FLIPPING BOOK CHRONICLE 2024

to 1948, where he played First XI cricket. Thereafter he was at Michaelhouse from 1949 to 1952, where he focused his sporting talents on cricket, playing in the First XI for two years, but also playing Second XV rugby regularly and First XV occasionally, as well as dabbling successfully in athletics, gymnastics and a few other sports. While at Michaelhouse he was a school prefect and was head of Pascoe. After he matriculated in 1952 he did a short stint at Natal University but soon realised it wasn’t for him and departed to help his parents on their farm while simultaneously working for Woollam & Bowen in Pietermaritzburg, then for Barclays Bank, now known as FNB. In 1954-1955 he managed to fit in a stint in the military with the Artillery Corps and remained a part-time member of the Natal Field Artillery and the Carbineers for more than a decade, eventually leaving with the rank of captain. In 1959 he took up a job at McCarthy Rodway and never left the motor industry, remaining in the employ of McCarthy’s for almost 40 years. He was promoted to branch manager around 1965, and although he later had opportunities for further promotion, those would have required him to move away from Pietermaritzburg, which he had no desire to do. Other than a stint in Durban towards the end of his career, he chose instead to stay in his home town. Viv could play almost any sport but cricket remained his favourite by a large margin throughout his life. He played opening batsman for Old Collegians and represented his two clubs, the Grasshoppers and Zingari, in many local and a few overseas tournaments and tours. Cars were an integral part of his life – I don’t think many people can visualise him without some sort of association with cars. I can remember us having a lot of fun with a variety of cars, some of them quite unusual, while growing up. I have been known to claim that, thanks to Dad, by the age of 25 I had probably driven a greater variety of cars than most people do in their entire lives. I don’t think he ever forgave us for the day that his car keys were taken away, and he never gave up hope that one day he would get them back so that he would be able to drive himself around and regain

his independence.

when he himself, under extreme duress, moved into Woodgrove Retirement Village, where he insisted on continuing to try and help all the “old people” around him, even when his own health was failing. Viv was strict but fair. He was kind, generous and friendly, and I think he’d like to be remembered that way. He lived life to the fullest and will be sorely missed by his family, extended family and many friends.

He married Rose in 1964, and Bryan was born the following year, then Jenny in 1968. Bryan also attended Cordwalles and Michaelhouse, and Jenny’s sons Steven and Dylan attended Cordwalles, which thrilled Viv as Cordwalles was such a big part of his life. He served on the board of governors for several years in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and he did his best to attend speech days, old boys’ days and various other functions, even when he didn’t have any family members attending the school. Although frail, he even made it to Cordwalles speech day at the end of 2023. He was very sociable and at his best when in a crowd. He had a strong and rather wicked sense of humour, and loved pulling pranks, which weren’t always fully appreciated by those who were the subject of the pranks but provided endless entertainment to the onlookers. He liked to be well groomed and believed in always dressing neatly – it was always better to be overdressed than underdressed. Viv believed in serving his community and he was a member of multiple volunteer organisations throughout his life. He couldn’t sit still and was very resourceful, with an ability to get things done that few could match. He was chairman of the Maritzburg East Rotary club for many years. His lifelong contribution to Rotary was honoured with the Paul Harris Award. He also did work for the SPCA and Keep Pietermaritzburg Clean, and was instrumental in the founding of the Business Against Crime initiative as well as the Safe City Camera Surveillance Project. He was a long standing member of the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business. His gift for languages and public speaking helped him in these endeavours, and he never missed an opportunity to stand up and have his say on matters that he believed in. He was quite capable of making a single speech using a combination of English, Afrikaans and Zulu, each one spoken like it was his native tongue. After retiring, he shifted the focus of his charity work to assisting the aged and was on the board of Alison Holmes Trust, chairman of NCVV Old Age Home, and involved with Emma Barter Home. This experience stood him in good stead for

Written by Bryan Biggs

FOLKER, ROBIN ERNEST ANTHONY Born 1944, Died 2024 Michaelhouse 1957-1961

From a tribute given at the funeral Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. We are assembled to bury our brother Robin, to celebrate his life and the joy and love which he has radiated around him. Some years ago, at a brunch to celebrate his 70th birthday, Robin referred to me as his oldest friend. Today, from Haslemere, Surrey, in words kindly read by another mutual friend, Nigel Porter, I return the compliment to my oldest friend. Robin and I met at Estcourt Junior School in 1949 or 1950 when we were aged five and six. Robin’s parents had moved there in the aftermath of World War II. His mother, Enid, was a tall and striking, auburn-haired woman, emanating from the grandest society in Durban, the family of Bennetts, double-barrelled to Hudson-Bennett. She had been head girl at St Anne’s and was later to become a governor of her old school. She must have been the only woman in Estcourt who had been received at court by the King and the Queen. Robin’s father Tony was English. Durban society reckoned that he was the handsomest Royal Navy officer to set foot in Durban during the course of the war. Having courted and married Enid they moved up to Estcourt, where he was the managing director of the new Masonite factory. They lived in a big old house above the railway station, thus on the right side of the tracks. The house is still there but the garden sadly dismembered to make place for other smaller houses. I remember that it had a tennis court and it was there that for