Page 36 - Bulletin 12 2008

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children. Although the early pioneers were predominantly owners of cafés and grocery and
fruit shops, there were also the railway workers and cigarette-makers. Many pioneers

became railway workers especially after the Anglo Boer war. The history of the tobacco
manufacturers was even more fascinating. Largely concentrated in Cape Town they

introduced new blends of Turkish tobacco into the market. One of the well known brands

was Cavalla, the tobacco having been imported from Cavalla in Northern Greece.

There was naturally interaction between the Greeks here in Kalk Bay. I came across an
interesting original lease from February 1934. It was for the Station Café on the Main

Road. The lessor was Mr van Blerk and the lessees were Basil Cousis and Alexander
Bassios. (Fig. 2.16). My grandfather and Mr. Goldberg were witnesses and you can see all

of their signatures. The rental was £18 a month for the shop, the flat above and the cottage

at the rear. In addition, it was up to the lessees to pay the rates and taxes. The part of the
lease which amused me reads as follows: “The lessees shall keep the temporary kitchens

erected by their predecessor in good order and repair both inside and outside and shall

remove same if so requested by the local authority or municipality.” It was a win-win
situation for Mr. Van Blerk!

Changing family circumstances

At Christmas 1935 a photo of the whole family was taken in the backyard of Arcadia. (Fig.

2.17). The children remember their father blessing the house and all of them that Christmas

with holy water from the Greek Church. Exactly one month later on 25 January 1936 my
grandfather Athanase Goles died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 58. He was buried

from the Greek Church in Woodstock and his final resting place is in the Greek section of
the graveyard at Maitland.

My Grandmother was now a widow at 43, with 7 children - 5 girls and two boys. The

oldest was 18, the youngest 9 months. She was left to run the Olympia and raise the