Fairview Homestead
  • Home
  • Rooms
    • APARTMENT
  • Book
  • ABOUT us
    • terms and conditions
  • Gallery
  • Instagram
  • Blog

a B&B life...




​
​

Of Studebakers and old cars ...

10/3/2013

0 Comments

 
​As the once proud owner of a 1958 Volkswagen and belonging to the local Old Car Club, I am forever encouraging guests to visit the local Railway Museum just up the road, where private vintage car owners can display/store their vehicles amongst the Railway exhibitions. I chanced upon the following passage in the delightful book by Victor Smith called 'Open Cockpit over Africa' in which he tells of his adventures flying more than 13 000 miles from George to London and back. Arriving back in George he was welcomed back as a hero by the locals. (Fairview is, of course, the Mayoral home mentioned...

Uncle Jack Smith (JK), who had once claimed expenses from the tax-man for 'lubrication of the best machine in the factory' (brandy for himself), arrived in great style in his new six-cylinder Studebaker. But, despite his weakness, never let it be said that uncle Jack was not a man of his word. I think the reader will agree when he or she reads the story which I will now have to tell.

Oom (Uncle) Koos Stander, Mayor of George, paid me the honor of a handshake with hands the size of boxing gloves. Oom Koos, with JK Smith, had been two of the most enthusiastic supporters of the bar in the old Victoria Hotel at the top of York Street - now the George Museum.

Said my uncle, after his fourth brandy, to the ex-mayor who was holding a cigar in his left hand and a brandy in his right: "Koos ou swaer (old brother-in-law) I think you are becoming a bit of an alcoholic!"
"Nonsense, I can give it up anytime I want to. I'll bet you five pounds I can go without a drink longer than you can."
"Taken", says JK. " I'll bet you the brand-new Studebaker I can abstain for longer than you can; we start from tomorrow."
​
Six weeks, or it may have been six days later, Uncle Jack decided that one small brandy would be very nice, and no one would notice. After looking around the bar he walked in and ordered a double. Great minds think alike, and before JK started to settle down to business, Oom Koos with the same idea in mind peeped around the door and walked in.

Uncle Jack paid up - but the ex-mayor never learned to drive. It was always to be next week. The brand new Studebaker could be seen for many years corroding away beside the ex-mayoral home."


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About the blog

    This is the story of our house, lovingly restored and shared with guests and family since 1995.
    ​
    The inside story to the ups and downs of owning a guest house...

    Categories

    All
    A Guest House Life
    Fairview History
    Food And Feast
    Press
    Rooms
    The Restoration Of The House
    To Do Around George

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    April 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    August 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    August 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    September 2012
    July 2012
    February 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Rooms
    • APARTMENT
  • Book
  • ABOUT us
    • terms and conditions
  • Gallery
  • Instagram
  • Blog