Traveling to South Africa
Jacob
The seven Lurie siblings left Norway over a period of 10 years, starting with Jacob in 1925.Jacob’s arrival is recorded in the SA Jewish Rootsbank - The South African Jewish Database. He arrived in South Africa on 20 July 1925 on the Edinburgh Castle. His town of origin is shown as Illoky; his age 23 and his South African Address as 69 Adderly Street, Port Elizabeth.
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| Jacob's arrival in South Africa |
He sent a photo of the house where he was living back to Norway, which Mary kept. The photograph (reproduced on this page) was taken on 26 September 1926 in Port Elizabeth.
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| The photo Jacob sent back to Norway |
The inscription on the back is in both Yiddish and Norwegian. The Norwegian inscription translation reads, “This is the house where I live, Regards, Jacob”. The Yiddish inscription reads (transliterated) “Dos iz der onkels (sic) huiz”. Translated “This the uncle’s house”. Jacob used the Norwegian word for uncle – “onkel” rather than the Yiddish “feter” (פעטער).
This of course brings in Donald Duck and his Uncle Scrooge (onkel Scrue) in Norwegian from 2019.
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| Donald Duck gets to go everywhere |
An enlargement of a section of the photo clearly shows Abraham Lewis on the veranda.
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| Enlargement of a section of Jacob's photo home |
Robert & David
Robert and David arrived in the same year – 1930. Their departure from Norway is reflected in the Norwegian Archives – Robert on 8 March and David on 28 November. |
| Robert's & David's emigration as recorded in the Norwegian archives |
Both traveled on the SS Blenheim. The Blenheim operated on the Oslo – Newcastle route, so it is assumed that both transferred to another vessel in England for the journey to South Africa.
Of interest is the fact that the SS Blenheim was in Oslo when Norway was invaded by the Germans on Apr. 9-1940 and was taken over by them and used as a troopship. She caught on fire on April 22-1941 and exploded in Porsangerfjorden while transporting German troops.
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| SS Blenheim |
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| SS Blenheim in Oslo harbour |
Selma, Mary, Rosa & Martin
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| From the left - Rosa, Selma, Martin & Mary shortly before they left Norway |
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| Arrival in South Africa (Mary's passport) |
The Seven Siblings in South Africa
Below is a picture of the seven Lurie brothers and sisters taken in 1941 at Springmount, a farm/resort about 53 km from Port Elizabeth in the Sundays River Valley. The little one is Cousin Dawn. |
| 1941 - the Seven plus baby Dawn |
Ellen sent this picture to me and I offered the following comments “My mom had absolutely no pictures of the family in SA, except for all the cousins on the beach in PE in 1949 and some of those more formal portraits from weddings and the like.
The pictures that you sent must have been a special occasion because in 1941 my mom was already married and living in Johannesburg. So, she must have traveled down for the get together as must-have Robert as he worked in Natal. Any idea of what sort of work Robert did? I am not sure when Rosa married, because she moved up to Johannesburg then too.
I suspect that it was something to do with Martin just before he went "up-north". His regiment, the "Witwatersrand Rifles", left South Africa in late 1941 or early 1942 and was part of the 1st South African Infantry Division which were involved in the Battle of El Alamein in 1942 where he was wounded.”
