Ivor Simmons - 9 Feb. 2016

Name

Ivor Simmons

Number

OH 425

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

9 Feb. 2016

Interviewer

Naomi Raichyk

Total Running Time

OH 425 part 1: 21 min.

OH 425 part 2: 20 min.

OH 425 part 3: 21 min.

OH 425 part 4: 1 min.

OH 425 part 5: 2 min.

OH 425 part 6: 4 min.

Biography

Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa’s judicial capital, in 1937, Ivor had a pleasant childhood alongside his two brothers. Because his family lived on the “wrong side” of Naval Hill (the other side was considerably more Jewish), he counted both Jews and non-Jews among his friends. This did not mean he lacked for Jewish culture: Ivor participated in a Jewish youth movement and was sent to a nearby cheder ahead of his bar mitzvah, which he celebrated in the communal hall. Unfortunately, the cheder teacher, a European immigrant who spoke halting English, was not the best teacher and Ivor finished his education with only a partial ability to read Hebrew.

As a young man, Ivor studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. He worked in South Africa for a time before leaving to go to London. At the time he left, he did not have plans to live outside South Africa, but he ended up meeting several Canadians in England who encouraged him to give Canada a try. Obtaining work without any great difficulty and finding the locals friendlier than those in England, he decided to make Canada home.

Ivor worked in marketing for a time before coming to the conclusion that he wanted to be his own boss. With a loan from his father-in-law, he purchased a small company, which he ran for twenty-seven years. He looks back on those years fondly on account of having overcome a number of obstacles along the way and treated his employees fairly. In 1997, he sold his business and decided to devote his time to travel and volunteering.

Ivor and his wife have three children, all of whom live in Canada. They also have several grandchildren.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Simmons, Ivor, 1937-

Geographic Access

Bloemfontein (South Africa)

Cape Town (South Africa)

England

Sasolburg (South Africa)

Toronto (Ont.)

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

Part 1:

00:25 Ivor was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 1937. His maternal grandparents' birthplace was Russia. His paternal grandfather was born near the Lithuanian/Latvian border. His paternal grandfather travelled to England and in 1886 moved to South Africa. His paternal grandmother came to South Africa from Cardiff.

02:24 Ivor's maternal grandfather was a jeweller in Cape Town. He remarried after Ivor's maternal grandmother died. The grandfather and second wife died in a vehicular accident in the 1920s.

03:45 Ivor discusses his parents: how they met and married. Ivor's father ran a printing company and his mother was a music teacher with an interest in the arts. Ivor's mother was involved in Jewish communal affairs.

05:55 Ivor discusses his two younger brother, both of whom moved to Sydney, Australia.

09:20 Ivor describes his youth in Bloemfontein.

10:34 Ivor participated in a B'nai Brith youth movement and attended cheder until age thirteen.

12:05 Ivor had a bar mitzvah in the communal hall.

13:24 Ivor discusses his education and extracurricular activities while he attended Grey College, a boys' school in Bloemfontein. Although Afrikaans was taught in school, Ivor did not gain fluency in Afrikaans until he worked in an oil refinery in Sasolburg.

15:40 Ivor describes his Jewish education.

16:20 Ivor discusses his family's religious and cultural observance.

17:47 Ivor shares his perspective on the impact of politics in South Africa on the Jewish community and on him personally.

19:40 Ivor discusses his reasons for leaving South Africa and how he decided to move to Canada. He found a job with Union Carbide in Toronto and decided to stay.

Part 2:

00:20 Ivor shares his first impressions of living in Toronto and addresses the ease of transition for him.

02:57 Ivor arrived in Toronto on 2 June 1963 after having spent one month in Montreal.

03:40 Ivor discusses the small South African community in Toronto at that time.

05:40 Ivor discusses his family's reaction to his decision to move to Toronto. His parents remained in South Africa. Ivor describes his parents' lifestyle.

08:45 Ivor describes his professional education and career. He studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. He discusses his work history in South Africa, England, and Canada.

13:20 Ivor discusses how he met his wife. He discusses his family: his two sons and one daughter. Ivor discusses his daughter's career.

Part 3:

01:15 Ivor discusses the adoption of his two sons. Ivor discusses the children's education.

06:15 Ivor's mother came to visit regularly. His father came for several visits. Ivor and his family visited South Africa.

07:35 Ivor discusses how his family celebrated Jewish holidays.

08:24 Ivor discusses his wife, Renee.

09:08 Ivor discusses the similarities between Renee's family and his family with regards to Jewish practice and values and their Jewish practice in their home.

11:10 Ivor discusses his limited participation with any organizations within the South African Jewish community in Canada.

12:10 Ivor offers reasons why it would have been difficult to raise his children had they been living in South Africa.

13:40 Ivor discusses some of his family visits to South Africa and the impressions of the children.

15:36 Ivor offers his impressions of current day South Africa.

18:16 Ivor comments on the ease with which he integrated into Canada.

19:06 Ivor discusses his volunteer involvement following his retirement and his personal interests.

Part 4:

00:00 Ivor continues to discuss his personal interests.

Part 5:

00:00 Ivor fondly reminisces about his extended family in Cape Town: his mother's sister and her husband, his mother's brothers, their wives and children, and his father's twin cousins.

Part 6:

00:00 Ivor continues to reminisce about extended family.

02:42 Ivor discusses his pleasure in travel since his retirement.

Source

Oral Histories

What was planned as just a short trip...

Watching What you Say in South Africa