Welcome to my Home Page
Do Unto Others as you would have them do to You
- The Holy Bible -
My name is Conrod Mercer, yes that's right, Conrod with an 'o'. You may think that a strange name for anyone to have, particularly as it is the abbreviated term for a connecting rod, but then again, I have been called worse names before; names that I cannot repeat in polite company. If you prefer you can call me Con or alternatively Murch - whatever floats your boat.
A Mercer is or was a seller of fine cottons and silks and I am sure that in the distant past my ancestor, the one who took the surname Mercer, probably sold finery to the ladies of the day.
I am a Safety, Health, Environmental & Quality (SHEQ) Manager for an Engineering Company here in South Africa and have implemented and am maintaining an ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System. I am working on implementing an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and and OHSAS Health and Safety Management System within the company, so somewhere along the line, I have moved away from the family silk selling business.
I was born on the 6th August 1956, making me a Leo.
If you are more inclined to believe in Chinese horoscopes, I am a monkey.
I do not subscribe to astrology, Chinese or other.However, if you do, then you probably know me already.
I was born in a small town named Springs in what was the old Transvaal Province but is now a part of the Ekurhuleni (meaning place of peace) Metropolitan Municipality. Springs is about 50 km away from Johannesburg, South Africa.
I live in Brakpan, the neighboring town to Springs, and have done so for most of my life, with brief moves to other cities and towns in South Africa, but have always returned to my roots.
To see a satellite map of Brakpan and surrounds, please press the button below
Despite the current problems, I am proud to be a South African and being optimistic, I believe that we have the potential to become a great nation and will eventually get there. It is of course unfortunate that in the process there is much unemployment and as a result an increase in crime.
I am a typical South African, if you get such an animal.
I enjoy clear skys Braaivleis, or barbeque as it is known around the world Biltong, which is similar to American Jerky in that both are dried meat, but with subtle and significant differences. Rugby, a game played by gentlemen and watched by hooligans Cricket, a game played by hooligans and watched by gentlemen, or should that be the other way around? I am a widower, having lost my wife in August 2007 and am still trying to come to terms with this devastating loss. I have three step-sons and have tried to help them to become well balanced contributing members of society.
Some of my "other" favourite things:
I am passionate about genealogy, the study of families and family history or getting to the root of the problem.
I have been researching my own family for some 20 years now and I discover something new each and every day. I was the national president of the Genealogical Society of South Africa (GSSA) between 1993 and 1996, stepping down to allow new blood and new ideas to come onto the committee. I was previously a member of and the president of the Southern Transvaal Branch of the GSSA. I try to help people who would like to trace their own roots, particularly here in South Africa.
If you are interested in South African genealogy why not visit my South African Genealogy Home Page, or email me.
My other passion is reading though my tastes run more to thrillers and adventure novels, such as those written by Alistair MaClean, Robert Ludlum and Hammond Innes. Another favourite author is James A Mitchener.
If you want to read a good book about South Africa, try and get hold of "The Covenant, by James A Mitchener. Another good book by Mitchener is "The Source." I also enjoy Jeffrey Deaver, Tammi Hoad, Patricia Cornwall, Kathy Reichs and a multitude of other authors, but won't get into a long discussion in order to prevent boredom from setting in. Yours not mine!
I enjoy a good game of chess and although I have tried IRC Chess, I still prefer the feel of the wooden pieces in my hand and being able to see my opponent. Scrabble is another firm favourite and I consider myself to be a bit of a Trivial Pursuit buff.
My musical tastes run more to the likes of Queen, Pink Floyd, UB40 and Dire Straits. I still enjoy the older groups like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull, while the Moody Blues and Bob Dylan are fine for easy listening.
Finally I like to meet people and go to new and exciting places, primarily within the borders of this fine country of ours. I would recommend South Africa as a tourist destination.
If you have any other questions about South Africa, about South Africa or about Genealogy, please feel free to ask me and I will help where I can.
Return to my South African Genealogy Home Page.
For comments and feedback concerning this site, please E
Mail me.
This page last updated 27 April 2008
©Copyright C Mercer, 1997 - 2008