FISH HOEK JULY 2018 80 YEARS YOUNG 80 final[1].pdfThe Lifesaver Times Published by Cliff Buchler...
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The Lifesaver Times The Lifesaver Times The Lifesaver Times The Lifesaver Times The Lifesaver Times FISH HOEK JULY 2018 Published by Cliff Buchler [email protected] 80 YEARS 80 YEARS 80 YEARS 80 YEARS 80 YEARS YOUNG YOUNG YOUNG YOUNG YOUNG The Big 8 has never scared the veteran musician, lifesaver and businessman The birthday boy with his pals Ross Currie, Douglas Wakeford and Ken Smith Hylton Ross celebrates the occasion at Claremont Cricket Club, Constantia By ROSS CURRIE PHOTOS: KEN SMITH MUSIC, MAESTRO, PLEASE. Given Hylton’s musical talent, the birthday cake was created in the form of a piano - his favourite instrument that formed part of the Hylton Ross Trio band. Hylton Ross was born in Woodstock, Cape Town, on15 June 1938. The family moved to Fish Hoek in the middle ’40s, where Hylton attended Fish Hoek Primary School. He started piano lessons at the age of six, and believe it or not, he was also a choir boy at St Margaret’s Church, a member of the first Fish Hoek Sea Scouts, a founding member of the Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club, as well as a volunteer at the Fish Hoek Fire Brigade. He then moved to Muizenberg School, where he enjoyed it so much that he spent two years in Standard 9! He finally did pass matric in 1957. The following year he joined the naval gymnasium in Saldanha Bay. THE GLOBETROTTER In ’59 he joined the Swedish Transatlantic Shipping Line as a clerk, and after three years he was bored to death with the paperwork and on impulse he worked his way to Sweden on a cargo boat. He ended up in Gothenburg, and from there hitch hiked through Sweden and ultimately ending up in London. He landed a job as a pianist in a pub in Earls Court, and stayed at the Overseas Visitors’ Club. He then applied for and landed a job as a swimming instructor at a luxury hotel. This was no small feat, for although he was a member of the Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club, he couldn’t swim a stroke! THE MUSICIAN He was also given the job of playing the piano for the guests of the hotel in the evening, and in his inimitable way, endeared himself to both audience and staff. In ’62 he went to Pamplona in Spain to participate for the first time in the notorious Running of the Bulls. (He has since returned for this event every year for 20 years). In ’63 he returned to South Africa and re-entered the shipping industry. At the same time he formed his own band - the Hylton Ross trio. After a few years he joined the well-known Springbok/ Atlas Safaris as marketing manager. He remained with the company for 10 years. During this time he met and married Janis. THE BUSINESSMAN Again on impulse he decided to leave Springbok/Atlas and start his own travel and touring company he named Hylton Ross Travel and Tours. He started out with two kombis, financed by the money he made from his band -which became regarded as the top band in the Western Cape. The Hylton Ross Trio and the Constantia Neck restaurant’s Saturday night dinner dances were legendary. The band also did trips to Rio de Janeiro and the Greek isles aboard the Reina Del Mar and the Juventus. THE INVESTOR In the interim the original Overseas Visitors’ Club had gone bust and Hylton re-registered the name and bought properties in Earls Court, London and Long Street Cape Town. Thus the overseas visitors club was re-born. One has only to count the number of Hylton Ross tourist buses on the roads still today to appreciate the success of the business. THE HUMOURIST Sadly, Hylton has had two strokes - one in 2008 after which he sold his businesses and again in 2013. They have affected his mobility, but thankfully not his mind and positive attitude to life, not forgetting his acute sense of humour. He remains the Hylton who we have known. He now resides in an apartment in Sea Point place, where he is still the ‘life and soul of the party’. He has certainly lived life to its fullest, and is an inspiration to the rest of us. May he have many more fruitful years among us. A tribute to our friend who remains an inspiration
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The Lifesaver TimesThe Lifesaver TimesThe Lifesaver TimesThe Lifesaver TimesThe Lifesaver TimesFISH HOEK JULY 2018Published by Cliff Buchler
80 YEARS80 YEARS80 YEARS80 YEARS80 YEARSYOUNGYOUNGYOUNGYOUNGYOUNG
The Big 8 has never scaredthe veteran musician,lifesaver and businessman
The birthday boy with his pals RossCurrie, Douglas Wakeford andKen Smith
Hylton Ross celebrates the occasion atClaremont Cricket Club, Constantia
By ROSS CURRIEPHOTOS:
KEN SMITH
MUSIC, MAESTRO, PLEASE. Given Hylton’s musical talent, thebirthday cake was created in the form of a piano - his favouriteinstrument that formed part of the Hylton Ross Trio band.
Hylton Ross was born in Woodstock, Cape Town, on15 June1938. The family moved to Fish Hoek in the middle ’40s,where Hylton attended Fish Hoek Primary School.He started piano lessons at the age of six, and believe it ornot, he was also a choir boy at St Margaret’s Church, a memberof the first Fish Hoek Sea Scouts, a founding member of theFish Hoek Lifesaving Club, as well as a volunteer at the FishHoek Fire Brigade.He then moved to Muizenberg School, where he enjoyed it somuch that he spent two years in Standard 9! He finally didpass matric in 1957. The following year he joined the navalgymnasium in Saldanha Bay.THE GLOBETROTTERIn ’59 he joined the Swedish Transatlantic Shipping Line asa clerk, and after three years he was bored to death with thepaperwork and on impulse he worked his way to Sweden ona cargo boat. He ended up in Gothenburg, and from therehitch hiked through Sweden and ultimately ending up inLondon. He landed a job as a pianist in a pub in Earls Court,and stayed at the Overseas Visitors’ Club.He then applied for and landed a job as a swimming instructorat a luxury hotel. This was no small feat, for although he wasa member of the Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club, he couldn’t swima stroke!THE MUSICIANHe was also given the job of playing the piano for the guestsof the hotel in the evening, and in his inimitable way,endeared himself to both audience and staff.In ’62 he went to Pamplona in Spain to participate for thefirst time in the notorious Running of the Bulls. (He has sincereturned for this event every year for 20 years).In ’63 he returned to South Africa and re-entered the shippingindustry. At the same time he formed his own band - theHylton Ross trio. After a few years he joined the well-knownSpringbok/ Atlas Safaris as marketing manager. He remainedwith the company for 10 years. During this time he met andmarried Janis.THE BUSINESSMANAgain on impulse he decided to leave Springbok/Atlas andstart his own travel and touring company he named HyltonRoss Travel and Tours. He started out with two kombis,financed by the money he made from his band -which becameregarded as the top band in the Western Cape. The Hylton
Ross Trio and the Constantia Neck restaurant’s Saturday nightdinner dances were legendary.The band also did trips to Rio de Janeiro and the Greekisles aboard the Reina Del Mar and the Juventus.THE INVESTORIn the interim the original Overseas Visitors’ Club had gonebust and Hylton re-registered the name and bought propertiesin Earls Court, London and Long Street Cape Town. Thusthe overseas visitors club was re-born.One has only to count the number of Hylton Ross touristbuses on the roads still today to appreciate the success of thebusiness.THE HUMOURISTSadly, Hylton has had two strokes - one in 2008 after whichhe sold his businesses and again in 2013. They have affectedhis mobility, but thankfully not his mind and positive attitudeto life, not forgetting his acute sense of humour. He remainsthe Hylton who we have known.He now resides in an apartment in Sea Point place, wherehe is still the ‘life and soul of the party’. He has certainlylived life to its fullest, and is an inspiration to the rest of us.May he have many more fruitful years among us.
A tribute to our friend who remains an inspiration
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The Lifesaver Times July 20182Family and lifetimefriends celebratethe occasion withthe unstoppableHylton Ross. Thephotos tell part ofthe story. . .
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The Lifesaver Times July 20183
