Eddie Hall - A Gentleman and an Officer

Eddie Hall, well-known and highly-respected Pietermaritzburg resident passed away in the capitol at age 83.

For many years, he was the Managing Director of the family building contracting business A.G.Hall (Pty) Ltd which was established by his grandfather in 1902. A.G. Hall is one of the oldest family owned businesses in the building industry in South Africa and has always been enthusiastic and active members of the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders Association.

Recognised for the excellence of its services, A.G. Hall was honoured with an Award of Excellence during 2003 by the Association. Eddie attributed this success to getting `the basics right and always believed in the old-fashioned value of hard work`. He inherited this strong work ethic from his mother, a qualified nursing sister who ran the family business enterprise during the darkest days of the Second World War while his father was on active service.

Eddie followed his father, Staff Sergeant Alfie Hall into the Carbineers, where he was a bandsman for 60 years and at one stage in the seventies there were three generations of the family, playing in the Carbineers band. Eddie received a commission and became the commanding officer of the Carbineers with the then rank of Commandant from which he retired during 1991. He continued to play in the regimental band until illness forced him to stop at the end of 2010.

Eddie was an accomplished musician and played the trumpet in the Pietermaritzburg Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. He also was a member of Round Table and involved in a number of sporting clubs in the city.

Eddie leaves his wife of 59 years, Denny, children John, Trish. Odette  and  their families. Son, John, started playing in the Carbineers band alongside his father and grandfather ---- now a major in the Carbineers after also serving as the Regimental Sergeant Major. John is currently the Managing Director of A.G. Hall (Pty) Ltd.

Pieter Rautenbach