Port Elizabeth of Yore: Piet Retief as Land Speculator, Farmer & Merchant

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

In all likelihood, school pupils who take history as a subject are made aware that Piet Retief, a descendant of French Huguenot extraction, was a renowned Voortrekker leader who was ultimately killed by the duplicitous Dingane. 

What the school history books do not teach is that he owned substantial land in well-known parts of what was to become the city of Port Elizabeth. Furthermore he earned the lasting friendship of the 1820 Settlers for ther kindness that he showed them when acting as their transport contractors entrusted with their conveyance to the wilds in the Albany District.

Main picture: The Piet Retief Monument in Summerstrand

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Wild Fig Trees in Port Elizabeth

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 5 Comments

Strangely, as a youngster in Port Elizabeth I harboured a love hate relationship with trees. The Syringa tree in my Aunt Thelma’s back yard was the best. The three of us kids – Cheryl included – would attempt to climb to the top most branches. I loved it for the challenge. 

On the other hand, what I loved for its beauty was the Wild Fig, which we drove past every Sunday in 17th Avenue on our way to Granny Mac. This was just a passing acquaintance but the visit to Trinder Square was the real deal, an enchanted affair. Whenever we visited out cousins staying at 17 Pearson Street, this is where we would play. Unlike the Syringa, one could not climb it, but only admire it. 

Main picture: Wild Fig trees in Trinder Square

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Saga of the Drift Sands

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 1 Comment

The fact that the whole tip of the peninsular formed by the southeastern part of Port Elizabeth comprised a huge swathe of sand dunes is now totally lost to its current inhabitants. Commencing in the late 1800’s, a scheme was instituted to prevent the further northern spread of these dunes. 

This was their death knell. Today some dunes, a remnant, are still visible at its extremities of Sardinia Bay, the western extent of this dune field, and around the Cape Recife area whilst the driftsands incubator itself, lost its battle for primacy.   

This is the story of their demise. 

Main picture: Sardinia Bay, a remnant of a once vast sand field stretching inland through Bushy Park to Humewood

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: Schism in St. Mary’s creates the Holy Trinity Church

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 1 Comment

St. Mary’s was the progenitor of a number of daughter churches such as St Paul’s Church. As always, like in politics, there are different views of liturgy in ecclesiastical affairs. Central to this dissident group’s disaffection, was their disapproval of the replacement clergyman (Rev. W H Fowle) at St Mary’s Church “high church” proclivities, , and they left St Mary’s in January 1854.

Therefore it came to pass that this disaffected group abandoned St Mary’s Church and formed what they initially called the Trinity Church.

Main picture: Holy Trinity Church near Havelock Square

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The Follies of Youth in Port Elizabeth

By Blaine McCleland in McClelands 0 Comment

There can be little doubt that Port Elizabeth offers some superb opportunities for the ill-advised youths in Port Elizabeth to partake in speed related challenges. Needless to say, my brother Blaine has finally revealed some incidents in his ill-spent youth in which he might have met his maker long before his allotted three score and ten years. 

Main picture: Blaine’s Yamaha which was the crux of Blaine’s follies

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Another Ruddy Job in an Era of Loyalty to one’s Employer

By Dean McCleland in McClelands 0 Comment

Amongst the many traits of the people half a century ago were loyalty, loyalty to one’s family and fealty to one’s employer. Because of this, one never got divorced however dysfunctional the marriage or toxic the employer. 

In my father’s case, it meant spending his whole working life for bosses that he disrespected and conditions under which he felt exploited. 

Spare a thought for one such employee, Harry Clifford McCleland, in this milieu. 

Main picture: Main Entrance to Yard of JJ Ruddy & Sons in Lindsay Road

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Eponymously Named Brickmaker’s Kloof

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 1 Comment

This steep Kloof which extends from the Baakens River at its foot to what is today Park Drive at the top must have obtained its moniker due to the activities of a Mr John Matthews. In 1822 he opened a brickfield at the top of what was to become Brickmaker’s Kloof to manufacture normal building bricks. 

By as early as 1826, the well-known red roof tiles which are so prominent of the old houses in Port Elizabeth were also being made here. Captain Evatt even sent some samples of “his invention” to Cape Town, the purpose probably being to stimulate demand for this tile. 

Main picture:   View of Brickmaker’s Kloof from South End 

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Enclosed Harbour Scheme in the 1930s

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

Even though the celebration in 1933 focused on the opening of the Charl Malan Quay, this project represented more than just the construction of one quay. Instead, it represented the conversion of the port into a proper enclosed harbour.

None of the river mouths on the Algoa Bay littoral are suitable for use as a harbour. As some stage there had even been suggestions to use the Zwartkops River but these were never advanced to the planning stage.

 Finally, the bull was taken by the horns and the jetties and anchorage converted into a proper modern harbour. 

Main picture: An aerial view of the Charl Malan Quay under construction

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