GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Two young history enthusiasts and aspiring treasure hunters made the find of a lifetime when they recently discovered a Graaff-Reinet Advertiser, published on 18 August 1949, hidden in their Park Street home.
Brothers Conrad (10) and Rikus (12) Kleyn, who both attend Laer Volkskool, decided that they both need their own room. Dad Desmond was removing an old built-in cupboard to make room for Rikus' study corner in one of the rooms, when mom Gerna found a small glass bottle, hidden beneath the floorboards.
"I don't know why I looked, but I did, and there was this bottle," Gerna said. "We decided to wait for Conrad and Rikus to open it, as they love history and the idea of treasure hunting."
The Kleyn family have lived in the home for 12 years, and believe that it still has its original flooring. The house was originally built for the station master of the town, but it is unclear when this was.
Gerna guessed that whoever built the house hid the newspaper. The brothers were ecstatic to find the paper, as it gave them a glimpse into past life in Graaff-Reinet and surrounding towns.
"Our favourite story is about how Aberdeen was experiencing less drunkenness than in the past," both boys laughed. They were also surprised to see an advertisement for Springbok Medium cigarettes, which were advertised as "the lucky choice."
The boys couldn't believe their eyes when they saw an advertisement for cigarettes.
The frontpage story, Gerna and Desmond's favourite, was about world-famous German soprano Erna Sack's visit to Graaff-Reinet. According to the article, every one of the 862 seats in Town Hall was sold out, and visitors were "clamouring for accommodation".
One article included worry about the flu epidemic in South Africa, and the fact that three patients in Aberdeen were affected. Another article was about a Graaff-Reinet man with polio, who was sent to a hospital in Johannesburg for treatment.
On the social page, the St James' Church made £380 (R 7921 today) at their yearly bazaar, and the Ashton jam-making co-operative was looking for women aged 18 – 25 to travel around South Africa in caravans to promote the business' various products.
They would be paid £22 (R458 today) per month. The 'Tiser treasure will be preserved and framed by the family, and a spot has already been reserved for it in Rikus' room. Only one mystery remains in the Kleyn house: what treasure is hidden beneath the flooring in Conrad's room?
History enthusiast Conrad (10) and Rikus (12) Kleyn can't get enough of the interesting stories found in an Advertiser that is 71 years old. BELOW: Brothers Conrad and Rikus Kleyn with their newly discovered treasure.
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