Kimberley, South Africa

Nogid, Harry

Harry Nogid was one of the most well-known and respected Jews in Kimberley and surrounding area, according to his grandson Joseph Gluck. He had a hide and skin business ‘African Produce and Export Company’ near the Floors township, in Kimberley. He dealt in hides and skins for the leather industry, also wool and bonemeal. 

For some while Harry and his family lived in Johannesburg and he commuted back and forth to his business in Kimberley. The Nogid family must have settled in Kimberley in about 1947.They lived in upper Carrington Road, and later in Herlear. Their children always addressed Mrs Nogid, in terms of endearment. She was a lovely person, a typical Yiddishe Mama. They had 5 daughters Rose, Anne, Jose, Stella and Rhoda – and one son Joseph, who was known as ‘Boetie’.

Cecil Sussman writes (February 2018): ‘Joseph Nogid was a very close friend of mine. Tragically he was killed, together with Tossy Goldman in an aeroplane accident at the Kimberley airport right in front of me. You can imagine how devastated the Nogid family was on receiving the news - their only son!’

The Diamond Fields Advertiser (DFA) newspaper reported:

Two Kimberley men, Vernon “Tossie” Goldman and Joseph Nogid, were killed on Sunday 8 December 1946 when the Piper – J – Cub they were in crashed at the Kimberley Aerodrome. (Pictured is a Piper – J – Cub). The plane was flying low, preparing to make a landing when it went into a spin and crashed. Tossie Goldman, the pilot, died instantly, while Nogid died from his injuries while on the way to hospital.

The 28-year-old Goldman was the elder son of Phil and the late Dolly Goldman, Phil being the well-known bookmaker of 33 Currey Street. Educated at Christian Brother’s College, Tossy saw service in World War II with firstly, the Kimberley Regiment, and later with 24 Squadron SAAF, reaching the rank of Captain. He had been mentioned in despatches. Other than his father, he left his younger brother Henry “Buddy” Goldman (serving in the SAAF) (see the family entry for Buddy Goldman on the family pages) and a sister Joy, still at school. Joseph Nogid, 23 years of age, was educated at SACS in Cape Town, and was an only son. Although employed in Kimberley, his parents lived in Johannesburg. Nogid was buried in Johannesburg and Goldman in the West End Jewish cemetery in Kimberley.

Anne Nogid married Maurice Gluck, who was in business with Harry, and their son, Joseph Gluck was known as “Junior”, in front of the grandparents, obviously the name Joseph was too painful to mention.  Joseph Gluck writes (February 2018) that had his Bar mitzvah at the Kimberley Shul. Rabbi Oscar Werner officiated. Joseph, says, HARRY NOGID MHDSRIP was highly respected and well-known, not only in Kimberley but in the entire Northern Cape. He was generous to extremes. When he sadly passed, there were write-ups about HARRY NOGID in the DFA of Kimberley, all the MAJOR Jewish newspapers and even in the Johannesburg Star newspaper.

Compiled by Geraldine Auerbach February 2018

Posted March 2018