Tipperary - that 'nondescript' house was really a loving home

A newspaper article - by Mrs G.V.M. Maddison in May 1982

Having read Lucullus's article recently regarding the opening of a restaurant in Craighall, I would like to offer some information regarding the house which was so nonchalantly termed "nondescript".
 
The house mentioned was never a "house" but a loving home to my brothers, sisters and myself ( 9 originally - now only 7 with two having died in infancy.) It was built by my father in 1914/15 and the fourth oldest child (Iris Maritz) was the first to be born there. 

When it was built originally, our home was on a morgen of ground, the major portion of which was planted with super fruit trees. On the left of the house (where the parking ground now appears to be) was our tennis court - known as the Shamrock Tennis Club - the only tennis court in Craighall at that  time. 

The house itself had 6 or 7 rooms and a lounge which was large enough to be used as the cultural centre of Craighall. Dances, bioscopes, wrestling, boxing, church and concerts (organised by my mother to raise funds for the building of the first Methodist Church in Craighall) were the order of the day.

The photo is of my father, who built the house himself with only occasional black labour. 

Although we were not richly endowed with worldly possessions, our, home was always one of love, fellowship and music, and, to this day, the seven remaining members of the family never pass "our" home without getting terribly nostalgic about it.

Unfortunately, due no doubt to what is termed "progress", a large portion of the front garden (my mother's pride and joy) has been expropriated for the widening of Jan Smuts Avenue. Originally, the path leading from the front gate was divided by a lovely rockery with a plaster shamrock on it (made by my father who was something of an artist), with the word "Tipperary" across it.

There was so much love and happiness in our old place that, although the family left there in 1943, it still holds very dear memories for us all and I think it is due to fellowship we had there that we are the devoted family we still are, despite having lost - our father in 1934 and our mother in 1948.

Mrs G V M Maddison 
Murrayfield