Sarah Bella Abrahams was born in Zagare, Lithuania, circa 1867. She married Marcus Glueck, and they immigrated to SA in approx 1888.
Mrs Sarah Glueck began her career in the Post Office as a postal assistant at Lady Grey, in the division of Aliwal North, in 1897, and by 1899 had been promoted to the position of its postmaster In November, 1899, after the O.F.S. Boers under Commandant Oliver had occupied the border town of Aliwal North, they came to Lady Grey. Here they attempted to place President Steyn’s proclamation on the notice board of the post office. Not only did Mrs. Glueck take off the Boer’s declaration and substitute Lord Milner’s pro-British statement, but she also refused to hand over the keys of her office.
The Boer forces invaded the colony and on several occasions took possession of and occupied Lady Grey.
On the first occasion they smashed the telegraph instruments. No sooner had they departed than Mrs. Glueck had them replaced, and when the Boers next drew near the town she quickly substituted the damaged set and hid the new instruments. The invaders contented themselves with further damaging the instruments they found in the office.
Upon their withdrawal the good set was immediately linked up to the nearest British force appraised of the situation.
Whenever the Republican forces were in occupation they hoisted the Vierkleur, but heir backs were hardly turned before Mrs. Glueck replaced it wit the Union Jack as indication that the town remained British. Similarly, when on one occasion President Kruger’s proclamation was posted up, she stole out and pasted over it one issued by Lord Milner.
Ultimately the Boers occupied Lady Grey. The residents had been warned of their approach and the magistrate instructed all Government offices to quit. Mrs. Glueck duly obeyed the order, but she was among the last to leave, and she was burdened not with her household goods, but with every bit of property of value in the post office, including her precious instruments.
She moved tpHerschel, where she appointed herself as postmistress. When major Hook reoccupied Lady Grey he sent for Mrs Glueck, and she cheerfully undertook to run both the Lady Grey and the Herschel post offices. It necessitated a daily horseback journey, which she made with unfailing regularity. During the occasions when the Boer forces were in occupation of Lady Grey Mrs Glueck established an Intelligence department, which she conducted with the aid of native runners. She was thus able to keep the British fully informed of the position in the town and district and materially assisted in the military operations conducted by the British command.
Lord Milner marked his appreciation of her bravery and devotion by promoting Mrs. Glueck to the postmistresship of Springs, a post she held for 20 years, till she was retired on pension.
Mrs Glueck eventually made a voyage around the world, and on her return settled down in Port Elizabeth with a married daughter.
Scources:
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SOUTH-AFRICA-IMMIGRANTS-BRITISH/2004-07/1089559716.
http://www.sahistory.org.za/franco/postal-history-women-colonial-po.html