Fire Wardens at the Cape
In time of fire, the Firewardens controlled the working of the manual fire engines by the slaves. The many thatched houses and the frequent south-east wind in the summer were dangers on the outbreak of a fire. On the alarm being sounded, those responsible for the engines hurried to the station which was next to the Burgher Watch House and ordered the slaves to bring them to the burning building. The Firewardens, who were specially chosen from amongst the prominent citizens of the town, were required to keep the crowd in order, to see that nothing was pilfered and generally to direct operations. As a sign of their authority they carried a staff with the Company's monogram engraved thereon.
Early Taverns and Hotels at the Cape
To Jan van Riebeeck goes the credit for having made the first attempt to provide services for the traveling public in South Africa. Barely two years after the establishment of the settlement at Table Bay, in 1654, he submitted for the consideration of Geraert Hulst, Director-General of the Dutch East India Company, whose ship Parel was lying in the bay, a request that he (Van Riebeeck) provide, for those visitors for whom facilities could not be furnished at the Fort, 'a boardinghouse (ordinaris), the keeper to be supplied from the Company's stores and gardens . . .'
Cape Criminal Procedures
During the 17th and 18th centuries criminal cases were tried before the Court of Justice which sat at Cape Town. This Court, the highest in the Colony, was composed of eleven members in 1686, and a hundred years later of twelve. In 1797 the number was reduced to seven, when the members received salaries for the first time. The President received £400 per annum. Up to 1734 the Governor occupied this position, but after this the Vice-Governor did so. The members acted as judge and jury combined.
Inhabitants of the Cape
From the 1815 a list of principal Inhabitants of the Cape were included in the African Court Calendars. As the city grew and the population increased more names were added to this list. It must be noted that generally only heads of households were listed. First names, surnames, initials, titles, occupations and address's of individuals can be found. In some instance as early as 1813 slaves and Muslims are listed including occupations such as fisherman, Malay priests and washerwomen.
Personalia of Germans at the Cape
After publishing his monumental History of the Lutheran Church at the Cape, Dr. Hoge set himself the task of searching out the references in the various archives to the Germans who settled at the Cape during the indicated period. Previously the subject has been dealt with by Schmidt and Moritz, but now for the first time exhaustively by Dr. Hoge. Besides the 4,000, whose personalia are given in alphabetical order, followed by a list of women and Swiss immigrants, Dr. Hoge has collected the names of some 10,000 Germans who, during the above mentioned period, did not leave the service of the Company; this brings us to the figure of 14,000 persons of German origin, who individually and collectively must have contributed their share in the formation and the upbuilding of the Cape Colony during the first 150 years of its existence.
Weights and Measures in South Africa
In 1681, through the 'Statuten van India', the Dutch authorities prescribed standards of measurement and their application in trade. Instruments had to be assized twice yearly and the most common goods had to be marketed in fixed quantities. Fines were imposed for non-compliance. At the beginning of British rule in 1806 the following standards were in use
Quakers in South Africa
The Quaker movement arose in Great Britain out of the religious ferment of the mid- 17th century and soon spread to North America. Probably the first members to visit South Africa were whalers from Nantucket, who often called at Table Bay around 1800. Immigrants followed later and settled in various parts of the country. As their numbers grew they gathered for worship and counsel, first in isolated groups, then on a wider basis, until eventually national gatherings became possible. In 1946 the Friends in Southern Africa were given recognition as an autonomous body within the world fellowship.
Somerset Hospital
Somerset Hospital in Beach Road, Green Point, Cape Town, the first hospital in South Africa to be used for the training of doctors. It admitted its first patient on 18 Aug. 1862. This picturesque building is the third hospital on the site to bear the name 'Somerset Hospital'. The first Somerset Hospital, named after Lord Charles Somerset when he was governor, was founded by Dr. Samuel Bailey, a naval surgeon, and was opened in 1818 somewhere below Signal Hill.
The Slave Lodge in Cape Town
A circular raised dais near Church Square in Bureau Street Cape Town, almost next to the slave lodge, marks the spot where imported and local slaves were auctioned under a fir tree. Perhaps as [...]
Ruda Landman
Ruda Landman's birthplace in the dry and dusty town of Keimoes, in the Northern Cape, is a far cry from where her family's humble beginnings started in the lush and fertile valleys of Europe. [...]
Strange Joshua Norton
Among the 307 new settlers for the Cape of Good Hope, who came ashore in Algoa Bay from the British transport Belle Alliance early in 1820, was a small Jewish boy from London, and [...]
Sir Ranulph Fiennes
CREDIT: Chris Winter/LNP Sir Ranulph Fiennes has more connections with South Africa than most people are aware of. He was born posthumously after his father was killed in the 2nd World War [...]
Hugh Grant’s Cape Ancestry
Hugh Grant Suave and dapper film star Hugh Grant family ancestral roots did not begin in the lavish suburbs of Notting Hill, London but right here in our very own vibrant mother City [...]
RH Morris Master Builder
By 1896 Richard H. Morris had become known as a builder of distinguished quality and workmanship and the fame of R.H. Morris had spread. Herbert Baker had met Richard on several occasions and took immediately to this man who built with such fine quality and precision. It was then that R.H. Morris secured the prestige contract for the restoration of "Groote Schuur", after the building had been extensively destroyed by fire.
Military Records in South Africa
Are you looking for Military Records in South Africa? Contact me Please note that if you are applying for military records for anyone who died in the last 20 years the next of kin [...]
Somerset Road Cemetery Lost Inscriptions
Johan Goblob Stegmann was born 1787, Jacomina Sofia Hoppe Stegmann, Maria I. van Reenen Stegmann, Helen McGregor Smith Stegmann, Elizabeth M. C. Sandenberg Stegmann, Michael C. Gie died 1874 also Catharina J. Stegmann [...]
Were your Ancestors in the Circus?
From the evidence of early Dutch and Cape paintings, it may be assumed that the first White inhabitants of the Cape were diverted by performing dogs and various animals trained to do tricks, notably [...]
The History of the Orphan Chamber
Also known as the Master of the Orphan Chamber (MOOC), The Board of Orphan Masters was established at the Cape about 1673. In the following year we read in the Government Journal of monies of [...]
District Six
Cape Town in its early days clustered snugly around the slopes of Lion's Head Mountain and Signal Hill, and only when overcrowding forced it did the White population begin to build homes on the [...]
Rose’s Round-up April 2008 No 171
NEW GUIDE TO TREASURES OF THE ARID ZONE The latest “Getaway Guide,” launched by Sunbird Publishers, has been compiled by well known Karoo photo-journalists Brent Naude-Moseley and Steve Moseley, long time residents of Loxton. The Getaway Guide to Karoo, Kalahari and Namaqualand, sub-titled Out and About in the Northern Cape, takes readers into one of the most remote, rugged and rustic areas of the sub-continent, covering all major game parks, nature reserves, major tourist attractions, stop-overs, B&Bs, campsites, farm stays and 4 x 4 trails. Packed with information, it superbly captures the stark beauty and hidden treasures of this vast [...]
Rose’s Round-up March 2008 No 170
PLANS TO REPAIR DAMAGE, CREATE JOBS AND HELP THE BUNNIES An indigenous nursery has been established at Loxton by The Endangered Wildlife Trust's Riverine Rabbit Working Group (EWT-RRWG). The objective is to propagate plants to rehabilitate the riparian vegetation of the Great and Upper Karoo where floods, overgrazing and failed agricultural projects have caused damage that cannot be naturally reversed. This has resulted in a loss of biodiversity and habitat for the critically endangered riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) that relies on such vegetation for survival. A ground-breaking project, the first of its kind in the Karoo to offer members of [...]
Rose’s Round-up February 2008 No 169
NOW THERE’S AN ART GALLERY ON A KAROO STATION Jean Veasey, a keen artist specialising in portraits and wild life studies, is opening an art gallery on the platform at Matjiesfontein Railway Station. The Station Gallery, next door to the Marie Rawdon Museum, will include a workshop area for outreach art projects. The first of these, held in December last year, was led by Anita Glenister, who will show some of her own work at the inaugural exhibition. Clay animals, made by local school children and other youngsters in the area who attended her classes, will also be on [...]
Rose’s Round-up January 2008 No 168
DISCOVER THE QUIETER SIDE OF LIFE Fancy a “relaxed, but gently stimulating excursion” into the Karoo? Register now for John Almond of Naturaviva’s trip to the Worcester Robertson area. The first outing (March 7 to 9) was over-subscribed, so he proposes taking a second tour from March 14 to 16. The trip starts near Rawsonville and follows a route as far east as Cogman's Kloof along quiet, scenic back roads where John shares information on the area’s natural history, ecology, geological highlights and landscape evolution. “Participants must be fit enough to survive several hours on foot in rocky terrain so [...]
Rose’s Round-up December 2007 No 167
NEW BOOK CAPTURES SPIRIT OF THE KAROO Jonathan Deale’s just-published book, Timeless Karoo, captures the magic of the Great Karoo. Magnificent photographs make it much more than a travel guide. This 180-page full colour book is a fascinating compendium of fact, folklore and natural history. Maps guide visitors to secret valleys, hidden plains and intriguing tiny towns. Timeless Karoo takes readers on a journey through the Karoo of yesteryear, the present-day region and hints at its future. Those who love the area will appreciate this book and it will be invaluable to those bent on exploring. It will help them [...]
Rose’s Round-up November 2007 No 166
WHEN IS LAMB KAROO LAMB? Should Karoo lamb be branded? Should it have a stamp of origin, a guarantee of quality? Johan Kirsten of the University of Port Elizabeth thinks so. In a study presented earlier this year he proposed farmers and stakeholders should investigate the need to promote Karoo lamb as a product of excellence. “The Karoo itself has become synonymous with quality, tradition and wholesomeness,” he says. “The mutton of the region has been part of South Africa’s cultural heritage and Cape cuisine for over a hundred years. In recent times this product’s reputation for quality has allowed [...]
Rose’s Round-up October 2007 No 165
UCT SUMMER SCHOOL - TREAT FOR KAROO CONNOISSEURS Are you a Karoo connoisseur or would you simply like to know more about this vast, arid zone? Whichever it is, the UCT Summer School, from January 28 to February l, 2008, is the place for you. A series of special lectures on various aspects of the Karoo and some of its treasures will be delivered by natural history educator, specialist field guide and palaeontologist, Dr John Almond. “Karoo for Connoisseurs has been specifically designed to appeal to Karoo-lovers and enlighten those who have dismissed the Great Karoo as an abominable desolation [...]
Rose’s Round-up September 2007 No 164
HELENA MARINCOWITZ REMEMBERED A plaque is to be erected in Prince Albert’s Fransie Pienaar Museum in memory of Helena Marincowitz, who died a short while ago. A model of this plaque, which is being presented by Heritage South Africa to honour Helena’s great contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage in the Karoo, was unveiled at a dinner at the Swartberg Hotel recently. Former mayor, Dawid Rossouw paid tribute to Helena’s love of the Karoo and her efforts at keeping it in the public eye. “Helena loved the Karoo and above all Prince Albert. She made a highly significant contribution [...]
Rose’s Round-up August 2007 No 163
DROUGHT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE This year’s Arid Zone Ecology Forum will focus on drought. “Drought as a Driver” is the theme and, during meetings at the Dutch Reformed Church Hall in Sutherland, from September 10 to 13, many physical, ecological and socio-economic effects of drought will be examined. The programme has been divided into six sections covering climate change, hydrology, and the effects of drought on vegetation, fauna, humans and the economy. The session on climate change will review planning and management, as well as moisture sources and precipitation. One paper entitled “Is the Karoo drying up?” will evaluate [...]
Rose’s Round-up July 2007 No 162
‘MANNA’ BECOMES A TV STAR When Alfred de Jager Jackson wrote Manna in the Desert there was no TV, so he couldn’t share visual images of the world he loved with his readers. But today this is possible and those who enjoyed the reprinted version of this book, published in 2006 by his great-grandson, Craig Elstob, will soon be able to see Alfred’s beloved world on the SABC2 programme 50/50. A TV crew recently visited Nelspoort and Jonathan Rands interviewed present-day farmers Louis Reynolds (Kamferskraal), Peter Lund (Bleakhouse), Andre Lund (Elandsfontein) and Tiny Middleton (Content), to help capture the [...]
Rose’s Round-up June 2007 No 161
EXPERT TAKES ON NEW CHALLENGE The Environmental Wildlife Trust (EWT) has appointed Petro Botha, to co-ordinate a challenging project - the rehabilitation of riverine habitat areas along seasonal rivers of the Central and Upper Karoo. Degraded and eroded patches between habitats will be re-vegetated to slow erosion. Petro is passionate about conservation and excited about her new post at the EWT Regional Office in Loxton. She obtained her degree in Zoology in 1998. After completing an Honours Degree in Wildlife Management, she represented Africa in an International Programme at Walt Disney World in Orlando, in the United States. She [...]
Rose’s Round-up May 2007 No 160
LAWRENCE GREEN’S KAROO TO BE REPRINTED …Lawrence G Green’s ever popular book, Karoo, first published in 1955, is to be reprinted. In this work Green captures the essence of this vast arid land – the Great Karoo, Little Karoo, far corners of the North Western Cape and Namaqualand. He writes of inventors, indigenous people, patriarchs and other fascinating characters, who have all lived in the solitude and silence of this fascinating area. They are all as essential a part of the Karoo as the mountains, plains, dry river beds, baboons, jackals, sheep, springbok, trekbokke and the San rock engravings. Originally [...]
Rose’s Round-up April 2007 No 159
BIOLOGICAL WONDER OF THE WORLD HONOURED The Succulent Karoo is one of the biological wonders of the world. “Its biodiversity and range of endemic plants is unrivalled among the arid zones of the world.” says Jonas Nghishidi, chairman of the Namibian Succulent Karoo Ecosystems Programme. “Of course, this makes it an ideal tourist attraction for those interested in ecology, so for quite some time now we have been working hard at creating an awareness of this area and stressing the importance of its conservation to all communities.” Now, to further these objectives the SKEP Namibian team is developing a range [...]
Rose’s Round-up March 2007 No 158
ABERDEEN COMES TO LIFE IN ENGLISH A farmers’ wife in Aberdeen, who couldn’t even type, has just published a book on the history of the town. And, this 168-page book, illustrated by almost 200 fascinating black and white photographs, is the first cultural history ever to be produced about Aberdeen in English. Written by Wendy van Schalkwyk, a long-time resident of the area, and published by Westyby-Nunn Publishers in Cape Town, Aberdeen of the Cape – A Retreat of the Future, contains many long-forgotten stories, anecdotes and descriptive articles. These not only cover the history but include items on the [...]
Rose’s Round-up February 2007 No 157
ESSENTIAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE FOUND A prehistoric human skull, found in the Karoo, has proved to be a missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle relating to human evolution. The skull, found in the mid-1950s in an erosion gulley near Hofmeyr, 70km north-east of Cradock, in the Eastern Cape, has only recently been dated and the information it provided caused ripples of excitement in scientific circles. It provided a vital “missing link” in the fossil record showing modern people originally came from sub-Saharan Africa and migrated to colonise Europe and Asia 30 000 to 40 000 years ago. “This [...]
Rose’s Round-up January 2007 No 156
EXPLORE ANOTHER DRY LAND Ever wanted to find out more about Namibia? Well, here’s your chance. The Friends of the South African Museum in Cape Town are planning an eight-day natural history tour to south western Namibia from April 23 to 30. This tour, led by Dr John Almond of Natura Viva, will focus on diverse aspects of Namibian landscapes, geology, fossils and plant life. Plenty of time will be allowed for exploring the veld rather than simply sightseeing from along the roadside. “The trip starts and ends at the Namibian border and concentrates on the area between the [...]
Rose’s Round-up December 2006 No 155
NEW KAROO BOOK IN THE PIPELINE Touws River-based photographer and author, Jonathan Deale is writing a book on the Karoo. Published by Struik it will be available next year. The Karoo so captivated Jonathan when he moved to the Touws River area a few years ago, that he acquired ground, started the Gecko Nature Reserve and began to photograph and study the region in depth. “For me the lure of the Karoo lies not only in its uniqueness and the special aspects of each little town and village, but in the very challenge of determining where it actually begins and [...]
Rose’s Round-up November 2006 No 154
RIVERINE RABBIT SPOTTED FAR FROM ‘HOME’ A riverine rabbit research team recently found some of these critically endangered creatures far from their normal habitat. This caused great excitement as these rabbits (Bunolagus monticularis) now seem to have a wider distribution range than scientists interested in their conservation previously believed. Fifteen riverine rabbits were spotted in total during a week-long field survey undertaken by 21 researchers from CapeNature and the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Riverine Rabbit Working Group (EWT-RRWG). The rabbits were recorded in the Ceres Karoo, as well as in the Klein Karoo’s 54 000 ha Sanbona Wildlife Reserve and on [...]
Rose’s Round-up October 2006 No 153
MEN OF THE MENDI HONOURED The almost forgotten story of the sinking of the SS Mendi is now being told en-masse in Britain by a dramatic documentary. This film, entitled Let Us Die Like Brothers, was screened for the first time at the South African High Commission in London, at the start of October to launch Black History Month at British Schools. The film, which highlights the role played by Black South Africans during WWI, is due for release in South Africa, next February, to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Mendi. When the Mendi was [...]
Rose’s Round-up September 2006 No 152
BIG PLANS FOR 100TH ANNIVERSARY Hanover’s Dutch Reformed Church celebrates its 100th anniversary in October this year. The congregation has great plans to make this a memorable event and hopes to encourage travellers of the N1 to pause and toast this occasion with them. This little town, which prides itself on being exactly half way between Johannesburg and Cape Town, was established on land bought from Farmer Gous in 1854. It was called Hanover in honour of his forebears who came from Germany. The first church, a humble little structure, was built in 1857 and Thomas François Burger, who later [...]
