Egyptian society pays tribute to founder

The Egyptian Society of South Africa paid tribute to its founder, Keith Grenville, in a memorial service at St George’s Grammar School, Mowbray, on Tuesday September 17.

Mr Grenville, of Diep River, died on Monday August 26. He was 88.

He founded the society in 1996, initially as a tour leader taking people on tours to Egypt.

“Realising there was an interest in Egypt and her monuments, he advertised a meeting of those interested,” said society member Jean Smith (“Egyptian society celebrates a milestone,” Southern Suburbs Tatler, October 28, 2021).

The society held public lectures at St George’s Grammar School and hosted visits by experts who explored 3000 years of ancient Egyptian history.

According to a brochure compiled by society member Jane Mulder, Mr Grenville was born in London, England. His surname was originally Benugli but he changed it to Grenville to a pursue a career in acting that saw him take on various stage, TV and movie roles.

He came to South Africa in the early 1970s, where he performed in various theatre productions including The Winter’s Tale (1971) at Maynardville, and Under Milkwood (1985) at the Baxter Theatre.

In his later years, he became tour director of his own company, Egypt Today, where he took tourists to Egypt as well as other countries.

Society chairperson Ria Robinson said Mr Grenville had left “a huge void which will be hard to fill”.

Long-serving member Mireille Farah said she had joined the society after hearing Mr Grenville speaking on the radio about it in the 1990s.

“As I am Egyptian, to have a society like that in South Africa was a dream,” she said. “Keith put the Egyptian Society on the map, and due to relentless energy, the society has been privileged to be addressed by a number of eminent international speakers.”