To anyone familiar with the history of Richmond in the Northern Cape, the surnames Wagner and Hoffa are of great interest. In 1876, a 33-year-old storekeeper/accountant, John Martin Wagner married Bertha Hoffa, aged 20 years, in Richmond, the ceremony being performed by the Resident Magistrate. One of the witnesses to the marriage was Julius G Mosenthal.
BOOK REVIEWS
Joline Young’s new book, “An uncomfortable paradise” takes us on a journey, part personal, part historical, and a South African history that few know of – early colonial life in Simons Town.
BLUE PLAQUES
Broadcast House, home of radio in South Africa, was designed in 1935 by J.C. Cook & Cowen for I.W. Schlesinger. Born in New York, Schlesinger came to South Africa in 1884 and created vast insurance, catering, entertainment and motion picture industries. In 1927 he rescued the earlier radio stations, ensuring that the Big Bands and the Jazz Age reached most South Africans.