Stamboom Eric Esterhuizen » Ronald Frederick Strancham MARILLIER (1886-1980)

Persoonlijke gegevens Ronald Frederick Strancham MARILLIER 

• Hij is geboren op 26 december 1886 in Xalanda Farm, Elliot.
• Hij is overleden op 31 december 1980 in Salisbury, Rhodesia, hij was toen 94 jaar oud.
• Een kind van George Edward MARILLIER en Julia MUIR
• Deze gegevens zijn voor het laatst bijgewerkt op 10 november 2009.

Gezin van Ronald Frederick Strancham MARILLIER

Hij is getrouwd met Winifred May HOWARD.

Zij zijn getrouwd op 28 september 1911 te Engcobo, Transkei, hij was toen 24 jaar oud.

Kind(eren):

1. Cecil Hubert MARILLIER  1912-2005 
2. Jeanne May MARILLIER  1915-2002 

Notities over Ronald Frederick Strancham MARILLIER

Ronald and his brother were brought up to work hard
having to get up at 4 am to clean out the stables and then start the porridge for the
breakfast before riding their ponies over the mountain to a school in the village,
Elliot.
Ronald was a very mischievous child and used to tell with glee the story of how
his mother and the coloured maid tried to lock him in the cellar after some
misdemeanour; they sat on the trap door while attempting to shoot the bolt but Ronald
bummped and bounced to such good effect that they were unable to do so and he ran
away and hid on the mountain until after dark! He did not escape the retribution that
was awaiting him on his return from his father.
When he was 14 years old he ran away from school to join his father who was in
the Scouts during the Boer War. It was not possible to send him back when he was
discovered, as they were on the wrong side of the lines so he was employed as a Scout
against the Boers. When he returned home he was sent back to school to complete his
education which he did at the Marist Brother's College where he matriculated.
He joined the Standard Bank in Cala where he and Winifred met.
Winifred and Roald seemed to spend most of their courting days around the piano
at either the Howard or Marillier home, both families being very fond of music and
Ronald being possessed of a very pleasant tenor voice was always in demand for
musical evenings.
Their mutual pleasure inmaking music continued throughout their life together and
a feature of the family life was the music which always filled the day with all the
children involved.
When Winifred wished to become engaged it had to be kept a secret as bank clerks
were not allowed to marry or even have intentions until they were in receipt of a
stipulated salary which was above that which Ronald was receiving with no hope of
advancement for years. This was in 1909. Winifred continued teaching and Ronald
kept his eyes open for a way of improving his status. At one time they considered
emigrating to Canada. However news of the expansion of Rhodesia was so exciting
that they opted for that instead. The Bank required a young man for a newly opened
branch in Salisbury and Ronald jumped at the chance of such an adventure. On
arriving in Salisbury in 1910 he was told that he would be responsible for the vault
which meant sleeping in the hut with the gold, specie, documents etc. In fact he used
the sack as a pillow. He was soon disappointed when it came to an increase in salary
as he was told he did not have the right qualifactions and could not expect any
advancement. After a time he was offered a job as a farm assistant and was delighted
to accept and set off for the Mazoe district where he worked for Mr. Alan Davies.
In 1911 he returned to the Cape to claim Winifred as his wife after an engagement
of exactly two years. They were married from the Howard home 'Violet Nook' at
Engcobo and spent the first night of their marriage in the Marillier hom on the farm
'Slaate', Ronald's childhood home. His mother had decorated the main bedroom with
ong sprays of scented white roses from her garden and Winifred often told her
children about the lovely and romantic start to her honeymoon which was spent
travelling slowly up from the Cape to Rhodesia first by horse drawn court then by
train and lastly by Zeederburg's Mail Company. At one point there was an incident
while crossing one of several swollen streams and they nearly lost all their luggage
and all of Winifred's trousseau clothes and linens were badly water-stained due to a
sudden flood. Eventually after the ong and tedious journey by train they arrived in
Salisbury from where Ronald cycled out to the farm leaving Winifred to come with
the luggage on Zeederberg's coach as far as the halt at Rocky Spruit where she was
met by a donkey cart which took them to the farm 'Benwell'. It was very dry and the
dust lay thick everywhere so that when they arrived no-one could ahve told what
colour they were they were so thickly covered with layers of fine red dust.
Their first home was a couple of pole and dagha huts. There were no servants but a
young piccanin was persuaded to chop wood and carry water for Winifred and that
was all the help she had for a very ong time. Neighbours were few and far between so
those first years were very hard and lonely. Ronald spnt all his days from sunrise to
sunset on the lands and Winifred tried to make a home. The highlight of each day for
her was to walk into the lands to take Ronald his lunch and a bottle of tea which they
would share under the nearest tree. Water was in short supply and fresh fruit and
vegetables unobtainable so that it was a joy to find a few small wild lemons in the
bush.
Towards the end of 1912 they moved to another farm at Concession where they
lived for eight years. While they were there Winifred made a bit of pocket money by
taking freshly baked scones and bottles of tea to the Maredzi siding where the train
stopped for half an hour. I think this was twice a week. She rode to and from the
siding on her bicyle with a child on the carrier and a piccanin folowing with the
basket of goodies. Her refreshments were always very popular.
She and Ronald use to go everywhere on bicycles in those days so a visit to a
neighbouring farm was an all day affair and ot to be undertaken lightly especially as
the famil grew. Life was so rugged in those early days that it seemed advisable for
Winifred to return to the Cape for the births of her first two children. The next two
were born on the farm with the assistance of a live-in nurse whoalso kept house and
cared for the older children. The fifth was born in the new hospital as Sinoia. Then
due to illness etc. the sixth was born in Grahamstown and the last two were born in the
Lady Chancellor Nursing Home in Salisbury. Winifred was one of the first patients
and was there when Lady Cancellor herself officially opened the Home and made the
rounds saying a few words to each of the mothers. By this time (just before the fourth
baby was born) Ronald was able to buy his own farm, 'Montrose' in the Lomagundi
district (once again living in pole and dagha huts until there was time and money to
spare from the farm. The house was a continually growing structure as it was built
more or less room by room over the years with Ronald burning his own bricks, cutting
and seasoning his own timber and doing the building during the slack periods ont he
farm.
Winifred kept up her habit of taking long walks every day and we children all
enjoyed the evening walk, the newest baby being taken in his or her pram. One late
afternoon Winifred had taken the four children out to a large ant heap on which grew a
larg tree. She sat down while the three older ones played a game of hide and seek. The
baby slept in his pram. Winifred heard a strange grunting noise close to hand and
decided it would be best to get home so calling the children (who were most unwilling
but trained to be obedient) she hurried home. When Ronald returned she told him
about the incident, describing the noise. It was discovered that a leopard had been
having his afternoon siesta in the branches of the tree under which the family had
played.
Several Marillier cousins (notably Lennox) who later married Winifred's sister
Muriel. But this time other family members had moved to Rhodesia which was lovely
for Winifred as she was able to exchange visits with her sisters and stay with them
from time to time.
Travelling to Salisbury was a major undertaking and Winifred was sometimes left
at the farm to cope while Ronald was away overnight. On one occasion the farm
labour force came up to the house during the evening, making a great noise
brandishing tourches made of grass and banging on drums. Not unnaturally Winifred
was afraid and expecting the worst she gathered all the children into one hut then
taking a small rifle stood at the door as they approached and asked what they wanted.
They told her that a lion was prowling around and they wanted her protection!
Winifred showed them the gun and pointed out that it was too small to kill a lion and
told them to return to their huts and build up their fires and bar their doors which they
did, leaving rather reluctantly. The next mornign lion spoor were found near the
garden gat which was a great thrill for the children.
There were two major hazards to be faced by farmers in those times; one was fire
and the other locust swarms. There was no doubt that either could spell disaster. It was
terrifying and heart breaking to see the puny efforts of an entire family and workforce
trying to drive off a swarm of locusts which would appear to be quite unmoved and in
fact cleared the land of very green leaf and blade of grass. Fires were equally
devastating and there was the added danger to ones home and life. I remember one day
when there was a huge bushfire. It was an awesome sight sweeping across the veld
with only a few people trying to beat out the flames with branches.
Winifred's teaching experience was put to good use as all her children were taught
on the farm to begin with going to boarding school eventually. As the family grew it
became necessary to emply a governess and at one time there was a small farm school
on 'Montrose' to which neighbouring children came every morning in a cart and were
fetched after school. One day there was a huge bush fire which got out of control and
Mrs. McDairmid had to drive the cart and terrified horses through towering walls of
flame to reach our home.
The home was built on a braod ledge half-way up a hill. We had a beautiful view
but of course there were drawbacks. The major one being the lack of water. All the
household water had to be carried up from the well at the bottom of the hill. Also the
grtound was very rocky making it a battle to grow a garden but what great joy it gave
Winifred when some little plant of flowerbed was a success. Labour was not plentiful
and it certainly was not skilled; also there was very little money to spare on luxuries.
With a large family of eight Winifred was always busy cooking, sewing, knitting and
doing all she could to help the family exchequer.
Illness and accident gave Winifred the opportunity to use her natural and
instinctive nursing skills as going to a doctor was out of the question except in the
most dire need. Ronald was putting a roof on the stables one day when he fell and
broke his arm. Winifred splinted it and when the doctor saw her work he said he could
not have done it better. On another occasion a mental splinter penetrated deeply into
Ronald's eye; the doctor when he was reached was too drunk to do anything so
Winifred applied hot poulices to the eye until the metal was sufficiently drawn out for
her to apply a magnet to remove it completely. The children and workers were nursed
through all kinds of illnesses.
Winifred mad butter (getting up at 5am to make it) which for a time she supplied to
the hospital and hotel in Sinoia. One of her duties was to supervise the milking and as
she was such a good knitter she always took a sock with her because she didn't have to
watch while knitting socks! She also used to hear our tables and spelling while
knitting and watching the milking.
At one time Ronald kept pigs and the day of the slaughter would be a tremendous
event. Of course there were no fridge so everything had to be done as quickly as
possible. The work went on from dawn to dusk and well into the night. It was very
exciting for the children but a hard slog for Winifred and Ronald. When all the meat
had been cut, salted and hung, made into sausages and/or cooked the fat would be
made into soap in a huge cauldron and the trotters I think were made into glue.
Ronald also kept bees and the robbing of the hives was another long day. We
would strain and bottle the honey and the beeswax was used, I think, for making
furniture polish. Winifred kept fowls so that there was always a supply of fresh eggs
and chicken. She made her own bread and of course did all the cooking and baking
and from time to time taught the children until they got ready to go to boarding
school. Her early training as a teacher and dressmaker were of inestimable value. She
was also able to dress herself and the family at the least possible cost which was no
mean contribution in hard times. Winifred still found the time for the most exquisite
and fine crochet work and embroidery and made toys for the children. When the two
youngest boys were small she made them each a Robin Hood outfit (of Lincoln
Green) and also a Tarzan outfit from a piece of Leopard skin. Most of our presents
were home-made. Knitted, stuffed toys, beautifully dressed dolls, houses and carts
made out of the ubiquitous paraffin boxes and most of our furniture came from the
same source.
On most Sundays all the neighbours would gather for tennis, each family bringing
teas and lunches which were shared. I think the first tennis court was on 'Montrose'
but later a club was formed and courts built on the most central farm also a grass
pavilion and a couple of rest huts.
Ronald had built an earth dam on 'Montrose' and made a boat so that we had lots of
fun and healthy exercise rowing. Swimming was, of course, taboo because of the
danger of bilharzia but inevitably there were upsets when someone rocked the boat!
In those days travelling was done either on horse-back or in a gig drawn by a mule.
The car was only used for long distances such as business trips to town which was
usually organised to fit in with the school terms.
During the Second World War Winifred was asked to be house-matron to the Sinoia
School so although her large family had by this time grown up she was once again
surrounded by children and had piles of mending to do. However, this was only a
temporary job and I think Ronald was very thankful when she was released and
returned to the farm. Winifred never got out of the habit of working and in about 1942
took over the Zawi Postal Agency. Her daughters who were married and starting their
own families found themselves returning home as most young wives did in those days
when their husbands were fighting overseas. So once again the old home was full of
babies and children for a while. All the family and many young men who had no
family in Rhodesia used to spend their leaves on the farm.
In about 1946 Ronald and Winifred left the farm and moved to Salisbury where
they still kept busy. Looking back I remember such lovely evenings at home and days
were filled with the sound of Ronald's laughter and Winifred's singing a beautiful
background to a happy and secure childhood. In spite of the hard work and lack of
material wealth we had a wonderful life grounded in love and a deep faith in God's
providence.
Ronald worked for some years with the Cold Storage Commission being in charge
of reception and care of the animals delivered there. Ronald then worked for a while
with a development Company supervising the building of culverts in the suburb of
Strathaven. Winifred continued with her dressmaking being much in demand as a
private dressmaker. They developed a lovely garden and home in Avondale later
moving to a garden flat.
In September 1971 all their children gathered to celebrate their Diamond Weddin
Anniversary. The party was held in the old home in Avondale which had been bought
by Althea and her husband. This was the first time since the celebration of Cecil's 21st
birthday in June 1933 that the whole family had been together under one roof. Of
course the family was augmented by the time the second party was held and on
counting it was found that exactly 60 people were present. Quite a strange and happy
coincidence.
Ronald and Winifed were living with their youngest daugher in their old home in
Avondale when Ronald suffered a mild stroke and although he rallied for a while he
became very weak and was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital in Salisbury where
he died on the 31st December 1980 aged 94.
Winifred continued living with Althea making visits to Jeanne in Strathaven and
David (Masvingo) and Guy (Chinhoyi) ocassionally. She continued knitting and
crocheting although her sight had failed considerably. She no longer did fine work for
which she had become famous. When Althea and her husband sold the house Winifred
moved into the Waterfalls Trust Home. She fell one morning while making her bed
and broke her wrist. The thing that upset her most was that she was unable to continue
her handwork. She found the time passed so slowly. She used to say she only wanted
to 'go home' as she was very tired and just waiting to be called. She died very
peacefully whil Althea rad her favourite psalms on the 19th April 1985 at the age of
96.
The most noteworthy fact in these two long lives was the steady flame of love
which they kept alive and which was such an ennobling and pruifying element that tit
touched and warmed all who came in contact with it. God rest their souls.

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