Page 46 - Bulletin 15 2011

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Doris died in 1966 at the age of 73.

nd
Malcolm (Bob), born in 1896, served as a 2 Lt in the South African forces in the German
East African campaign during World War I, where he was infected with a severe form of
malaria. Bob married Grace, a member of the Reitz family from the OFS but unfortunately

they were unable to have children. Bob had a very gentle personality and worked with his
brother-in-law at Sterilized Milk. Bob and Grace lived in Oban Road, Rondebosch, where he

established a bee apiary. Bob died in 1974 at the age of 78.

Alan, born in 1897, was a fine athlete and swimmer. At the age of 15 he won the title of

Western Province 100 yards swimming champion at the opening of the pier at the end of
Adderley Street. He was educated at SACS and, when South Africa invaded German East

Africa in 1916 during World War I, volunteered for service as a B.S.A. rider in the S.A.
Motor-Cycle Corps. He kept a diary of his experiences. He suffered incredible hardships

during the campaign. He contracted malaria and dysentery, was captured by the Germans and,

notwithstanding serious injuries, was forced-marched through the bush until, unable to go on,
he was abandoned in the veld. Eventually, after being rescued, he was able to get back to

South Africa in 1918 and as a result of his wartime experiences his health suffered for many

years. Alan joined George Findlay & Co. Ltd. and after his father George retired in 1930,
became Managing Director, concentrating on the wholesale side of the business. The firm

supplied the building trade with hardware, cement, tiles, doors and windows etc. All the
sanitary-ware in Old Mutual’s new head office building, erected on the corner of Darling and

Parliament Streets, was supplied by Findlays. In the year that it was built, 1938, it was reputed
to be the tallest building in the southern hemisphere.

Alan and Ethel were founder members of the Westlake Golf Club and their home was
‘Sonoma’, 21 Bowwood Road, Claremont.

In 1940 the firm took transfer of the Commercial Street property from George William’s

estate and constructed a building on the site suitable for a new wholesale division, with
loading platforms and a car park. Some of the old stables on the back of the site were left,

however, and for many years the names of horses such as ‘Ruth’ and ‘Babe’ that had hauled

delivery wagons at the turn of the century could still be seen above the stable doors. In 1952