Dean McCleland, Author at The Casual Observer

Port Elizabeth of Yore: PAG and the Basuto Gun War

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 5 July 2022 0 Comment

The only major Colonial Military Unit formed in Port Elizabeth during the 19^th century was the Prince Alfred’s Guards. This unit had already been bloodied in the Battle of Umzintzani on Saturday the 24^th February 1877. This battle can be catagorised as the unit’s baptism of fire. In this case, the PAG would be involved in a conflict of a very different nature as many of the Basutos were armed with Martini-Henry rifles that were superior to the Sniders of the colonial forces. Besides this, the magnitude of this campaign was fraught with other difficulties such as concurrent rebellions and uprisings.

The details of the military actions are based upon the book Prince Alfred’s Guards 1856-1966 by Neil Orpen.

Main picture: Grand review of the PAG on Donkin Reserve in 1873

Port Elizabeth of Yore: James Laing’s View of PE in 1831

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 4 July 2022 0 Comment

James Laing was a Scottish missionary who spent the greater part of his life ministering to the needs of the amaXhosa who used the sobriquet indoda ebisithanda -The Man Who Loved Us – to describe him. Even though Laing never stayed for long in Port Elizabeth, as he was merely passing through, he has left us with a verbal sketch of the town together with his view of the town.

Main picture: James Laing

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Dr Geoffrey McLachlan-Museum Director Extraordinaire

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 28 June 2022 2 Comments

The Port Elizabeth Museum has taken a winding journey using temporary accommodation until it was relocated to purpose-built facility. This location was Bayworld in Humewood. Instrumental in this final relocation was one of their most noteworthy directors, Dr Geoffrey Roy McLachlan. Through his endeavours, Bayworld, as it is now called, is a scientific repository of the local natural history – birds, mammals, fossils, shells and relics of the early inhabitants of our hinterland. As the Herald in a tribute to Dr Geoff McLachlan put it: “He was internationally renowned as an ornithologist, a respected natural scientist and an imaginative museum director.”

This blog celebrates the life of this outstanding person. This blog has largely been based upon an online obituary.

Main picture: Dr Geoffrey Roy McLachlan

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Caesar Andrews

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 25 June 2022 0 Comment

Caesar Andrews was one of the many entrepreneurial settlers who set Port Elizabeth onto the path of greatness. Most were merchants and Caesar Andrews was no exception.

Main picture: The identical houses facing the sea are those of Heugh, Andrews’ father-in-law and Andrews

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Buntons make their Mark

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 22 June 2022 0 Comment

Today the deeds of two Buntons more than a century ago are known by less than several dozen people yet in their heyday they were both well-known but for vastly different reasons. Walter Bunton converted the Grand Hotel into the Bunton’s Grand Hotel, not a mere name change but a conversion into the greatest hotel in the emerging town, fit for the great and good of the Cape, the British Empire and beyond. Upon Walter’s death, his son, Henry, would assume control of the hotel.

On the other hand, Walter’s sister, Harriet Meyer, nee Bunton, had divergent interests. The one for which she made her name was promoting the building of an equestrian monument to commemorate the hundreds of thousands of horses killed during the Anglo Boer War.

Then their life’s candle would gutter and be snuffed out and the light which they shone on the world would gradually fade away, eventually to be forgotten. This blog is an attempt to correct this omission from history.

Main picture: Bunton’s Grand Hotel on the corner of Belmont Terrace and Prospect Hill. It was the most important hotel of its time.

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Annerley Terrace

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 19 June 2022 0 Comment

In the 19th century Annerley Terrace was amongst the most historic roads in the emerging town of Port Elizabeth. Many of the newly minted elite resided here on what was previously the Garrison’s land. Like most streets on the Hill, as it was called, Annerley Terrace, was short, running from Gordon Terrace to Bird Street.

Main picture: Annerley Terrace in1867. In the foreground is a camp on the Military Reserve. Behind it on the left is the house built c1850 for William Henderson. but later it was the home of H. H. Solomon. Then come the homes of Sir Frederick Blaine (“Bay View House”) & Sir Edgar Walton (“Annerley House”) whch is still standing. In the centre is “Annerley Terrace”, built by 1864 for John Paterson

Port Elizabeth of Yore: 1888 – Another Disastrous Storm

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 16 June 2022 0 Comment

The Rocket Brigade in Action

During the age of sail vicious storms were always potentially disastrous for ships as the fierce gusting winds could drive ships onto the coast fatally wrecking them. In the case of Algoa Bay, it was renowned for treacherous south-easters during the latter half of the year. To assist in the rescue operations, the local regiment, Prince Alfred’s Guards, established a separate unit known as the Rocket Brigade.

This blog deals with the rescue operations during this unprecedented storm

Main picture: The PAG’s Rocket Brigade in action during the 1888 gale

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The multi-racial Union Chapel and School

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 13 June 2022 2 Comments

The Congregational Union Chapel in Chapel Street was never one of the foremost churches in Port Elizabeth but in two ways it was unique in that it held mixed services with khoikhoi and whites as well as mixed schooling. It might not have been a prominent church but it went into use in May 1828 which was four years ahead of St. Mary’s making it de facto the first completed church building in Port Elizabeth.

Main picture: Chapel Street. Union Chapel was enlarged in 1882 to plans by John Thornhill Cook & was demolished in 1964.

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Robert Pinchin: The Engineering Juggernaut

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 12 June 2022 0 Comment

Robert Pinchin should be remembered for his contribution to the development of Port Elizabeth and the water supply in particular. In 1862 he wrote a treatise advocating the Van Stadens Water Scheme. It was only after more than a decade of prevarication that the Town Council acted upon his recommendation. Moreover he was involved in engineering in all its manifestaions. Ironically what he is remembered for is his ascent of the Cockscomb peak in April 1870.

Main picture: Baakens Street. 1862. The house centre right is on the land granted on 1 Oct 1821 to D.A.C.G. John Craig. At the end of 1826 he sold the land with a stone house. The house became the property of Capt. John Burton, then his widow Mary, who married Thomas Henry Martyn. Mary Ann Burton then married Robert Pinchin, and after her death he and their daughter lived here with his mother-in-law – hence Pinchin Lane. It was sold to Mangold Bros. in July 1879 for their foundry, and they demolished it in 1882 for stores.

Port Elizabeth of Yore: John Harrison Clark

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 9 June 2022 0 Comment

Among Port Elizabeth’s early entrepreneurs was one, John Harrison Clark, whose occupation is given as merchant. According to the Port Elizabeth Directory and Almanac of 1877 he sold hardware from premises at 14, 16 & 18 Main Street. The company John H. Clark & Co was bookended between Dreyfuss & Co in front of St. Mary’s Church occupying erfs 2 to 12 and on the northern side of Clark’s premise, was Standard Bank. On the opposite side of Main Street at number 11, was John Geard’s ironmongery shop.

This is a brief blog on the life of John Harrison Clark.

Main picture: Property of John Harrison Clark in Rufane Vale which formed part of Baakens Valley. Originally part of the property owned by Jonathan Board, the first “cottage” was erected here by 1852 when he offered the lease for sale.

The Opinion Pieces are an eclectic bunch on current affairs & history often with a human interest aspect. The Movie/DVDs reviews are mainly on documentaries with a smattering of movie reviews.

Author: Dean McCleland