Page 287 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

138
1940 – 1943
In 1940 we got electrical light from Pretoria, really something big and wonderful! It is costing us about 10/6 for our house, but a little more since we also had a radio from May 1942. This cost us ₤ 15. I bought this with ₤ 10 from Willie and ₤
5 from Theo. Our monthly fixed costs amount to ₤ 1.10 as follows: sanitary 10/6, light 10/6, water 6/6. Then milk with about 15/-, bread 15/- = again ₤ 1.10. Wage/domestic worker 10/-, a boy 20/-, vegetables and meat again ₤ 1.10 etc. The annual rates on the house and four erven about ₤ 9. And the income?! Eikona!
At the beginning of 1942 when I was so very ill and thought that my end had come I found a purchaser for Vogelfontein through Mr Ladie and the purchaser offered ₤ 2 600. In order to get rid of all debt, I agreed, especially since in this time of war you never knew what would come. I sold the farm with the mineral rights for this price and when I had paid all my debt: bond with the Land Bank, bond on the house and all other debts and loans, I had very little left. After settlement
H. Lüneburg still owed me ₤ 42 on Irma which I abated. But he still owed me approximately a further ₤ 40 on material,
a donkey etc. of which he should pay me ₤ 1 to ₤ 2 etc. per month as