Norah Coralie Clarence^[1]

1911 - 1990  (79 years)

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• Name	Norah Coralie Clarence
  Birth	15 Sep 1911	Kokstad,East Griqualand,Cape,South Africa.,
  Gender	Female
  Death	16 Sep 1990	East London,Cape,South Africa.,
  Cremation	21 Sep 1990	East London,Cape,South Africa.,   [2]
  	(by Burial Order 376978)
  Person ID	I8273	My Genealogy
  Last Modified	27 Apr 2026 | Edit

  
  

  Father	Ray Clarence,   b. 18 Mar 1881, Highflats,Natal,South Africa d. 5 Oct 1962, Bizana,Pondoland,South Africa., (Age 81 years)
  Mother	Lucy Theodora Crowder,   b. 11 Feb 1884, Barberton,Transvaal,South Africa., d. 18 Sep 1952, Bergville,Natal,South Africa (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	9 Sep 1908	Johannesburg,Transvaal,South Africa
  Family ID	F302714243	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Ronald Ian Thompson,   b. 4 Apr 1906, Bizana,Pondoland,South Africa., d. 24 Mar 1985 (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	4 Feb 1937	Kokstad,East Griqualand,Cape,South Africa.,
  Children	1. Ian Everard Thompson,   b. 23 Dec 1937, Grahamstown,Cape,South Africa., (Age 88 years)   2. Elizabeth "Coralie" Anne Thompson,   b. 26 Aug 1939, Somerset East,Cape,South Africa., (Age 86 years)   3. Lucy Irene Thompson,   b. 28 May 1946, Engcobo,Transkei,South Africa., d. 16 Apr 2017, Cambridge,,,,England (Age 70 years)   4. Mary Dorothea Thompson,   b. 31 Dec 1950, Engcobo,Transkei,South Africa., (Age 75 years)
  Family ID	F302712714	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Apr 2020 | Edit

  
  

• Photos		53559345.jpg _TYPE: PHOTO
  		Nora, the debutante _TYPE: PHOTO
  		Nora during the war _TYPE: PHOTO
  		Nora and Ronald:Wartime family _TYPE: PHOTO

  
  

• Notes

  PRIVATE «b»Norah«/b» «b»Clarence«/b» By Ian Thompson (son) 2006 «b»Norah,«/b» the daughter of an East Griqualand farmer, started her tertiary education at the Witwatersrand University, but was prevented from completing her degree because the Stockmarket Crash and Depression left her parents unable to afford to pay her fees for her final year. She completed her Dip Ed and worked as a school teacher for most of her life, when not fully occupied with raising her four children. She generally taught Mathematics and English but could turn her mind to teaching most subjects in the secondary school curriculum. Before marriage she worked in the Transvaal, teaching in Johannesburg, Middleburg. During WWII she started a Nursery School in Uvongo, Natal, for the children of refugees from Singapore [Ian and Coralie went along for the ride!] She later became Principal of Bizana Primary School. After WWII, she was mostly involved in part-time teaching [to supplement Ronald's meagre ministerial stipend], while raising Lucy and Mary who were born after the War. While she was always an active member of the Methodist Church, after the War she became increasingly involved as a minister's wife in the many kinds of support expected of her in that role, including lay preaching, fundraising and leadership of the Women's Auxiliary and Women's Manyano, of which organisations she was twice elected the national president. In their retirement, she and Ronald were not only deeply involved in the affairs of the Griqua community, but took a leading role in civic affairs in Kokstad. After Ronald's death in 1985, Norah sold 'Ezulwini', the little 'dream house' they had built for their retirement in Kokstad, and moved to East London, to be near to Coralie, who took particular responsibility for her care in her final years. She died in the pulpit, having preached her last sermon on the theme of Grace - on the importance of gratitude as expressed in saying grace at meals. Both she and Ronald died in harness, having burned themselves out in the service of their Lord and his people of all ages, colours and cultures.

  
  

• Sources

  [S86] Ian Thompson, Correspondence with Ian Thompson. [S541] East London. Cremation Records., Page 29. Cremation No 14001 (Reliability: 3).