| Notes |
- «b»Narrative
«/b»In 1899, during the Anglo-Boer War, British women and children were evacuated from Johannesburg to Durban, where they were billeted on various families. Lucy Crowder [15] lived with her cousins at Stamford Hill and attended Durban Girls College [where she obtained distinctions in her studies]. Ray Clarence, a young soldier of 18 was stationed in Durban at the time. He was very 'green' and shy, but one day a lovely young girl approached him in (now) West Street and asked if he could show her the way to Stamford Hill. Ray, completely ignorant himself, assured her that he could show her the way. A tram marked Stamford Hill appeared just then, and he escorted her home. They made a secret plan to meet the next day at the Lighthouse. All that is known of the meeting is that "they kissed under an umbrella." On taking Lucy home the next day Ray learned for the first time that they were first cousins. A difficult courtship followed with much parental opposition. In an attempt to separate them Lu
Forcey Clarence sub divided the original farm and bought some extra land at Fernhill, making it possible to divide the farm three ways: with Stonybrook Farm for his son Ray, and Fernhill for his son Lyn while retaining Brooklyn for himself and Lizzie and their unmarried daughters.
Ray and Lucy spent the early years of their married life on the farm 'Stonybrook', where their daughters Lucille and Norah were born, but on the death of 'Forcey' in 1916, they moved to 'Brooklyn' farm, initially to support Ray's mother, while retaining Stonybrook as well. However, following WWl and the Great Depression, and as none of the sisters married a farmer, Stonybrook was sold to a Colonel Stafford, a retired Indian Army officer. Ray and Lucy settled at Brookly and raised the rest of their family there. They only sold the farm when Lucy's health was failing and moved to 112 Coulter Street, Kokstad in 1950.
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Abt 1840 - Abt 1916 (76 years)
