Tom Edward

Johannesburg, South Africa on November 16, 1927

Interview by H.G. Falwasser

Subjects - Maphunziro:

Statement in South African National Archives, Pretoria GNLB 417 81/21 ‘Employment of Tropical Natives on Mines: Part II: Individual Applications’ (1926-1930).

Born in Tongaland, Tom Edwards masqueraded as a Mozambican mine recruit when he arrived in Johannesburg during 1909. He worked underground and on the surface at various mines until 1923 when he returned to Nyasaland. Edwards emigrated back to South Africa in 1926, lived in the married quarters of City & Suburban mine, and applied to work as a hospital attendant at the end of 1927.

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Born in Tongaland, Tom Edwards masqueraded as a Mozambican mine recruit when he arrived in Johannesburg during 1909. He worked underground and on the surface at various mines until 1923 when he returned to Nyasaland. Edwards emigrated back to South Africa in 1926, lived in the married quarters of City & Suburban mine, and applied to work as a hospital attendant at the end of 1927.
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Born in Tongaland, Tom Edwards masqueraded as a Mozambican mine recruit when he arrived in Johannesburg during 1909. He worked underground and on the surface at various mines until 1923 when he returned to Nyasaland. Edwards emigrated back to South Africa in 1926, lived in the married quarters of City & Suburban mine, and applied to work as a hospital attendant at the end of 1927.
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I Tom Edward pp 430161 OE Johannesburg of Chief Mnyanda of Tonga, Lake Nyasa, B.N.P. do hereby make statement and declare:-

That I came to the Goldfields in 1909 with a gang of boys from Portuguese East Africa, and was allotted to the E.R.P.M. (Angels Section) and registered as a Portuguese subject for underground work. I worked for that mine for 5 years, and I left the mine in 1913.

That in 1914, I was employed by the City Deep Mine (on a Travelling Pass I got from Pretoria) as an underground machine boy, and was subsequently employed on the surface. I worked for that mine till 1918, when I returned to Angels Section of the E.R.P.M. where I was employed for two years as a pumpman’s boy underground. I left the mine in 1923 and returned home to Nyasaland.

In 1926, I returned to the Union and was employed Pretoria. I left Pretoria at the end of May 1927 and came to the Rand. My fingerprints were taken [note in margin: classification 15 31/28 IM/II 16T, no record], and I was allowed to be registered to Dr Dodds of City & Suburban G.M. Married Quarters. I pray for re-employment on the mines for Hospital work.

Tom Edwards, his X mark.

Old classification 31/28 10/MI 15

pp.643053 M/J 23 9/lit

cancelled by pp 235471 M/Boks 27/3/20

Employment on mine for Hospital work only is hereby authorised. Director’s authority no: 67/1927, to be quoted on every subsequent passport issued to this native.

HG Falwasser

Director of Native Labour [stamped 16 November 1927]