Chairman, Mike Hart and Ann Smythe Chairman Mike Hart and Derek Pratt
At the Society meeting on 22 February 2025, our chairman, Mike Hart introduced the two new recipients of Honorary Membership, Ann Smythe and Derek Pratt. He said:
“Since becoming a member myself, only one person has been awarded Honorary Membership of the Society. But today, we have the great pleasure of awarding another two people Honorary Membership.
“First: Ann Smythe, who was secretary of our society for at least 15 years, from well before I joined the society, up until a year ago, when she stood down. Ann knew everything about everyone and about all the society activities. She communicated with everyone, and was the glue that really helped to keep the society going and on the map. So it is about time we awarded Ann Honorary Membership.
“Second: Derek Pratt, who was co-founder of the Society, and for 16 years since 2009 has produced an informative and interesting Society newsletter every quarter without fail, in between giving a few sermons, officiating at weddings and funerals, and recently taking evensong in the Cathedral. On top of that Derek has given us some talks, and in the last year he has almost single-handedly designed and set up our new Society website. So if anyone deserves Honorary Membership it is Derek!”
After receiving her Honorary Membership Certificate, Ann Smythe spoke about our constant appeal for people to serve the teas and mentioned two ladies in particular. She first thanked the Society for the award and then said:
“I attended my first CTFHS meeting at Wynberg Boys High School when I first returned to Cape Town in 2005, twenty years ago. I had heard about it because I had been in email touch with both Heather MacAlister and Derek Pratt when I was still living in Zimbabwe, as they had helped me with some queries. A few years later Lois Harley co-opted me as secretary.
“I just want to tell all you people at today’s meeting how much I have got out of the CTFHS through being involved, learning much but also making many friends, and helping people on their family history journeys. One of the best friends I made was Betty Nelson, who turns 99 in April, and still remembers all my family names and gets excited for me when she comes across one.
“Betty and Lucille le Roux knew everyone in the society, but importantly, made the tea and sandwiches, served the members and visitors, getting to know them in the process, washed up and bought provisions, month in and month out, year after year for 14 years! And now we battle to get just two people to help out each month. Think of the benefit you could get just by being more involved. Try it. As with anything, the more you put in, the more you get out.”
Derek was aware that many visitors were at the meeting to here Jaco van der Merwe speak about his 12 Generations of Van Der Merwes so he left his thanks for an email to the committee, and now through this Newsletter to the rest of the Society’s members. Derek wrote:
“Firstly, a huge thank you for the Honorary Membership. I didn’t say much on Saturday at the presentation as I know that everyone was looking forward to hearing from Jaco van der Merwe and his presentation was going to be long.
“What I really wanted to say on the day was… if anything I should be honouring the Society as it and its members have given me space to learn Desk Top Publishing (DTP) in the Quarterly Newsletter. I worked out I’ve collected articles, edited them and set them up for printing for over sixty Newsletters over 16 years. Yet I still get em-dash and en-dash wrong. Just ask Cherie!
“Furthermore, the Committee had enough confidence in me to allow me to set up a new website using WordPress. I think this site should be source of data and not merely tell members about the next meeting. St Peter’s Mowbray’s Burial Register was a start and Joyce and Eric Settle have given me a list of South Africans buried at Brookwood Cemetery in the UK. I have started adding www.familysearch.org hyperlinks to their estate files to enable our website users to go straight to their ancestors Estate File. Similar other suitable lists of names that members might find useful to search would be welcome. Here perhaps members can also assist by making suggestions and helping to add data and thus fulfil the tagline on our logo and webpage ‘A society to help you find your family history.‘
“Finally, the society has given me the opportunity, outside of the Church, to make friends and socialise with them. Too often clergy are so connected to their work that they can’t get away from it when they retire. Through the society I’ve managed to make many good friends and I look forward to the meetings to interact with them. Thank you for your generous acknowledgement of my role in the life of the Society.”