For more than half a century Mosenthals was the most prominent and probably the largest enterprise in Port Elizabeth. Even my family has a connection to this once dominant company. Firstly, my maternal grandfather was a wool sorter and later my mother was a typist in their employ. For me, the firm Mosenthals epitomises both the growth and subsequent decline of Port Elizabeth, but also the trajectory of South Africa’s industrial, agricultural, and commercial growth.
Let us trace the journey that Mosenthals, Port Elizabeth and South Africa took.
Main picture: The original offices of Mosenthals in Port Elizabeth
Entrepreneurs to their core
Central to the founding of Mosenthals was an entrepreneur of German extraction, Joseph Mosenthal. In the spirit of enterprise that drove Joseph, he had elected to leave his homeland. Whether he had any notion of establishing a company in the Cape Colony or whether he was merely on a reconnaissance mission in order to establish the potential of this far-off undeveloped land, one will never know for certain.
The Mosenthals, originally from Hesse-Cassel, were the most significant Jewish family connected with the early settlement and development of the Eastern Province, with family connections in the other provinces as well. The Mosenthals’ ancestors, Sussman and Moses were Shutzjuden, who in 1700 were living in Petershagen on the River Weser. The Schutzbrief was a letter of protection that enabled them to live in the city and carry on business. Moses Heitz had a son Abraham Moses (Marburg), who was granted a Schutzbrief in 1717. He had nine children, of whom one, Moses Abraham, was the paternal and another, Joseph Sussman, the maternal grandfather of Joseph Mosenthal, the first of the family to settle in the Cape Colony in 1839.
Joseph’s business eye must have espied some business opportunities as he set himself up as Mosenthal Brothers – General Merchants in St. George’s Street in Cape Town. The plural in the word Brothers reflected the fact that Joseph had urgently requested his brother Adolph to join him in the business.
Within a short period, their activities covered a wide area extending to Murraysburg, Burgersdorp, Richmond, Graaff Reinett and Hopetown. In November 1842, the firm of Mosenthals established a branch in Port Elizabeth. Joseph visited his home town of Kassel in Germany to fetch his brother Adolph. In six years, Mosenthals had become one of the leading forms of merchants in the Cape Colony. For those initial six years, Cape Town was to be the Head Quarters of the flourishing business.
Eyes set on Port Elizabeth
Then, being the sharp businessmen that they undoubtedly were, these two founders perceived that as a distribution centre, Port Elizabeth would develop into a prominent town and port. Even though during the 1840s, Port Elizabeth was a diminutive in comparison to Uitenhage or Grahamstown, the Mosenthal brothers possessed the foresight to relocate their headquarters there. In 1842, a branch was opened in Port Elizabeth. Presumably this was the premises of the businessman John Thornhill who had recently sold up his business and relocated to Cape Town. The brothers had bought a huge consignment of goods in England and shipped this to Port Elizabeth. They advertised very carefully, setting themselves apart from other traders by stressing the fact that they were from Europe, and had contacts and financial backing. They were opening a mercantile and shipping house, clearly stating they would be doing exports and imports. Their primary interest originally was trading in the export of wool, bides and skins and importing everyday products from Europe.
Wherever the brothers cast their eyes, they perceived business opportunities. Initially their business remained merchanting to the outlying districts. Whilst sharing the strong coffee of the rugged Dutch farmers bemoaning the prices of their produce, the difficulty of distribution and the costs thereof, the Mosenthal brothers saw an opportunity to open agencies in the country towns for purchasing wool, skins and hides. The farmers could now concentrate upon farming whilst Mosenthals would concern itself with transporting, processing, and exporting these products.
The world’s demand for wool was growing rapidly. Through a Mosenthal’s initiative, the South African farmer was able to reap this bounty. From 1840 to 1860 the wool shipments from South African ports increased twentyfold largely as a result of Mosenthal’s efforts. In fact, Mosenthals should be credited with the creation of South Africa’s wool export industry. From those early days, wool was one of Mosenthals chief activities.
It was now that that the Mosenthal brothers displayed their business acumen and genius. Their belief in their being in a partnership with the wool growers, led them to play a leading part in improving the quality of the South African wool. To this end, they were at the forefront of the introduction of the French merino sheep to South Africa in 1852. In September of that year, the brothers offered Thibet merino rams for sale with this guarantee: “neither trouble nor expense was spared in selecting those offered for sale [by the French Government at Gevolles] from the renowned flocks of Bergeries, the largest sheep in existence, the strongest of staple, thickest of fleece, the finest of wool and altogether the best adapted for the Eastern Province.” This new blood brought great advantages to the woolgrower by improving the quality of the product and ensuring better prices.
Mohair industry
As if the improvement of the sheep flocks was not sufficient, the Mosenthals then cast their eyes on the common Cape goat which was found in large numbers on many sheep farms throughout the Cape Colony during the 1850s. These animals were only valuable for their skins and flesh. Their proposal to the farmers was that their goats should be replaced with the Angora with its rich silky fleece, which would make goat farming much more profitable.
This proved to be a harder nut to crack than acquiring the French Thibet merinos as the Angora breeders in Turkey jealously guarded their monopoly in mohair production. Hence, they vigorously opposed the export of any such animals. After the Peace of Paris ended the Crimean War in 1856, Adolph Mosenthal made yet another trip to Constantinople in Turkey in order to obtain some Angoras. After great difficulty but aided by the British consul, he purchased a number of rams and ewes. Despite many deaths of goats en route, eleven of the twenty-five originally acquired, survived. They were sold in Graaff Reinett in September 1857.
It was this far-sighted importation of Angora goats that laid the foundation for the mohair industry in South Africa. Furthermore, Julius Mosenthal, a brother of Joseph and Adolph, was instrumental in the establishment of the ostrich feather industry. To this end, the Mosenthal’s made a special study of ostrich farming and export of ostrich feathers.
Citrus fruit
A further example of their foresight was to promote the export of citrus fruit from South Africa. The citrus farmers were extremely hide-bound and hence reluctant to get involved in this trade. In order to convince these farmers of the feasibility and profitability of this trade, the Mosenthals agreed to make experimental shipments at a loss to themselves.
For their efforts to establish the citrus export business, they were rewarded with the appointment as the London representative of the Sunday’s River Citrus Co-Op, famous for their three-ring brand.
Family and fellow Jews
In the period 1845-1870, they were responsible for more than half the Jewish families coming to settle in South Africa. These Hessian Jews became managers and sub-managers for the brothers’ rapidly spreading enterprises, or they traded on their own account with financial support from the Mosenthal’s.
Of Adolph Mosenthal’ s six sons, two died in their twenties, one went to London and the remaining three, Harry, George and William, went into the business. The family had a commitment to civic duty. Adolph became a Justice of the Peace at Graaff-Reinet (1851) and a Member of the Legislative Council (1857); Joseph was a Member of the Legislative Council in 1861; another brother, Julius, was the first professing Jew to be elected to the Eastern Cape Legislative assembly, and also became a JP (1855) and Harry was Chairman of the Port Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce in 1893 and 1911.
Shift of focus
It was now that the Mosenthal’s exclusive focus on the Eastern Cape and agriculture decisively shifted. Diamonds and gold had been discovered at Kimberley and on the Witwatersrand, respectively. The collapse of the wool market due to the drought of 1868/9 forced the diversification into these two fields. The Mosenthals outlook had changed. In 1867, with the discovery of diamonds, Harry encouraged his father’s firm to engage in mining, and at the age of twenty founded the London and South Africa Exploration Company, with Lord Farquar and Sigmund Ochs. The company bought the first two farms with surface soils indicating diamond fields, and within a few years owned a large part of the burgeoning diamond town of Kimberley. Later, Harry joined with Cecil Rhodes, Alfred Beit and Barney Barnato in establishing De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, thus joining a lot of small mines into a huge conglomerate.
They became members of the original Diamond Syndicate and remained a member until shortly before WW2. In fact, the world famous “Star of Africa” diamond was sold by the Mosenthals in London.
What is little realised, is that Harry Mosenthal understood why the era of uncontrolled diamond production had to cease. With production volumes skyrocketing, it had caused a disastrous collapse in the diamond’s market values. Together with John X. Merriman, Harry Mosenthal had originated an attempt to effect a merger of the various small diamond interests. In this initial effort, he was unsuccessful. However, it did pave the way for Cecil John Rhodes to accomplish the merger ultimately. For his efforts, Harry Mosenthal was appointed as a Director of de Beers and later a Director of Rand Mines. When Harry died in 1915, his brother William succeeded him as a Director of Rand Mines.
George, said to be of a delicate constitution, was involved in developing the policy and activities of the firm. William took over after Harry died in 1912. He was also president of the PE Chamber of Commerce and the PE Turf Club, owning fine horses. His nephew, Edgar, took over after his death in 1933.
Mosenthals at its apex
The firm of Mosenthals was a household name in Port Elizabeth until at least the 1950s. Among their buildings were stores in Queen Street built in 1860 and 1880, and the splendid Market Square stores opened on 5 February 1903. There were also two fine buildings in Baakens Street and Military Road.
Harry James Harraway joined Mosenthals in 1903. As head of this vast and reputable organisation, Harraway played a prominent role in the commercial and industrial development of South Africa particularly in the primary industries of wool, mohair, skins and hides, ostrich feathers, karakul pelts and citrus growing. During the lifetime of service Harraway devoted to Mosenthals, the company became the first dealers in karakul pelts and later the largest exporter of skins and wool.
The company also fathered the Sunday’s River Valley citrus industry by undertaking the first experimental shipments overseas at. a loss. It was during Harraway’s period in office as General Manager, which began m 1915, that the company branched into the manufacturing industry with the operation in Port Elizabeth of a clothing factory.
While he held the reins, too, Mosenthals took a prominent part in organising the South African exhibit at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924-5, and was responsible for the huge crest of ostrich feathers displayed at the South African pavilion.
Inevitable decline of the Port Elizabeth operation
With the Mosenthals involvement in diamond mining in Kimberley, this period probably marks the end of the beginning – as Churchill so presciently remarked during WW2 after the defeat of the Germans in Tunisia – of the Mosenthals focus on Port Elizabeth.
Yet the firm was still a household name in Port Elizabeth until very recently. Among their buildings were stores in Queen Street built in 1860 & 1880 and a splendid store in Market Square opened on 5th February 1903. They also owned to buildings in Baakens Street and Military Road.
Even before the outbreak of WW2, the decline of the general merchant business was in decline. Their role prior to the war had been the importation of non-agricultural goods into South Africa. The uncertain future facing the importing merchants was the threat posed by South Africa’s industrialisation. This process was accelerated by WW2 as the procurement of goods from overseas was restricted. To compensate, South Africa embarked on a process of import substitution. Despite imperfections, it succeeded to a marked degree.
While the production of items requiring a large number of imported components still required a plant at the coast, those that were wholly produced in South Africa had to be produced close to the location of the consumption. Thus, the selection of the location of production became bifurcated with vehicle assembly plants located at the coast and the rest on the Reef. The focus of distribution now switched from coastal towns to the point of manufacture: The Reef.
Thus, after the war, Port Elizabeth gradually lost its importance as a national distribution centre. Even in the case where items were wholly imported, the logical port at which to base the distribution was without a doubt, Durban. With the bulk of the consumers congregated in the Transvaal, only 600 kms distant, Port Elizabeth’s position as the premier port in South Africa was in ineluctable decline.
By 1961, Mosenthal’s Board of Directors was faced with the unenviable decision & stark choice of loyalty to Port Elizabeth versus relocating to the nerve centre of South Africa’s economic activity.
Finally, the inevitable decision was taken. Mosenthal’s roots in Port Elizabeth, though deep, were severed.
Harking back to a non-distant past, it left behind Valley Textiles in Port Elizabeth. The Joburg based company then diversified into engineering, travel, shipping, insurance, and real estate. In effect, it had shorn itself from its agricultural roots in toto.
This rise and stagnation of a once colonial seaport is even reflected in its architecture. During the 1950s and 1960s much of the historical buildings and facades were destroyed in a spasmodic eruption of development during those two decades. In addition, the 1960s heralded the construction of the freeway network along the foreshore and the inevitable destruction of invaluable buildings mainly in the historic Strand Street precinct.
Fortunately, funds were exhausted before the proposed Baakens Freeway could be constructed. This would have culminated in the destruction of the green lung of Port Elizabeth to be replaced with tunnels, overpasses, and four lane highways. What that cancelled project signified was the inevitable decline of Port Elizabeth, past its prime and its heyday.
Many will lament the inexorable decline of Port Elizabeth, but I view it as an opportunity to market its Colonial Heritage and as a hub for high-tech manufacture. Decoupled from consumer demand, its market would be the world and not Gauteng.
I am unable to determine the ultimate fate of the rump of the Mosenthals conglomerate. Nonetheless, it is highly likely that it was consumed by one of the many Corporates in Joburg.
What I more certain of is the fate of the faith of the Mosenthals. By intermarrying outside their Jewish faith, the family is no longer recorded as being Jewish.
Addendums
Sources
Port Elizabeth: A Social Chronicle to the end of 1945 by Margaret Harradine (2004, Historical Society of Port Elizabeth)
Colonial Port Jews: The Jews of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape by Saul Issrof (SA-SAG, Vol 15, Issue 1, April 2017)
Article, Jewish Settlers Played a Role by Ivor Markman
The City of Port Elizabeth: From a Border Garrison Town to a Modern Commercial and Industrial City Edited by Ramon Lewis Leigh
Cape Colony: its History, Commerce, Industries and Resources compiled by Somerset Playne [London 1910, JC Juta & Co]
Addendums
Date of the opening of the Mosenthal’s building on the corner of Jetty Street and Union Street
In the book, Hills covered with cottages it states that the building was opened on 5th February 1905 but in the Social Chronical Margaret Harradine states that it is 5th November 1903. According to Carol Victor of the Africana Library it should read 1903
Article from the excellent book: Cape Colony: Its History, Commerce, Industries and Resources printed in 1911
ADOLPH MOSENTHAL & CO.
In reviewing the commercial industries of the Cape Province, unless some adequate reference was made to Messrs. Adolph Mosenthal & Co. this work would indeed be incomplete. This firm, who are importers, exporters, bankers, agriculturists, industrialists, and mine-owners, have taken part in nearly every movement making for progress during the past seventy years in the subcontinent.
The founder of the firm, the late Mr. Joseph Mosenthal, arrived in South Africa in 1839. Shortly after his arrival he was joined by his brother, Mr. Adolph Mosenthal, and their first business was started at Graaff- Reinet. Later their headquarters were transferred to Cape Town, and in 1860 they established themselves at Port Elizabeth, where the headquarters of the firm has remained ever since. Greatly due to this may be traced the gradual increase in importance of this port, all movements for progress having received their personal support and help. At the early date afore-mentioned the trading requirements of the country were extremely limited, and it is indeed a wonderful record of progress steadily persevered in which has resulted in the gigantic undertakings that represent the firm’s interests here to-day.
Great interest has been taken by Messrs. Mosenthal in all South African produce, Mr. Adolph Mosenthal being the first to introduce the Mohair goat, on account of its valuable product, into South Africa. The benefits of this are best shown by quoting the first year’s shipments of mohair in 1857, which then totalled 1,870 lbs., and which in 1910 had increased to nearly 20,000,000 lbs.
The same interest has been taken by them in the ostrich-feather industry, and it is largely due to their efforts that the Port Elizabeth market was raised to its present important position. Lectures and pamphlets epitomising the most expert knowledge on both wool and mohair, as well as ostrich feathers, have been freely given and circulated by them, and the enormous quantities of South African produce which pass through their hands today are doubtless the effect of their earnest endeavours to get the best results obtainable from the country.
As regards their merchandise stocks, huge departments, replete with the carefully sought products of the world’s principal industrial markets, are to be found here, there being no class of trade existing in the country for which they do not cater.
With the discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand the firm turned their attention to this, and established their headquarters in the Transvaal at Pretoria, as had been previously done at Kimberley at the diamond fields. The results of their interest in these undertakings can be deduced from the fact that the present senior partner of the firm is a director of De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd., and also of the Rand Mines, Ltd. They are also interested in the Jagersfontein Mines.
In the early days of their business the firm issued their own notes, but on the establishment of banking institutions this practice was discontinued. In the course of years, with the gradual growth of their business, branches have been opened at many up-country and seaport centres at Kimberley, East London, Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Delagoa Bay.
Messrs. Mosenthal & Co. are also managers of the Bechuanaland Trading Association, the pioneer commercial concern of Rhodesia, and here, again due directly to their efforts, can be traced considerable progress in the north, as their operations extend to Ngamiland.
The London house was opened in 1856. The present heads of the firm are Messrs. Harry, George, and William Mosenthal the three sons of the late Mr. Adolph Mosenthal. The firm act as agents at Port Elizabeth for the Bucknall S.S. Lines, Ltd., London; the Ellerman and Bucknall Joint Service; American and African S.S. Line, Ltd; American-Australian S.S. Co., Ltd.; Natal Direct Line (Bullard, King & Co.); and Stephan Brothers’ Coasting Steamer. Outside these lines of shipping companies, the firm represents the Marine Insurance Co., the Atlas Assurance Co., Nobel’s Explosives., Glasgow, Hamburg, and many other important companies.
The estate of the late Mr. John Whyte, which consists of the farm Orange Grove, is managed at present by Messrs. John Whyte & Co. in a manner which ensures that, while the traditions of the late owner are maintained, improvements are freely introduced. The area of Orange Grove is 50 morgen, almost entirely under lucerne, which is used as fodder and turned into hay, the latter being a speciality of this farm. From 30 lbs. to 40 lbs. of seed are sown to a morgen, and the whole of the lucerne is irrigated by a gravitation furrow from the Sunday River, the water being supplied by the Strathsomers Estate Co., Ltd.
A portion of this property was taken over by the late Mr. Whyte twenty-six years ago, with the intention of devoting it to fruit-farming, but the market was so unsatisfactory that lucerne was grown in the place of fruit, though some trees are retained and flourish. Six large and two small cuttings of lucerne are made yearly, 2 tons and I ton of hay per morgen resulting from each when water is plentiful.
The crop is sun-dried, stacked on the farm, and baled by a “Whitman Steel King ” press, operated by a Crossley oil – engine. The machine can turn out 60 bales of a uniform size-70 lbs.-hourly, and these are stored in a wood-and- iron building holding 100 tons. The hay is readily sold and is also used as winter fodder for the farm stock.
Ostrich farming was recently commenced with chicks of the Oudtshoorn and White strains. Should they prove successful, and if advisable, crossing will be resorted to. The birds are fed on lucerne all the year round. Cattle were bred from the established Frieslands and Ayrshires, but now Frieslands and Afrikanders are being crossed in order to produce a hardier animal and one more suited to the country. The cattle are all stall-fed on lucerne hay.
Many ornamental trees, such as peppers, gums, and syringas, have been planted, and there are Kei-apple hedges and a palm avenue only fifteen years old leading to the house, the seeds of the palms and the syringas having been brought from California by the late Mr. Whyte, who had to remove a great quantity of bush before fencing and building.
The homestead is of brick made on the estate, which is fenced throughout. Practically all the fruit produced goes to the jam factory at Port Elizabeth, as it does not now pay to send to Natal and Johannesburg.
Mealies thrive remarkably well, reaching the height of 9 feet, and are consumed on the farm. Lucerne-hay finds a ready market in Durban, Johannesburg, Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town, the major portion being purchased by the military.
The water used for irrigation is very rich in karoo silt, and practically adds a new soil to the cultivated lands. As the Sunday River passes by the property, abundant water is usually obtainable. The soil is from 20 feet to 40 feet deep, and is well drained; consequently, the lucerne, which is now eight years old, looks like existing many more years, as the conditions are evidently favourable to its maintenance.
Related blogs:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Brickmaker’s Kloof
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Eponymously Named Brickmaker’s Kloof
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Enclosed Harbour Scheme in the 1930s
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Enclosed Harbour Scheme in the 1930s
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Harbour prior to the Charl Malan Quay
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Harbour prior to the Charl Malan Quay
Port Elizabeth of Yore: St Mary’s Church
Port Elizabeth of Yore: New Church in Main Street
Rations, Rules and other Regulations aboard the Settler Ships
Rations, Rules and other Regulations aboard the Settler Ships
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Earliest Photographs
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Earliest Photographs & Photographers
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Empire units in P.E. during the Boer War
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Empire units in P.E. during the Boer War
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Defences during the Boer War
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Memorials to the Fallen in War
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Fire Damage to the P.E. Advertiser in 1913
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Fire Damage to the P.E. Advertiser in 1913
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Albany Road
Algoa Bay before the Settlers: Sojourn by Henry Lichtenstein in the Early 1800s
Algoa Bay before the Settlers: Sojourn by Henry Lichtenstein in the Early 1800s
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Captain Jacob Glen Cuyler
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Captain Jacob Glen Cuyler – A Man of Many Parts
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Growth of the Population
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Murders most Foul
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Phoenix Hotel
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Echoes of a Far off War
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Main Street in the Tram Era
Lost Artefacts of Port Elizabeth: Customs House
The Great Flood in Port Elizabeth on 1st September 1968
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Great Flood of 1st September 1968
A Sunday Drive to Schoenmakerskop in 1922
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Horse Drawn Trams
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Trinder Square
The Sad Demise of the Boet Erasmus Stadium
Interesting Old Buildings in Central Port Elizabeth:
The Shameful Torching of Port Elizabeth’s German Club in 1915:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Shameful Torching of the German Club in 1915
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Cora Terrace:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Cora Terrace-Luxury Living on the Hill
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Grand Hotel:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Whaling in Algoa Bay:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Whaling-From Abundance to Near Extinction
Port Elizabeth of Yore: White’s Road:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Slipway in Humewood:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: King’s Beach:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Russell Road:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Russell Road-Formerly Burial or Hyman’s Kloof
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Sand dunes, Inhabitants and Animals:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Horse Memorial:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: Target Kloof:
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Road through Target 3Kloof & its Predecessors
The Parsonage House at Number 7 Castle Hill Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Parsonage House at No. 7 Castle Hill
What happened to the Shark River in Port Elizabeth?
http://thecasualobserver.co.za/what-happened-to-the-shark-river-in-port-elizabeth/
A Pictorial History of the Campanile in Port Elizabeth
Allister Miller: A South African Air Pioneer & his Connection with Port Elizabeth
Allister Miller: A South African Air Pioneer & his Connection with Port Elizabeth