| "About you there is grass and bracken
and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya , one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the Umzimkulu, on its journey from the Drakensberg to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and East Griqualand." These are the
opening lines of |
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1
| Ixopo is a little town about
80km's west of Pietermaritzburg, on the road to Umzimkulu. Founded in 1878 and named
Stuartstown after the district magistrate, Marthinus Stewardt. But soon the name was
changed to Ixopo, of which the "x" is a click sound, and most people find it
difficult to pronounce. Fifty years ago, Ixopo was a busy town with farmers doing there business and children attending the local schools. Entertainment was found in one of the local pubs, and Ixopo even boasted a cinema! |
| 1 In the 1920's, the 22 year old Alan Paton was sent to Ixopo as a science and math's teacher. He was a shy young man, as by his own description. Alan Paton not only fell in love with Ixopo, but also with Dorrie Lusted, whom he met at a  social tennis event.
Dorrie Lusted at that time was the wife of Bernard Lusted, owner of the local garage
Lusted and Johnson. Soon after meeting Dorrie Lusted, Alan Paton learned that
Bernard Lusted was dying of tuberculosis. Six months later, Bernard Lusted died.
Not long after the death of Dorrie Lusted's husband, the young Alan Paton started
visiting her at Morning View, the house where Dorrie Lusted spent her youth. This
courtship lead to marriage, and 2 children where born from this union. |
Page was last updated 11/26/03 |
