More about Lydia Andrews

Dear Tom and Pieter

I was delighted to read your blog concerning Lydia Andrews  - and have a tiny addendum to your story.

Harry Andrews was Ambassador in Washington D.C. when Boet and I arrived there in April 1949 - Boet's very first post, sent there straight from Cape Town where, during the parliamentary session he had been interviewed, accepted and put to work right away. Within three weeks he was told to get himself to Washington - as a cadet just turned 23 - he saw the Union Buildings for the first time ten years later!

  It took almost three months before Boet and I together were summoned to appear before Harry and his wife and be presented in the sacrosanct atmosphere of the official residence - were given a cup of tea and then dismissed - mission accomplished!  Boet said Harry never bothered to greet his staff in the embassy, but made a marked exception when it was female staff!  Of course he was then replaced by Gerhard Jooste  - enough said!

  The sequel came years later when we were in Finland. In that country President Kekkonen gave an annual dinner for Heads of Mission, including those who covered Finland from Stockholm, Moscow and Bonn - about 150 in all.  After greeting the President we took our places at the very long u-shaped table, as indicated on the place cards given us earlier.

   I quote from my diary: " One year at the President's dinner, I found myself sitting next to a charming Pakistani ambassador from Moscow. In the course of conversation I found he could give me news of Princess Catherine Abassi, a lovely English girl married to a Pakistani prince in their diplomatic service whom I had known in Washington D.C.  He was also able to give me news of the daughter  of one of our own ambassadors who had fallen in love with and married a Pakastani diplomat - a cause celèbre in apartheid South Africa at the time!  My dinner companion told me that Lydia's husband had unfortunately been caught up in the division of Bangladesh and Pakistan. For safety's sake he had sent Lydia and their daughter to sit things out in London.

Our animated and long conversation - between a South African and a Pakistani - at this dinner, caused much interest and astonishment at our section of the dinner table, and afterwards people wanted to know what we had been chatting about for so long! The expectation was always that no social intercourse was possible between a white South African and a person of another colour.  The amusing sequel to this was the following year when once again we were all assembled at the President's dinner table. I suddenly heard someone calling from several seats beyond mine. "Mrs Malan!  Yoo Hoo! How are you?!"  It was my friend from Pakistan who had spotted me and was calling to greet me - again to the amazement of other diplomats who couldn't believe their ears! Such small and apparently insignificant events could feel like a major victory!

   I am happy to know now that at least the daughter of Lydia and her husband is apparently well and flourishing - and that Lydia's husband got through their national crisis.  I guess Lydia is about the same age as I am  - if she is still alive. 

 Many thanks to you both for all you have done to keep our stories alive!

Cheers from Dot Malan