The Casual Observer

Port Elizabeth of Yore: PE’s Machine Gun Section in WW1

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 27 February 2017 1 Comment

As all Regiments in the Union were disbanded for the duration of WW1, this applied equally to the Prince Alfred’s Guards. On being notified of this decision, at the insistence of some Port Elizabeth citizens, a complete machine gun section of twenty-two men was privately formed. The story which follows is taken from a souvenir brochure entitled “For Remembrance” published after the cessation of hostilities.

This is a commemoration for the bravery displayed by all of these men and especially to the five who paid the ultimate price.

Main picture: Inside view of a WWI trench at Massiges, northeastern France

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Effect of the Krakatoa Explosion on the Tides

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 25 February 2017 0 Comment

If Krakatoa was not amongst the top three greatest volcanic explosions of all time, I do not know what could have been. On a pure loss of life comparison basis, Krakatoa only resulted in 36,000 deaths versus 230,000 for the Indian Ocean tsunami on 26^th December 2004. Certainly, the effect of Krakatoa was felt was as far afield as Port Elizabeth and South America.

Even though its effect on Port Elizabeth was not very significant, in one person’s life it was very important but not life threatening.

Main picture: Contemporary map of Krakatoa

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Palmerston, its predecessors and successors

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 25 February 2017 1 Comment

As any Realtor will attest, location is the ultimate arbiter of value. In an era when long distance travel, especially international travel, was the preserve of ships, the prime locations were always adjacent to the entrance to a harbour. In Port Elizabeth’s case, it was only when a jetty was envisioned to be erected at the end of Jetty Street, did this site become valuable.

This is the chronicle of that establishment.

Main picture: The Palmerston Hotel after 1880 when James Raymond Rumsey added a third storey and a verandah in Strand Street. The architect was George Dix-Peek

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Sinking of the Zeepaard

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 23 February 2017 4 Comments

**On Saturday 29^thMarch 1823 the Dutch corvette Zeepaard HNMS, en route from Batavia to Holland, was wrecked in fog off Sardinia Bay, Port Elizabeth. This is the story of that tragedy.**

Main picture: The Zeepaard in 1819

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Lovemores and Bushy Park

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 22 February 2017 7 Comments

The area known as Bushy Park is today inextricably linked to the Lovemore clan. Yet it might not always have been so. In fact Henry Lovemore was not the initial owner of this land. Lt Cornelius Bolton Alcock was and it was known as Klaas’s Kraal. Even Cornelius was not the initial applicant for this land.

This blog is the story of those early days of Bushy Park.

Main picture: Hunting at Bushy Park

Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Paddle Steamer Phoenix-Transition from Sail to Steam

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 21 February 2017 0 Comment

By any measure, sea travel in the age of sail was tedious being of long duration and of indeterminate time span. Furthermore it was dangerous. Relying on a variable sporadic factor such as wind would forever impede progress. For instance, the travelling time from Britain to the Cape by sailing ship varied between 65 and 85 days. The development of steam power in the early eighteenth century would take over a century before it was utilised for the propulsion of ships. Initially the propulsion was by means of side paddles and later on rear paddles and finally screw propulsion.

Ushering in the age of steam for Port Elizabeth would be the steamer named “Hope” which was not noted for its longevity. Two years after being commissioned, it was wrecked in heavy fog at Cape St. Francis. A replacement was urgently required. This would be the 240 ton paddle steamer, the “Phoenix”.

Main picture: The paddle steamer Phoenix

Port Elizabeth of Yore: Roman Rock – A Deadly Submerged Pinnacle

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 21 February 2017 0 Comment

Like all sea routes, Algoa Bay is fraught with hazards. Amongst them is Roman Rock which is 2.5 kilometres off Humewood Beach. The problem is that it is lies 3m below the surface at low tide, thus being treacherous for foolish or unwary ship’s captains.

Main picture: Buoy off Roman Rock

Port Elizabeth of Yore: A Port without a Harbour

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 20 February 2017 1 Comment

Needless to say, but when the 1820 Settlers arrived at Port Elizabeth, there was nothing awaiting them, not even a harbour. In fact, the sum total of the population of Port Elizabeth in 1819 was 35 souls, mainly men. Yet despite exponential growth in population and port activities, Port Elizabeth did not possess a proper harbour for the first 110 years of its existence.

How did the town handle the veritable flood of imports and exports until the first permanent jetty was constructed in 1870 and the first quay in the 1930s?

Main picture: Settlers landing in unstable flat bottomed boats

Polio: A Crippling Affliction now Largely Forgotten

By Dean McCleland in Health 17 February 2017 1 Comment

As my father contracted polio, or poliomyelitis as it formally known, at a young age, it is one of the crippling diseases of which the McCleland family is well aware. Before the advent of vaccines in the 1940s, this scourge could not be prevented and the treatments bordered upon the barbaric. About 10% of the victims ultimately succumbed to it. Fortunately, my father’s malady was less severe as it only affected one foot. Nevertheless, one leg was shorter than the other which precluded normal sporting and other activities.

This is the chronicle of that devastating disease, now largely forgotten.

Main picture: A polio patient in an iron lung in 1938

The Future is E-Government

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs 17 February 2017 0 Comment

Maybe governments employ computers to process and record transactions and store data but by a large measure, the mindset is still 19^th century. At best, their current practices are still in the mid 20^th century mode. What will it take to bring it in line with Best Practice?

Pictures: All of them are photographs of Port Elizabeth 100 years ago. The main picture was taken outside the Edward Hotel in Belmont Terrace