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never heard a good word said about Jock. Denis mostly kept out of his way, but impulsive and
explosive Irma constantly challenged him causing more family distress.
During Denis’ childhood Jock began to sicken and it was discovered that he had cancer from
which he died when Denis was twelve. Jessie was then shocked to discover that he had taken
out no pension or insurance. They of course now had to move out of the Mine house and were
left destitute.
Ironically, Jessie was actually well-educated for her day and age as she had a Teaching Diploma
from Pietermaritzburg Training College and was equipped to teach Primary School. However,
being married meant that she was banned from teaching at a Government School as the Rule
stated that teaching positions were available only to unmarried women. If they took on married
women what would happen when she got pregnant? Heaven help them all if she should come
to work with a Bump: How utterly disgraceful would that be! Of course, if she were married if
followed that she would soon be pregnant and she would have to leave then anyway as a
mother going to work was almost unheard of.
By the time Jock died in 1950 or 51 Jessie was 43 and she had lost confidence in herself and in
her ability to get a job. There was only one thing that could be done and that was for Irma to
give up school and go to work. She was in Standard 9. Heartbroken, she was given a menial
office job on the mine. Denis suffered guilt for the rest of his life as he had not had to give up
school, being a boy of course. In fact, with the help of a loan
he was able to go on to University, while clever Irma never
achieved her full potential. Jessie did take herself to task
and through the help of the mine she also started working in
a mine office. So at least she and Irma could pay the rent on
a very humble cottage and keep them in essentials.
Later when Jessie had plucked up the courage and the
confidence she found a teaching post at the Florida Convent
and she continued teaching her favourite class, Std 2, year
after year until she retired. The Convent was not under
governmental jurisdiction so they could employ her even
though she had been married. She became very fond of some
of the nuns and they of her and she was an excellent, strict
and dedicated teacher.
So the family survived and Denis finished his schooling at
the Roodepoort High School then he went to study
Agriculture at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. He
confessed that he hadn’t really wanted to study agriculture but if he had chosen the Arts where
his heart lay he would have had to stay at home and go to Wits. He chose the greatest ‘degree of
freedom’ furthest away from home.
JESSIE (STRETCH) BROWNLEE AGED
ABOUT 60

The Agricultural degree led to attaining the position in the Nestle laboratory and hence
eventually into the story of Denis meeting Heather and all that followed.
A word about Irma while we’re at this point: Irma at a young age married Douglas High who
also had a position on the Mine; I have no idea what he did. The couple had four children;
Deidre, Sheila, Michael and Grant. Grant, the youngest, must have been born about 1962 and
the others at about two year intervals earlier. Sadly there is little or no contact between my
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