A very special 90th birthday at the Cape Town Market
July 15th, in Oudsthoorn, was a very special day in 1925, this was the day Sarah Matthews was born, the middle child with a younger brother and older sister.
Mrs Matthews, has been a buyer at the Cape Town Market for over 50yrs and can remember the day the market was officially opened by the Mayoress in 1961. She has been a stalwart buyer every week and since then, arriving early in the morning, doing her purchasing, then transporting her fruit and vegetables to her stand in Pinelands, which has become an institution in most peoples eyes. If anyone goes to the licence department in Pinelands, they will without doubt have been past or even bought from Mrs Matthews in the carpark.
Yes! That is her business, she has been there as one of the first coloured people selling flowers, fruit and vegetables at that spot – and all because of a recommendation from the Mayor Bloombergs mother!
In her 90yrs, Mrs Matthews tells a wonderful story of her life.
She went to school at Holy Cross in Parow, taught by nuns and had a good education, she excelled at most of what she sent her mind to, but her athletics, in particular long and high jump were her forte.
Mrs Matthews has fond memories of teaching tap dancing at St Marks, and on Saturdays at 5 o’clock she used to tap dance at Vaudeville in Athlone, also doing gymnastics with their own troop.
In recent years, Mrs Matthews has spent a lot of time working for her favourite charity, collecting money for St Lukes Hospice. She is an avid choir singer at her church and prides herself that she never goes to bed having done any wrong to others.
“God has been good to me- I am very satisfied” she says
We at the Cape Town Market could not ask for a more joyful, happy, shining star to visit us in the morning, and wish her many many more wonderful years.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRS MATTHEWS