He Remembered...

Bless you Dad - you remembered this day that changed the world as we knew it...

The Royal Family Visit - 1947

My latest "find"... and I see it was given to me and my brother Tim who was aparently not yet born, from my Dad's sister Aunt Betty and her husband Uncle Wally.

Interesting to read through the souvenir booklet and look at the pictures... Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, Swaziland and Lesotho were still part of the Union of South Africa. Apartheid was loosely in place - later . Jan Smuts was the Prime Minister.

I remember the Royal Family visit. I was 2 years old. I remember sitting on my Dad's shoulders, standing amongst those lining Main Reef/Coronation Roads in Krugersdorp, near our home, as the Royal Family drove past. I suppose this is my earliest memory?

Brief History

From some shorthand pencilled notes found today:

Oliver Cowdrey - These were days never to be forgotten

Born 1921 Lydenburg - Mother Nurse, Father Mining Engineer - both from Cape
Goodly parents - discipline, courtesy. Mother - pray/walk uprightly
Grandpa Dryden - Walter, Joyce (I don't know what this means)
Father died when I 11 - 1933
Mother died when I 17 - 1939
War 6yrs - my ages 17 - 23
Married when I 21

Our world: No TV, fridges, electric stoves, hot water cylinders, washing machines, cellphones, ATM's, emails, disposable nappies, hi-jackings, burgalar bars, QUEUES, SUPERMARKETS, SUNDAY SHOPPING. DIFFERENT.

After war - house 1947 - work Stanley Motors, 2 children

1950 - May 8th - DIARY
Payne and Harrison. Church
Sept 10th Baptised

Hall - 14 yrs. Chapel
1 member, 2 chapels (Johannesburg and Cape Town)
2/3000 members

Branch Clerk
Home Teaching 25 families Randfontein to Maraisburg -
NO PHONE APPOINTMENTS
PUB RANDFONTEIN! (I don't know what this means)
Counsellor Branch Presidency 4yrs
District President 11 yrs
Patriarch 25 yrs
Marriage Officer 32 yrs
Temple Presidency and President 6yrs

HIGHLIGHTS -

Temple visit 1969 80 members in a Sabena Aircraft to the London Temple
Our own Temple 1985
Temple Service 6 yrs 1995 - 2001
Salt Lake City visit 2003

MIRACLES -

Payne/Harrison
Salary 50 Pounds to 60 pounds and six months later 100%
Company car assigned to me when I was made District President etc.

I have added a word or so periodically to make it more intelligible. I remember my Dad talking about many of these events that comforted, sustained and amazed him.