75th Anniversary of Royal Family Visit to South Africa Day 65

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 Day 65: 5th April 1947

Programme

Originally this a was a rest day being the Saturday before Easter Sunday, but the Royal Family decided to return to Johannesburg for a 3rd day. They attended two gatherings of School children and then went on to the Goldmine and they descended down the mine.

Lunch was at the Gold Mine in a tent set up by mine officials. After lunch they went to Baragwanath Military Hospital where most of the patients were recovering from tuberculosis including patients from the UK.

Postal Cover for the 5th April 1947



This is the letter inside the envelope. 




Two pictures from the 2 outings listed above from a magazine.


I have downloaded this information from Wikipedia about the The Imperial Military Hospital, Baragwanath. It was built in what today is Diepkloof in 1942 for convalescing British and Commonwealth soldiers. Field Marshal Jan Smuts noted during the opening ceremonies that the facility would be used for the area's black population after the war. In 1947 King George VI visited and presented medals to the troops there. From this start grew Baragwanath Hospital (as it became known after 1948), reputedly the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere. In 1997 another name change followed, with the sprawling facility now known as Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in honour of the South African Communist Party leader who was assassinated in 1993.


HMS Vanguard

There was an official children's party for 530 children between 15.00 and 17.30.

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