June 2010 Phone 044-620-3338 Fax 044-620-3176 Email: [email protected] www.greatbrakriver.co.za

Editor3B Rene’ de Kock

Dear Museum Friends Issue 6 of 2010 The Museum is open from Monday The annual museums workshop took place in Worcester in early May to avoid – Friday between conflict with the World Cup. As usual the workshop was well attended and a tremendous amount of new work was covered. An interesting sideline was a visit 9 am and 4 pm. to a hitherto unknown section of the museum at ‘Kleinplaasie’ which houses a and on Saturdays complete railway workshop. Shown here is part of their collection of old between 9.30 am tractors and traction engines. and 12 Noon

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry reports that during the fourth week in May 2010, our Wolwedans dam is 24.00% full. The bottom 12% layer is presently not suitable for purification.

The Museum Association had its AGM on the 19th May 2010. The museum has had an eventful year and achieved much with the 150 year birthday Great Brak River’s celebrations. What was particularly pleasing is the large number of additional Wolwedans dam committee members voted in. The new committee are wall. Chairman and Heritage; René de Kock The only other dam Secretary; Hope de Kock of importance in the Treasurer; Rodney McRobert Wolwedans Museum representatives to the board; Nisde McRobert & Hope de Kock catchment area is the very small Additional members representing: Ernest Robertson 2) Education Coralie van Heerden dam which due to 3) Voluntary Guides Kitty Munch the light rain is 4) Fund Raising-Accessing funding Pierre Villian, Hope de Kock 79.20% full. 7) Conservation and care of collections Johan Murray, Jannie Hough & ……………………………………………………..Jannie Niewoudt Do not Forget! 9) Operating the info desk etc. Pat Macgregor, Pre-owned book ……………………………………………………… Colleen Chatt, Ansie Gerber sale on the Front Stoep of the We are still looking for additional members for other areas of concern museum. Both such as catering etc. A contribution of a few hours per month is all that English and is needed. books available from R4.oo Due to pressure of other business commitments, Robert Smith did not re-stand on each. the museum association this year. We wish to thank him for the many new accompaniments introduced to the museum during his term of office. 10th June

GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 1 Great Brak River Museum Celebrates Museum Day: The museum celebrated the annual 18th May museum day with a hands-on-craft workshop at which Hopes fund raising eighteen ladies participated. Besides being a great success it was the crafts class’s “Hands On” crafts sixth birthday. Long may it continue to operate. We are enlarging the space workshop in June available to be able to handle more participants. will be held at the Great Brak River Museum at 9.30 am on Tuesday 15th. Charges are the lowest you will find anywhere and Tea and Cake are

included.

Please call Hope de

Kock on 044

6205124 or 083

378 1232

for full details.

Youth Day.

Exhibition of Paintings by our youngest villagers

16th June The Hands-on Craft Class is Six years old and still going strong.

For those of you who do not belong to the Outeniqua Historical Society, you missed an interesting visit to Meiringspoort and on Sunday 16th May. There is so much to see and do in the area that we have included an introduction article on which lies at the entrance of the poort. Meirings poort was of significance to Great Waiting for the Brak River in that it historic details of was part of the Meiring’s Poort wagon trail to the diamond fields (1870- 1890) and later the wool route from up country to the coastal port of before the railway line to De Aar was opened.

A stop for early morning coffee in the poort.

**Meiringspoort memoirs... rd Meiringspoort was officially opened to traffic early on the morning of 3 March The folded rocks of 1858 with a colourful procession and a tearful guest of honour - the champagne the bottle only broke after the third attempt! The Poort was named after the influential Mountains at farmer from De Rust, Petrus Johannes Meiring, who tirelessly campaigned for a Meiring’s Poort road through the poort. This road opened doors for trading between the communities of George, Mossel Bay and and the farmers to the north.

GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 2 Tollhouses that were built also served as shops and dwelling houses and the first toll-keeper that functioned there for fifteen years became famous as the local herbalist and tooth-extractor! The boom in the wool trade had more than one million kilograms of wool being transported through Meiringspoort by 1870. To preserve the natural beauty of the Poort, as little blasting as possible was done when the road was tarred from 1966-1971. The stone-walls that maintain the character of the earlier road were built by 480 migrant workers from the former Ciskei and Transkei. The little village of Some of the best anecdotes about Meiringspoort include stories about leopards Klaarstroom roaming the ravines of the Swartberg Mountains, the "finger rock" pointing to the pool where a sinful couple drowned and New Year celeb shallow pools.

Perseboom Drift in the Meiringspoort pass through the Swartberg Mountains, north of De Rust.

**Excerpts taken from Meiringspoort, a scenic gorge through the Swartberg Mountain Range by Helena Marincowitz. One of the little churches at Klaarstroom

The Duch Reform church hall erected in 1929 ‘Seekooivlei Gat’ Note the all galvanised iron construction below.

We also celebrated last month by sending our news letter to a new reader on his Blackberry. We are making real progress in this electronic age. I am told that we will soon be able to operate a PLC by means of the very same Blackberry. The main difference from other computers is that PLC’s (programmable logic controller) are armored for severe conditions (such as dust, moisture, heat, cold) and have the facility for extensive input/output (I/O) arrangements. These connect the PLC to sensors and actuators. PLC’s read limit switches, analog process variables (such as temperature and pressure), and the positions of complex positioning systems. Some use machine vision. On the actuator side, PLC’s operate electric motors, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, magnetic relays, solenoids, or analog outputs. The input/output arrangements may be built into a simple PLC, or the PLC The ‘Dormitory’. An may have external I/O modules attached to a computer network that plugs into the interesting ruin PLC. ready for If it’s all Greek ask your children to explain. renovation.

IT IS WITH REGRET THAT WE ANNOUNCE THE DEATH OF SIMON POTGIETER ON THE 8TH MAY 2010. SIMON SERVED AS CHAIRMAN ON THE GREAT BRAK RIVER FORUM FOR SOME TIME AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ASSISTING THE DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE OF GREAT BRAK RIVER. SIMON YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED FOR YOUR SMILE. OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THIS SAD MOMENT. GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 3 During the past few months we have been placing some of the remaining photographs we received for last year’s photo competition.

Another 2009 photo competition entry titled:

Wolwedansdam

The 2007 flood

By Thys Uys

‘Great Brak’s Unpredictable Weather’ Neighbouring Towns - De Rust

The little village of De Rust is located some thirty five kilometers west of Oudtshoorn and only 100 kilometers from Great Brak River. It stands at the southern entrance to Meiringspoort, a scenic gorge through the majestic Swartberg Mountain Range, which links the Klein to the Great Karoo.

Early in the last nineteenth century a young man from Worcester, Petrus Johannes Meiring (a grandson of Pastor Arnoldus Meiring who arrived from Lingen in Germany in 1743) rode into the Klein Karoo's Elephants River Valley. During his exploration of the area he eventually discovered the route through the Swartberg Mountain Range, which in later years became the famous Meiringspoort.

The unique 'Red Hills', situated on the farm Rietvlei, 11 kilometres from the southern entrance to De Rust, is a Declared Nature Heritage site and consists of red coloured open caves.

This is the only spot known in the world where the conglomerate stone enon formations appears above the earth.

Hiking permit available from the Mons Ruber wine tasting centre.

Long before the village was established, De Rust had already been a place to outspan and rest before challenging the route through the poort. In 1900 the village of De Rust was established on a portion of Meiring's farm.

The town is tree lined with excellent examples of late 19th century architecture. Drinking water comes from a mountain spring which puts expensive bottled water to shame. GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 4

A Historical Building Walking Trail in town highlights popular building styles of the area. Visit the NG Church, Curio and Gift shops and view antiques and collectables at the Schoemans Gallery.

The circle route from De Rust, via Meiringspoort to the , the Cango Caves and back to De Rust via the Oude Muragie farm road is one of the most popular drives in the area. Farming activities in the area include: ostrich, tobacco, vegetables and grapes.

Left: The main street in De Rust.

A typical Nineteenth century House in De Rust. There are many such examples some with colourful garden plants.

Hundreds of birds ranging from the black eagle, fish eagle, spoonbill, stork and many more can be spotted on all guest farms, as well as at Stompdrift Dam - a mere 6 km from De Rust. Safe hiking trails on farms will take you into the mountains where you can enjoy the fresh air and feel the freedom around you.

The winding and scenic farm road of Oude Muragie (gravel road) will take you to the Cango Caves, only 35 km from De Rust.

With thanks to the De Rust Tourism Bureau Tel/Fax 27(0) 44-241-2109 27(0) 44-241-2109 2 Schoeman Street, De Rust, 6650. E-Mail: [email protected] GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 5 A reprint from the Museum News Letter. Very appropriate with our dwindling water supply. .

DIE KAROO MET SY DROOGTES 1805 - 1967

Wonderlike land, die ou vaal Karoo van ons, waarin sy mense net so diep verankerd is as die karoobossie in die vlaktes van die uitgestrekte velde.

Die verklarende Afrikaanse woordeboek haal aan dat die woord, KAROO, ‘n kaal, droë gebied met ‘n dorre klimaat, beteken. ‘n Ander uitleg van die woord lui: Dis ‘n kaal, droë wêreld, net geskik vir skape, bokke en donkies. Nou daar het ons dit. As hierdie uitleg reg is – en ons twyfel nie daaraan nie – dan moet ons aanvaar dat, as die Karoo nie nat is nie, is hy droog. G’n wonder nie dat die mense van die Karoo nooit uitgepraat raak oor die weer nie, want hulle is altyd vol verwagtinge. Of hulle verwag reën, of hulle verwag ‘n droogte. Tussen hierdie twee pole word hulle verplig om te midde van uiterste wisselvallighede hulle boerderysake te beplan.

Alle geskrifte dui daarop dat die Karoo, in Hooyvlakte se dae, groener was as wat hy vandag is. Daar was droogte, maar die vrees vir ‘n gebrek aan weiding het nie eintlik bestaan nie. In 1805 het Abraham de Clercq byvoorbeeld 3000 skape tydens ‘n wolkbreuk verloor. Instede daarvan dat dit sy moed gebreek het, was hy daarvan oortuig dat hy dié ontsaglike verlies binne twee jaar uit die boerdery sou kon verhaal. Fonteine in die rivierlope en in sommige bergklowe het nog bestaan en die droë Gamka-rivier van vandag het toe nog vir ‘n groot deel van die jaar geloop of op baie plekke permanente suipings vir die diere aangebied. Die stelselmatige toename van die getal boere en daarmee saam die steeds groter wordende veestapels wat die karoovlaktes moes bewei, het gemaak dat die angel van die periodieke droogtes die Karooboer al hoe gevoeliger getref het. Natuurlik het oorbeweiding, die daarmee-saamgaande gronderosie en ‘n gebrek aan ‘n planmatige kampstelsel die probleem vererger.

Vanaf 1818 tot in die winter van 1823 het die Karoo ‘n kwaai droogte beleef. Baie min reën het in die tydperk geval. In 1827 was dit so droog, dat baie diere gevrek het.

Die jare 1856 tot 1859 staan in die geskiedenis opgeteken vir hulle ongekende droogtes. Weiding was uiters swak, baie fonteine het opgedroog en wild het by die honderde gevrek. Die Kolonie het boonop ‘n geldskaarste beleef, maar die Beaufort-boere kon gelukkig sonder moeite kop bo water hou, danksy die goeie wolpryse wat die droogte voorafgegaan het.

Tydens 1876 tot 1878 se droogte, is op Nelspoort slegs een duim reën gemeet. Boere in die Beaufort- omgewing moes ten einde raad, duisende lammers keelaf sny om die ooie te probeer red, maar het ten spyte daarvan omtrent nog twee derdes van hul kleinvee verloor. Selfs groot getalle voëltjies in die veld kon die droogtes nie oorleef nie.

Die jare 1901 tot 1902 was weer krisisjare. Die dorp was beset deur duisende Britse soldate met hul perde en die droogte was so kwaai, dat selfs drinkwater ‘n probleem geword het. Teen die begin van 1903 was dit so droog dat ongeveer 300 bome in die bloekomplantasie aan die onderpunt van Donkinstraat dood is.

Die swaarkry jare van die Eerste Wêreldoorlog was ook vergesel van een van die kwaaiste droogtes in die geskiedenis van die dorp nl. dié van 1915/1916. Burgemeester Charl de Villiers is na Eerste Minister Louis Botha afgevaardig om te gaan pleit om hulp vir die boere. Hy word na die Administrateur verwys, waarop laasgenoemde £500 vir noodleniging beskikbaar stel. As teenprestasie moes die boere help om paaie te bou teen hoogstens 2s. 6d. en plaaswerkers 1s. 9d. per dag.

Die jaar 1926 se enkele reënbuitjies wat 2.47 duim beloop het, was skaars genoeg om die verskroeide velde stofnat te maak. In 1927 was leiwater in Beaufort-Wes so skaars, dat ‘n menigte vrugtebome en kweper- en granaatheinings so verdor het dat dit uitgehaal moes word. Hoewel dit in 1928 -1931 redelik gereën het, was die Karoo vasgevat in die wurggreep van ‘n wêrelddepressie. Lone het skrikwekkend gedaal, sommige besighede moes sluit, die boere het omtrent niks vir hul produkte gekry nie en vanaf 1932 was die droogte al weer hier. Voorwaar ‘n donker prentjie. Die Stadsraad het hand bygesit deur mense in diens te neem om strate te maak. Tydens daardie droogte- en depressiejare het die NG Kerk talle behoeftiges aan die lewe gehou deur mieliemeel en ander eetware uit te deel. Die skenkings is op vasgestelde dae by JHE (Jan Blik) Vivier se winkel h/v Donkin- en Uniestraat, uitgedeel. Die eerste werklike goeie reën het eers in 1937 geval. By wyse van verdere opsomming noem ons net dat 1942, 1944, 1945, 1951, 1960 en 1966 ook uiters droë jare met gevoelige verliese vir die boere was.

Bronne : Navorsing : FV Hanekom en Hooyvlakte

GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 6

What’s on at the museum and Great Brak River this month? Month & Description Supported Contact person provisional date by Pre-owned book sale on the Front 10.00 am The museum th 10 June Stoep of the museum. Both English and onwards. For 044-620-3338 museum Afrikaans books available from R4.oo each. funds 16th June Youth Day Exhibition of Youth Soccer The museum The museum Art 044-620-3338 I want local photos of Grandpas, Dads or Sons representing Nisde McRobert soccer elsewhere in 044-620-3783 15th July Pre-owned book sale on the Front 10.00 am The museum Stoep of the museum. Both English and onwards. For 044-620-3338 museum Afrikaans books available from R4.oo each funds 18th July Mandela Day Nisde McRobert 044-620-3783 7th August Celebration of Woman’s Day with the Committee Nisde McRobert Local Clinic Ladies 044-620-3783 For more details on what’s on in our area email Hennie & Rene with a request for their news letter: [email protected]

Did You Know……….Water………..

Every time you turn on a tap, you use water. But you also use water every time you switch on a light, when you fill your car with petrol, even when you read your news paper. Two Rand’s worth of electricity costs 2,250 litres of water, one litre of petrol-from-oil (SASOL) costs ten litres of water and one ton of newsprint 130,000 litres of water.

Naturally, one also uses water to prepare and produce the food you eat. It’s been calculated that you need 150 litres of water to produce one slice of bread, 50,000 litres for a good steak and nearly 3,000 litres of water for one pint of beer.

You also like being well-dressed. The material for a pure new Wool suit took 1 Million litres of water to produce.

The amount of water one consumes directly is as impressive: an adult consumes at least 10,000 litres of water per annum and uses an average of 225 litres per day. This is the same amount which is drunk by an elephant at a time. A dove on the other hand drinks proportionally 500 times more water than a human being.

South Africa's total river-flow represents just one-twenty-fifth of that of the Congo River.

From ‘Brak Waters’ circa 1970. GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 7 Tourism Information SA Tourism and Other Snippets by Ina Stofberg

A dramatic photograph of the erupting Icelandic volcano that has caused chaos in air traffic over Europe. Is it finished erupting? Sent in by D Hill. LOCAL NEWS SNIPPETS

The Strawberry Express will soon be a part of the Redberry Farm experience. The George Live Steamers have begun their train track construction at the Redberry Farm in George.

Please visit their News & Events page for more details.

Burnside Equestrian Services are starting an "Outeniqua" branch of the SA Pony Club in George. This is a fun way of introducing and encouraging children and young adults (age 5-25) to enjoy all kinds of sports connected to ponies/horses and riding.

Burnside Equestrian Services is situated on the main Blanco road (between Fancourt and the Airport) next to the Our Wolwedans Dam towards the end of May 2010. strawberry tunnels. The level of the dam which is the main and presently the Contact Linda at 083 476 7292 or e- only water supply to Mossel Bay is down to a usable 12% mail [email protected] to make a booking for out-rides or for further enquiries. Photograph: Courtesy of The Mossel Bay Advertiser.

Info: Outeniqua Country Hop newsletter GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 8 TOURISM SNIPPETS

Tour operators criticised the recent launch of an elaborate 164 page SAA brochure in the Middle East. They feel that taxpayers’ money is being used to directly compete with them and could be better spent by for instance- the inclusion of free or subsidised flights for marketing purposes and subsidised fares for promotional purposes to established tour operators. Some Airport staff members have been taught several foreign languages to facilitate foreign visitors during the 2010 World cup. In Cape Town three orange cycle cabs (similar to those in Bangkok) can be found at the top of Adderley Street. They will be operated as a hop on- hop off service and will cost from R10 to R20 depending on the destination. The Point hotel in Mossel Bay has introduced an in-room massage service for guests. Fly Assist was launched to offer clients and passengers with special needs professional & assisted travelling by way of meeting them at the drop off, escorting them until they are safely in their seat and support clients for the duration of the flight. They will collect baggage upon arrival and help the client move through customs and help them find transport from the airport. Tourism Update Online has launched a 2010 Good Guys initiative that allows operators to search for tourism suppliers that are not greedy during the World cup period. Listed suppliers on this database include mainly accommodation establishments, tour operators and tourist attractions. Log on to www.tourismupdate.co.za/2010 GoodGuys.aspx

Info: Tourism Update DID YOU KNOW?

Paarl Rock was called ‘Tortoise Mountain’ by the Khoi. Today it is a national monument The rare yellow Disa is said only to be found at Porterville Evidence showed that the cave at was 80 km inland before the seas rose thousands of years ago. Did you know that the has a new daily email news paper? Go to www.thegremlin.co.za/ Sedgefield was established in 1928 and named for the patches of sedge in the area.

Info : A A Guides

Sedge, the common name for members of the Cyperaceae, a family of grass like and rush like herbs found in all parts of the world, especially in marshes of subarctic and temperate zones. Sedges differ from true grasses in having solid, angular (usually triangular) stems. Most are perennial, reproducing by rhizomes. Some sedge are woven into mats and chair seats, and a few provide coarse hay.

GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 9 PHOTO’S AND TEXT;

OUR NATURE CORNER SALLY ADAM A national butterfly census took place over the weekend of 24/25 April - I found it both fun (weather was gorgeous) and madly frustrating as I simply could not identify any of the smaller or white butterflies.

As usual, the most numerous species seemed to be the Rainforest Brown (Cassionympha cassius), a smallish butterfly which has an interesting way of flying with its wings appearing to be held vertical longer than appears feasible.

Another species seen during the census was the Common Hottentot (Gegenes niso niso).

All in all I saw 15 different species, including the impressive Table Mountain Beauty which I'd never seen here before.

I also came across these attractive yellow monkey beetles (Family Scarabaeidae). See below

Currently flowering on the farm: Left: Streptocarpus rexii.

GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 10 THE CURATOR’S CORNER Nisde Mc Robert’s Page Excerpt from the Mossel Bay Advertiser 21/02/1954

BIG FACTORY BLAZE AT GREAT BRAK DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £45,000

A devastating fire last Saturday afternoon (14th February 1954), completely destroyed the tannery warehouse and the upper finishing department of the Messrs Searle’s Boot and Shoe factory at Great Brak River. The building 200ft. by 50ft and its contents, including valuable machinery costing £18,000, were completely destroyed and the damage is estimated at £45,000

Stocks of leather and press-packed wattle bark awaiting shipment to America were lost in the fire.

The flames spread so rapidly that the whole building was laid in ruins within a few hours.

The fire brigade however kept the flames from spreading to the surrounding factory premises and residences in the vicinity.

Tenants of the company houses nearby hastily removed their furniture for fear of the fire spreading to their homes.

GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 11 A number of men, both White and Coloured, will be temporarily unemployed until the finishing department has been rebuilt and re-equipped.

Mr. W.L. Franklin, Managing Director of Messrs Searles Ltd. stated in an interview that the machinery will be very difficult to replace and it would be some time before the firm will be able to start the manufacture of upper shoe leather again. The sole leather department was not affected by the fire. The cause of the fire was not known. The building and its contents were in total ruins.

Information from the Great Brak River Museum Archives and from Bolton’s.

The Functions of an Executive. As nearly everyone knows, an executive has practically nothing to do except to decide what is to be done; to tell somebody to do it; to listen to reasons why it should not be done, why it should be done by someone else, or why it should be done in a different way, to follow up to see if the thing has been done; to discover that it has not; to enquire why; to listen to excuses from the person who should have done it, to follow up again to see if the thing has been done, only to discover that it has been done incorrectly; to point out how it should have been done; to conclude that as long as it has been done, it may as well be left where it is; to wonder if it is not time to get rid of a person who cannot do a thing right; to reflect that he probably has a wife and a large family, and that certainly any successor would be just as bad, and maybe worse; to consider how much simpler and better the thing would have been done if one had done it oneself in the first place; to reflect sadly that one could have done it right in twenty minutes, and, as things turned out, one has to spend two days to find out why it has taken three weeks for somebody else to do it wrong.

From ‘Brak Waters’ circa 1970.

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GBR Museum News Letter June 2010 Page No. 12