Saying goodbye to a legend
Many of the older residents of Newcastle have family and wedding photographs signed by him.
Piet Joubert, (Piet Portret) (17 Sep 1931 – 14 March 2014)
Well known Newcastle photographer, Piet Joubert (Piet Portret), passed away peacefully at the age of 81, in Pietermaritzburg on 14 March 2014. He was Newcastle’s photographer during the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
He was born on 17 September 1931 in Ermelo but spent his early life in Johannesburg, later moving to the family farm, Harmony, in the Waterval Boven district.
In 1947 his father moved the family to Newcastle, where Piet completed his education at Newcastle High School. He joined his father in the family building business before beginning an apprenticeship with Durban Falkirk as a pattern maker.
It was here he befriended Jannie Bouwer. It was through Jannie that his love for photography and body building became a passion. In 1957 he opened a photographic business in Scott Street.
In 1954 Piet met Josephine Woodward who had come to Newcastle from England and was for many years the town’s only radiographer. They were married on New Year’s Day 1955. Piet captured many of Newcastle’s street scenes in the 1950s and 1960s that give a valuable image of Newcastle’s past.
Piet earned the name Piet Portret, as many of the older residents of Newcastle have family and wedding photographs signed by him. After the redevelopment of Scott Street in the early 1970s, Piet Joubert Photographers moved to Harding Street. After retiring from his photographic business, his two sons, Andre and Louis continued the family tradition.
In recent years, Piet and Josie moved to Howick where they set up home in one of the many retirement villages in the area.
Piet will be well remembered for his generous heart and his enthusiasm for life. He will also be remembered for his Christian ministry work and humility in serving others. His passing is a loss to the community and he will be missed by his family and many friends. He is survived by his widow, Josie and his three children, Louis, Julia and Andre, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
His ashes are to be scattered in the forest at Haggard’s Hilldrop House, where he and Josie lived with their son Andre for a number of years.
