List of Communal Houses. Johannesburg 1975

Friday, 20 May 2016

List of Communal Houses. Johannesburg 1975

*This list was created by Gaye in Houghton who edited the Communal House newsletter
Ark - Westcliff

Bacchus – Ferndale
Barge Inn – 15 Krans St., Linksfield
Bastille - Parkview
Bellosquardo - Auckland Park
Bishops Arms – Norwood
Cardigan – Parkwood
Chateau Chunder – Observatory
Chateauneuf – Kelvin
Checkers – Yeoville

Clog Hall – Cyrildene
Club 47 – Lower Houghton
Cuckoo’s Nest – Malvern
Cumberland Castle – Bedfordview
Cyril’s Six – Highlands North
Durham Arms – Raedene

Ettamogah – Dunkeld
Eton Arms – Parktown
Fagapagati – Observatory
Forty Nine – Bellevue
Gail Road – Parktown West
Ganga – Parkhurst
Gasworks – Parktown (70-73), Randberg and Kyalami (74-77)
Houghton – No.1, 2^nd Avenue, Houghton
Hassle Hall – Witkoppen
Heath Place – Blackheath
Jalis Inn – Highlands North
Jubilee Road – Parktown
Karonga – Blackheath
Kiwi Estate – Bryanston
Klip Street – Observatory
Kruger Road – Oaklands
La Petit France – Sandown
Limey Lodge - Bordeaux

Louis Arms – Westcliff
Main Jollers – Greenside
Melville – Melville
Milner Loo – Observatory
Mondello – Bordeaux
Mothers – Greenside
New Lodge – Rosebank
Nikajumi – Parkview
Pig Pen – Berea
Pink House – Illovo
Preller Drive – Roosevelt Park
Rachan – Club St., Linksfield
Roman – Club St., Linksfield
Royal Academy – Observatory
Savages – Kensington
Soixante Neuf – Bryanston
Sox – Bedfordview
Slide – Kew
Square One – Sandown
St. George’s – Observatory
Sting – Bryanston
Stud – Randburg
Swamp – Edenvale

The Hoose – The Valley Road, Westcliff
Tyrone – Club St., Linksfield
United Nations – Northcliff
Watership Down – Northcliff
Westcliff – Westcliff

West End – Sandown
White House – Houghton
Wild West One – Houghton
Xanadu – Sandown
Ye Olde Pumphouse - Maraisburg
York Street – Berea

38 comments:

Bangaloreweb guru23 November 2018 at 21:18
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Unknown13 October 2020 at 22:15
I stayed in Fagapagati in Observatory in 1979/80 - happy days
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Nic Iverson20 October 2022 at 18:10
Yep, they sure were great days. Almost "Gatsby" like as one of my yacht building buddies called it when we caught up recently to chat about the good old Jo'burg scene of the 70's - Nothing but great memories of a great era in our lives. Just reading the "House List" above reminded me of Friday sundowners at the Sunnyside Park, endless parties and my "Roving Reporter" days when I used to contribute to the newsletter for Sue when she was editor and the fun "interviewing" so many fun people. Image a "Commune scene "Alma Mater" party - that would be a gas! Hey, vasbyt all!
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Anonymous21 October 2022 at 15:44
Kia Ora from NZ David. I started Barge Inn in November '74 running it through to mid '77 when Steven Chatfield took over the house. I started the "interview bit" circa mid '75 with Sue. Don't remember Gayle ex Houghton but sure remember the parties at our neighbors down the road in Linksfield, i.e. "Rachan" and "Tyrone" - I was building a yacht next door to Rachan. I note that you don't have "Ettamogah" (Dunkeld) on your list - great commune run by Neil Strachan and "The Hoose" at Westfield run by my old buddy, Malcolm "Ozzie" Isted. But hey really enjoy reading the great detail that you have posted and the "blast from the past" anecdotes re crazy Pat Myhill and her days running the newsletter. Golden days for sure - will take you up on the offer to provide info re those great years! Vasby for now. Nic
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David Haigh21 October 2022 at 16:50
Great to hear from you Nic. I have updated those Houses in the List and added you and the others to the Who's Who. Best days ever for sure. I was in Tyrone of course, and you would know the names - great parties, movies and gambling nights too. Pat Myhill was gorgeous - sadly she died about this time 2 years ago in Durban. She was in touch with me on Facebook right to the end - her last words were "Davie, I've run out of airtime" - typical Pat, went out in style!! I remember you and the other guys building the yacht. There is an entry in November 1977 about it. Did you ever sail it out of the country with your money and diamonds stuffed in the fridge?! Hahaha.. Was it true that one of the guys building the yacht was shot and killed by his workers in Soweto?! Any anecdotes and stories to me at da_haigh@bigpond.net.au will get added to the Blog.
Cheers
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Nic Iverson22 October 2022 at 00:34
REUNION TIME DUDES
SUN CITY 2024??

David, firstly my sincere “thanks” for your having so “diligently” recorded a period of life that many of us were a part of during our (much) younger years in southern Africa. (Gotta be part of your career “IT” structured recordal discipline). For sure, so cool to connect with someone who knew the commune scene in Joburg during the '70's. My name is Nic Iverson and I had a house in Linksfield called "Barge-Inn" at 15 Krans St, Linksfield, part of an exciting network of residential homes that in many ways, is probably unparalleled to this day in many ways.
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We were all were part pf the vibrant commune scene in South Africa, circa '73' thru '78. I often think of all the expats that were part of a great gathering of young people from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, continental Europe and a whole heap of South Africans who knew how to party and socialize without the any internet and its modern day social media platforms. I’m sure many of us commune scene members remember the SABC (SAUK) TV story on the commune scene in those days through a program called "Pulse" (Glen Collyer) in 1976, the year TV launched in ZA.

Yes, we have all got older, got married, did the family thing, got entrepreneurial, climbed the corporate ladder et al. But, like me, I'm sure that a heap of us “kids” from back in those days would love to "reconnect" with their "fellow grads" of those really cool / massive fun years when the Joburg commune scene was THE social scene.

Yes, I know one cannot reheat a souffle but, hey old friends can always meet. So if anyone reading this blog was part of that scene, drop a line to Dave (the owner of this amazing piece of social history) at his email address, da_haigh@bigpond.net.au or me the “General” (plus a few other pseudonym’s) of Barge Inn “fame”, at my NZ email address, nic@station1.farm and lets swop notes and see if a reunion at Sun City is possible. (Yep, I was the audit manager of Southern Sun Hotels casino ops in Bophuthatswana back in the day, breakfasting with inter alia, Leo Sawyer (cool dude) and heaps of other stars), Sadly our interhouse PR virtuoso, Pat Myhill is no longer with us to drive this concept but if one of our compatriots of those days want’s to help drive this idea, I’m sure today’s management of the Sun City complex would give us “Commune Boomers” a great deal) if we move this mad idea forward.. As we said back in the day, "Vasybyt" as we listened to Long John Burks (“Berksie” ex 702 & LM Radio)

Nic Iverson, “The General” – Barge Inn, 15 Krans St, Linksfield, Johannesburg.
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Nic Iverson4 November 2022 at 17:48
HELLO "SIR BRYAN WILLIAMS"

Bryan, long before you became as "Sir" I'm sure you remember "way back" in March 1975, you toured South Africa with the Ponsonby Rugby Club with your game against "Police" in Pretoria being a "battle that was replayed" in the bar of "Barge-Inn" my commune house as you sat on the floor with your back to the glass doors to the patio playing "Ten Guitars" on your guitar plus a heap of great songs as we all said "cheers" more than once as the evening wore on.

Great evening for sure, all put in place by Ron McKessar, my go-go kiwi housemate at Barge-Inn who with his huge SW "barge-car" (courtesy Gestetner) went out to the Holiday Inn @ Jan Smuts, bringing you and a bunch of your team mates to the house where Stuart Leach (Transvaal manager for Avis) worked his connectivity magic arranging a "ton of stock" (girls) from the Avis team in the Joburg area. An effort supported by a bunch of calls to other houses "chasing stock" that saw a good "midweek" party turnout 4U and your team.

Yes, I watched the All Blacks at Ellis Park the following year in '76 playing the 4th test against the "Bokke" at Ellis Park. Shame NZ lost that one. Much to (1) the cheers of my mate "Ozzie" from "Ossa" - an NE Cape farming family-owned farm who have operated the farm for over 100 years, (1820 Settlers to ZA) and (2) the sorrow this kiwi felt seeing Grant Batty "so close" to avoiding the defeat within minutes of full time!

Yeah, Bryan, it would be really cool if you could drop of few words into this blog saying "hi" to the old Barge Inn team and those great commune chicks who responded "to the call" and turned up to share a drink with you and your team-mates "all those years ago".
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Nic Iverson (Barge Inn)31 December 2022 at 12:53
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Its New year’s day, January 1st 2023. As my partner and I continue the “Tribal / Sanctum-Stay” journey in NZ and the US, (Florida) I got to thinking once more about the Joburg commune scene “all those years ago”. In my lexicon “the summer of ’75” that once again brought back great memories of a warm South African summer 48 years ago that saw the start of our first full-on year at Barge Inn where just 6 weeks earlier we had our November commune opening casino party with running buffet in a fabulous house with 6 great housemates, all weather tennis court, beautiful pool / braai setting and guest cottage supported by three effervescent house & grounds staff in a really upmarket area of Joburg.

“Where are they know” is the thought that came to me this New Year’s Day, January 1st 2023. My mind drifted back to Jan 1st 1975 when I holidayed with “Oz” (ex “The Hoose”, Valley Road Westcliffe) down on his family’s huge sheep and cattle station, “Ossa” on the Lesotho border in the NE Cape. Sadly, my buddy is no longer with us and this got me to thinking “where are they know” / what did life’s journey bring and deliver to my former housemates and of course, so many members of the commune scene that I knew and used to socialize with?. Well sadly, I have come to learn that some of them are no longer with us, having left the party of life for another place. Yes it is a reality that the Joburg commune scene of the 70’s was a “boomer scene” meaning that all of us who were part of that truly unique time and place are all now into our 60’s and 70’s. But as Ringo Starr always says of his age, “it’s just a number”. Absolutely. It is just a number. One that should not / does not have the word “retirement” attaching to any number in life’s journey. Indeed, many boomers long ago applied the moniker “lifestyle diversification” that continues without any number attaching to it as they continue to enjoy life.

One enriched by the knowledge gained over the years that has created highly valuable intellectual property which many continue to commercialize, monetize, capitalize and realize for both personal and financial gain. Yes, life is a never-ending party. Just the guests change! Happy new year!

Vasbyt !!
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LInda Brink, Ft Lauderdale FL31 December 2022 at 16:59
I’m one of those Joburg “chicks” who used to attend commune parties but never moved into one despite many offers to “move in and join the lifestyle”. Sure met a lot of hunky guys, all single which was cool. Nice alternative to typical private parties in the northern burbs of Joburg which at the time, were renown for parties where one could meet heaps of wealthy guys with seriously smart cars….. but typically with one big drawback….. they were married! (NO, I did not meet Nic during his commune days).

We met in ’82 at a Trade Show in Joburg some five years after he handed over Barge Inn to a new leaseholder and moved into his own digs in Culross Rd, Bryanston. It was a show where my man-hunting buddy Sue, told me I would meet “lots of guys”. Yeah right! Nic was one of the only single guys there, working his company’s display stand. Yep, we met and now, 40 years on we remain great partners in a very exciting cross-border agribiz venture that provides the infrastructural support for the supply of native sourced, natural therapeutic products.

Like many “ex-communers/expats” at the time Nic and I were both doing the entrepreneurial thing. Me? I partied on with my own business. A beauty salon based in Yeoville, (across the road from “Checkers”), where I had a number of clients who had enjoyed the commune lifestyle that you so vividly describe in this amazing “Tyrone days” blog. Girls who like me, were moving onto the marriage thing, planning to go back “home”, start their own businesses etc.

I would love to connect with girls from that era in Joburg who have continued with the “party of life”. Yeah, with, (or without) your commune days partner as you progressed your journey to the current day. Still continuing to plan, execute and do exciting things with the guests you met in your life’s journey. Sure, we may all be more mature in years, but our thoughts and passion to remain ever youthful in how we live our lives continues to make life ever more exciting.

C’mon girls, do connect through this amazing Joburg commune era “time tunnel” that Dave has created and share with us, how your own, personal ongoing journey may inspire many as we all start the journey of ‘23.

Happy New year
Linda

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Nic Iverson "The General" @ Barge Inn6 January 2023 at 00:11
SABC-TV – “A JOBURG COMMUNE MEMORIES GOLDMINE”

I’m sure that any commune house members of that era that are still “around out there”, logging in from time to time to check out this epoch (blog) recordal of those days, will remember the launch of TV in South Africa on January 1st, 1976.

OMG, what an anticipated launch that was. During ’75, every commune in Joburg bought a “house TV” in anticipation of that launch day. We at Barge Inn were no exception, installing a Telefunken TV and all through the later part of ’75, viewed a variety of test programs that SABC/SAUK ran in the leadup to launch on Jan 1st.

ENTER the salesman, par excellence, Ron McKessar. One of the original members of Barge Inn, Ron supplied the “Barge-Mobile”, a Gestetner company owned, bench seat station wagon that six adults could easily slide into with room for more to squeeze into if needed for the occasion, Ron was a great “beat the drums” man who could organize an all-night party a monastery with the full blessing of the head honcho at the monastery. Ron was the Barge Inn house member who contacted SABC TV in early ’76, inviting them to run a story on the Joburg commune scene at that time.

YES, SABC-TV agreed and very soon, Barge Inn received a call from SABC asking if Glen Collyer, producer of a magazine program on SABC-TV called “PULSE” could bring his team to our house for inclusion in an episode that featured the commune scene in Joburg at the time. Faster than the proverbial “rat-up-a-drainpipe” (as they say in Oz), our house members agreed. As did the members of the other houses featured in Glen’s program.

YES, the whole commune scene watched the episode when it went to air. In my case, the feedback I got from the “community” for my cameo appearance was “mixed”, so best I rest my case now. The years went by, we all left the commune scene for life’s fuller adventure and like that period of our lives, it disappeared into the rear-view mirror of life.

UNTIL (in my case), November 6th, 2020, when in a pique of reflection, I recalled the “PULSE” commune episode and reached out to SABC to see if a copy of that “MEMORY” was available. (1) the good news is that yes, SABC-TV have it in their archives. (2) The bad news is that they tell me that film tech changes over the years make it a challenge to get a copy.

Like Dave, author of this blog, I’m quite sure others would like to watch with us, this bit of historical “soap”. Dave, thanks for following up on my connection with Tarren at SABC-TV. Together, I’m sure we can bring this memory of truly great years in our life, back to life!
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Nic Iverson18 July 2023 at 16:10
AN UPDATE!
Firstly an update on the “saga” of SABC-TV and trying to get a copy of that episode of “PULSE” on TV that ran a story on the Joburg commune scene, featuring some of the houses in the scene back in ‘76. Disappointingly, my old Sun-City casino/resort buddy has not yet come back to me with any news despite being a professional woman who has been in the PR/media and communications scene in ZA her entire professional career. Verity tells me "it's all too hard and needs lots of time to do it” because the country has changed. Its just not what it was like when I loved and worked there. Sure, I get it but really, how hard would it be to simply phone Tarren Van Rensburg at SABC and say "hi, I would like to get a copy of an historical “commune gem” for an old friend of mine. I recently reminded Verity of the fact that on my birthday in November 1980, I took her to the “Silver Forest” restaurant for dinner on my staff account. (Was pretty cool being able to sign on for meals and drinks as a management perk) and asked her if for my birthday this November, could she give me a copy of that episode as a birthday present. Oops - no reply thus far! Yes, I have had confirmation that it is in the archives but needs to be upgraded to a new format. I have offered to pay for this tech upgrade. No response to date – but hey, we keep on trying, Sad that Pat Myhill has left us as she would have “cracked this case” long ago as taking "no" for an answer was alien to her DNA. RIP Pat – thanks for the great memories during a fantastic, memorable period of our lives my friend!

KEEP TRYING
I have now asked family in Witrivier to see if they can chase it along PLUS, I have also sent a letter to the current owners of “Barge Inn” asking them if they could help. Yep, the Gordon family still own the house that I leased from Colin, the family patriarch way back in October 1974. In my letter to “The Gordons” at 15 Krans St, I pointed out that of they could get a copy of the film, they would be able to see how well their house was being looked after back in the day. In hindsight, I would think “pretty happy” as I renewed the lease in ’76 with Colin Gordon asking me if I would like to buy the house for R100,000 when I told him in late ’77 that I had house member ready to takeover the lease as I was buying a home at 108 Culross Rd in Bryanston to be closer to Southern Sun Hotels HO. Lucky for the current day Gordon family that I did not accept their grandfather’s offer eh what?

"Where are they now". Let me come back 2U with some ideas I have re this “reunion concept” line of thinking I have.

Vasbyt meneer!
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Nic Iverson18 July 2023 at 16:17
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
While some of our buddies / housemates from those days, have left us, I’m sure that there are a lot of them “out there” scattered over the globe “doing something”. To this day forever firm in the belief of old that our generation is “bullet-proof” determined to keep on trucking! I had in mind a “Where are they Now” blog where the old commune scene members can hang up their modern day “web based shingle” letting members of the commune scene know that “hey I’m still around dudes”!

ALEC SPILLER / LEO SAYER “TRACKDOWN”?
I note you mentioned in the blog that Alec is living in Sydney. Yes, I remember Alec very well. Always well dressed / man of the moment and a very polite “pom” (oops!) to wit who was well liked in the scene. If you can get hold of Alec in Sydney, can you see if he could possibly try and track down Leo Sayer who I see also lives in Sydney, no longer the UK. I would like to connect with Leo as we used to breakfast together at the Calabash restaurant when Leo did his first gigs in the theatre in 1980. LinkedIn, Facebook and social media does not “connect” like an email does. As the resorts financial controller with signing authority on the hotels banking accounts, I was the one that paid him via bank transfer to Leo’s managers account prior to his arrival at Sun City. A seriously nice-guy indeed was Leo who would no doubt remember his gigs at Sun City and “getting paid” which was my job in supporting the celebs that played Sun-City.

CLASS OF ’74-‘78 REUNION ONE DAY?
This may help build some numbers for a reunion in ZA one day. Won't know if we don't try eh? How about you building a website Dave? I would and could but hey, you have the records, could bring in a lot of the blog stuff of the time and could no doubt build an ever-expanding site as member. If U like this idea Dave, and have the time, suggest you use "Go-Daddy web-builder" as my Partner Linda and I have with https/2-bottles-in-every-home.com where Linda has her blog under "chat" - it can be set up to allow content contribution as well.

Just a thought for a lazy Sunday. Vasbyt
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Nic Iverson "Barge Inn General"5 August 2023 at 23:03
BLAST FROM THE PAST BUDDY!
As you said in your email to me Alec, “wow a blast from the past” in reply to my reaching out 2U via an email address that David dug up and forwarded to me. So cool to connect once more with a fellow-grad of that great era in our lives. Blast all-right. The last time we spoke to each other would have been at a house party, either at Barge Inn, or more likely at “The Gasworks” your home, a well-known, socially active house during that memorable era of the '70's.

A SAD LOSS
I’m sure that you remember Pat Myhill, at one stage, editor of the Interhouse newsletter. It was David, creator of this blog who informed me of her “leaving us” for the last time from her home in Durban a couple of years ago. As her “Roving Reporter” during the time she wrote the newsletter after taking over from Sue Parkes, I remember her tenacious approach to whatever the task at hand was. If Pat had still been with us today, Tara at SAUK TV would have “handed over” the missing Tv episode long ago! (Dave tells me that one of Pat's last comments to him was "looks like I've run out of airtime" - so sad to hear of her "leaving us" because if anyone could drum a party/function, Pat was the girl with that big smile and infectious laugh between rounds at the bar!).

THEY ARE “OUT THERE”
I see that you have not posted a note to this blog of Dave’s as yet. I noted your comment that you have been in regular contact with some of your former housemates. IF you get a moment on some quiet “Highveld Sunday Afternoon” how about using this blog of Dave’s to beat the drum in the hope that its sound will be picked up by “old-commune citizenry” who like us, are determined to keep on trucking – typically through lifestyle diversification projects like I have with the “Tribal” project in NZ and the US. C’mon tell us all what you are doing and chase along those fellow housemates to see if they can get some viral action under way. Action that just may pull in enough numbers for a 2024 Commune Reunion – “somewhere”!

Cheers, Nic
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Nic Iverson (Barge Inn)16 December 2023 at 14:46
WHERE ARE THEY & WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW?
Because most of us from the Joburg commune scene of the ‘70’s consider retirement a non-starter, we have gone on to diversify our lifestyles. Pursuing that which we get a real kick out of. Like “doing exciting things” that were never on our personal, career radar screens back in those days. So it is with “Tribal Linda” and I. As I'm sure it is with many others of our commune days era.

Ok, before I open a chat on this subject, an update on the long running SABC-TV “recover the Joburg commune scene episode tape” saga. A couple of months ago, I received an email from Tarren Van Rensburg that read as follows, “Apologies for not getting back to you, as we rely on our archived department. After an extensive search from the Video Archives the program Pulse is not available”. Readers of this blog will note that I started this 1976 SABC “Pulse” TV episode recovery activity back in November of 2020 and which appeared to be taking the right tack when in an email dated Jan 19th, 2021, Tareen advised as follows, “This program is only available on film which was before 1-inch so it unfortunately not possible to convert”. Now Tarren tells me it is “not available”. Good news is that the family of my landlord when I held the lease to Barge Inn at 15 Krans St, Linksfield, still own and live in the house. Wow, it was 49 years ago last month that I set up Barge Inn. Yes, they tell me that they too would love to see what their home looked like as a “commune” way back in 1976 when the “Pulse” episode was shot at Barge Inn. Watch this space as they say…………….

LIFESTYLE DIVERSIFICATION
This is what baby-boomers are doing all over the world. Having discovered that we weren’t bulletproof, would not live forever and maybe want to do “something different”, there is a discernible shift by our generation into projects that turn the notion of “retirement” on its head. In my case, (Linda, a former “commune member” some years before we met in 1982) and I decided that there were much more exciting things to do in life than sit back as landlords collecting rent and having sundowners in Key Largo. It was a May 2015 RSS feed that we got while down in the Keys, about an Australian “Honey-Hive” crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo that raised USD12M in just 30 days. And so, inspired to see if we could emulate this Aussie honey success story with NZ “honey and oil” from the NZ tea tree, we packed up and relocated to New Zealand looking to secure access to the supply of NZ tea tree sourced oil, honey and tea for export to the US where we would start distribution through a family-owned retail shop in Ft Lauderdale. Through her blog, Linda has posted some of the highlights which she invites you to read through this link to our product tag “2-bottles-in-every-home.com”

WHATS YOUR STORY
Let’s hear and share these stories from those that were part of the ‘70’s Joburg commune scene. I’m sure that there are some really great, inspirational stories out there to be told. Can’t wait to hear about them through your blog and of course, their websites where we can all read their stories. Dave, let's see you and Alec be the first off the rank with your korero (story) Looking forward to reading it.

Complements of the season and vasbyt to all.....
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The General11 May 2024 at 15:31
IT WAS OUR TIME – IT WAS A CLASSIC TIME
(So lets keep the roll call going in memory of those housemates for whom change has sadly come to an end!)

As I sit here in my study in my NZ home office/study as winter approaches here in Kerikeri NZ listening to the golden oldies of the ‘70’s on YouTube, it brought to mind a post I recently read by a viewer on YouTube while listening to the hits of the commune era in Joburg, to wit……..

“Way more fun being 20 in the “70’s than 70 in the 20’s”

Well I think it’s safe to assume that all readers of this blog who hail back to that era are now “Boomers” moving into their “70’s having had a great time in their 20’s” as players in the Joburg commune scene of the 70’s. A scene that I and so many others, loved and look back at with great nostalgia. In my case as I down my glass of sundowner KWV Roodeburg OR Nederburg Edelrood. Classic South African wines. reinvigorating my own desire to create exciting, stimulating change to stay forever young in every way possible!

Sure those days have gone and as we all know, you can’t reheat a souffle. But hey it’s a scene that we all enjoyed and as the years have gone by, no event since can or will take away the great memories our community had as we look at the events and societal change that has progressively taken place since we moved out and on from those Gatsby like, halcyon days of the 70’s. Yes, we look at the change in our lives then realize, hey we too are part of the change that have taken place over the past five decades. (Oh to have had a mobile phone back then eh!)

YES, CHANGE IS GREAT
When recently exchanging emails with Verity, a fellow staffer, head PR girl at Sun City during its opening year, she said that the good times that we knew than are forever gone with the societal change that the new South Africa has delivered. Sure its gone, but we haven’t and as boomers, we created change then and are very much part of and attuned to the modern day “change generation”. We thrived on change back then and will do so for as long as we “don’t run out of airtime” as our late commune mate, Pat Myhill told Dave, the owner of this blog before she so sadly, “left us”. Change is exciting. Soon, my life changes once more when I move to a Natural Health Products manufacturing facility in northern NSW with my partner of 40 years (who shared the commune scene too!), relocating back to the US to direct US distribution from one of our properties in the heart of the Ft Lauderdale, FL, tourism triangle. The “Venice” of America with its thousands of yachts of all sizes. (No our commune days yacht never made it here!)

Yep, I would love to read stories from the “change generation” that made the commune scene all those years ago and continue to adapt and change to this day. And no better place to tell these stories than right here in this blog that is such a great recordal of the time, keeping its memories alive for so long as we collectively have “airtime”.

So c’mon team, start writing. Tell us how you enjoy being “70 in the 20’s” and how U2 are changing.

And as always, Vasbyt!
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Nic Iverson (Barge Inn)20 May 2024 at 11:03
LINKING TWO DOTS – 48 YEARS APART
THE SECOND DOT (first)

Yesterday, May 20th, 2024, on a late Autumn day here in the far-north of NZ, I connected the second of two dots that were 48 years apart in their creation when I attended the funeral of the legendary All Black rugby player, “Sidney Going” in a small church, deep in the heart of NZ’s far-north rural farming country.

THE FIRST DOT (second)
Was created during my “heydays” of the ‘70’s commune scene in Joburg when Sid Going and four of his NZ “All Blacks” rugby team were guests at “Barge-Inn” for a couple of hours on a Thursday evening before the “curfew time” to be back in the teams’ hotel with the 4th and final test against the Springboks at Ellis Park just two days away on Saturday, September 18th 1976.

I was at that game with my buddy “Ozz” (founder of “The Hoose” in Westcliffe) sitting amongst thousands of “boertjies” who went crazy every time the indomitable boot of Gerald Bosch took the “Bokke” to an eventual, nail-biting 15-14 win over the All-Blacks, winning the test series 3:1. As always, Sid was at half back for the All-Blacks, his brilliance behind the scrum scaring the shit out of the locals, ( who surrounded Ozz and I) every time the ball came back to Sid from a scrum or ruck, setting up with great skill, his backline for another charge at the Springbok line. As a “kiwi” I kept quiet in my seat watching “Ozz” and thousands of his countrymen going crazy every time the Springboks put points on the board. Dejected, I went home to Barge-inn, phoned my girlfriend, told her that I had a terrible day, so let’s go to the El Toro Steakhouse in Norwood for dinner. Being Saturday night, party night and maids off-duty night, the day ended well as dinner wore on and we moved onto a commune house party which I was aware of through my “Roving Reporter” intel fed to me by Pat who was then newsletter editor!

TODAY
Forty eight years later, I watched Sid being carried to the private “Going family cemetery” across the road from the country church where a huge crowd was in attendance to farewell this famous NZ rugby player, farmer and father. As I watched this man with whom I last interacted in South Africa 48 years ago being carried to his final resting spot, I thought of the words spoken by his children during their eulogies. Telling the assembled congregation, stories and anecdotes about the inspiring role model their father was. How the family foundation that Sid had built in his 80 years of living, over 50 of these with his strongest support pillar, his wife, who too was mourning her loss but celebrating and sharing Sid’s life with us all for a brief moment in time.

INVIGORATING
Yesterday I heard “what a difference” this man had on so many with his wide-ranging, composite skills. Both on and off the rugby field. I heard a message that was positive and strong. “Excel in what you do. Not just for you. But for others who in turn will reward you”.

So as I left that rural, NZ farming country setting, it was with a reinforced sense of purpose and invigoration to keep improving the ecosystem of the “Tribal” NZ tea tree agribiz project. One structured to deliver recurring income and wealth generation to the rural farming / landowning community of which Sid and his family will continue to be highly respected, intergenerational “Way-showers” as they follow in the footsteps of their famous father. An inspiration to us all.

Vasbyt ………..
Nic Iverson- “Barge-Inn” – Linksfield, Johannesburg 1974-1977
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Nic Iverson-The "General"9 November 2024 at 17:12
WOW – 50 YEARS ALREADY 11/74 – 11/24
THIS WEEK, 50 YEARS AGO WE OPENED “BARGE-INN” IN THE "SUMMER OF '74"

Sitting here surrounded by trees on a warm spring Sunday afternoon here Kerikeri NZ, it feels like “yesterday”. Ok so lots of “yesterdays”. I remember the fun we all had moving in, way back in the "summer of '74" - i.e November 2nd '74. Bubbly Kay Parkin an English girl who moved with me from our “launch commune” in Parkmore, naming our dining room the “Chewda Room”, (a take on “Tudor”) and who had just bought Rick Oldfields “Tubular Bells” (one of the first records to come out of Richard Branson’s newly minted “Virgin Records). Ronnie, a hostess on SAA’s international routes, the inimitable Ron McKessar, owner of the “Barge-Mobile”, our bar builder, Wally McDonald, Paul, Doug, the lawyer and myself. Seven excited boomers who launched what was one of the best presented communes in town at the time. I took the house over from the US Embassy with its 7 bedrooms, 3 toilets, all weather tennis court, pool, great furnishings and servants' quarters for three people. Naming the house “Barge Inn” after my keeshond. Bred as “barge dogs” in Holland.

BAR OPENING/HOUSE FORMAL OPENING
This took place one week later, (November 16th 1974), combining with my “year of ‘24” birthday coming up two days later. Our formal opening party was a black tie, all-night affair with casino set up and run by Stave Chatfield with an all-night running buffet managed by Janet along with her fellow domestic helpers and outside caterers. Wow, what a night!!

LOOKING BACK - PUSHING FORWARD
So now, in my “Summer of ‘74” I look back on those great years and the fabulous friends we all had and made in that unique community at a unique time in South African history. Touch wood, like many boomers of the time, to this day my health continues to enable me and my former commune partner of 42 years to look back with great nostalgia on those years. Reaffirming our current ongoing journey. Comfortable in the knowledge that life can be a continuing blast if we make it one as we did way back then.

ALWAYS REMEMBERED
To my departed friends of that era. You may be gone, but the fun and friendship you delivered to me and our great community of that time, will never be forgotten. Remaining in my memory as bright beacons whose warm lights will remain in my mind "forever".

Vasbyt ………..
Nic Iverson- “Barge-Inn” – Linksfield, Johannesburg 1974-1977
Kerikeri, NZ. 10/11/24
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Nic Iverson-The "General"1 December 2024 at 19:29
Thanks for the seasons wishes David and compliments of the season to you too. I looked at your photos and effort you have put into this blog to keep a great era alive for those of us who enjoyed it then and thankfully, still around, moving on. I look back on the two years since I connected with you via this blog and keep asking myself "how come no other commune residents of that era have posted to your blog". Gee it would be real cool to see a few posts go up from our "peers of the day", adding their perspectives on life then and the years leading up to where / wherever they may be today. NTW, in the meantime, you and I will keep the flame alive and who knows. perhaps one day soon, we will be joined by a commune buddy (or two) wanting to share. Until 2025, when we will continue our korero (chat), may you and your family/close ones have a great Christmas / New year. Vasbyt - Nic
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Nic Iverson-The "General"22 December 2024 at 16:37
Wow, cannot believe it was 50 Christmases ago this week that I enjoyed my first Xmas at Barge Inn in the summer of ’74 along with my 1st generation of house mates that made the house such a great place to live during a fabulous period of our lives. And watching Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr together in concert again just a couple of days ago reminded me of Ringo’s fav comment re age, i.e. “its just a number”

For me the summer of ’74 was my #1 Xmas at the Barge. The first of three fabulous, annual end of year Xmas holiday periods as a member of the Joburg commune scene of the 70’s which never failed to deliver good times, sharing them for pre-Xmas drinks at Rachan, Ettamogah, The Hoose and Houghton to name but a few in the mad dash to say merry Xmas to as many buddies / mates as we could.

So if there are any “summer of ‘74” commune members out there taking a look at this blog of David’s in the summer of ’24, do raise your glass to the great memories of then and the promise of ‘25 as keep on keeping on, treating numbers as nothing more than milestones on our personal highway of life.

Merry Xmas and please those of you out there from the summer of ’74, do join us on this blog as we look forward to the summer of ’25 and sharing notes as we make ’25 every bit as great, (maybe greater?) than ’74.

Nic Iverson, 23/12/2024
Barge Inn (’74) - Tea Tree Manor (’24)
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