Port Elizabeth commenced the year on a bright optimistic note with the appointment of Henry Green Dunsterville as Harbour Master and Port Captain with effect from the 1st January 1835. This appointment was only confirmed on the 7th June. Immediately after this announcement, the imminent threat of a Xhosa invasion of the town set the town on edge. This was followed in late September by a disastrous storm which resulted in the loss of several vessels in the Bay.
Among the bright rays which barely penetrated the dark, dank clouds was the appointment of the town’s first civilian doctor. Another spark was an extended stay of the Cape Governor during which the residents were able to address their frustrations about the lack of a lighthouse at Cape Receife.
Main picture: A blustery day in the Bay
Imminent Xhosa attack
On September 29th 1835, fifteen years after the town’s establishment, its future was placed in jeopardy by the imminent threat of being attacked during the Sixth Frontier War. To resist this eventuality, Port Elizabeth had to prepare itself against a potential attack. Plans for the defence of the town were drawn up by Major Charles Collier Mitchell, Surveyor General and Civil Engineer of the Cape. The Governor, Sir Benjamin D’Urban landed en route to the frontier in order to familiarise himself with these plans which had been prepared with the assistance of Capt. Evatt and J.O. Smith, a local entrepreneur.
A census was taken of the inhabitants of the town by Ward, a Town Guard was formed, and St. Mary’s was fortified at act as a garrison. At this stage of its development, the town only consisted of approximately 100 houses, mostly in the Settler style. Two defence lines were laid out with the outer one being a wagon line. The inner line was to serve as a conduit for the women and children to escape to ships in the Bay should the need eventuate. The menfolk of the town were drafted into the Port Elizabeth Yeomanry under Captain Harries for service in the war. Martial Law was declared and operated between 3rd January 1835 and 9th July 1836.
A lasting legacy of Sir James Edward Alexander, an army officer and explorer, who was a Captain during this period and who served as Aide-de-Camp to the Governor D’Urban, is an account of the defences of Port Elizabeth in his recollections of the campaign.
A most disastrous storm
As if an imminent attack was insufficient to place the residents on tenterhooks, the town was subjected to what was termed in the Graham’s Town Journal as a most disastrous storm for many years over the period of 29th September to the 1st October 1835. Hundreds of sheep were lost as well as many cattle with the Fish River being impassable for many days. On the 30th September a black south-easter was experienced wrecking the Atlantic on a rock opposite John Owen Smith’s dwarf jetty. One crew member was lost but the rest came ashore at daylight using a share line.
On the 1st of October, the Urania was grounded opposite Howie’s Slaughter House, the Cape Breton was grounded opposite Pullen’s house and during the night, the Atlantic “went to pieces”.
According the correspondent of the Graham’s Town Journal, “Thus our Bay has been cleared of shipping by one of the most violent south-easters ever witnessed in the memory of the oldest inhabitants.” Moreover, the GTJ commented that “for the want of a Jetty, it was utterly impossible to afford any assistance to the vessels in distress, until close to the shore and their destruction had become inevitable”.
First civilian doctor
Between the two negative events a ray of hope shone threw the negativity, partially dispelling it. The arrival of Dr. James Chalmers, a civilian doctor, raised the town’s morale being the first person to hold that position in Port Elizabeth. He had served an apprenticeship but had no degrees. Chalmers had until 1833 served as a surgeon with the East India Co. While in Port Elizabeth, he had also served as the Port Medical Officer and the acting District Surgeon until the end of 1839 when he relocated to Grahamstown.
Extended visit by D’Urban
Coinciding with the devastating storm in September / October, the Cape Governor, D’Urban had spent three weeks in Port Elizabeth during which he had stayed at Scorey’s Hotel. Taking the opportunity to appraise D’Urban of salient issues and concerns, an address was presented to him stressing the vital necessity of constructing a lighthouse at Cape Receife. Accompanied by my great great grandfather, the Rev Francis McCleland, D’Urban and an entourage walked to Cape Receife via the Old Fishery Road and past Piet Retief’s farmhouse.
Whilst visiting Cape Receife, he agreed to name the highest point of land there as D’Urban Rock. Captain Charles Jasper Selwyn of the Royal Engineers erected a beacon on this high point to assist ships to safely navigate into the Bay. Selwyn’s Beacon comprised a spar, painted white, with a black cask on top.
Sources
Port Elizabeth: A Social Chronicle to the end of 1945 by Margaret Harradine (1996, E H Walton (Packaging (Pty) Ltd, Port Elizabeth, on behalf of the Historical Society of Port Elizabeth).
Graham’s Town Journal 8 October 1835