(Father
Chinniah Ponnen Reddy and mother – Govindamma Reddy)
By Subry Govender
(Moonsamy “Moon” Reddy)
(Arunchala Budda Reddy)
(Dilly Gopal Reddy)
One of the pioneer families of Ottawa that became an
integral part of the community since the early 1930s owe their prominence mainly
to three sons – Budda, Moon and Dilly - who participated actively in the
social, cultural and sporting fields.
Budda, Moon and Dilly were the sons of Chinniah
Ponnen Reddy and Govindamma Reddy, who were first generation descendants of
indentured labourers who had worked in the sugar cane fields of the Ottawa
Sugar Estate.
(Muniamma – the eldest of the nine children of Ponnen
and Govindamma Reddy.)
Budda, Moon and Dilly were part of nine children –
four sons and five daughters – who were all born in their wood and iron house
next to the Main Road in the Central area of Ottawa. The property they occupied
was later identified as number 68 Old Main Road in Ottawa. The property was
situated directly opposite the house of the Manilal Maharaj family.
Budda was well-known for his support in the early
days of soccer in Ottawa and also for his association with local shop-keepers
such as Hoosen and Ismail. He also participated as a passionate sporting icon
in the weekly card competitions at the home of Bully Maharaj and Hoosen Hans.
Moon, for his part, became well-known with cultural and
community activists such as Maggie Pillay, Reggie Pillay, Jack Naidoo, Tip Top
Naidoo, Narain Naicker and Pushpa Naicker.
Dilly Naidoo, who was the youngest son in the family,
became well-known for his involvement in soccer as a player and official.
The full list of the nine children of Chinniah and
Govindamma Reddy in order of their births were:
1.
Muniamma
2.
Perumal (Boya)
3.
Bommi
4.
Annama (Amoy)
5.
Moonsamy (Moon)
6.
Mummy
7.
Arunchala (Budda)
8.
Gopal (Dilly)
9.
Rookmoney
(Perumal
Reddy, the eldest of the Reddy brothers.)
(Mummy –
the 6th born of the nine Reddy sisters and brothers – is the only
sister who is still alive today. She is in her 80s.)
(The
fourth born – Annama (Amoy) – with her husband Kisten Narainen.)
(Fourth born –
Anamma Naidoo)
I spoke to Angela Frank (Naicker), who is the
daughter of the eldest Reddy child, Muniamma, about the history of the family
and their lives as sugar cane field workers before and after their settlement
at 68 Old Main Road.
(Angela’s
mother, Muniamma, and father, Munisamy Naicker, with a grandson. )
According to Angela, her ancestors came from Tamil
Nadu in India and had worked as indentured labourers at the Ottawa and Gillitts
sugar estates. Her grand-parents - Chinniah Reddy and Govindamma Reddy – also
worked in the neighbouring sugar cane fields before moving to Ottawa in the
1930s.
Her mother, Muniamma, toiled in the sugar cane fields
as a cane cutter together with her brother, Perumal, during their youth and
teenage years. When her mother was 19-years-old she was married to Munisamy
Naicker of Richmond Farm in Inanda, near Verulam.
Angela’s mother and father had 10 children. Angela
was born in 1952 and when she reached the age of 13, her parents moved to the Old
Main Road property in Ottawa in 1965.
Angela recalls that her eldest uncle, Perumal, worked
as a tractor driver at the Gillitts Sugar Estate while Moon worked as a
labourer for the Durban Corporation. Budda, Dilly and the youngest sister,
Rookmoney, worked as machinists at the local Flash Clothing Factory, owned by
Mr S S Maharaj. Angela also followed in the footsteps of her uncles and aunty
and worked as a machinist at Flash Clothing between 1967 and 1972. She also
worked as a house helper at the home of Dicky Maharaj.
(Grand-daughter
Angela Naicker Frank – front – with two family members.)
While some family members continued to stay at the
family home in Ottawa, the others moved to various places in Durban and the
North Coast between the 1970s and 1980s. When her eldest uncle, Perumal, passed
away at the age of 32, his wife and children moved to Phoenix.
The second eldest sister, Bommi, moved to Richards
Bay after her marriage; the number six in the family - Mummy – moved to Avoca
after her marriage and worked at a clothing factory in Durban; the youngest
child – Rookmoney – moved to Redcliffe after her marriage; and Budda also moved
to Phoenix after his marriage.
Angela’s mother, Muniamma, Dilly and Annima – (Amoy)
– continued to live in the historical Ottawa property. However, they and their
individual family members also moved out permanently in the 1990s when they
sold the property to the current owners who run an industrial business. The
original wood and iron house has been dismantled and is nowhere to be seen.
According to Angela, the Reddy family has now grown
into the sixth generation with more than 200 family members. Of the uncles and
aunties – only Mummy, who is 80-years-old and living in Trenance Park in
Verulam; and Dilly, who is also in his 80s and living in Phoenix – are still
around.
Most of the third, fourth, and fifth generation
descendants have made enormous progress in the medical, academic, and business
fields. A number of the family members have graduated as accountants and own
businesses in the motor and accounting fields.
One third generation descendant, a business manager, has
migrated to New Zealand. Another third generation family member, Dan Naicker,
moved to Australia with the company called NCS Plastics. He is an engineer.
A fourth generation family member, Rosalee Frank
Murugan, who is an accountant, has moved to Texas in the United States. Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com April 18 2025
More Photos:
(Papathieamma
– wife of eldest brother, Perumal Reddy)
(Angela Naicker Frank – grand-daughter)
(Dilly and his wife in their home in Phoenix).
(Angela
Naicker Frank – third from left – with her four daughters and son)
(One
of the great-grand-daughters, Patricia Pithamber, who is a Master Teacher.)
(Angela
Naicker Frank with her husband and daughter in her early days.)
(Angela’s
son – Tarshin .)
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