Port Elizabeth of Yore: Mission: Destroy U-Boat South of Cape Recife

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

These are the reminiscences of Denis Glendinning, one of the first pilots posted to 6 Squadron RAF based at 42 Air School, Port Elizabeth. Denis is well known in Port Elizabeth having served as a City Councillor. Apart from being a war story, it highlights the fundamental difference in the martial activities of the Allies and their German opponents whereby the SAAF placed its members in extreme danger in order to rescue the crew of a U-Boat after it had been sunk. 

This depiction of a flight in atrocious weather encapsulates the pathos of the situation. This is his personal story in Glendinning’s own words.

 Main picture: Avro Anson over Cape Recife in November 1942

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Humewood Hotel

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

The history of this beachfront hotel is shrouded in mystery. Details of its past are sketchy. Unlike other prominent and venerable old hotels in Port Elizabeth, I am unable to produce a complete history of this hotel. Suffice to say that this is an attempt to lay out the facts that are known.

Various establishments over the years bore the word Humewood as part of their name. Some of them are unrelated to one another. This blog serves to set out what these establishments were and their connection if any to the others.

Main picture: The Humewood Beach Hotel was located where the current Garden Court is situated before it was burnt down

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Solitary Naval Engagement in Algoa Bay

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 1 Comment

Apart from one naval engagement between British and French warships in Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth has been spared the horrors and depredations of war. Compared with other naval engagements such as those in the Pacific Ocean during WW2, this one can justifiably be rated as minor. 

Having said that, during this Napoleonic era, with tensions between the dominant maritime nation, Great Britain, and the pretender to the “throne,” France, being white hot, any misstep in the southern oceans placed the British position on the Indian subcontinent in danger.

Main picture:  Fight between the ship of the line, Jupiter and the French frigate, Preneuse

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: Islands in the Bay

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

Algoa Bay contains six named islands in two groups of three. These islands are of considerable importance as they are the only islands along a 1,777 km stretch of coastline between Cape Agulhas and Inhaca Island in Mozambique. The combined surface area of these islands is said to be 40 ha i.e. 99 acres. 

Close inshore, near the new Ngquru harbour development at Coega, on the north-eastern outskirts of Port Elizabeth, is the St Croix group, consisting of a main island of that name and two lesser islets, Jahleel Island just off the Ngquru breakwater and Brenton Island on the seaward side. The second group consists of Bird, Seal and Stag Islands. All six islands and their adjacent waters are declared nature reserves and form part of the Addo Elephant National Park. The islands are closed to the public.

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Earliest Motor Vehicles

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 3 Comments

It is probably no consolation for Port Elizabeth to claim that it was the first town in South Africa through which a motor vehicle was shipped. It is only Pretoria that can rightfully make the more prestigious claim that it was first town in which the first car was driven in South Africa. This occurred in 1897 at Berea Park. 

Nevertheless, Port Elizabeth would not be far behind.

Main picture: Mr William Adcock, Mayor of Walmer, in his 1896 Benz Velo with his passenger Mr Charles Lovemore

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Tolls-Controversial even in its Heyday

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 1 Comment

The Authorities always have to find a source of revenues to cover the costs of the maintenance of the roads. In the case of vehicles and animals using them, they always have a ready solution: charging a service fee in the form of a toll. In Port Elizabeth, the first toll was installed within four years of Port Elizabeth being established. It was located in Queen Street, just beyond the future Russell Road and commenced operation in August 1824. 

Main picture: The old Toll house at the Sunday’s River Bridge on Grahamstown Road

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: King Edward Hotel

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 2 Comments

One of the landmark hotels in Port Elizabeth has to be the King Edward Hotel which opened for business on 21st November 1904. Surprisingly it did not start life as an hotel. Designated the King Edward Mansions, it housed medical practitioners in suites. In addition various private tenants rented rooms.

Main picture: By the time that The Edward was converted into an hotel, the age of the carriage was over and the age of the car had arrived

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