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Mufulira Mirror
 Newsletter No.27
   May 2005

EDITOR
Gina Gordon (nee Galloti)

Fax: Gina 031-2074505 with news




This is a General letter to keep us in touch with each other, & re-establish contact with lost friends, and for the original Lost and Found list to grow.

 

   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please take some time to make a contribution to the maintenance and longevity of this website by making a deposit into the following account:

The Mufulira Club
ABSA Cresta Branch                                               
Branch Code: 632005
ACC. NO.: 9159107934

Drop us an email with the details of your contribution so we know who you are! 
contact@mufulira.co.za

   

    

DIARY DATES 

 

NO 27         MUFULIRA MIRROR        2005

            IT'S TIME TO SAY 
                                GOODBYE


We are sad to say but the Muf Mirror is being put to bed for the last time. ........this was how we started back in 2001.

News Letter No I. THE MUFULIRA MIRROR. JUNE 2001

TO all the Muffiets. 

This is a General letter to keep us in touch with each other,with the Mufulira Re-union being the kick off. Re-establish contact with lost friends, and for the original Lost and Found list to grow. 

Unfortunately we are only able to communicate with those of you who have a computer available, but this is the year 2001, there is always someone you can ask, for a printout, or someone you can visit and add your bit. Those of you who don't have computers please make contact with some one who has one. Fax Gina Gordon (nee Galloti) 031-2074505 with news or by email. We have many overseas friends from Mufulira who wept on 21st April eagerly awaiting news, pictures, etc, so come guys let us have all you know. While on the subject of pictures. Do any of you have any nice photographs taken on the get together day? If you do, wouldn't you like to share them with us all. Send by jpeg file or mail to PO Box 2228, Wilro Park 1731, South Africa. We will scan them to jpeg. 

For every ones convenience, we have established our own easy to remember email address which is 

To recount the moments we shared on that wonderful day April 21st 2001, and for those who could not make it, in short it was wonderful , but first we must start with thanks, to the committee. Without them, we would all still be procrastinating about how wonderful it would be to have a get together. I am sure to start with the organizers had no idea how much time and perseverance it was going to take. We all saw on the day, they never stopped, but failed to remember the 3 months of planning that had gone into it. I know that 3 days before they had only had about 70 confirmed replies. I am open to correction I think the turnout was just short of 300. WOW 

BERNIE and MARCEL PARKIN. Emails, phone calls, precious time, admin on the days before, and on the day. It was really appreciated . I'm sure after weeks of hard work and so little response (because were all lazy) you must have felt what the hell, but you kept on going. 

A special thanks here for Marcel (for those that don't know... one Marcel in Bernies life was not enough, he also married one) Marcel never lived in Zambia. I stand corrected ... has never even been to Zambia but she gave her all. 

NIGEL and YVONNE JACKSON. They never stopped, they were determined that is was to be, a day to remember, and they succeeded. Nigel was attached at the hip to his computer as the emails flowed, with his wanted lists. 

The Jackson's were on a mission to have a reunion ... and we did. Many Many thanks both of you.

DES and PADDY GALLOTI. We could not of wished for a better venue RIVABEND, Des and Paddy worked flat out before, and on the day... and the day after. I believe the few days before, their phone rang none stop, after radio announcements were made telling the public about the Reunion. They put their heart and soul into the grounds, making it special for all of us. There were a hundred and one things to be done and they did it. 

GORDON AND FREDA JACKSON. Freda was on photographic duty all day and captured some amazing pictures. Thanks to them for bringing their DIGITAL CAMERA to the party. Without it those of you who did not have a camera will be able to see the pics on the WEBSITE. 

DUDLEY AND KAY GUNN. Dudley phoned Des Galloti a few days before and casually asked if there was anything they could do to help Des said if you have a spare braai please bring it......he brought 9, his company is EAZEE HIRE tel 011- 7867473. Thanks Dudley you saved the day (then he also did most of the cooking for those who were at the top part of the garden. 

(For those that don't know, Dudley is Johnny Gunn's son, younger than any of us born in the 50's)

THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT, and so was the crowd. The fact that we were all older, and most of us a little larger, was of no importance. The important part was a lot of very good friends, talking the same language. We have all made friends in South Africa, after re-locating from Zambia, but we all agree, they are never friendships like we made in Muf. Friendships which have lasted over forty years, and for some many more. The KM's we had travelled for this very important occasion were well worth it. I am sure I speak for all of us present, the adrenaline hasn't run through our veins like that, since our first session at the Mine Club.

The climax of the day was when Bernie called us altogether. Vera Taylor read her very clever, very funny poem about our days in Muff, Gilly Lamb toasted absent friends, but the best was when we linked arms, and Bernie read his poem, that we came together, United, as one very special group of people,,,,,,,,,,, 


"THE PEOPLE WHO HAD ONCE LIVED IN A PLACE CALLED MUF"

The purpose of this news letter is keep us altogether and continue and add to where we left off on 21 st April 2001. 

We need news, where are those who were not on the list? who has moved , who has become grandparents for the first or tenth time , sadly we need to know who has died, Email addresses, phone NUMBERS, etc. I think also we need someone in each Province to head up a Mufulira Group list and maybe have smaller functions from time to time in their own province. Thanks to the Guys above (not God) we have at last got it going. Natal has a very strong Luanshya group,( who have just celebrated their 20th anniversary), Ndola and Chingola, are also quite active.

Gina Gordon will co ordinate the Natal Mufulira group ------ email 

To end this first, of what we hope will be many news letters, one of the youngsters present, told me towards the end of the day, that in 30 years time if he and his friends wanted to have a reunion, they would never be able to round up that many people, that were good friends, because no where else, do they, the new generation, make friendships that last, like their parents did. Special isn't it. 

Any out of towners, coming to Johannesburg, and need accommodation, remember to book in," home from home" with Des and Paddy Galloti at Riverbend Tel 27 11 708 1875 

cell. 0833244103. Visit www.groompix.com/riverbend 

Next year? Should we repeat the event next year?? but before you let us know what YOU think, read what one of us had to say ---------------

"Please accept my heartfelt thanks for making a day like no other, renewing long lost connections, all of whom left such indelible impressions so many years ago. It was like being in a magnificent kaleidoscope, each person bringing back more happy memories, which spurred on more and more ......

GREAT organisation, GREAT venue and a GREAT day had by ALL! Have personally had weeks of smiling and feeling good since then"

Did any one else have a similar moving experience on the day? Let us know.

IT WAS LOVELY TO SEE YOU ALL LETS KEEP UP THE CONTACT. 


Gina Gordon (nee Galloti)

Editor
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-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Armitage [mailto:keith@armitage.com.au]

Subject: My Heritage - Mufulira to Brisbane



What a surprise, Muf has it's own web page - Fantastic!

My name is Keith Armitage, I was born in the Muf hospital on 20th June 1948 and attended Mary Moffat until relocating to Kalalushi in 1955 or 56?

My grandparents, Reg and Gertrude Stuart, lived in Muf for many years. I still remember G57 is it still standing?

Reg looked after the parks and gardens and on his death Gertie took over the running of the swimming pool canteen.

I still remember my first dive off the high diving board and collecting mercury from the drain outside.

My Grandparents had 3 siblings, Jean who married Geoff Armitage, Vee who married Ken Ashton and Dennis who married Vicky ?.

My Dad, Geoff Armitage (deceased), started as a draughtsman with the mine and latter, with Ted Scanlon, relocated to Kalalushi as the photographer for the Horizon mine magazine.

Dad had thousands of photos and slides of the copperbelt but unfortunately they all perished with age. I will send what photos I have in due course. Most miners around 1955 to 62 should recall dad and his foxterrier called Winkie. Winkie travelled everywhere with dad, down mines and up in planes and choppers.

The only names I can recall from those days are the Purdons and Bruces.

Can anyone help me with details of the old Northern Rhodesia Flag. I tried to buy a Zambian Flag sometime ago without success are they available?

Love your site and hope to contribute more.

Regards

Keith Armitage

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN COLLEGE 
126-142 Wises Road, Buderim, Queensland, Australia, 4556
PO Box 5025, Maroochydore BC, Queensland, Australia, 4558
Phone: +61-7-5477-3444 
Fax: +61-7-5477-3477 
Web: www.immanuel.qld.edu.au

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Subject: School Pictures Mufulira circa 1943-1946?


Hello,

My name is Trevor Richards, my address is:- 5, Airdrie Close, Eastham, Wirral, England CH62 8DU.

I am a member but my ISP address has changed several years ago it is now t.richards50@ntlworld.com 

I think I was with AOL in those days, I forget my password.

These two photographs were taken in Mufulira sometime in 1943 t0 1946 I guess, unfortunately, I have forgotten most of the names of the people on them but feel sure any one seeing them and if they were on them they would surely recognise themselves, we would all now be in our late 60ies or early 70ies, I am 69 this year, if there is anyone out there who would like to contact me for a chat they would be most welcome.

Regards,

Trevor Richards.

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My name is David Reader, wife Sue; we were in Muf 1968to Dec 1970.I was with Barclays Bank DCO. Sue had a horse at the Gymkhana Club and i was a member of the Golf Club. Many happy memories ... friends were Neville and Eileen Page, Dick Neller, Albert Hugo, George and Meryl Ballantine,George Uren, the Connolly family etc ...................we would love to hear from anyone . readerdjh@aol.co


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Dear Nigel

Thank you for letting us know that you are giving up the Mufulira Club website. I think you are wonderful to have done it for so long, and for no reward other then the knowledge of the pleasure it has given a lot of people. This is just to say thank you so much, to you and Gina for all the work you put into it. I mean it when I say it has given all of us a lot of pleasure. I am in touch again with people I knew or taught years ago. To give a recent example: I taught someone called Janis Ferguson in 1965, the year we got married. Her father was a mining engineer. The family came from Scotland. She was in my form class, Std 6a, along with Gordon Holtman, Robin Sammonds, Jimmy Phimister, etc. Janis organised a wedding gift from the class, a Poole cruet set from McClellands! I still have it, after all these years. They left Muf the following year and moved to Canada and then Peru. She went back to Scotland to finish her education. She is an English teacher now at a private school and married to a businessman. They live in Harpenden, not far from David Beckham! Very successful people. About a year and a half ago she found my name on the website and contacted me. A real voice from the past. We met them at a pub in London last year, and this year they came out to SA - she for the first time in 40 years! They stayed at the Michelangelo for a few days, then went to CT for a few days and then stayed with us for the last part. We had a braai for them and invited Kevin Sharp who was also in her class and his wife Val. Janis still had a picture of our wedding that had been in the newspaper! A bit the worse for wear now, but she still had it. So thank you, Nigel, for all the special things that have emerged from that website.

Best wishes to you and Yvonne

Gail Nattrass


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Hi There

My name is Calvin Hayward and I am the son of the late Louis Hayward
pictured on the attachment and on your website...it was with shock and
surprise to find an image of him on the internet...anyway I just wanted
to make contact and let you know that my Dad died in a car accident in
1989... and also that I would love to get in touch with anyone that was
firendly with him, as I would love to know more about him and his mates
... losing your Dad so young you loose out on so much ... I would love
to try and connect with those that knew him...

Calvin Hayward
073 176 2364


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-----Original Message-----
From: haynes [mailto:haynes@africaonline.co.ke]


Dear Nigel,

I wish to let you know that I have changed my server and my NEW e-mail is haynes@africaonline.co.ke not OLD e-mail haynes@insightkenya.com 

Could you let me know when and where the next Mufulira Get Together is to take place, please.

Keep up the good work--- Muf is worth it.

Regardsand Good Luck,

Trevor Haynes.

Ps. My son Clive is a captain with Air Kenya, and on the 9th April 2005 he was flying in the Masai Mara game reserve at 1000ft and 150 knots/hour approaching an airstrip when a vulture crashed through his windscreen, slamming him back into his seat, smashing his head set and damaging some instruments. His co-pilot was not getting any answers from Clive, so looked at Clive only to find Clive at an angle in his seat covered in blood, with the remains of the vulture on him-- he thought that Clive was dead. They managed to land the plane, a Twin Otto aeroplane, safely. One passenger in a back seat was cut on the head with a piece of the windscreen. The passengers were full of praise for the pilots, and could not beleive their luck when they saw the state Clive was in.They had to radio for another plane to pick them up and fly back to Wilson airport in Nairobi. Clive and the passenger were checked over and then taken to the Nairobi hospital and treated. Fortunately Clive had nothing broken, he is very badly bruised across his chest and arms up into his neck, cut above his eye and a cut on the side of his head. All are healing now-- Thank God.

Muf made them able to take it !!!

Trevor. 
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SO NOW ITS TIME TO SAY GOODBYE, THANKS FOR ALL THE GOOD LETTERS WE HAD.THE RENEWED FRIENDSHIPS WE MADE. IT'S BEEN GREAT WHILE IT LASTED....... BUT ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END. 

CHEERS 

GINA AND NIGEL AND THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE 
   

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