Hammelberg was a Dutch lawyer who emigrated to South Africa in 1851 and lived here until 1871 taking a leading part in the affairs of the Orange Free State. This blog covers the 10 days during December 1861 when he visited Port Elizabeth.
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Background
Hendrik Antonie Lodewijk Hammelberg, was born in the Netherlands in 1826, where he also completed his master’s degree in Law. In 1855, he decided to come to South Africa as a “test run”. His diary starts when he departs for Cape Town during October 1855. He describes the sea voyage, which took about two months, and his six-month stay in the Cape in detail. In July 1856 he departs for Bloemfontein by Cape cart – a journey that took close to a month and which he diarises extensively.
Once in Bloemfontein, he started making arrangements to be allowed to practice as a lawyer and attorney. He opened a law practice and led a comfortable existence. President Boshoff, the second president of the newly independent Republic of the Orange Free State, appointed him as the secretary of the Volksraad. Later he entered politics and was the member of parliament for district of Ondervalschriver for a short while. When Boshoff resigned in 1859, Hamelberg also resigned as member of parliament. However, when J.H. Brand was elected as president, Hamelberg was elected as member of parliament for the Bethulie constituency.
Tuesday 10th December 1861
On this day, Hendrik would ride by passenger cart from Graham’s Town to Port Elizabeth, a distance of 70 miles. To cover this distance in one day, the cart changed horses four times arriving in Port Elizabeth at around 18:30. The fare was £3.10.0. The objective of his trip was to meet a Mr. Heyligers who would be arriving from Cape Town aboard the steamship Sir George Grey. That night Hammelberg lodged at Randall’s Hotel in Main Street whose accommodation he categorised as reasonably good.
Wednesday 11th December 1861
The Sir George Grey had not yet arrived, but it was expected any day. He visited the Library and Reading Room located at the Town Hall. Originally it had been situated at the Commercial Hall opposite St Mary’s Church but in 1856 it was expropriated to accommodate the Court House as its predecessor had been burnt down.
Thursday 12th December 1861
Hammelberg dined with Dr. Way, Secretary of the Separation League and W.A. Dickson at Mr. Julius Jordan’s. That night he attended the theatre where he sat through three shows: Faint heart ne’er won fair lady, Monsieur Jacques and The Eton Boy. He was clearly not enamoured with the performances as he describes the shows as being excruciatingly bad!
Sunday 15th December 1861
Hammelberg lunched with Mr. Jordan at the house of Mr. Graham whose house is about two or three miles from town. Being Sunday, he attended a religious service. The one that he selected was at the Independent Church where Dominee Heugh, the Predikant of the Hervormde Gemeente in Humansdorp, preached in Hollands.
Friday 20th December 1861
At 4 o’clock in the morning, he received notification that the ship, whose arrival had been predicted every hour during the preceding several days, had now arrived. He went on board to meet his friend whom he had not seen for six years. He hired a passenger cart for £12 to take them to Graham’s Town. He set off with Mr. Heyligers at 1 o’clock. Having made a late start, they were compelled to lodge at an inn en route.
Saturday 21st December 1861
On Saturday morning, they obtained fresh horses on their way and eventually arrived at Graham’s Town at about 3 o’clock. He was relieved to find his wife had recovered from her illness. That afternoon they listened to the infantry band playing at the Botanical Garden.
Sources
A Glimpse of Port Elizabeth in 1861, Looking Back, Vol VII, September 1967, No. 3, page 89.
Thanks, very interesting, especially on travel. His Dagboek makes very interesting reading. He was a useful background source when I tackled Dr Tancred and the Orange River Sovereignty in the book about the life and times of my ‘unusual’ ancestor!