My mother had a Kate Greenaway Birthday Book with a fancy green suede cover. It was a birthday gift from Elsebeth TAIT in 1921 when my mother was 6 years old. In the book are seventy three names written up next to their birthdays. She must started filling in her friends’ birthdays quite early on and some handwriting is very ‘youthful’ but she kept it going and I can see her hand writing change to what I remember it as an adult. My sister also added a few names I noticed! Obviously no birth year is given and in many occasions the name is merely ‘Mrs Robertson’ or ‘Auntie Olga’ or just initials like ‘S. M. Stuart’ which makes it hard to find out who these people were and how they fitted into my mother’s life. some have “R.U.C.” behind them which means she knew them at Rhodes University or ‘Rhodes University College’ as it was know when she attended it in 1931-1934. I’m going to list all the names and their birthdays. If anyone recognises them as their ancestors do add a comment or contact me via email and we can compare notes.
| Surname | Name | Birth Day |
| AMM | Richard | 02-Dec |
| AUERBUCK | Leah | 29-Dec |
| BATE | Olga Elizabeth | 26-Oct |
| BATTEN | Lorna | 14-Feb |
| BEATON | Phyllis | 03-May |
| BEATON | Douglas G | 15-Dec |
| BIRT | Stephen | 29-Jan |
| BIRT | Martin Kenneth | 28-May-43 |
| BOARDMAN | Les | 06-Nov |
| BROWN | Robin | 12-Sep |
| CLUCAS | Adeline | 27-Sep |
| DIETRICH | Bruce Edward | 16-Apr |
| DIETRICH | Margot | 01-Nov |
| DUNN | Jennifer | 06-Jan-47 |
| DUNN | Christine | 25-Dec |
| ELLIOTT | Mrs E | 19-Feb |
| EVERARD | Edna | 30-Apr |
| GYNGELL | David William | 23-Jul |
| HADDOCK | Ruth | 28-Jun |
| HARRIS | Doreen | 20-Feb |
| HUNTER | Olwen C | 28-Feb |
| IRVING | Isobel | 25-Dec |
| JOHN | Nell | 02-Apr |
| KENNETT | Francis Catherine | 01-Jan |
| KNIGHT | Jessie W | 13-Sep |
| KROMBERG | J | 02-Apr |
| LLOYD-LISTER | Mrs | 20-May |
| MAASDORP | Joan | 14-Oct |
| MULLER | Arnold | 20-Feb |
| PETER | Nesta | 31-Dec |
| POWELL | Lou | 01-Nov |
| PRATT | Derek | 20-Jan-50 |
| PRATT | Jean | 06-Sep |
| PRATT | Tom | 27-Sep |
| PRATT | Mom (Sarah Anne) | 05-Oct |
| REISS | Hilda | 29-Dec |
| REYNOLDS | Bevil | 17-Mar |
| REYNOLDS | Henry L (Manny) | 31-Mar |
| REYNOLDS | Pam | 20-Apr |
| REYNOLDS | Muriel (Pops) | 23-May |
| ROBERTSON | Jean | 02-Apr |
| ROBERTSON | Vega | 09-Dec |
| ROBINSON | Elinor | 04-May |
| ROBINSON | Mrs | 28-May |
| ROSE | Girlie | 20-Apr |
| ROSE | Dawn | 09-Dec |
| ROYLE | Greig | 08-Oct |
| RYBNIKAR | Adele | 20-May |
| SABOR | Evelyn | 08-Oct |
| SADLER | Bert | 29-Jul |
| SLYPER | Jocelyn | 12-Jan |
| SMITH | Clifford | 24-Jul |
| SMITH | Shirley Hislop | 05-Aug |
| SMITH | Trevor Lloyd | 02-Sep |
| SMITH | Jack | 10-Sep |
| SMITH | Gladys | 19-Sep |
| SMITH | Joyce | 27-Oct |
| STEYN | Richard John Copeland | 21-Jul |
| STUART | S M | 18-Sep |
| SWANSON | Gwen | 22-Apr |
| TRUSCOTT | Brian | 11-Apr |
| TRUSCOTT | Mary | 29-Jul |
| TRUSCOTT | Robin | 24-Sep |
| UNKNOWN | Aunty Olga | 05-Mar |
| VAN DER RIET | W | 09-Oct |
| WATSON | Jean L W | 08-Nov |
| WEARN | Louisa Sarah | 02-Apr |
| WEARN | Mavis Louise | 30-Apr |
| WEARN | Margaret Mabel May | 18-May |
| WEARN | Alfred Weeks | 02-Dec |
| WILLIAM | Mrs | 21-May |
| WILLIAMS | Gwen | 04-May |