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160, Princess Street Nkana

In less than a month the R.C.B.P.C. managed to hire the above accommodation for me from the mines. Christine and Stephen were both born here on the 10^th Oct 1959 and 18^th Nov.1961 respectfully. We stayed here until the end of Jan 1962.

The Putsi fly

It was during our stay at 160, Princess Street that I actually experienced a live Putsi fly maggot maturing under the skin. The mines on my request delivered a load of topsoil for the lawn. As I was spreading the soil over the lawn Christine was playing on the sand heap or riding in the wheelbarrow. Sometime later I discovered that there were these pimples on- the inside of my elbow. As I pressed the first one, out popped this Putsi fly maggot. A couple of days later they were also discovered in Christine’s scalp. Pressing out maggots from someone is something one does not want to do often. We were all warned to iron all our clothing because of the Putsi fly but I certainly did not expect to come in contact with them in the sand.

11, Washington Avenue, Nkana

In February 1962 we moved into one of the R.C.B.P.C. houses in 11, Washington Ave., Nkana. We stayed here until I resigned in March 1967.

With its huge trees I could build a large tree house for my children where they spent a lot of time with their friends. From the swings you could see almost over the roof of the house. I replaced the existing paddling pool with one that I too could cool off in. We had a beautiful garden with a hot house behind the garage. Fortunately we all had garden boys, as we never made use of petrol or electric lawnmowers.

Brewing our own beer and drinking Mghau.

With our parties everyone brought his own drinks. We would fill the bath with ice that we bought from the Coca Cola factory in big blocks. As the guests arrived they would place their beers and beverages in the bath. Eidon Davies an engineer with R.C.B.P.C. and myself brewed our own beer. Rolly Revelland the sheet metal worker used a cable gland to make us a press to fit the metal bottle tops on the beer bottles. John LePage who worked at the laboratory in Katanta Street bent the glass tubes for us. His wife Janet was also an active rowing member. With our first attempts I was often woken up during the night as the bottles burst. We eventually made a potent beer. With all the beer in the bath everyone knew our beer, as it had no labels on it. As the night progressed the labels on the beer bottles were easily removed and we would then place them on our bottles. This got the party going. We got our hops from an Indian in Buluwayo. After Independence in 1964 we had to smuggle the money out of the country. This we did by cleverly concealing Tickeys in the mail we sent him.

I was diagnosed with a moderate duodenal ulcer and was given bottles of medicine. Someone suggested I try Mghau a non-fermented African beer. I was given permission to drink it during working hours. The minimum I could purchase from the brewery was a gallon. (4.5 litres) I would on an average drink 1.5litres/day. Once the word spread that I had Mghau. I had to send the garden boy everyday to the brewery. I stopped drinking the medicine and a year later I was given a clean bill of health.