Recollections of the town by visitors especially in its early days, provides an indelible record of how they viewed the town but more importantly, how it operated. Some of the descriptors relate to the residents’ industriousness and the consequential hustle and bustle whereas others refer to the stark bareness of the hill especially prior to the planting of trees.
These recollections of John Campbell, a surveyor, and passenger aboard the Eastern Province who visited the town from the 25th February 1862 to the 17th March 1862, adds a fresh layer of depth to the understanding of this bustling town.
Main picture: The first breakwater around 1866
Arrival at Port Elizabeth
Campbell’s first reference to the town or its environs is recorded on Tuesday 25th February 1862 noting that “the rotating light of Cape Recife was visible all evening.” 110 days after departing from Gravesend in England, the Eastern Province, commanded by Captain Norris, had arrived at the roadstead in Algoa Bay. Anchored at sea were 20 ships including the Matilda Atheling. The passengers clambered over the side of the vessel and into, what Campbell termed, shore boats. Four rowers ferried them to the landing beach. Here Campbell noted that there was a jetty on one side – probably John Owen Smith’s dwarf jetty – and on the other side “a long unfinished pier.” This was the skeleton of an ill-conceived, ill-advised breakwater which became a blight on the town’s maritime ambitions for half a century. The rowers then transformed themselves into porters bearing the passengers sedan-fashion clinging to their backs as they waded to the shore.
Next John Campbell satiated himself by partaking of an ample breakfast of mutton chops at Toby’s. Next, they went to the Customs building which after a rash of relocations was then located on the corner of Fleming and Commerce Streets close to the landing beaches. Here they paid some Fingo men to carry their boxes at -/4 per piece.
Thursday 27th February 1862
On Thursday, Campbell called at a store at Market Square and witnessed the bids for Mr Crump’s furniture and effects. A walnut piano fetched £84 and some chintz-covered walnut chairs £1.2.6 each. He met Mr. Faunce who took him to visit his brother’s store and was informed that rent and expenses for premises in Main Street totalled £400 per annum. Next on his itinerary was an inspection of the new Town Hall which he assumed “was at a stand-still due to lack of funds.” Certainly, that assumption was correct but only applied to external plaster work as the interior was complete and in working order.
Next on Thursday’s exploration was to climb the steep barren hill which formed the background to the town. Here he saw a pair of cottages under construction by Mr. French for rental purposes at a rental of £2.10.0 per month. These buildings comprised four rooms and a W.C. just outside the back door. In all probability these cottages formed part of the well-known Donkin Row. After cresting the hill Campbell proceeded onwards until he came upon the Fingo Town at the top of Hyman’s Kloof which would ultimately be converted into Russell Road. On his way back down, Campbell visited the pyramid in memory of Sir Rufane Donkin’s wife, Mary Elizabeth.
Friday 28th February 1862
Friday commenced with Campbell having a photo taken of himself or as it was known in those days “he sat for a likeness.” He does not record the name of the photographer but in all likelihood, it was Staines and not Bruton whose studio was located in Jetty Street as he twice refers to Staines in his dairy.. Campbell learnt that this summer had been exceedingly dry with cattle dying in vast numbers. Passing by Tony’s shop, he found him busy with alterations to the premises. He declined Tony’s invitation to attend the weekly Alliance Meeting of Brethren.
Saturday 1st March 1862
On Saturday, Campbell paid a visit to Mr. Pinchin, a surveyor, whose offices were located in the Town Hall. He then crossed North Union Street en route to the landing beach where the boating company Wheatland and Smith was based. He instructed them to unload the rest of his goods from the Eastern Province for which he was charged 6/6 per ton. He then took a walk down Main Street. Without street lighting or no moon to bathe the pavement in its subdued white light, walking at night was precarious, as the pavement was uneven with patches of pavement dropping without warning 8 to 10 inches at places.
Sunday 2nd March 1862
Probably due to the fact that in 1861 the town was not yet supplied with water, swimming was a popular method of taking a bath. It was here that he encountered several horses being ridden in the water for their health. Being a Sunday and church attendance, while not mandatory, was considered almost compulsory in this era. How and why Campbell selected to attend the Anglican service at Brooks’ church is unknown. Formally this church was known as St. Paul’s Anglican Church and was situated at the junction of Cooper’s Kloof [Albany Road] sand Queen Street. This church, which was unfinished, was built in a Gothic style with reddish brown stone, hammer dressed. Campbell described the church as follows: “Ornaments were brass standards for oil lamps. The font is a dark marble, polished and inlaid with monograms in white marble.” Mr. Brooks himself was the preacher.
Monday 3rd March
On Monday Campbell called at the Town Hall to see Mr Archibald, the Town Surveyor and then he met Samuel Staines at the Customs House. Campbell’s goods arrived at his place on a flat-bottomed wagon drawn by two horses, accompanied by a number of Mfengus. The piano and boxes were deposited in the bedroom and the labourers dismissed with 1/- between the three of them. He then wrote to Mr. Pinney, who was also a customer of Toby’s, regarding his goods in Alexandrina stating that they are passenger’s luggage.
Tuesday 4th March
Campbell called at Mr. Pinchin’s with his toolbox. Using these tools, he cut out brass corners to fix the slide of Samuel Staines’ camera who had taken a photograph of a Hottentot woman for Mr. Faulkner, the dentist.
Wednesday 5th March 1862
Campbell called at Mr. Cooper’s tannery to order leather. Here they used mimosa bark for tanning as well as the foliage sumach to make the leather take colour. He called at the Customs to enquire about the status of his goods and made out three invoices of value as advised by Mr. Orpen. Once again Campbell walked over the Hill but this time, he walked through the Fingo village and noted that there were many fires in their beehive shaped huts. When passing a place where Malays were performing the religious rite known as a Khalifa, he heard what he classified as very strange singing.
Thursday 6th March 1862
Campbell started the day by taking a bath opposite the bathing machine at the mouth of the Baakens River. On completion, he walked up the river past the St Mary’s and the Malay burial grounds in South End where he collected some blue waterlilies. He eventually got back on track by taking a path over the Grey Institute hill by the Cricket Ground.
Friday 7th March 1862
Campbell spent the day searching for a small house with three rooms. He found one close to the road near Mr. Bragge’s at £2 per month.
Saturday 8th March 1862
Campbell started his day by calling at the Town Hall to inspect the statuary to be sold on the 10th. Next, he went to visit Mr. Warren who had commenced his employment in the Colony at Uitenhage when he first arrived. He advised Campbell to apply to the Civil Commissioner at the Court House to obtain an appointment as Engineer to the bridge building at Sunday’s River. Mr. Pinchin was the Government Land Surveyor and performs the trigonometrical work. Mr Faulkner called using Surgeon Rubidge’s trap and horse and drove Campbell to the Creek [presumably Trinder Square}, viewed the Flat and returned by the Cross. As Campbell uses the generic word such as Creek, Flat and Cross to identify a location, it is extremely difficult to be specific about the places’ name. They could, of course, refer to Papenkuils River, Fishwater Flats and Berry’s Corner or alternatively Graham’s Town Road Crossing. Take your pick!
Sunday 9th March 1862
This Sunday Campbell elected to attend a service at a different church. As such he attended the service at “the Chapel by the Barracks”, as he termed the Trinity Church at the corner of Military Road and Baakens Street. It had been only opened in 1858 when a dissident group, disapproving of Rev W.H. Fowle’s “high church” sympathies, left St Mary’s to form their own church. It was here that he heard Dr Robinson preach. Afterwards Campbell walked as far as the Prison in North End.
Monday 10th March 1862
The ever-active Campbell had a look at the Market for produce held on Mondays and Thursdays. All that was on offer were several bales of wool, a few horns and a pile of sheep skins. He then took a look at what he termed “useless oddities” collected by the Italian, Signor del Colombo, advertised for sale that night. He spoke to Mrs. Edwards who commented on the custom of the heathen Kaffirs to colour their skin with red ochre, which they abandon when converted.
Tuesday 11th March 1862
Campbell claims that he “went down to the Quay.” As the first quay would not be constructed until much later, Campbell must surely be referring to the embryonic North Jetty. His mission was to establish the progress of unloading his goods aboard the ship Alexandrina. Mr. Toby advised him to call at Mr. Stewart’s Store and ask the brother-in-law of Mr. Pilkington for the latter’s address. Finally, a Mr. Van Ryneveld supplied Campbell with the requisite address being Cradock Place.
At the Quay, the clerk inspected the opening of one package being the meat safe. He agreed to release the items except the iron bedstead and the bath.
Wednesday 12th March 1862
He assisted Samuel Staines with some photography and distilling some water. Campbell notes that Mr. Baker had been offered a position as a salesman at Mr. O’ Shea’s store at £150 per annum.
Thursday 13th March 1862
Mr. Annear called at Campbell’s residence to bid him farewell as he was going to Somerset East on Mr. Leonard’s wagon. Later he took a walk on the Breakwater. Captain informed him that one of water tanks in which he stored rain water and which he had on board, had cost him £13.10.0.
Saturday 15th March 1862
Campbell boarded what he called an omnibus at 2:20 p.m. and arrived at Uitenhage at 5:30 p.m. He called upon Mr. Lance and Mr. Fish but found lodgings with Mr. Wear at the Thatched House.
Monday 17th March 1862
Mr. Campbell took a walk to Mr. Brimm’s garden and viewed the Indian rubber tree, the palms and banana tree. He left by cart at 9:15 a.m. and arrived at 12:40
Source
Extracts from the Diary of a Voyage in 1861 – 1862, John Campbell, Surveyor, Passenger on Eastern Province, Looking Back, Volume VII, No. 2, June 1967, Page 48.