anne Lehmkuhl - Professional genealogist specialising in South African
>research
>Member of: Genealogical Society of South Africa; Association of
>Professional Genealogists (USA)
>Web site http://www.rupert.net/~lkool/
>
>
>==== SOUTH-AFRICA Mailing List ====
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>


Abraham Kruger
Pretoria

www.hoogland.co.za

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