The Casual Observer

Port Elizabeth of Yore: New Brighton – “A Model Native Settlement”

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 30 November 2020 1 Comment

Located between the Papenkuils and the Swartkops Rivers, New Brighton was established inside the Municipal Boundary of Port Elizabeth in 1901 in order to house the black residents of the inner-city locations such as Stranger’s and Gubb Locations’. The White property owners and ratepayers in these areas close to town had begun a process of were pressurising the Council to relocate the Black inhabitants of the locations from the inner-city areas to the outskirts of the town.

This blog will cover the history of New Brighton from this inflection point in the separation of residential areas.

Main picture: Semi-detached houses erected in New Brighton in 1912

Prince Alfred’s Guard: Regimental Colour, Battle Honours and Chantry Chapel

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 27 November 2020 0 Comment

In line with the Defence Force’s intention to have the names of the Reserve Force units reflect “the military traditions and history of indigenous African military formations and the liberation armies involved in the freedom struggle”, the name of the Prince Alfred’s Guard will be amended to Chief Maqoma Regiment (MR). As far as I am aware, the PAG has not yet taken decisions on new insignia, including beret/cap badges and flashes as well as colours. However, the existing unit colours, along with battle honours will be laid up during parades over a three-year phasing-in period.

This blog covers certain of those traditions which will be cast aside in this process.

Main picture: Regimental Colours

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Commercial Hall Building

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 27 November 2020 0 Comment

The building of the Commercial Hall was indicative of the emerging maturity of the town. One of the purposes to which this building was to be put, namely as a library, was emblematic of this transition. Unfortunately, intruding on these good intentions was the old court house burning down. As a consequence, from 1856 until the new library was opened in 1902, this prime function was put in abeyance for 46 years.

Main picture: Commercial Hall building on the site of the current Main Public Library

Prince Alfred’s Guard: The Bechuanaland Campaign of 1897

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 22 November 2020 0 Comment

Little did the members of the Prince Alfred’s Guard realise but the Bechuanaland Campaign was to be last of the little colonial wars in which the Guard were destined to take part. After the Transkei and Basutoland campaigns, this would be the third “outing” during which the unit would be tested. In total, the unit would be away on duty for six months.

Main picture: Parade for the unveiling of the memorials in St. Mary’s Church on 20th September 1896.

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Early History of the Buffelsfontein Area

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 20 November 2020 2 Comments

Like most of Port Elizabeth prior to the arrival of the British, the area of the future town comprised farms of the Trek Boers. Many of these names such as Welbedacht, the future Walmer, have long since disappeared yet the name Buffelsfontein has clung on tenaciously.

This blog is based upon an article by Bernard Johnson.

Main picture: Buffelsfontein by EC Moore

Alex of Yore: The Formative Years

By Dean McCleland in Alexander Road High School 11 November 2020 0 Comment

Having lived in Joburg for 41 years, when I told my friends that I was writing articles on the history of Alex, they were perplexed. Their worried scowl told of their concern for my mental well-being. When I nonchalantly added that it would involve numerous interviews, their suspicions were confirmed. Days later when I explained that Alex refers to my Alma Mater and not what generally springs to mind: Alexandra, a squalid township in Gauteng their relief was palpable. I had not lost it. Yet!

With few exceptions, what one most vividly recalls of one’s schooling, are various incidents involving fellow pupils or teachers. This series of blogs will mostly cover these experiences. It also goes without saying that certain teachers will definitively be covered, and their quirks and idiosyncrasies exposed.

Main picture: Alexander Road High School from the fields

The Morning After: Confessions of an Internet News Junkie

By Blaine McCleland in Current Affairs 7 November 2020 0 Comment

On the morning of the 4^th of November, I had a near death experience. All the news feeds on the internet were showing that, instead of MAGA (Mega Arsehole Going Awry), Trump was doing a remarkable job of keeping his end up so to speak. Given his age, he must be mainlining Viagra along with his daily cocktail of orange preservative with a twist of hydroxy-chloroquine. No wonder Melania keeps giving him her icy slit-eyed Slavic stares and silent don’t you dares. Although Slow Joe had been quick out of the blocks, it seemed improbable to me that he could flip all the states needed to reach 270 votes as Trump was ahead in most. Being a straight up and down kind of guy, it further seemed unlikely that he would come from behind. Instead, MAGA flipped him and the world the bird as well as a few hamburgers which he chowed down to give himself strength for his 2am press conference after the polls had closed. Hoping to catch Slow Joe tucked up bed with a hot milk, he magnanimously claimed victory.

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The HMS Dorsetshire-First Ship in New Harbour

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 3 November 2020 0 Comment

The cruiser, HMS Dorsetshire, had a special connection with South Africa and Port Elizabeth in particular. As the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Evans’ Africa Station, she was the first vessel to moor in the newly completed Charl Malan quay. It was WW2 which brought her back to the Union during 1940 and 1941 when in her quest to search for the Nazi raiders and escorting convoys in the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans, she would often call at South African ports to refuel and to revictual. Lastly amongst her crew of 750, nearly 100 of them were South African.

Main picture: HMS Dorsetshire alongside the almost completed Charl Malan quay

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Spontaneous Combustion of the Mariposa

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 1 November 2020 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 20^th 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

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

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 22 October 2020 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