Before my recent 8-day visit to Port Elizabeth and my appearance on Gino’s Spot, I never had any information on the other legs of the McCleland family tree. After Helen McCleland contacted me I now have a font of information on the Tisdale family line courtesy of Neil McCleland.

Neil has agreed to provide information in the form of vignettes which I will post as I receive them.

Main picture:

“The Great Cracker King” by Neil McCleland

The great Cracker ‘King’ of Cape St Francis ‘Izak Beyers” as he was affectionately nicknamed (after the Eastern Province Herald fishing correspondent who wrote under the pseudonym ‘Izak’). Having learnt from his father (Walter Joseph McCleland), he was a skilled and considerate fisherman, never wasting either bait or catching too many fish, but was completely in his element when hunting for the elusive ‘musselcracker’.

Fishing for ‘cracker’ (silver steenbras) was his great love, and the memorable trips to Cape St. Francis were probably the happiest times of his life. He kept us supplied with fresh fish throughout our Xmas holidays and taught me the joy of fishing and an abiding love of the sea.