South Yorkshire Times September 14, 1946

Ten Years in Africa
Conisbrough Man Comes Home and Finds England To His Liking.

Green fields and the civility of the British railway employees, taxi drivers, and the like. These two things impressed Conisbrough resident, Mr Harold Bateson and his family most during the weekend on their arrival in England after a 7400 miles journey from South Africa.

To Manage New Works

For nearly 10 years chemist at the Talana (Dundee) works in South Africa of Union Glass Ltd. Mr Basson has returned to England to become manager of new glassworks now being built for the Mullard Radio Valve Co. at their Blackburn (Lancs) establishment. Before going out to South Africa Mr Bateson was technical manager at Messrs. Kilner Bros glass bottle works at Conisbrough, where his father was for many years works manager.

Mr Bateson docked at Southampton on Saturday in the “Carnarvon Castle” with his wife and family of Jacyl, Anthony and Leigh, and they were met at Doncaster station on Sunday by Mr Bateson’s brother, Mr G. K. Bateson, Low road, Conisbrough, (Labour Officer at the Royal Ordnance factory, Maltby), and his brother-in-law and sister, Mr and Mrs J. E. Greathead, Park Road, Conisbrough. They had completed in three weeks 1400 miles by rail and 6000 miles by sea – no small achievement for Leigh, not yet 30 months old. “She thought the rocking of the boat was entirely done for her benefit and thoroughly enjoyed it,” her mother told a “South Yorkshire Times” before this week, “but the trip has cost her a cold.”

Mr Bateson said he had spent a happy time in South Africa, but, naturally, he was glad to be back in England. “I must confess to a nostalgic feeling when we first caught sight of Britain again,” he remarked. “It was a glorious afternoon on Saturday unfortunately we were on deck when The Needles came into view.”

Little change.

Mr Bateson does not see much change in his old hometown and no great alteration in the looks of the townspeople – he has been able to recognise all the old acquaintances he has met so far. “Actually, while building in Britain,” he said “look shabby through want of paint, people look much better than we expected, having regard to the severity of rationing. We have the most struck by the kindness and obliging conduct of the customs officials and the taxi drivers, and railway staffs upon whose assistance we had to call – we found this a pleasant change – and it has also been a sight to see green fields and flowers again. We saw flowers in Durban on our way here, but at home in South Africa it was not possible to grow them. In fact, if you want to dig the garden you had to use a pick the land was baked so hard.”

Mr Bateson’s home at Dundee, two miles from his work, where the staff of 100 whites and 600 natives were responsible for a weekly output of 1 million and a quarter, glass bottles of all types, was 1400 feet above sea level and the Europeans had to pay particular attention to the changes in temperature. People who at midday had been attired in shorts and a shirt might find themselves in a few hours later donning all the apparel they possessed. Dundee had a population of 2000 whites, yet three doctors were necessary and were kept extremely busy. The incidence of pneumonia was very high. It was necessary, too, for young children to be under the constant watch of native nurse mates owing to the surveillance of poisonous insects and other pests

Food rationing, impending in South Africa, had not been introduced when Mr and Mrs Bateson set sail, and they are now engaged in accustoming themselves to the difficulties of British shopping. From preliminary observations, Mr Bateson said, he thought this country system to be fair and the best method of ensuring adequate for distribution of the supplies available. In South Africa a lot depending upon the depth of one’s pocket.

It was not uncommon during the periods when meat was in short supply for no one to see meat for three weeks or a month, although at the time it was possible to obtain large steaks in expensive hotels, provided you had the money.

Mr Bateson mentioned that most of the houses in his part of South Africa were single-storey buildings with corrugated iron roofs. Churches and cinemas were similar roofed and if there was a storm during the performance it was not possible to hear what was being said.

Housing shortage

There was also a housing shortage and rents were controlled. Wages were higher than in Britain, but the cost of living was higher. Many people ran cars, but they were necessary in view of the isolated nature of the towns. Mr Bateson will be taking off his new duties in the very near future and its expecting to visit the Eindhoven (Holland) works of Messrs. Phillips Ltd. until housing accommodation is available at Blackburn and his family will make their home at Conisbrough.

Mrs Bateson, a South African, is paying her first visit to Britain and has high praise for the kindness she has already encountered and the willingness of the people to help. Primed before she left South Africa of the restrictions clothing coupons place upon a woman’s wardrobe, Mrs Bateson has wisely provided herself with an adequate stock of clothes from South Africa.