Rossouw, B.H.

I would like at the beginning of this chapter for Mr JH Visser Milnerton thank the research he did in connection with Uncle Jan Visser. He to do with the DRC's archives to inquiries and even determined where and when Uncle John was born and baptized!Thank you very much.

Uncle John was born on July 22, 1883 in the district Piketberg, and on March 6, 1884, to White Drift (current Redelinghuys, near Aurora, district Piketberg) baptized. 
Uncle John was at the beginning of his career only a store clerk to Porterville, but moved afterwards to Paarl where he qualified as a wagon builder and blacksmith. In those years this industry very strong in Paarl and the best cars and horse-drawn carriages are then manufactured there.

Mr. H. relling told relocated Uncle Jan ongever 1933 to Stellenbosch where he uncle Peter le Roux met the Stellenbosch Farmer Orchestra. Uncle John was at that time a very good and popular concertina player and Uncle Harold used him soon and he played with the orchestra of 1934 until 1948. It is also said that Uncle John was a good guitar player.

According to information Oom Jan started with farmers concertina and later mastered the English Concertina. Apparently he had no teachers.

Mr NP Rossouw of the farm Rest Home, Morreesburg told he knew Uncle Jan 1938 to 1948. He himself was also a great concertina player. During 1938 there was a great Eisteddfod in Stellenbosch and he and Uncle Jack as concertina players stood together.He says Uncle John won!

Dr. Willem le Roux, the son of Uncle Peter le Roux, he took knew Uncle John. He says that Uncle John is not much played when he met Uncle Billy, but when he got back to deal with this big band, he just immediately started training. He worked so hard that his wife, Aunt Molly, later started complaining. (Many concertina players have to do with this problem!)

Mr. Jan Truter of Stellenbosch announced that he Uncle John also knew well. Uncle John was then already quite old and do not have many games. Uncle John had a peculiar habit to wear a King George potato nut in his pants pocket for rheumatism. He firmly believed that it gave him relief.

Mr. Franco Maritz of Somerset West said that he was fortunate to be able to live for a time with Uncle John and Aunt Molly. There were many students who had played with Uncle John and remember the following names: Lourens Visser, Pieter du Toit, Frikkie Brand and Dan Solomon. They signature tune was usually there flies a birdie on the German West. He could not keep in mind the other words. Uncle Jack usually held the concertina in one hand and then let down slowly as he quickly pressed the keys with one hand. He proceedings, repeated several times and then got to this strange way, themes for new compositions! According to Mr Maritz Oom Jan composed many, but unfortunately never recorded disc or tape.

Uncle John and Aunt Molly's house was always the meeting place of students who loved boeremusiek and the great musicians of the time.

Sir Earth of Relief, Belville recalled his hairdresser cut many Uncle John's hair. He was Uncle John a gentleman, but always full of jokes. He was well known and loved.

The Visseregpaar four children were saying, Frederick John Hester Hendrika, John Frederick, Henry Owen Wiggens (Aunt Molly's maiden name was Wiggens).

Unfortunately, this gifted musician made only two 78-speed records. These four numbers are, however, evergreen and even today they are often heard on the airwaves when young artists will perform:

The TEC had received recordings of other unknown numbers by this great musician in his hands and they are now held together with the others in custody.

Uncle John was only accompanied by two guitarists who also handled the singing parts on some tracks. They were BH Rossouw and Chris (Vossie) Vosloo