BOOTHS IN SOUTH AFRICA (1964 – 1969)

1964 was a very sad year as my dear friend Ruth Ormond died in Cape Town at the age of 19. I managed to pass the LTCL singing exam and Webster and Anne starred in Noel Coward’s Tonight at 8.30 in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in June and July. I continued accompanying for Webster when he returned from PE.

10 April 1964 The New Moon at The Springs Operatic Society. Anne directs the show.

29 March 1964 The Crucifixion.

March/April – accompanying for the Booth’s pupils at the National Eisteddfod. – “G” rather than “J” Campbell!

May 1964, My best friend, Ruth Ormond died suddenly in Cape Town. I was heart-broken.

29 June 1964 Cape Town, The play went to other cities in the province.

8 July 1964 from Sea Point, Cape Town.

Anne and Webster stayed at Hotel Elizabeth, Sea Point.

Anne and Webster stayed at the Grand Hotel in Port Elizabeth when they were appearing in Tonight at 8.30.

10 July 1964 from Port Elizabeth. I had managed to pass my Licentiate singing exam!

19 September 1964 Pietermaritzburg. The Creation.

1 February 1965 – Reference for Kingsmead College.

A photo from an article written in 1965. Anne, Webster and Lemon. I started teaching at Kingsmead College, Rosebank but continued with my singing lessons and taught in their studio every Wednesday.

Another photo from the 1965 article.

Webster played the small part of British Ambassador in King Hendrik.

The British Ambassador – complete with monocle. On the night he was filming this small scene I was in Nabucco. Anne attended the performance with Dudley Holmes’ mother and a friend. They returned to Anne’s for drinks after the show. I was dropped off at Kingsmead College. I decided to go to the UK after that incident.

Anne directed The Merry Widow in Bloemfontein. I think this was her leading lady. (circa October 1965) I went to the UK in January of 1966.

15 January 1966 I went to the UK with this reference.

Guests of honour at The Merry Widow in Irené, produced by Doris Boulton and starring Doris as the Merry Widow.

Doris Boulton as the Merry Widow in Irené production.

2 October 1966 Johannesburg 80th birthday concert.

2 October 1966 Programme for concert.

10 October 1966 Artice about forthcoming productions – with Lemon and Silva.

Opened on 22 October 1966 – it was not a success.

Webster as the Circus Barker in The Bartered Bride – a non-singing role.

14 December 1966.

7 April 1967 in Parktown North

April 1967 SABC programmes. Webster had told me about them in one of the last letters I received from him before he went to Knysna.

May 1967.

2 September 1967. The Rococo Canada LP briefly reviewed!

11 July 1968

15 September 1967. The first concert in Knysna 15 September 1967.

11 July 1968

Knysna 1967/68

24 August 1968 I found this edition of the paper in the shop on the SA Oranje when I was returning to South Africa from the UK in August 1968. It was surprising to see that they were trying to sell their house not very long after they had settled in Knysna.

Excerpts from Messiah and Elijah 1969.

Elijah (1969)

1969 Knysna

Ena van den Vyver and Anne – two principal boys in the Knysna Pantomime!

Anne and Webster in Knysna.