A tribute to Joyce McIntosh, Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother
4th April 1912 to 11th January 2011
As Joyce’s first grandchild, I thought that I would write this tribute to her, and Gran’s role my life. Joyce or Gran had a nickname, Giles. There is a little story behind how Gran become known as Giles. Every Christmas Gran use to give Uncle John a Giles Cartoon Book, one of the central characters was the granny, who didn’t even look like Gran and was a cantankerous old battle axe. The only common characteristic was that both wore spectacles and carried a large hand bag. The only obvious one is that they are both grand mothers. On the appearance front, they differed considerably, Gran never use to wear black or a fox stole, and she was always tastefully dressed.
She was an involved grand mother, but never use to interfere or control, but show one of love, kindness, concern and empathy for her children, their respective spouses, grand children, friends, family and employees. Giles would always visit us when we were sick. She would always bring something to eat to cheers us up or make us something to drink usually tea.
Giles was a special Gran with a great sense of humour. I enjoyed teasing her, as
Giles never took offence and recognised it as a joke and played along with a smile on her face.
Giles was a keen Golfer, Tennis and Bowls player. She taught me how to play both Golf and Tennis. Every Sunday, Giles and Grand Dad use to play tennis at 45 or at one of their tennis friends houses in the leafy suburb of Houghton, Johannesburg. The tennis court at 45 Kent Road was a gravel court the same surface as used in the French Open. The court had to be watered, rolled and marked the day before.
Giles enjoyed a brandy and soda in the evenings. When I was old enough, but under the legal drinking age I use to pour her a drink from the same drinks cabinet that I have today in our house in Australia. I was allowed to pour myself a soft drink, usually either an Appletizer or Passion Fruit Cordial.
Tea was an event at 45 Kent Road, as Giles use to make tea the old fashioned way, using tea leaves not tea bags in a tea pot, and hot water in a flask. Giles loved her tea without milk, and country house fruitcake from Woolworths.
Enjoyed playing football in the garden at 45 Kent Road with Andrew and I
Fetched us from school in her blue 190 Mercedes Benz (1964) called Henrietta (we even had a song that we use to sing while Gran drove us around – usually to and from school). The car had blue leather bench seats in the front and the back. I don’t recall any seat belts in the car.
Going to down to John’s farm usually involved a lot of organising by Giles of Grand Dad. We never left before 6am in the morning after waking up at 4am, as Grand Dad was terribly disorganised. It was Giles job to organise Grand Dad and keep Andrew and I amused or busy. In addition, Grand Dad travelling requirements which usually detours to either drop off a proposal, 16mm Film or go for a swim in the municipal pool. Gran Dad ‘bless his cotton socks’ (a favourite saying of Giles) could not pack a motorcar. Giles was left the job of packing the car and trying to fit in all the ‘junk’ that Gran Dad liked to take on holiday with him. The ‘junk’ as Giles called was Grand Dad work, that he hardly looked at while we were down on the farm.
Andrew, Sally and I, apart from the numerous weekends, they were occasions when Mom and Dad travelled overseas either on business or pleasure that we stayed at 45 Kent Road. Giles catering at 45 Kent road was superb, especially the
creamed cauliflower, crispy roast potatoes, king klip (type of fish) and Giles, roasts (chicken and beef sirloin).
Giles was a great story teller, two stories worth mentioning were Giles experience during – 1922 Miners Strike in South Africa, and going to school one day. Giles, her brother Roy and sister Phyllis lived on a mine on the East Rand near the town of Benoni. During the strike they had to be evacuated from their house to the mine manager’s house. In order to get to the house they had to crawl through a meelie field (corn) under the sound of gunfire. They were all told to hide under the billiard table, while the adults kept watch through the billiard rooms windows at shoulder height.
The other story, was Giles and her sister Phyllis been taken to school in a buggy one morning when the horse refused to go down the road any further even after been coaxed and whipped. To the delight of the girls they returned to the family home. Late that morning a sinkhole (ground collapsed) formed in the exact spot where the horse had refused to go earlier in the morning.
Giles, allowed Andrew and I to keep bantam chickens at 45 provided we could construct a hok (pen) for them. The bantams reduced the snail population at 45, but use to wake Grand Dad up early in the morning.
Staying at 45, weekend away from the parents or when Mom and Dad spent some time in Australia. Gran would drive Sally to school in Rosebank and Andrew and I use to walk up to Oxford Road and catch a bus into Johannesburg (old CBD) when we were at high school.
Travelled down with Mom, when I had my heart operation in 1968 to Cape Town and lived with us in Fish Hoek. I remember, Giles nursing both Andrew and I when we both contracted Measles and Chicken Pox, prior to may heart operation.
Giles will always be remembered.
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