tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post6736216788740483940..comments2023-12-07T16:02:04.056-08:00Comments on Woza Mark: 2007. Apartheid, late 1950s - early 1970s, Fraser's Durban North SchoolingMark JS Esslemonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749586039279026148noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-40054581623849627332016-07-20T21:53:51.404-07:002016-07-20T21:53:51.404-07:00Hi Gabriel, I strongly suspect your grandfather is...Hi Gabriel, I strongly suspect your grandfather is Mauritian, contact me on phillah@intnet.mu if you want more info, regards, PhilippeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06610767859127452378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-20470430170405977152016-07-20T21:52:47.864-07:002016-07-20T21:52:47.864-07:00Hi Gabriel, I suspect your immediate ancestry is M...Hi Gabriel, I suspect your immediate ancestry is Mauritian - contact me on phillah@intnet.mu if you want more info, cheers, Philippe la HausseAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06610767859127452378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-27766853611395309662015-09-27T21:27:23.421-07:002015-09-27T21:27:23.421-07:00Hi Mark, thanks for the prompt reply - I appreciat...Hi Mark, thanks for the prompt reply - I appreciate this! Sorry to have had to ask in the manner I did. I am grateful for the leads. I am now looking to hire a private investigator in Durban; they'll probably do a better job than I can ever do.<br />Best wishes,<br />GabrielAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257832110421948508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-63429904964969084582015-09-25T16:27:22.379-07:002015-09-25T16:27:22.379-07:00Hi Gabriel. I don't remember the Chelsea Drive...Hi Gabriel. I don't remember the Chelsea Drive surnames you mention. Sorry, I left 22 Chelsea Dr at the end of 1977 & have lived in NZ for the last 20 years. 1 Chelsea Dr was on the corner of Old Mill Way, a busy Durban North bus route then. I don't know anything about French embassies.<br /> <br />Leads: 1. Website: St Martins Church (Anglican) Chelsea Dr. The church may have records of your family. It was close to 1 Chelsea Dr. Families at the time living on Chelsea Dr near St Martins were Wettergreen, Chapel & Porteous families. I don't know if they still live there.<br />2. Website: Chelsea Drive Preparatory School (old name Durban North Primary). The school may have records of your family. Our family home was next door to the school.<br />Most Durban North kids went to Durban North Primary at the time. <br />3. Mrs Jones's Halcyon Days nursery school, opposite Dbn Nth Primary. Website? <br />4. Other Dbn Nth Primary feeder schools were Northway Infants & Sunningdale Drive Infants. Websites? <br />5. Northlands Girls High was for Durban North teenage girls. Website? <br />6. Northlands Boys High & Beachwood Boys High were for Durban North teenage boys at the time. Later the 2 boys high schools joined to form Northwood Boys High (Check Northwood website, Oliver Tambo Dr, used to be Kensington Dr at the time).<br />7. Broadway intersected with Chelsea Dr & was the main shopping precinct for Durban North, several shops.<br />8. Durban North Methodist Church on Broadway. Website?<br />9. Lady of Fatima Convent, Northway on top of Broadway. The convent had a private school where my younger bro started school. Website? <br />Hope these leads help your family search. Regards.Mark JS Esslemonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05749586039279026148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-80628698792044645112015-09-24T12:49:38.656-07:002015-09-24T12:49:38.656-07:00Dear Mark, this is me writing in desperation, as I...Dear Mark, this is me writing in desperation, as I wish to know a bit more about my own family's history. This is probably tangential to your own discussion here, but I was intrigued by your reference to Chelsea Drive, Durban North, in the 1970s.<br /><br />My grandfather may have lived there (in the late 1960s until his death around then), as did his wife (in the 1970s), my father's stepmother. She lived on Number 1, Chelsea Drive, Durban North: her name was Mrs 'Poilly' or 'Pouilly' (not sure of the exact spelling).<br /><br />I sent the following email to the French embassy in South Africa:<br /><br />"I am a Zambian male aged 33, currently resident in the UK.<br /><br />My father, of mixed race descent, has shared with me stories of his father, my grandfather. He told me he was of French origin, but lost all documents, photos etc. to prove his relationship. I wondered whether the French embassy in Lusaka or South Africa had a record of its French citizens visiting Zambia from before Zambia's 1964 independence, or slightly after. I understand he may have come from Lyon.<br /><br />My grandfather later migrated to South Africa en route to Mauritius around the mid to late 1960s. During his sojourn in South Africa, he lived on Chelsea Drive, Durban North.<br /><br />Although I maintain a surname of 'Pollen', I quite understand that my original surname was 'Poily' or 'Poilly' or 'Pouilly' - I am not sure what the correct spelling is. I have been told my grandfather was named Gabriel Poilly or something like that.<br /><br />Would have have any information on this? Or would you direct me to somebody who could help?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257832110421948508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-90330028031504564502015-02-28T11:08:57.278-08:002015-02-28T11:08:57.278-08:00Thanks for your input Roger. One of my mom's t...Thanks for your input Roger. One of my mom's teacher friends was Elva Warmington, VP at Northway Infants in that era. Go well.Mark JS Esslemonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05749586039279026148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-38123230214754066122015-02-25T02:49:42.232-08:002015-02-25T02:49:42.232-08:00I was at the same school at the same time. I remem...I was at the same school at the same time. I remember those teachers. Then i went to Northway infants school to standard 1<br /><br />Roger BeallAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6048488460945517673.post-43409647295702032662009-09-22T23:15:54.253-07:002009-09-22T23:15:54.253-07:00Exchanged emails with a SA expat, living near NY, ...Exchanged emails with a SA expat, living near NY, who used to live in Gainsborough Drive, Ellis Park, near DHSOB Club, Durban North. About Sunningdale Drive he said:<br /><br />"I was in the 1st class 1 group at Sunningdale Drive, the school opened in 1960, I was there class 1 and class 2. Miss Meyer was the principal and Mrs Sharett was my class 1 teacher and Mrs O'Callagher (spelling?) class 2. <br /><br />Since next year 2010 will be the 50th anniversary of our class 1 year, I thought of reaching out to all those classmen who might be interested in catching up. <br /><br />I visited the school about a year or so ago during a visit to Durban, it's still there, and there is a sign up on the wall listing principals, sure enough Miss Meyer 1960-1961 is at the top of the list. I asked the receptionist if I could meet the current principal and was told that she was on leave checking out Australia!<br /><br />I see you are in NZ. Christchurch looks terrific from the pics on your blog..."Mark JS Esslemonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05749586039279026148noreply@blogger.com