Kimberley, South Africa
The 10 Best-known Wholesaler families in Kimberley
Compiled by Geraldine Auerbach MBE, London November 2019
From research and with many thanks for great contributions from some of the families
Wholesale distribution is a true buying and selling game – one that requires good negotiation skills, a nose for sniffing out the next “hot” item, keen salesmanship and knowing your customers. So, from trading door to door, as a smous, getting your goods from a Jewish general dealer who was already established, it was a natural progression to creating a general dealer shop yourself and having landsman and family as your travelling salesman. The next step was to do it wholesale.
Jews had plied this trade from Peddler to general dealer in and around the shtetelach of Lithuania, and eastern Europe. On arrival in South Africa, the Jewish economic system got everybody on their feet, travelling in the country districts bringing supplies.
It is no surprise then that almost all the wholesalers in Kimberley from the 1930s to 1960s were Jews. Now the ‘traveller’ was a part of the firm he was representing – not having to buy goods from others – and probably part of the family as well. they travelled widely all over the Northern Cape, supplying farmers and small-town shops building great relationships and trust with their customers
After the 1960s things changed. Senior family members died. Manufacturers were sending round their own representatives. Retailers began switching their custom directly to manufacturers (in order to cut out the middleman’s profit) thus leaving the wholesalers, vulnerable. The demise came in the late 1960s and early 70s when the spread of large chains of supermarkets in country districts, rendered their efforts in vain.
Many firms are still in existence to some degree, but no longer related to the original families who have all moved away from Kimberley. I have been trying to research their history and the characters who ran them – their siblings, spouses and children. All comments and additions will be welcome, specially pictures of the people or the firms.
I have identified 10 of the best-known wholesalers in Kimberley and tried to write the story of their emporia and families. I am very grateful to family members such as Robin Apter, Bernard Benjamin and Delia Benn for words and pictures. Many have their own pages on the family list.
1.S APTER and Co (Pty) Ltd General Wholesalers
2.AWERBUCK AND BROWN & Co (Pty) Ltd General Wholesalers
3.BENJAMIN BROS Wholesale Softgoods
4.E BENJAMIN & CO Wholesale Softgoods
5.A DAVID and Co General Wholesalers
6.L ISAACSON & CO Wholesale Softgoods (more info needed)
7.KLEIN BROS General Wholesalers (more info needed)
8.R. SENDEROVITZ AND CO Wholesale Groceries
9.SUSSMAN BROS Premier Meat Supply
10.WHITEMAN AND CO General wholesalers (more info needed)
S APTER and Co (Pty) Ltd Apter Family
General wholesalers.
Southey Street, Kimberley
Contributed by Robin Apter, Australia (October 2019)
S Apter and Co, General Wholesalers, Southey Street Kimberley
Contributed by Robin Apter, Australia (October 2019)
In the early 1900’s Solomon (born Zalman) Apter emigrated from Dvinsk in Latvia to Cape Town. He spent some time in Cape Town and was on his way to Johannesburg when, it was said, through lack of travel documents, he had to stop in Kimberley.
Soon after his arrival, he opened up a corner shop selling general merchandise. This developed over the years of the early 20th century, to become S Apter & Co, what we believe was the first General Wholesaler in Kimberley and the Northern Cape area.
Solomon and his wife, Tetcha whom he married after she had emigrated from Poland to South Africa, had five children in Kimberley – Lionel, Emanuel (Mendel), Nina, Alexander (Alec) and Ethel.
All 3 sons joined the armed forces during WW II, Lionel as a Doctor in the Army, Mendel the Navy and Alec the Air Force mainly as a bomber pilot but with a stint on the Spitfires as well.
After the War, Lionel continued his medical practice in Johannesburg. Mendel and Alec joined the family business helping their father until his death in 1955. Solomon had also brought in a landsman Phillip Kaplan to help in the business and was also later joined by his (Solomon’s) nephew, Bert Apter who also played a major part in the running of the business.
Harry Klein, in his formative years, also worked for Solomon Apter for a time until he left to start his own business which would later become another big wholesaler in Kimberley, Klein Brothers. Mendel, Alec, Bert, and Phillip for a time, continued to run the business until 1969 when Alec passed away at the very young age of 45. The business was sold soon thereafter in 1970 and Mendel left Kimberley to pursue other interests.
S Apter & Co was situated in Southey Street approx. 300 metres from the opening circumference of the Big Hole. During the late 50’s early 60’s when the building was further expanded to include a larger basement area, the site was closely guarded 24/7 by persons associated with De Beers to ensure that all the excavated groundworks were taken to De Beers processing facilities.
The business was a General Wholesaler in the true sense of the word in that it dealt in a multitude of products (other than perishables). The main divisions were Groceries, Cigarettes and Tobacco, Sweets, Photographic Equipment, Arms and Ammunition, Bicycles, OTC Pharmaceuticals. The extended basements were built to house bags of staple foods.
S Apter & Co serviced the entire Northern Cape with Commercial Travellers calling on commercial customers of every description. They did not sell to the public. I do remember being told of the many new arrivals / immigrants being granted extended credit by Solomon to assist in the start-up or expansion of their businesses. This practice was continued by the business after Solomon’s passing. Many great relationships and friendships were established as a result of this and as a child I remember meeting many of these customers when accompanying my father into the country areas to call on and say hello, attending their family occasions and weddings etc. Many Greek and Indian families were particularly welcoming and fun to visit both in Kimberley and the greater part of the Northern Cape.
The building still stands to this day with the everlasting “A” in the brickwork on the front edifice. Next door was Southey Street Motors, the well-known Volkswagen Distributor and service facility. Southey Street Motors was owned then, from memory, by three wholesalers, Apters, Awerbuck Brown, A David and one other individual / entity. It still exists to this day having moved further up the road into new premises having added Audi to its distributorship.
Lois Apter sent the picture above of Mendel Apter’s eldest grandchild Tim Apter catching the big A. She says that sadly Tim never met his grandfather.
The Apter Family
Solomon’s wife Tetcha passed away at a young age in 1935 and Solomon in 1955. They are buried in Kimberley. All the next generation of siblings have also passed on.
Lionel and Miriam’s children – Alan a Psychiatrist in Israel, Jeffrey a Psychiatrist in USA, Tessa a Clinical Psychologist in Israel
Mendel and Winnie’s children – David a Geologist in South Africa, Steven (deceased) (served in the SA Airforce)
Nina and Hymie’s children – Ivan Tockar (deceased) an SAA Pilot, Trevor Tockar a Barrister in Australia
Alec and Syb’s children – Robin a Chartered Accountant in Australia, Gaby in South Africa, Clifford an Advertising Executive in USA
Ethel and Buddy’s child – Diana (deceased) in Canada
AWERBUCK AND BROWN & Co (Pty) Ltd
Brown, Harry and family (Awerbuck and Brown)
Awerbuck, Raphael and family (Awerbuck and Brown)
General wholesalers, including groceries etc (established 1932 after a partnership in fisheries from 1907)
Transvaal Road, Kimberley.
Compiled by Geraldine Auerbach MBE. Picture from Delia Benn (née Brown daughter of Icky)
I found this wonderful article about the originators of this firm Harry Brown and Raphael Awerbuck on the internet - reprinted from the Diamond Fields Advertiser (DFA) on 19 Apr 2013 Both Harry Brown and Raphael Awerbuck were born in Lithuania and their families were old friends. Brown immigrated and prior to the Boer War, worked in Johannesburg. At the outbreak of the Boer War he left Johannesburg for Cape Town. He met his wife at Paarl and they were married shortly afterwards. In 1907 he decided to go back to Johannesburg and on route stopped over in Kimberley.
He met Awerbuck on the Market Square, where Awerbuck had established a small business in dried fish. Awerbuck suggested to him that they join forces and commence business with fresh fish. This was during July 1907 and Awerbuck had been in Kimberley for one month prior to Brown’s arrival. Awerbuck’s proposition made Brown change his mind about going to Johannesburg and a partnership was formed. This was the foundation of the present South African Fisheries.
After a few years in the fish business, they branched out into groceries and moved their premises to the site of Potgieters Motors. From this site they moved to 17 Transvaal Road. As the business expanded, it was decided to dissolve the partnership and form a company and the company of Awerbuck, Brown and Company (Pty) Ltd was incorporated on November 23, 1932.
In the early days there was no till or cash slip system in the grocery department. Both Brown and Awerbuck wore carpenter’s aprons with big pockets, which acted as tills and at the end of the day each one emptied his pockets and the money was checked and banked. The property they rented at 14 Transvaal Road was put up for sale and they decided to buy it. They agreed to pay £400 for the property and Brown was to do the bidding. The property was finally knocked down to Mr Brown at a figure of £800. But in spite of this terrific increase over the figure mutually agreed upon, Awerbuck’s only comment on being told by Brown of the purchase was a shrug of the shoulders and a laconic “All right”.
At no time did Awerbuck have any idea of what shares Brown had bought nor how much he bought in the Market but all profits and losses were shared equally between the two partners. On the death of Awerbuck in 1951 the shares were held by the administrators of his estate but Brown continued to dispose of the shares at his own discretion and all dividends were still equally shared. They also held jointly a 50 percent interest in Lee’s Garage and this investment was a very profitable one.
Harry Brown’s sons Benny and Harold (usually known as Icky), took over in the 40s to 60s with Frankie Awerback, and then later Benny’s son Ivor ran the business.
BENJAMIN BROS – more info needed
Wholesalers in soft goods.
Beaconsfield
Owners Solomon Benjamin, Japie Benjamin, who were later joined by Solomon’s sons Basil and Philip.
E BENJAMIN & CO
Wholesale Softgoods
Beaconsfield
Contributed by Bernard Benjamin (5 October 2019) Benjamin, Bernard
My father Ychiel Benjamin came to Kimberley in the early 1930's after his older brothers had already been there for a few years. He joined them in the wholesale business known as Benjamin Bros. He married Freda Rosenstein in 1937, who who was well versed in accounting and business admin and had her own Commercial College. After a few years my mother and father broke away from Benjamin Bros and started their own wholesale business and E Benjamin & Co, Wholesale Softgoods Merchants was born. In 1955 I joined them in the business, and it was then renamed E. Benjamin & Son.
In this picture we see my mother Freda Benjamin bottom left with behind her left ? and right Hilda Hotz. Next to Freda is an unidentified woman in the middle (whom Geraldine thought was Violet Toube – but her children disagree. Another suggestion was Rae Dubowitz as it looks like her son Brian. Yet another suggestion is, is it Mrs Shles?) Helen Brown is on the right.
We employed travellers who called on the mine stores, farm stores and country shops.
Many of these customers were hundreds of kilometers away. We provided our customers with goods which were generally delivered by rail. I married Hellen Baitz in 1963 and she also helped in the business.
The wholesalers provided a very important link supplying goods to the country stores. The hotels in the country districts were always abuzz with travellers from all over and they also had an annual Travellers ball at the Constance Hall. Unfortunately, with the advent of the large chain stores opening up all over the country areas, the wholesalers became redundant. We closed E Benjamin and Son in 1981 when our older son, Darryl matriculated and went to university in Cape Town.
We then left Kimberley and we now live very happily in Toronto. Our son Darryl Benjamin lives in Philadelphia with his wife Julie and two children. Neil Benjamin, our second son lives in Toronto with his wife Michelle and two children and our daughter, Leanne is also in Toronto with her husband Gary and their two children. We have very fond memories of Kimberley both in business and socially.
We applaud your good work Geraldine, Leon and Eli in keeping memories of Kimberley alive and also Barney Horwitz's untiring efforts in the community.
A DAVID & CO
General wholesalers
David, Louis and Connie (of A David & Co)
Beaconsfield
Research by Geraldine Auerbach MBE London 2019.
Abraham Moses David is presumably the one who started the business which is named ‘A David and Co’. According to his tombstone in the Pioneers’ cemetery, he died in Kimberley in July 1929 aged just 58. He had married Esther Dixon (formerly Duksh). In the 30s and 40s his sons Louis and Bennie David, and sons-in-law Angie (Louis) Jacobson and Monty Dave were active in the business and they employed several travellers, amongst them, Dave Price and nephew Solly Jacobson (Angie’s son). Bennie David was also a traveller.
Louis David was born about 1900. Louis had three siblings – all involved on one way or another in the business. His brother Bennie was born about two years later in 1902. Bennie married Sadie Lincow of Kimberley (sister of Hilda Lincow who married Charlie Hotz). Bennie and Sadie had 3 sons, Gerald b c1940 Eric b c1942 Roger b c1946 lived in Kimberley.
They also employed their brothers in law: Monty Dave of Kimberley who married their sister Rebecca (Becky) – they had two children Alan Dave b c1936 and Barbara Dave b c1939 lived in Kimberley. Barbara died in 2017 – see her entry in the family pages under ‘Grigson’). Their other sister Dora David married Louis (known as ‘Angie’) Jacobson. Their children were Harry Jacobson who married Naomi Wolman and their son Israel (Solly) Jacobson b1922 who married Julie Lurie of Kimberley (see more on Jacobson, Solly and Julie on the family pages)
Louis married Connie Bennett (full name, Annette Marion Bennett) sister of crime-writer, Bennie Bennett. Louis and Connie had two sons: Bobby David (Evan Robert) b c1928 – died 2019, who married the beautiful Lorraine Hendler, (daughter of Alec and Chrissie Hendler of Jhb) in about 1955. (They lived in Kimberley where Lorraine was well known for her roles acting in plays at the Kimberley Theatre. They had 4 boys Anthony b c1956 Ricky b c1958 Neil b c1960 Christopher b c1964. Bobby worked for his father in A David and Co
The second son Aubrey Marcus David, b c1933. Became an architect, married ballet dancer Muriel Jones. They went to live on the Costa Del Sol. Aubrey David was one of the pioneers building the first exquisite tourist and ex-pat homes in Malaga.
Louis and Connie lived out their days in Kimberley and were buried in the Kimberley Cemetery.
L ISAACSON & CO – more info needed
Wholesalers in soft goods.
Bean Street, Kimberley
Louis Isaacson who started the business, died in 1931 aged 66 years. It was situated in Siege Building, Bean Street, corner De Beers Road, and opposite Roderick and Brook motors. Abe Pollen bought L. Isaacson from the founder. Later he was in partnership with the Haberfeld brothers Gus and Cyril. Pollen and wife Lily lived at 8 Carrington Road. Active in the shul benevolent society. Keen bowler. Their traveller was Bill Lurie (the son in law of Harry Brown Senior) who often travelled as far as Bechuanaland.
KLEIN BROS – more info needed
Wholesalers in gifts, crockery and cutlery etc
Kimberley
Harry, Mike and Philip, began the Diamond Fields Bazaar business in the iconic Gowie’s building with clock tower, that stood on the corner of ‘Pan Road and Jones Street (and has now been moved, lock stock and barrel to the Big Hole Museum). Harry Klein went off on active service during the war years while Philip minded shop. In later years they formed Klein Brothers wholesale merchants and their sister Ray Dubowitz owned the Diamond Fields Bazaar.
R. SENDEROVITZ AND CO
Produce merchants and Wholesale Groceries
Market Square, Beaconsfield
Information from great-granddaughter Gwynn Schrire
In the early 1880s my great-grandfather, who had married Ite Chaie ## came to South Africa with his wife. He became a peddler hawking goods across the country. The farmers in the area lived on meat, no wheat for bread being grown at that period. He was very religious and one Pesach he existed on three pumpkins.
Diamonds had been discovered in volcanic pipes in Kimberley in 1874. This accelerated the diamond rush when thousands of penniless fortune seekers rushed to peg a claim, and a tent city grew up overnight around the rapidly growing diamond-rich holes. The diggers and their hangers-on needed food and supplies and Raphael Senderovitz decided that the diamond fields would be a good place to make a living. He settled in Beaconsfield, outside Kimberley, in the 1890s, rented a stand on Market Square and opened a shop and a mill. Gran said he would buy mealies and mill them into flour which he sold all around Kimberley and in the Transvaal. They lived in a house next to the mill and had a stable for the horses that delivered the flour. They also kept chickens and cows. His ability was so highly respected that the locals used to come to him at election time to ask him for whom to vote. I still have the engraved key given to my great grandfather when they opened a Talmud Torah in Kimberley around 1913.
I have some of his invoices still.
P.O.Box 23 Market Square
Telephone No. 163 BEACONSFIELD, ………….19…..
M..............
Bought of R.SENDEROVITZ & Co.,
PRODUCE MERCHANTS and WHOLESALE GROCERS
Terms: NETT CASH, 60 days. Interest at 8 per cent per annum will be charged on all overdue accounts.
SUSSMAN BROS
Premier Meat Supply
New Main Street, Kimberley
Contributed by Cecil Sussman 2 January 2018
Sussman, Cecil and Natalie (nee Kroll)
Sussman, Philip and Augusta (nee Cohen)
Brothers Philip, Guttel, Kollen and George and Kollen’s son Cecil were the partners.
Wholesalers in the meat industry and manufacturer of meat products. They had a kosher counter in operation for many decades and owned several farms in the area.
Kollen’s son Cecil who joined the firm in 1946 wrote on 2 January 2018, I Thought you might find the origin of the Sussman Bros interesting. The company was formed in early 1900, by Philip Sussman, who emigrated from Taverig, Lithuania. Having come from a background of dairy farming, it was natural for him to turn to what he knew best - farming. Years later he was joined by several other brothers, Guttel, Kollen, Isaac (who became a diamond buyer) and George. The farming venture was so successful that they acquired several farms in the Kimberley district, where they farmed with cattle and sheep. They also established Kimberley Ranching Co and Premier Meat Supply. Kollen was regarded by his peers as an expert judge on the weight of livestock. He was seldom out by even a kilo or two.
In 1935 Philip left to pursue other interests, opening up infrastructure business for the mining interests of Anglo-American in the copper belt of Northern Rhodesia and the gold mines in the Transvaal. Among the interests Philip shared with Sir Ernest Oppenheimer was horse racing. Incidentally one of his horses, Sun Tor, won a Durban July. In 1966, Cecil took over the management and running of the farming enterprises, which he continued doing until he left Kimberley in 1973, to make a new home for his family, who were at university in Cape Town. He commuted from Cape Town to Kimberley, until 1978, when he finally sold all the farms. Incidentally one of the farms "Platfontein" was sold and later bought by the South African Govt. to resettle the Khoi San, who were loyal to SA, by using their tracking skills in the war with Angola.
You can see more about Philip’s and Cecil’s family history on his family page on the website by clicking the links above, where you can also see pictures of the rock engravings on Platfontein and read about Cecil’s time as Mayor of Kimberley
WHITEMAN AND CO – more info needed
general wholesaler
Information from Geraldine Auerbach, London 2019
Nate Hendler and his son Owen also Brother-in-Law Archie Sandler
Nate and Archie were my uncles. My recollection of going into the premises in Stockdale street was a strong smell of tobacco mixed with bone meal and other fertilisers. There seemed to have been blankets of the type favoured by the Basutos. As a treat we were given some 3XXX strong mints from the sweet section. The served the outlying farming areas and also dealt in alluvial diamonds on their trips to places like Lichtenberg.