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P. K. van der Byl

Cape Town, 11 Nov 1923 – Caledon, 15 Nov 1999

9 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 11 Nov 1923

    Born in Cape Town

  2. 15 Nov 1999

    Dies in Caledon, aged 76

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Cape Town.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1920s · P. is born in Cape Town

In the news1923

1923 Urban Areas Act Passed

The 1923 Natives (Urban Areas) Act was passed to restrict African migration into towns and lay the foundations for residential segregation.

Getting around

Zebras as failed draught animals

Mail coach operator Doel Zeederberg once experimented with using tame zebras as draught animals, but abandoned the practice because they lacked stamina and were popular prey for lions.

At the table

Mealie porridge as a staple

Putu pap, a porridge made from maize meal, became a vital staple food for many people. It was quick and easy to prepare, making it a reliable meal during the disruptions of the era.

The Spanish flu. A flu pandemic infected a third of humanity and killed some 50 million people, more than the war that had just ended.Around the world · 1918–1920

The Spanish flu. A flu pandemic infected a third of humanity and killed some 50 million people, more than the war that had just ended.

Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine · public domain

What people wore

Women’s clothing scarcity after the war

Following the war, clothing shortages were so severe that many women owned only the single dress they wore to the concentration camps. These women often had to wait by water sources for their only dress to dry after washing it before they could resume their daily tasks.

Music

Boer home music and dance parties

Boer farmers in the early 20th century were passionate about music, often playing the violin and concertina by ear at home. They frequently hosted dance-ball-parties that lasted for up to 24 hours.

Daily life

Traditional Cooking Methods

Cooking was frequently done over small wood fires on stone hearths or in large brick ovens, with scones sometimes baked on a gridiron over glowing embers.