Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Spontaneous Combustion of the Mariposa

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

In 1900, during the Anglo-Boer War, the steamer Mariposa entered the roadstead with a load of hay as fodder for the British cavalry. Probably due to spontaneously combustion this fodder caught fire on the 20th May 1900 and attempts to quench it were in vain. The ship was towed out to sea where the cargo smouldered for weeks. She was later beached and declared unseaworthy.

This blog is based almost exclusively upon the autobiography of seaman Bisset and an article from the Port Elizabeth Advertiser

Main picture: The Mariposa beached on North End beach

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: Cape Recife’s “Mary Celeste” Affair

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

The Mary Celeste, which is often erroneously referred to as Marie Celeste, was an American merchant brigantine discovered adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores Islands on December 4, 1872. The contents of the vessel, including the cargo, was still intact and useable. All that was missing was the lifeboat.

Eight years prior to this mysterious occurrence, Port Elizabeth bore witness to a similar incident which occurred off Cape Recife when a fully-rigged sailing ship named Scindia was spotted drifting. For historical accuracy purposes, should the Mary Celeste not be referred to as the Scindia redux instead of vice versa?  

Main picture: An 1861 painting of Mary Celeste (named Amazon at the time), by an unknown artist

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: Restoration of Verandah of No 7

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

Per se, the restoration of the verandah of No. 7 Castle Hill should not be a major issue. Yet on several levels it encapsulates the problem. The one stance that I have taken in accordance with best practice with regard to restoration is to maintain not only the integrity of the structure but its look, feel and texture. Secondly in the case of national monuments, who will ensure that maintenance is performed timeously but also in keeping with the character of the structure.  This requires personnel with competence, interest and integrity.

This blog underscores the efforts of the erstwhile curator of this museum to ensure the faithful restoration of this priceless settler artifact and is largely drawn from an article in 1985 by Mrs. Rosemary Trehaeven.

Main picture: Portion of WA Harriers’ drawing showing Castle Hill

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Red Lion Tavern

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 4 Comments

In all likelihood, this is the oldest hotel / bar/ drinking hole bearing the name The Red Lion in Port Elizabeth, yet none of them has any connection to the others apart from the name. Of the three, the first has the most interesting history but even then, it almost disappeared under the swirling sea of history to be forever lost to the predator called progress.

It an attempt to revive that history, I have written this blog

Main picture: Cornfield’s 1823 sketch of Port Elizabeth with the Red Lion Tavern in the distance next to High Street as Main Street was known in the early days.

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John Vorster in PE: Three Tumultuous Years

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

Most of the older South Africans will recall John Vorster being the Prime Minister and later the President of South Africa, yet few residents of Port Elizabeth will be aware of the fact that Vorster resided in Port Elizabeth from 1939 to 1942, a formative period of Afrikaner nationalism which Vorster embodied. As a member of the pro-Nazi organisation, the Ossawabrandwag, during WW2 he was detained and ultimately interned at Koffiefontein in the Orange Free State.

Attached is a verbatim copy of an article by H.O. Terblanche entitled: John Vorster’s Three Years in Port Elizabeth 1939-1942

Main picture: Celebrating the centenary of the Great Trek

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Uitenhage Springs

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

Unlike Port Elizabeth in which no house had water on tap until the 1880s, Uitenhage never experienced this inconvenience. While Uitenhage was established with a secure water source, the inhabitants of Port Elizabeth had to struggle for an adequate water supply for many years.

This secure water source for the residents of Uitenhage was the Uitenhage Springs. Most of the information used in this blog has been extracted from the book Streams of Life  by David Raymer.

Main picture: Aerial view of the Uitenhage Springs

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Early Development of Sanitation

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

In a large measure, the lack of a proper water borne sewerage system symbolised the lack of development in Port Elizabeth as compared with the home country where John Snow had proved that a proper sewerage system was vital from a hygiene perspective especially the prevention of cholera.

This blog covers the development of a proper sanitation system in Port Elizabeth.

Main picture: Sewer being constructed in Rudolph Street South End in 1904.

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