Apart from being the first person to own a motor car in Port Elizabeth, William Alcock was also the first Mayor of the garden town, Walmer, south of its larger sibling, Port Elizabeth. Even though he was a tinsmith by training, he had extremely eclectic interests and was imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit to boot. He was a member of the Photographic Society, the Athenaeum Society, the Museum and the Port Elizabeth Automobile Club. In addition, his civic duties related to the Walmer Municipality, first as a member, then Chairman in 1891 and finally first Mayor in 1899. 

This blog highlights one of Port Elizabeth’s early civic leaders who also had manifold interests in diverse fields.

Main picture: William Alcock on left and son Arthur on the right

William Alcock was not an original 1820 Settler as he was born in 1847, in Birkenhead, England. William married Emily Nimmo Warhurst in England in 1878. Emily Nimmo’s mother, Elizabeth Warhurst, married her stepfather Archibald Nimmo (who worked on ships as a baker) when Emily was a child so that is how Nimmo acquired her surname. William only emigrated to the Cape from Birkenhead in 1881 and settled in the arboreal area of Villiers Road in Walmer. Emily was to bear William three children: Arthur, Leonard and Ethel.

Taxidermy
The earliest record of William Alcock is in 1884 when he was a member of the E.P. Naturalist Society and gave demonstrations on avian taxidermy. This, his first enthusiasm, though not abandoned, declined in favour of a greater interest in photography.

Dissolving views
In October 1885, we find him demonstrating to the Camera Club about “dissolving views”, by means of slides and his limelight apparatus, the only one in Port Elizabeth. After that, he seems to have been ready to give such shows at the drop of a hat, for we find him called upon repeatedly for many social occasions. Incidentally his first “dissolving views” show included many slides of the Zulu War of 1879. It is fair to say that he won many awards for his photographs.

Limelight
William Alcock’s limelight would receive renown during the rescue of the crew of the “C. Boschetto” when this apparatus provided the light for the rocket brigade to enable the rescue. This incident arose during August 1888, when Port Elizabeth experienced one of its notorious south-easters which drove the sailing ships at anchor in the Bay onto the North End Beach. The 30^th August 1888 was one such day. On this blustery day, nine ships were driven onto the beach: “Andreas Riis”, Dorthea, Wolseley, Drei Emmas, Elizabeth Stevens, Jane Harvey, Lada, Natal and “C. Boschetto”. During the rescue operation, the Rocket Brigade, the life-boats and crews of the other ships assisted, limiting the deaths to only one drowning, ironically being a member of the life-boat crew.

Sheet metal shop
By training, William was a tinsmith and sheet metal worker. During September 1890, William opened a sheet metal workshop together with E. Alcock at 100 Main Street styled as W & E Alcock. It was here that they produced thousands of cans for food storage.  The ‘E’ in W & E Alcock refers to Edwin Snr., Williams’s youngest brother. Edwin died shortly after his arrival in Port Elizabeth, at the age of 28. Edwin’s wife, Elizabeth Lewis, continued to live at Swartkops until her death in 1929.

Automatic gas lighter
William’s genius was also displayed in another way as well. His best-known invention was an automatic gas lighter using a small induction coil powered by a battery. By means of this ingenious device, Alcock obviated the laborious process of accessing each lamp and lighting it. Instead Alcock was able to switch on his gas lights by the touch of a button.

PE Amateur Photographic Society
In 1891, William Alcock displayed his penchant for photography by attending the inaugural meeting of the Port Elizabeth Amateur Photographic Society on the 27^th July held in the Algoa House Hotel in Western Road. This Club replaced the old Camera Club. Alcock was appointed as its first Chairman. Then in 1896 he assisted Mr. Walsh in the first demonstration of X-ray photography ever seen in South Africa, at the Athenaeum.

Civic duties
The first occasion on which William Alcock’s civic responsibility was publicly displayed was during December 1895 when Alcock together with James Brister, D.M. Brown and others established a Christmas Cheer Fund. Together they arranged various entertainment events in order to raise money. By the end of the events in 1895, an amount of £118 3s 7p was raised. This was shared between the Provincial Hospital, Ladies’ Benevolent Society, Nazareth House, St. John’s Mission, St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Salvation Army Rescue Home.

Walmer Club
The need for a gentleman’s club to rival that of the PE Club was mooted as the prospective Walmer Club. In July 1896, Edwin Stephen bought the eight-acre Walmer Estate laid out by Richard Shaw Smith, and extended the house considerably. He opened the Walmer Sanatorium and Pleasure Gardens in September 1896. Further additions included the club rooms. The inaugural luncheon of the Walmer Club was held on the 8^th September 1898 with William Alcock as President and G.R. Perrins as Vice-President.

Walmer Municipality
The formation of the Walmer Municipality finally came to fruition on the 22^nd April 1899. In July of that year, a Council of six was elected with William Alcock as its first Mayor. The Councillors were J.S. Gardner, A.B. Thomas, F. Ramsay-Denny, G.R. Perrins and Edwin Stephen.

First motor vehicle in PE
What William Alcock is nowadays remembered for is none of his civic duties as Walmer was amalgamated into Port Elizabeth in 1966 or his other interests. Instead if he remembered at all it is for introducing the motor vehicle to Port Elizabeth. During a visit to Britain in 1900, he became infected with the motoring fever then prevalent. He purchased the town’s first car in 1900, a 4.5 hp Benz Velo and brought it back with him to Port Elizabeth. He was the first person to negotiate the then steep, rutted and stony Van Stadens Pass. Imagine attempting this feat with a vehicle equipped only with a 4.5 h.p. vehicle. Furthermore on the 20th August 1902 he also made the first trip ever by car to Grahamstown accompanied by Maurice Gilbert taking 15 and a half hrs at ‘6 mph’.

P.E. Automobile Club
Alcock was also instrumental in the formation of the E.P. Automobile Society, later renamed as the P.E. Automobile Club. This Club was inaugurated at a meeting held at the Phoenix Hotel opposite the Town Hall on 23^rd April 1903. At this meeting, he was elected as the Club’s first Chairman. The Club got off to a flying start by holding its first rally two days later when the vehicles in Port Elizabeth – all nine of them – met at the Cape Road tram terminus at the top of Mount Road and travelled to Greenbushes. This convoy comprised four De Dietrichs, two Benzs, a Phaeton, a Stirling and a Wolseley.

Clearly, William’s interest in photography did not diminish over the years as this clipping from the Herald of the week ending March 12, 1904 indicates:

THE Port Elizabeth Amateur Photographic Society are holding their annual entertainment in the Town Hall tonight, when Mr Alcock will show the Society’s slides representing Japanese scenes. These are really beautiful productions, being hand-painted by Japanese artists. He also gave ‘magic lantern’ shows.

William Alcock died on the 9th April 1911 in PE at the age of 64 having led a fruitful and engaging life.

Obituary of Mr. WM Alcock
Appeared in the EPH dated 11th April 1911

On Sunday evening [9th April 1911] in hs residence at Walmer their passed away Mr. William Alcock whose name will ever be associated with the suburb as one of its founders and one of the most energetic workers towards its progress and expansion. The end was somewhat sudden for though Mr. Alcock had been in failing health for some time past, he was able to attend to business right to the end of the week, and, indeed, was seen taking his usual Sunday afternoon stroll about five o’clock. Three hours later he suddenly collapsed and succumbed, the cause being heart failure.

Mr. Alcock came to Port Elizabeth early in the eighties from Grahamstown and opened business as a plate metal worker in premises which have since been replaced by St. Cyperians Hall. He was a most skilful tradesman and possessed a considerable amount of inventive genius, together with indomitable pluck and perseverance, the business flourished. Subsequently he opened the present premises in Main Street. During the past few years he took two or three trips to the old country and his return was always welcomed by reason of the valuable information which he was able to glean and impart to the members of the various scientific societies in which he for many years took a leading part. These included the Naturalists and the Photographic Societies while his interest in the Athenaeium and the Museum was ever keen and practical.

As we have said, he was one of the founders of Walmer. Prior to the granting of Municipal control in 1898, Mr. Alcock was a member of the Village Board and an able champion for the wider powers which were gained by the application of the Municipal Act. In 1899 he became the frst Mayor of the Suburb and in that position worthily maintained its ever growing importance. He resigned on the eve of proceeding to England for a holiday and on his return was re-elected. On his last visit to the old country, he again resigned; that was about two or three years ago. He held the respect of all the Walmerites and indeed all Bayonians by his unvarying genialityand uprightness, and his death is generally and deeply regretted.

The funeral which took place at Walmer yesterday afternoon was very largely attended. Every institution with which he had been connected being represented. The cortege left the residence for St. John’s church at 5 o’clock and the following was quite the longest ever seen in the suburb. Amongst those who were present were members of the Port Elizabeth and Walmer Town Councils, Messrs EM Searle, AW Gutherie, AB Thomas, W Fiddian-Green, Claude Meyer, J. Forbes, M. Gilbert, Gunning, T. Reeve, JB Gibbon, ED Reynolds, JS Gardiner, James Newton,J Fox Smith, JW Goldsbrough, W Lawson Brown, DM Brown junior, Jas. Shepherd, WE Crooks, H Sherman, CH Caitheness, D Philip, WJ McWilliams, Walter McWillaims, C Longworth, Securton and HC Biddle.

Brief but impressive services were conducted by Rev H Mosel in St John’s church and in the cemetery adjoining where the remains of an old and faithful friend were laid to rest.

We tender our sincere sympathy to the widow and members of the family in their sad bereavement.

Descendants

Sources
Port Elizabeth: A Social Chronicle to the end of 1945 by Margaret Harradine (1996, E H Walton Packaging Pty Ltd, Port Elizabeth)
Looking Back, Vol XII No 1 (March 1972) page 27
Photographs and corrections courtesy of Karen Leigh Benkenstein