From Anthony Heywood (antony@heywood.nl)
December 2015

MAADI

First the book was brought to my notice, then the website. They bring back happy childhood memories. My name is Antony Heywood and I now live in the Netherlands. I was born in Tanta in 1935 and lived in Maadi from 1935 to 1947. We lived in the ground floor flat at 95 Road 9. I attended College des Frères in Cairo until I went to boarding school in England. Like many of your correspondents I was taught to swim by Ibrahim.

I well remember the wooden bridge over the canal on the way to the pool. At the age of six (1941) I won the under sevens race (one width of the pool) and have still got the cup. Later I was coached by Ali Sabri and I would have liked to compete for the Suzy Forte cup.

Names I remember from Maadi days are the Safras (I’m still in touch with them in France), the Toppings, the Nissels and Mrs Forte who taught piano.

During the war, when there were air raids on the army camps near Maadi, all the flat dwellers from our block came into our inner hall because it lacked windows. As the enemy got close to Cairo, my mother, sister and I were evacuated to South Africa where we stayed for 15 months.

My father made friends with several New Zealand soldiers from the camp and they came round to 95 Road 9 to play chamber music (badges of rank were removed because all were equal in music).

My father taught English in Egyptian secondary schools from 1932 until he became secretary of Maadi Sporting Club in 1946 (as mentioned in the book). The club had long been the centre of our social life and my father took part in many of the sports (especially golf). As secretary he lived in the house in the club grounds. In 1948 my parents left Egypt and returned to England.

I have never been back to Egypt. I attended secondary school in Kent and Cheshire and went on to Cambridge University where I read Physics before embarking on a career in electronic optics finally ending up with Philips in Eindhoven where I still live.

We are sisters who recently discovered your website and have been sharing the memories it brought back. We lived in Maadi with our parents, Harold and Elizabeth Allen, in 1954/55. Our father, a linguist from the University of Minnesota, was working on an English as a Second Language training program for teachers in Egyptian secondary schools. He was part of a team that included Freeman Twaddell from Brown University.

We were especially interested in the article about Annie Gismann, because we lived on the second floor of the villa at 55 Road 12 (now 19 Road 12, apparently). Annie's parents, the Listers, lived on the main floor and Annie lived on the third floor. An Englishman, Leslie Owen (Owens?), lived in the carriagehouse.

Susan was in first grade at Victoria College Kindergarten School, which she remembers as being located on the same street as Maadi Community Church. We spent a lot of time at the swimming pool at the Maadi Sporting Club. it looked just as it does in the 1950 photo on the website.

Marjorie was in 9th grade at Cairo American School, which was later named Cairo American College (CAC). At the time the principal was Lou Feesler. The French teacher was M. Michel, from--I believe­Marseille; there was an Italian named Miss Romano who taught algebra and ancient history, and another named Mr. Mignoni who taught biology. He also coached the girls' basketball team, which practiced on the outdoor court every afternoon after school and competed with other schools in the Cairo area. Mrs. Crawford, a mother of one of the students, was the art teacher, and taught us how to use charcoal on newsprint. She took us on field trips to draw feluccas on the Nile and ruins at Saqqara. A Girl Scout troop was formed that year, and, thanks to Leslie Owen(s), we were a mariners troop: he generously taught us sailing skills in his sailboat on the Nile. There were about 35-40 students in grades 9-12, including two Egyptians, and a couple of other non-Americans. Whenever anyone had a party, all the students were invited

In 1958/59, Susan lived in Maadi again with her parents. Marjorie was in college in the States by then. We lived in a small apartment building in Digla owned by Mme. Galal. Susan was in sixth grade at Cairo American College that year. Her classroom was the princess' bedroom, and the marble bathroom had a sunken bathtub (photo attached). Susan took riding lessons from Haggi, the riding master at the stable near Victoria College in Digla, and rode on the desert with her friend Suzanne Stubbs almost every weekend.

Regards,

Susan Allen Stevenson
Marjorie Allen Russell
May 2009

Susan K. Stevenson R.P.Bio
Silvifauna Research
101 Burden St.
Prince George BC V2M 2G8
Canada

I just ran across “Letters to Maadi” and enjoy reading the remembrances of former Maadi residents. It brought back a flood of memories from 60 years ago that I would like to share with them.

My mother, two sisters and I arrived at Alexandria in the fall of 1945, crossing the Atlantic from New York to Naples on the Swedish liner Gripsholm and continuing on aboard the WWII troopship USS Gen. Meigs. My father had preceded us earlier immediately prior to VE-day.

We initially resided at Road 9, Villa 67 in Maadi and I was enrolled in the 4th grade at Cairo School for American Children (CSAC) in September 1945. The school was housed in a private residence at Road 7, Villa 36. My oldest sister and I were among the original students to attend CSAC. We had Egyptian students as well as American. Most of the teachers were Americans, but I had a secret “crush” on Miss Sukhri who taught Arabic. My younger sister attended Lycee Francais. CSAC had an outdoor basketball court on hard-packed sand where we competed with other schools from the area. In 1948, CSAC was renamed Cairo American School (CAS).

Most of my “leisure” time was spent bicycle riding around Maadi with my friends and swimming at the Maadi Sporting Club. I remember enjoying a “hot dog” and a cold Vimto (sp.) after a long swim at the pool (Ibrahim helped improve my swimming skills). At the club we also took tennis lesson on clay courts and “played” golf on the desert sand course. We watched movies at night on the club lawn or in the table tennis house. The American oil companies and the American embassy personnel also played competitive softball games on the club’s cricket field. When my friends and I felt adventurous we’d hike out to Wadi Digla and look for fossils, seashells and spent cartridge shells. We would also ride the steam train to Cairo to the cinema and went on class trips to the Egyptian museum and to the opera at the Cairo Opera House.

I remember “tea time” on the front veranda of the Shepheards Hotel with my parents. I remember shopping trips to the “mouski” with my mother and having an ice cream at Groppi’s afterwards. I remember our frequent trips to the Giza pyramids and having lunch at the Mena House. I remember going on weekend trips with my family to Port Said or to Suez and Bitter Lake for swimming and sunbathing. On Road 9 in Maadi, I remember Ayad and his bicycle shop, Mr. Dimos’ grocery store and the pastry shop, where I spent most of my allowance after school. Our family doctor was the Swiss Dr. Hauf and our family dentist Dr. Moukhtar.

Sadly, my family and I left Egypt in early 1951, shortly after I had enrolled in the 9th grade at Cairo American School, but that time in Maadi included some of my fondest childhood memories.

Sincerely,

Unlikely browsing on Maadi. I was a schoolboy at Maadi English School 1947-1949, where I learnt English with Miss Savage and Mrs Black. The only pupil names I remember are Jean Pierre van Cauwenberghe, a Belgian like me, and Gabriel Josipovici, who now I believe lives in England. We lived at Nr 16 11th street or nr 11 16th treet, alongside the canal. Our neighbour was Mr Glidden, from a hush hush agency of the USA, whose son Johny was a friend of ours

Yes of course your book brings back memories, but although I have been to Egypt many times between 1989 and 1999 I never went back to Ma'adi. My brother Pierre and sister Anne went to the brand new Annexe du Lycée français with Mme Méheust. Anyone remember those times?

email : thuriauxm@geneva-link.ch

Looking through old photo albums from when our family lived in Maadi 1958-61, I subsequently found in the Net your articles on Egypt. I was 6 years old when we arrived in Maadi, and still have vivid memories of wonderful days in Egypt. My father worked for a Swiss company, constructing textile mills (also in Bilbeis). We lived in villa 20 on rue 20, and my schooldays started in autumn 1958 at the DEO. But my fondest memories are of our gardener Hussein. He was a simple-minded man with a heart of gold, and we kids loved him dearly as he often was sillier (e.g. using his watering-can as a ‘trumpet’) than even we; he also taught my sister Sabine and me how to ride a bicycle. Opposite our house were empty grounds, and I remember the Khamseen’s fine sand creeping even through sealed windows. At the Maadi Sporting Club, Ibrahim (photo right) taught us kids swimming; by the way, I also remember my mother’s friend Mona, apparently then Egypt’s best female contest swimmer (our family’s best friends in Maadi were the Swiss family Schuler). I was impressed by the splendour of Groppi (I still possess - treasured memory ! – an empty Groppi chocolate box), and even more impressed by the Galigali-man’s magic tricks, in the Mokattam casino. In 1961 we left this – for me as a kid anyhow – mysterious Arabic ‘wonderland’ with the Esperia, from Alex.
I enclose a few scans of old prints (see photo section). However, with a hindsight: would you perhaps do me a favour ? When in Maadi, could you please take a few digital snaps of our old house (if still standing), and mail them to me ? That would be very nice of you, and I would appreciate that immensely. And, if by any faint chance (life can be funny) you come across an old man (must be now around 80, if still around) with name Hussein, who recognizes me from the old photos, then do give him my heartfelt Salaams !
With all my very best wishes to you and to all people of Maadi !

Wonderful to review the site, the letters and the memories.

I was amazed to see the pictures of the "Maadi House", house 21, road 19. I lived there from 1961-1965 when my father (Donald Bergus) was Counselor for Political Affairs with the American Embassy. The house still had the stables, but one was turned into a laundry room, one was our "rec" room, and the last was for Johnny, our donkey (who could drink Coke out of a bottle). I was amazed to see Alyan, as he was the gardener when we lived there! My brother George, sister Priscilla and I attended CAC. We would either walk to school or ride Johnny.

We would go the the Sporting Club for swimming (and yes, Ibrahim was the coach...he must have been very old at that time but he kept all of us in order) and movies outside in the summer, with the bats flying around the screen. Bikes were our major form of transportation, and we had a freedom that was wonderful and innocent. Parties were held at each other's homes, and music on the radio was "At Your Request".

Our family returned to Cairo after the 67 War. We were the first family back, and lived in Zamalek. There were very few Americans at that time - CAC total students (pre-K to 12th grade) was 250. I graduated in 1969 with 16 people in my class. Although very different from my Maadi days, it was still a wonderful time.

I would love to hear from those that I knew or those who have additional memories of that time. Again, thank you so much for the web site.

Elizabeth (Lizu) Bergus

I was born in the UK 30/12/1938 and together with my elder brother Kevin, was taken, by my Father and Mother, Richard and Esme Court, to live in Egypt in 1939. We lived in Maadi from 1939 to 1952. (photo of me as a young boy in Maadi with my mom)

Dad was first employed by the British army as a civilian in charge of a maintenance depot. After the war he worked for Niazi Bey of Misr Engineering and Car Company and later became Middle East Representative for TI Export, a British steel corporation.

I attended the Maadi preparatory School and later was enrolled as a boarder at the English School Cairo in Heliopolis and was also in the Scouts. My Brother Kevin (11 years older than me) had also attended the same school while my younger brother John (5 years my junior and born at the Anglo American Hospital at Gezira) attended the Lycee Francais.

Old enough to travel by train and bus unaccompanied I continued my education there as a day-boy. We were members of the Maadi Sporting Club. I learned to swim from the age of three under the guidance of Ibrahim (please excuse the spelling) the club swimming coach and over the years competed in many swimming regattas around the country, including Gezira Sporting Club. We frequented most of the facilities of the club and enjoyed Army band recitals and open-air movies in the club grounds.

Another vivid memory is of hiring a bicycle from Farrag El agalaty and riding out to the oasis out in the desert near the old army camp and diving into the cool clear water, or visiting the near by Petrified Forest.

I will be 67 on the 30/12/2005 and must be feeling very nostalgic as I find my self surfing the net and reading all I can find about Maadi. I would very much like to re-visit the old places of my youth.

A School ditty of my day to the tune of whistle while you work:

whistle while you work,
Jerramitskey bought a shirt,
Hawker wore it,
Lorner tore it and rubbed it in the dirt.

Some of my close friends of that time were:

Allan & Ian McCauley
John & Susan Topping
Hattam & Dooley Niasi
Freddy Grandee
Jean ????

Just to name a few.

Best regards,

Richard Court
Bailey & Court Real Estate Pty. Ltd.
736 Beechwood Road,
BEECHWOOD,
New South Wales, 2446.
AUSTRALIA.
E-Mail: farmsale@midcoast.com.au

Your book recalled many fond memories of the many nice people I lived with at the Club and elsewhere. I was on the famous swimming team with Aly Sabri and I am standing next to him in the picture of the swimmers at the club. We lived in the Josipovici building Road 11 No. 16. During the war the apartment below us was occupied by the British Air Chief Marshall, Sir Arthur Tedder who got me into flying all over the Middle East. After attending the Lycee Francais in Bab el Louk I attended the newly opened English School in Heliopolis. During that time I was a member of the British boy scout team headquartered in a building right on the Nile in the Kasr el Nil barracks right where the Hilton is now. In spite of my stateless German origin my scout uniform is all that it took to walk right into this British headquarters.

We were among the evacuees to Palestine in 1942 when Rommel was in El Alamein. After returning in early 1943 I attended AUC under Worth Howard for whom I baby sat occasionally. Badeau was then the president and later the US ambassador. AUC bought our apartment for his use when my parents left in 1948.

I worked as the movie projectionist for the US Headquarters in Garden City where I made friends with the top brass who wanted private showings of the first run movies at their homes. This got me a medal and passage to New York on the last voyage of the Victory troopship NYU Victory.

I was back in Egypt once around 1965 on my way back from cholera infested India but they would not let me in due a lack of vaccination. My acquaintance with the health minister, the US ambassador and with the prime minister, Aly Sabry got me sympathetic phone conversations with increasingly incredulous customs officials, but no admission.

I was back again on a business trip with my daughter in 2003 and found the Egyptian hospitality to be the nicest that I have ever encountered. We were at a reception with Zahi Hawass at the U of P museum last Friday.

Thanks again for reviving such pleasant memories!

Best regards,
Frank R. Nissel, President
WELEX INCORPORATED
850 Jolly Rd.
Blue Bell, PA 19422 USA

My grandparents were Max and Renee Rotschild. They had indeed two daughters: Emilie, called Emmy (my mother) and Elizabeth, called Lily. My father, Edmond Tatin was Max Morgenstern's step son. His mother Sylvie, nee Tatin, and Max Morgenstern lived in Heliopolis.

Max Rotschild had three houses built: his own on Midan Menashe, designed by Mr,. Schenoha, and one for each of his daughters. My mother's where we lived was at 36 Road 15, and my aunt's was just next door on Road 15. Across the street from the latter house was a large apricot orchard which also belonged to my grandfather, and where my father raised chickens (I recall some Rhode island reds, but he had several variety of chicken).

My friend Emmy Hettena grandparents Morris and Violette Gold owned a house at 29 Road 83. Her mother and she knew Annie Gismann quite well, and she has been very touched by your piece about Annie which appeared on the Internet.

Thank you,
Viviane Rupert nee Tatin

Above and below: Rolf Freidrich Villa (Maadi House) on Road 19. Sometime resident Mr. Alfred Bond in the mid 1950s seen in photo with gardener Alyan

Subject: Letters to Maadi - An Answer
Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 13:38:20 -0500
From: John T. Boeck

It's the turn of the Millennium and I have only now discovered this internet site. I am a Maadi ex-pat also. My father was an embassy employee and we lived at Rue 150 for several years, across the street from my 7th grade science teacher, Mrs Mustafa Mameesh.

I am thrilled to read about the familiar places and see other's accounts and exploits. One in particular struck a VERY familiar, albeit bashful nerve. It was summer of 1961, and being out of school, two of my brothers and a friend were riding our bikes around town in search of distraction. Passing CAC, we came upon the abandoned home the one you describe is (the one in digla behind CAC) that later, I hear, became known as the "haunted house." In my days, the driveway, behind the gates was lined with abandoned trucks -- both for cargo and for oil/gasoline. Of course, this house had been an interest for all the young guys at school. But on this day the planets must have aligned just right, the winds must have nudged us, or the allure of some shade -- something-- convinced us to snoop around the house. After climbing on the trucks and seeing nothing much of interest, we went around the right side of the house. There, just above our heads was a window that did not appear to be fully closed. Boosting a brother up, he was able to push the window open far enough to slither inside. I followed. I stepped down onto a toilet top...we had entered through the bath. My brother had gone around to the front door and unlocked for the rest of the party.

The house had be abandoned for a long time. A sandy dust covered everything. The furnishings that remained were covered with sheets and everything we touched left evidence of our presence. I guess we expected to uncover something exciting but as we looked around all we saw was an empty home. No clues were there to suggest the presence of the little convoy in the drive. The adventure was becoming anticlimactic, but not to worry.

The Maadi police saved the day. To this day I don't know how they discovered our escapade but they did. About eight policemen and an officer arrived in their black wool uniforms (how could anyone wear wool in the summer?) with their sub-machine guns at the ready. It seemed like we were dangerous men for a few minutes. I remember a sergeant coming into the foyer, where we were surrounded, and pointing back into the bath. Our entry point had been discovered. In a few more minutes the discussion amongst our captors indicated that they saw that we had not disturbed anything but the dust. BUT that did not save our hides. No indeed. We were taken outside and loaded into a truck with our bikes. There wasn't enough room in the truck now for me so I got to ride in a motorcycle sidecar!!! This was turning out to be a better adventure. But the next stop was scarry.....have you ever seen the inside of the Maadi jail? For 5 young foreigners, children of diplomats, we knew that we were in for trouble....as much from mom and dad as from the cops.

At the time there was no reflection on the episode as an adventure...it only seems like one now. Our parents arrived, and amid profuse apologies to the police officer, we were hauled home. That summer we were to go on vacation to Alexandria, to the beach. That was the first punishment. It was as significant as the scolding that followed....but I can't say we didn't have it coming.

One can see why this is a bit embarrasing...admitting to being dragged off by police. It was then and is still, a bit. We just didn't run as fast as those young ladies in 1969. But we did uncover the mystery of that house. So there was a silver lining. The house had belonged to some citizens that did business with the army. But they were caught in illegal operations so the government raided the home. The purpetrators had fled the country before the raid. So the government sealed up the house and had some kind of watch on it in case the owners returned for their possessions. It sounds like the little convoy was subsequently removed, since by 1969 according to "JMDock", they were not in evidence. I cannot say that the above is fact, but it is what the police told my father at the time.

adieu
John T Boeck
9711 Wax Wing Pt
Centerville, Ohio USA
Project Manager Computer Sciences Corporation

p.s. Would you be so kind as to forward this to JMDock?

Subject: The Egyptian Gazette
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 12:14:04 EDT
From: Ford

Greetings: We lived in Maadi from June 1981 until December 1984. I have been trying to pull up The Egyptian Gazette Newspaper. We so enjoyed our three and a half years in Egypt. I was superintendent over the Gupco warehouse in Rashakier. They say once you drink from the Nile, you will return. We are looking forward to that day. Thank you,

Subject: El Maadi site
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 01:58:40 +1100
From: Aniece Hanna Fahmy

I am writing to you from Australia. we left El Maadi and indeed Egypt in 1968. This site brought back great memories as we lived 1st in 108 street 9 then moved to Degla.

One of my Sunday School teachers put together in 1961 (well before the destructionof many villas) a university project "photographic collections of Kosor el Maadi". I recall seeing the album with 8" X 10" black and white photographs, if this is of interest I will supply you with the name and phone number.

I have read the letters published on the site and in particular the one with from Subject: Re: Homes in Maadi Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 15:56:38 -0500 From: "JMDock" 

I used to live in Street 209 Degla (near el Medan connecting streets 208, 209 and 210 across the road was the Fence of El Ameera Fawzya) now CAC.

The villa my father build in 1961 is still standing , thank to an order halting the destruction of villas in the area. The house as described in the letter by JM Dock did not escape my childhood adventures, I recall a big in-ground swimming pool at the place and a collection of Petrol Tankers outside the Villa (it was near Gamiet "cooperative" Awladi)

If this is the same site I recall the story of the owners and wish to share it with the writer, (I may have to confirm some details it with the many Maadi friend who live here in Australia.

On my last visit to Egypt, that particular place (three stories) has been re-devloped into flats (was still under construction in 1997), I think the grand children were allowed to resume ownership and develop the building without destroying the building. I shall be looking for the book, I may come across a copy in Australia.

Thanks for a great site

Subject: Maadi map
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 22:19:12 -0500
From: Ellen Thorne

Have you ever read by EF Benson? He died around WWI, but his stories of people and their foibles in small towns are still funny and popular, even made it to BBC. I look forward to reading everything you put on the web --I loved your reference to the Fishing Fleet. My childhood family friend, Nabil Youssary, of 2 Orabi Street, told me that marrying a foreigner is (these are my words: like fish is neutral, not meat or dairy) accepted and judged only by their actions alone, not with the baggage of family status that is known to everyone. I remember some European/Egyptian marriages to Americans, and I remember also what was said about a former "profession" , so much for reputation.

It is sad to read about the destruction of old houses for apartments, something that can happen in every city that doesn't have zoning and population control. It happens everywhere, I tried to save the town's Victorian train station, which the town refused as a gift from the train company in the name of saving money. I did get it on the state register which prohibited an owner from deducting the cost of destruction. He tore it down and replaced it with a 2 story yellow brick office building. My nephew just got a job there working with databases, at least he can walk to work.

There was a large house in Maadi that was surrounded by a pit or dry moat and small walls. South end of Maadi, north of the Lycee Francais, perhaps near the road with the Catholic Church. Does this sound familiar to you?

On people, did you know Harry Hoogstrall? He was a friend of my parents. My father use to bring him tropical fish from India. Uncle Harry, as we called him, brought back a Leopard skin for my mother. I still have the cape. His work with ticks was interesting. I think he worked for the navy NAMRU? sounds like the name. Last time I saw him in 1983 I was visiting his lab. Either on that visit or back in the 1950's I remember feeding one of the lab bats.

My mother was a very good bridge player and as children we would go with her and either play with the other children or wander around. I remember feeding gazelles in a garden (near the train tracks, maybe police station, and south of the stores, at the house of Bakry Bey. I am spelling the name from sound. I remember my mother saying he was connected with or inherited the position as head of a large religious group.

Did you know the Doss family in Cairo? Dr. Haleem was our family doctor as well as friend. His sisters were with WHO and the UN. My mother once had a photo album of a house or palace that was in the Mokatam hills overlooking the Citadel. It looked like the pictures were professionally done and given to the guests as souvenirs. I will hunt for this and send you a scan when found.

Who were the little princesses that lived on Shara Fouad in Maadi in the 1950's? I would like to create a Maadi map from my memory, and then match it to your map for accuracy. Is there a way you can send me an email attachment of the old Maadi map? I would love to have an enlargement of it, and my photo friend at work makes me 3 ft wide prints for special occasions.
Ellen Morris

From: Rog Denis
86, Two Hedges Road
Bishops Cleeve,
Cheltenham, Glos.
England
Subject: Maadi Book "Maadi 1904-1962; Society & History in a Cairo Suburb"
Date: April 2000

Dear Carolyn,
Firstly, I would like to thank you so much for the Ma'adi book. I have thousands of books on huge variety of subjects, but not one--not even on my central interests--brought as much intense please as this one book. I don't know if your father explained the circumstances, but it's frightening to think of how close I came to never knowing of it.

Quite by chance I met your father in a corridor I don't often use. I remarked I'd not seen him in a while and his reply was he'd retired some years before surprised me. That we met on this one day in that one place is coincidence enough. To then find that you live in Egypt and not just that but in Ma'adi too, carried that coincidence to extremes. He only said he's ask you to send me a map, but when he produced a book as well...Serendipity doesn't begin to cover it!

That day I did little work and carried on reading at home that night. I started at the back, thinking there would be little of relevance prior to 1951. Notso! As I read from the front, it was answering a huge number of questions, that I had never thought even to ask my parents. In particular I found that the 1st WW ANZAC camp was effectively under Ma'adi and that what I was looking at in the desert was a 2nd WW camp. Also the College pool dated from the last war not the first. Then I read the acknowledgements. I suddenly had the potential solution to a 43 year dying hope. I could not beleive my eyes.

One of the sources Mr. Raafat used was Mrs. Jean Zaidan someone I have wanted so much to contact for over four decades. When my father finally left Egypt in 1956, he was allowed to take only two suitcases. Everything else was left-wedding silver, sports cups and medals-the lot. However he did leave our family photographs with Jean. Included in these were two wartime ones of my father's time in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge. I remember them vividly, though I saw them aged eight and a half. I am now 52- a long time to fill the gaps im my family archives!!!

They lost so much that all my life I've wished to be able to recover at least the photos for my parents. Thus far I've kept the book a secret from them, intending that as a surprise, but time is marching on. The icing on the cake would be to recover the photo's, which she hopefully kept, but especially to put them back in touch with the Zaidans. I asked some oblique questions of my mother and she learned something new. In May 1951, Maurice, Jeans brother in-law, accompanied my father to meet us at Port Said. It is still a vivid memory, of my father coming aboard the "Oranje" and asking to see my brother for the first time. Dad had gone out in January 1951 and my brother was born in Febuary. However I had forgotten that Maurice drove us to Ma'adi. Years later, on a very chance day out in Southampton I could not believe my eyes. The "Oranje" was moored there. Serendipity again.

The photo of the Club swimming pool brought back memories. I tired of using a rubber ring, threw it off and jumped in the deep end! O course I had to be rescued. The map also showed Midan al Nahada, scene of another rescue. "Gamoussa" were grazed on the Midan and aged 4 or 5, I went up tp pat it. It promptly butted me in the stomache and I had to be pulled out from underneath! Deleving deeper, I missed another point at first. A comment about a "Gone with the Wind" house near Ma'adi Club and Kalil Reda's American wife. Suddenly it clicked. This was the mother of my best friend Kippy. Another chance presented itself for re-establishing contact. One person was something, but the chance of two was unbelievable. My grandfather was very ill, so we had to return to the U.K. in May 56 before term ended. As we expected to return, I never said any "Goodbyes" to my friends. Now there's a chance to say "Hello Again."

On a whim I made my first international'phone call and rang the publisher. We had an interesting talk and I complimented him on his English - my Arabic being almost non-existent now. Can you imagine? Primary schools here offer French if you pay for it. At the Ma'adi English School (by the Canal)I was being taught in three languages-English, French, and Arabic - before the age of seven. It was wonderful to see a photo of the place. I still have my blazer badge and all my text & exercise books, thought mum threw out the blazer years ago when I wasn't looking.

I then wrote to Samir Raafat, care of the publishers. I enclosed photocopies of the photos of Victoria (Victory) College and also a letter, with more photos, to Jean. That was way back in February. To date I've had no reply which has been a bitter blow to my hopes. Jean must be in her late 70's now and I was hoping against hope that she was still alive and I has assumed she might still live in Ma'adi and that the children would be around. Her daughter Georgette was a friend of mine (son Raouf was a toddler), as were Georgette's cousins Hanky and Zuzu Zaidan (both boys). I tried the international directory enquires. No go. Apparenttly you need to give three forenames for them to run it to earth. I only knew "Jean" and latterly "G" as a second initial from the book. So that fell flat too. As to Kippy, I've apparently to write to the Librarian at the American Embassy in London, just to start things of. However I'm worried that I'll find he went to Vietnam... I must still try.

Before trying anything even more involved, I'm therefore asking for your help. Can you ascertain an address or phone number for Jean Zaidan, or her family. If memory serves they lived in the area of Street 84, or 85, on the south side of the road. I know we used to go from Beit el Abeyat(The White House) on road 206, down 216 to the Midan Victoria, over the dykes and railway crossing and incline left. Then of course there was much more open ground, so the map is confusing, but they've probably long since moved. You never know though. It's also possible that the Reda family still live there. Then it was No.62, Road 18. I do hope you might strike lucky where I have thus far failed.

Even without the chance of contacting old friends, the book is a wonderful thing to have. You cannot imagine what it has meant to me to be able to read all about it. It has even outclassed a book on Sherborne, Glos (where we eventually lived from 1957) and two volumes on my old school (even though there's a photo of me it it!) To say "Thankyou" seems so inadequuate and I know my parents are going to be bowled over by it.

With many many thanks,
Rog Dennis

Subject: Arc in Maadi
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2000 16:14:22 -0500
From: Ellen Thorne


It is with great pleasure to learn about Maadi where I lived from 1947-1956. I left when I was 12 so my memories are those of a happy childhood with a freedom to roam not only Maadi but the outer edges of the villages.

I was a student at the Lycee Francais from about 1949-1953, then my parents sent us to CAC, the American school. My brother and I spoke French and Arabic and were welcomed everywhere. We would walk by the house of the princesses on Shara Fouad and look through the gates, but they were not allowed to come outside.

I visited Maadi in 1983 and went to see the Lycee. I have a photograph of me standing under the arc and now thanks to you, I have the history of what it is and where it came from.

Even now, my heart is in Maadi's past. I admire the Islamic architecture. My father was Charles W. Thorne, a TWA navigator. He was a member of the Yacht Club and the Sporting Club in Maadi where he played tennis and golf. My parents knew many families in Maadi. I remember and have met again the Yussry family of (now) 2 Orabi Road and a lady who my mother knew and admired greatly, she was the daughter of a mayor of Cairo, and the widow of Mr. Sharif of the Jockey Club.

Your article brings back such happiness and a thirst for more information about Maadi and Cairo. Thank you,

Ellen Thorne Morris
Allenhurst, NJ

Subject: Greetings from Switzerland
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 15:05:25 +0200
From: Viviane Hauf

A friend of mine ex-Maadi child like me, now living in New York, informed me of your book and gave me your website which I am very thrilled to find. She said your published a book which is out of print and says you did mention my late father Dr. Maurice Hauf. He practised first in Cairo and then in Maadi where we were living and where I was born in a house at Midan Suarès. I have very fascinating and vivid memories of my childhood years. We left Cairo a week before the Revolution and the house was taken over by the family of Hadr Bey Gabr who were the owners of it. It was very hard to adapt to Switzerland and I have never forgotten the memories and flavours : many people have told me : what is the first 10-11 years, why does it mean to you?

It makes all the difference, a world of difference, as my grandparents were already there it seems thr presence is much older than just my years. I) have batches of lovely old photos showing life in those times. My father was very well-loved by his patients and he treated poor and rich alike, was also the Royal Princesses doctor in Maadi and he took me to visit them. In case you are interested, I have lots of lovely anecdotes if you're interested. Like when I made my first return to Egypt in 1984 and visited Mrs. Gabr in our ex-house.

Hope to get a reply from you, I love to exchange memories of Egypt. Just the sound of the word Maadi makes me jump. I used to speak some Arabic and learned it at school Maadi English School and have retained quite a bit so that on my return I was able to make myself understood and all the people seemed so happy with that. In return I got the best treatment in cafés and restaurants and hotels. all the familiar words returned to me. I also went to Hurgada which is beautiful but not the same as I have memories there.

Best regards,

Viviane Hauf

Subject: Maadi
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1999 18:26:21 EST
From: Peter Swift

It was a pleasure coming across your article. I was born in 1947 and my family lived on Road 10 in Maadi around 1951-1952 when my father worked for TWA. I have fond memories of our gardiner, Desoogi, who took imense pride in his workmanship. I also remember the great warmth of the Egyptian people, generally. My brother was born in Cairo in 1949. He traveled back there in 1989 to celebrate his 40th birthday. I look back to our photo albums of that period often and hope to visit again some day. That experience, by the way, had me study Egyptian Archaeology for a couple of years and still follow it as an avocation.

In fact, I am a Civil Engineer and Town Planner working almost exclusively with something called New Urbanism. This is a movement in this country attempting to bring back the dignity of turn-of -the-century mixed use, walkable neighborhoods based on the re-establishment of community. It is good to see that type of sensativity applied to a neighborhood I once cherished.

Longmont, Colorado, USA

Subject: Re: Homes in Maadi
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 15:56:38 -0500
From: JMDock

I grew up in a vill that stood on the corner of road 17 and raod 83...its front door faced 83 but we always used road 17's kitchen entrance. It had a formal dining room a family room complete with fireplace with a formal living roomjust off it. behind the family room was a half bath, the formal entry vestibule, and a samller room that my mother used as an office because of the proximity to the telephone room. Down stairs there was a few rooms......one we used for my fathers tool; one we used fro the laundry ..and all the laundry ladys stuff, one was my brothers bedroom (complete with shower and toilet) the other was my father's study. Upstairs there were 2 full baths and three HUGE bedrooms...my bedroom and my parents room both had balconies.

The other side of the family room had huge glass and steel doors that let to a marble veranda that had Jasmine growing up it...it grew so high that more than half the roof at one time was jasmine until my father made Salem the gardener cut it back. A passion vine grew up my balcony....but it died in 1974 and was replaced with jasmine. Our back yard had 4 mango trees, 2 lemon trees, 2 orange trees, 2 guava trees...a rose bed, a lilly bed and lots of other folwer beds. Attached to the house was a 2 room & one turkish toilet gardeners house. there was also a garage.

We were known as the only white house with Yellow shutters for years..until the color yellow caught on. When we first arrived in Egypt all the shutters were dark green or black. My mother hated that and wanted Yellow...much to the despair of the painters who insisted she change her mind..which she never did.

I thought you would also like to know that in 1969, My friends and I broke into the Haunted house.(I am hoping that the one you describe is the one in digla behind CAC) The Caretakers at that time did not live on the premisis and we had to cut heavy wire that tied up the gates at the entrance. we had to climb up a drain pipe to a broken window to get in. We were the first ones in there for ages...the dust was about 3 inches thick and there was no foot prints. There was remnants of furniture coverd with sheet and a few statues covered in dust. In one room there was a safe on the floor in one room and photographs scattered around. All the was up on top of the building out onto the roof was these thin walk ways that led to small storage rooms...they had trunks and boxes in them...we did not open them. Out side anahied said she saw an old type car in the garage...I cannot confirm that because at that point we were seen by someone who threatened us with a stick and I was running as fast as my legs could carry me. I always wondered what happened to the peopel who lived there. did they leave in a hurry and could never come back to get all thier stuff. When I went back in as a teenager (and we did not explore very far) there was nothing there.....did it all get stolen or moved ...diod the peopel reclaim it???I guess that is a mystery I will not be able to answer......

(Erinne Kennedy back then...I was in Egypt from 1968 to 1983) The sounds of the creaking old house scared us silly and we left. The girls I was with were Anahied Milward and Kathy Weiss (all of are daughters of AUC staff)

Its nice to know that I lived in a peice of history. I too wish it has been preserved. My fondest memories were of that place and the jasmine scent that wafted thru my bedroom windows at 7 am. The other house across 83.....if I remember it correctly it had the only pear trees in the area...In fact I used to sneak into the yard and take them. there was a villa on road 17(a bit closer to the church) that had the best oranges to eat....every garden was known for something. Ours was the Mangos. (there was great villa near road 12 that has wonderful bashmallah fruit.... When i left Egypt I walked by the house and the garden was dead I was so sad.)
Erinne Kennedy-Dock

Subject: Richard Milosh
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 1998 20:19:44 +1030
From: Margaret Philp

Thank you for sending me the name of Jonathan Hyde with the possibility of borrowing your book on Maadi. I enjoyed reading your articles on http://egy.com. In the mid 1950's, aged about 14/15, my friends and I would get on the train at Bab el Louk station, for Maadi, and hire bicycles for half a day, and cycle in and around Maadi. We had Armenian friends who lived in Maadi, Matossian Margo.

A large mango tree shaded the back of their villa. I was attracted to her daughter, Jacqueline who was a few years older than me. On the first of January 1963, at Port - Said,at about 9pm we said good bye to Egypt and left the country of our birth for Australia. On that same night, Jacqueline boarded a ship going in the opposite direction for England.

By the way what happened to Princess Fawzia? Is she still alive? Did she ever remarry? And what happened to her daughter by her marriage to the Shah? King Farouk's son must be about 46/47 years old. What is he doing? and Where is he living? My mother was Armenian, Alice Artinian. Her father was Arakel Artinian who was also known as Monsieur Venus from the photogaphic studio at 25 rue Kasr el Nil opposite Salon Vert, on the second floor. My father backgound was a mixture of Dalmatian and Italian. Both my parents were born in Cairo, 1913 and 1917. I was born in Shubra, 1941. I have not been back to Egypt.

articles posted on egy.com were published in the following books by Samir W Raafat: THE EGYPTIAN BOURSE, Zeitouna, Cairo -- CAIRO THE GLORY YEARS, Harpocrates, Alexandria -- HISTORY & SOCIETY IN A CAIRO SUBURB; MAADI 1904-1962, Palm Press, Cairo -- PRIVILEGED FOR THREE CENTURIES, printed digitally and bound by Elias Printing, Egypt