In memory of members of the South African aquatic sports community who have passed away.
Muriel Ensor-Smith - 1938
Muriel was a Natal swimmer who died in 1938 in a train crash in Botswana, en-route to Rhodesia.
Rhoda Rennie - 1963
1928 Olympic medallist Rhoda Rennie was murdered in Johannesburg in 1963.
Denzil Greeff - 1966
Anton van Niekerk - 1983
Springbok swimming captain
Vernon Slovin - 1990
Brian Hermanus - 2000
Kevin Fialkov - 2016
Andre Kotze - 2017
Trevor (2015) and Debbie Vaughan (2019)
On 24 March 1918 Private Ernest Rowe Bulley 4th Regt. of the South African Infantry was killed in action, in Battle of Marrieres Wood.
Son of Richard Ernest Bulley, of Umbilo Rd., Durban. Attended Bulwer Road Primary School and Durban High School. Member of Queens Park Swimming Club and is remembered on their memorial. Commemoration stone in Durban (West Street) Cemetery.
Charles Felix Petsch was born in New Germany outside Pinetown in 1892. His parents immigrated to South Africa from Germany in search of a better life. Charlie was a talented sportsman, excelling in swimming. He won a silver medal in the 500 yards freestyle at the SA Championships pre-1914. He volunteered for service in German East Africa where he unfortunately caught malaria. In the meantime, his father had been interred in a camp along with many other German settlers. Charlie was repatriated back to Durban but he died a short time later in Addington Hospital.
Durban - St Pauls Anglican Church There are some magnificent stained glass windows, including one featuring boy scouts Basil McCabe and Archie Lee who were both scouts and choir boys at St. Pauls. In addition, they were talented sportsmen, swimming for the Queens Park Club. Basil died of wounds received in Bernafay Wood in 1916 while Archie was killed in action at Gauche Wood in 1918. Both were still teenagers when they died.
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41318
In 1939 a portable a War Memorial was created, which was displayed at every national championships, which showed nearly 100 names of those died in WW II. The memorial itself has now unfortunately been lost.
THE BREWERY BOYS CLUB
The Brewery Boys Club came into being through a challenge, during the Currie Cup Tournament in Bloemfontein, O.F.S. in 1939. The local officials challenged visiting officials to participate in a relay race, the challenge was accepted, and the visiting officials turned out in red jerseys, borrowed from the local branch of the SA Breweries Ltd.
Needless to say the absorption of water by the jerseys equalled the capacity of absorption by the wearers, and they were unsuccessful in their attempt to win the relay event, but, this little comedy event gave birth to the Club, and from the jerseys came the name.
At first these few officials used to "fine" anybody for any undignified infringement and at the eventide all repaired to pleasant surroundings and slaked their thirst at the expense of the "wrong doers".
Thereafter the Brewery Boys Club really became an established organisation, in order to raise funds for charity, and its first major effort was at the Cape Town Currie Cup Tournament in 1940, to raise funds for World War II, and carried on with its War Funds effort until 1942, when all S.A. swimming ceased until 1946, at the conclusion of hostilities.
Immediately on the resumption of S.A. swimming the Brewery Boys' Club changed its name to the "Goodwill Club" and co-opted the President of the S.A. Swimming Union on to its executive committee, for the purpose of raising funds to create a Swimmers' Memorial, in memory of those swimmers and officials who gave their lives in the cause of peace and freedom in the 1939/45 World War II.
Mr Aubrey Nunn, ex South African Champion swimmer and record holder, was also elected to the "Goodwill Club" executive, and in his capacity as an Architect, de­signed the magnificent portable memorial, «nd Mr Jack Glendenning, the Brewery Boys' Club President, brought out from overseas four silver cups, which were allocated to four S.A. Championships as Memorial Trophies.
The Memorial itself comprised of a beautifully worked Banner in bottle green with gold braid, and the South African Coat of Arms worked thereon in coloured silks. This was hung on a specially designed upright and crosspiece which fitted into a hand carved wooden base, on to which was incorporated a series of bronze plaques with die names inlaid in white enamel.
The Memorial Banner and Cups were presented to the S.A. Swimming Union at a special unveiling ceremony in Salisbury, 1948, where the S.A. Championship and Currie Cup Water Polo Tournament were being held.
The Governor of Southern Rhodesia performed the unveiling ceremony, in the presence of the Military Chiefs of Staff of South Africa and Rhodesia and attendant high ranking officers, together with the Mayor of Salisbury. Dignitaries of the Church representing several denominations, officials and competitors attending the tournament and Government and Municipal representatives. A very moving and memorable occasion that will live long in the memory of all those privileges to attend, and a worthy tribute to our fallen comrades.
The Club then reverted to its former name and has remained very active, officiating at every tournament and has been instrumental in raising considerable sums for Olympic and Commonwealth Games Funds, to ensure of our swimmers being well represented in the South African contingents to the various Games; and will continue to do so in the future.
At a ceremony in Johannesburg in 1950, at the well renowned headquarters of the S.A. Breweries Ltd., Mr Mackenzie presented our President with a Presidential Chain and Insignia and when he is in attendance at Currie Cup Tournaments, and wears this chain of office, it means the Brewery Boys are on the watch for members, officials, swimmers and public notabilities, who may transgress, according to the traditional laws laid down, resulting in their being fined for their misdeeds or, in some instances, their splendid deeds. These fines together with blanket collections establish the yearly fund drives, which are named at the tournament.
Members comprise Brewery Boys and Brewery Maids and their insignia of membership is the Castle Brewery bottle opener in the case of men and a miniature opener in the form of a brooch for the women, and in addition, a special tie of maroon colour on which is a design of several small openers in silver.
The members of the Goodwill Club executive were Messrs Jack Glendinning (President), Alex R. Bulley (Hon. Secretary), Abbie R. Taylor, John Cohen, the late Aubrey V. Nunn, Charles E. Harris, the late Rufe Smith and the late Harry C. Varley.
Cliff Lubbe -
Jack Currie -
Roy Jacobson -
Nikki de Groot -
Marty Parrington -
Richard Maybery - 2014
From left to right: Pidgi Sousa Costa, Jeffrey Hopft, Eduardo Horta, Fernando Abreu Costa and Carlos Otão.
Jeffrey Hopft was a visiting South African (he actually might have been a Rhodesian customs officer in LM) swimmer in Mozambique, who died in 1960 when he crashed his Mini against the Lorenzo Marques Polona Beach pavilion in the direction of the Costa del Sol to the Naval Club. A plaque was unveiled in his memory underneath the 5 meter board of the pool of the Sportivo Club.