Port Elizabeth of Yore: David Doit-The Legendary Malay Whaler

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

Better known as Darby, the Whaler, David Doit only appeared on the local whaling scene in the latter half of the 19th Century after having spent time in Grahamstown after his birth circa 1838. Doit obtained employment with the P.E. Boating Company as an oarsman and later promoted as a coxswain, a position that he held for nearly 30 years. It was during his extended stint as a crewmember of James Searle’s boat that his sailing skills were finely-honed.  

Competition between rival firms was keen in those days and the crews used to spend hours on the Donkin watching for a whale to ‘blow’ in the Bay. As soon as one was spotted, there was a race to the beach in order to launch their boats and the first crew to harpoon a whale were handsomely paid by the owners.

Main picture: Painting by Thomas Baines of a surfboat being launched through the breakers

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Early Days of Cycling

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

John Howard, an American cyclist, once quipped: “The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine.” As an epigram, a wit could have rejoined that “2nd class cycling is better than 1st class walking.” Surprisingly in an era post the advent of bicycles but prior to the arrival of motor vehicles, photos of cyclists are rare; so rare that I only possess two.

If social cycling did not prosper, competitive cycling did with Cycling Clubs soon being formed. From curiosity value in the Penny-Farthing, bicycles evolved into more practical machines.

Main picture: Members of the P.E. Amateur Bicycle Club, which was formed in 1881 and later amalgamated with the Amateur Athletic Club, in front of the Pearson Conservatory in St. Georges Park. A penny-farthing can be seen in the centre. Some of the club’s rides were from the park to Fitch’s at Witteklip which represented a 26 mile ride.

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Port Elizabeth of Yore: The Explosives’ Jetty at the Creek

By Dean McCleland in Port Elizabeth of Yore 0 Comment

At the risk of overstatement, dynamite was characterised as being extremely volatile in prior centuries. Just like Johannesburg, where the explosives factory was established at Modderfontein which was originally located far outside the municipal boundaries, so it was in the rest of South Africa. This blog deals with how Port Elizabeth dealt with this risk or in modern parlance, its Risk Mitigation Strategy, during the 19th century.

Main picture: Overhead ropeway to transport the explosives from the landing stage to the magazines of the various importing companies

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