The Baviaanskloof Tourism Route was recently launched. The route’s aim is to capture all the kloof’s many attractions and to encourage visitors to stay longer. The route was created in collaboration with the people of the kloof, the Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve Project, Rand Merchant Bank as the funding agency and Open Africa, an NGO under the patronage of Nelson Mandela with the vision of optimising job creation through conservation and tourism. The Baviaanskloof is a World Heritage site.
The route is divided into five sub-routes starting with the central Baviaanskloof Heritage Sub-Route, which runs from Komdomo in the east to Nuwekloof. The other sub-routes include the Gamtoos Valley towns of Loerie, Hankey and Patensie, agri-tourism and the grave of Sarah Baartman; the wool and mohair capital of Steytlerville, town of flags, with its distinctive Victorian cottages; a western gateway route stretching from Vaalwater to Hartebeesrivier, a region known for its magnificent rock art and hiking trails. The last sub-route includes Willowmore, which has Victorian and Edwardian architecture.
South African family history, genealogy, heritage and interesting places, past and present. All articles researched and written by Anne Lehmkuhl. COPYRIGHT ANNE LEHMKUHL, no article can be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission. EMAIL ME
Victoria West - a Karoo gem
The town of Victoria West in the Karoo is a little treasure trove. The town still has original Karoo houses that have remained unchanged. It is also home to the Victoria Trading Post (which includes the Mannetjies Roux Museum), a shop in the same tradition as Oom Samie se Winkel in Stellenbosch.The shop is owned by Mannetjies Roux's wife, Charlotte, whose sister Joyce Aucamp owns Oom Samie se Winkel. Mannetjies is a legendary former Springbok rugby player who wore the number 12. The Mannetjies Roux Museum has memorabilia from his life. He was immortalised in a song. The shop's fridge still bears the scar of a break-in a few years ago. Thieves took everything that was inside and left an apology written on the door, which is still there.
The Roux's daughter, Francette Coetzee, owns the Karoo Trading Post in Bellville. She sells Karoo lamb and venison, venison pasties, Karoo garlic, dried fruits, Karoo water from the family farm Nobelsfontein and a range of craft items similar to those in the Victoria Trading Post.
The Dutch Reformed Church bought a section of the farm Zeekoegat in 1843 and the church building was consecrated in 1855. In the Victoria West Museum, the Cultural History Hall has displays on the role of the church, the opening of the first bank, the history of sport in the area, the Victoria West Messenger newspaper and early Stone Age artefacts. The Anglican Church dates from 1943. The Apollo Theatre is in the 1950s Art Deco style. It has been declared a heritage site and regularly hosts film festivals. The Print Shop is where the local paper, the Victoria West Messenger, was first printed in 1876.
The Roux's daughter, Francette Coetzee, owns the Karoo Trading Post in Bellville. She sells Karoo lamb and venison, venison pasties, Karoo garlic, dried fruits, Karoo water from the family farm Nobelsfontein and a range of craft items similar to those in the Victoria Trading Post.
The Dutch Reformed Church bought a section of the farm Zeekoegat in 1843 and the church building was consecrated in 1855. In the Victoria West Museum, the Cultural History Hall has displays on the role of the church, the opening of the first bank, the history of sport in the area, the Victoria West Messenger newspaper and early Stone Age artefacts. The Anglican Church dates from 1943. The Apollo Theatre is in the 1950s Art Deco style. It has been declared a heritage site and regularly hosts film festivals. The Print Shop is where the local paper, the Victoria West Messenger, was first printed in 1876.
Routes to Roots: A collection of Web sites for South African genealogy & family history research
Routes to Roots: A collection of Web sites for South African genealogy & family history research. Compiled by a top South African professional genealogist, Anne Lehmkuhl, this e-book is a must for those looking for South African genealogy and family history on the Internet. It helps you get to the right places, quickly and efficiently. Routes to Roots contains 900+ Web sites or contact addresses.
Over the years, Anne has gained a reputation for finding genealogical or historical information easily, as well as locating elusive ancestors or descendants. Some of her success stories include:
Over the years, Anne has gained a reputation for finding genealogical or historical information easily, as well as locating elusive ancestors or descendants. Some of her success stories include:
- Re-uniting two long-lost friends, one in the USA and one in South Africa, after 20 years of no contact.
- Locating someone's South African family history, with photos, within an hour of receiving the query from Australia.
- Re-uniting two cousins, one in the USA and one in South Africa, who didn't know they had family connections.
- Putting together someone's family history that started in England, led to South Africa and ended up in Australia.
- 1820 Settlers
- Adoption - includes an article on adoption records
- Anglo-Boer War - includes notes on Anglo-Boer War records
- Antiques / Auctions
- Archives and Libraries
- Beginning Genealogy - includes a brief history and geography of South Africa, notes on beginning your search and sources of information in South Africa
- Books
- Churches
- Coats-of-Arms - includes notes on the use of coats-of-arms
- Computer Stuff
- Databases maintained by individuals
- Dutch East India Company (VOC)
- Family histories on-line - 124 Web sites full of South African roots
- Genealogical societies
- General South African history
- Magazines
- Maps and Gazetters
- Message boards / E-mail lists
- Military - includes notes on researching military ancestors, a listing of useful books for military research
- Miscellaneous
- Museums - 118 Web sites
- Namibia / South West Africa
- Newspapers - 220 South African Web sites or contact details
- Overseas research
- People search
- Police
- Preserving memories
- Professions
- Search engines - includes notes on using search engines
- Settlers - German, Jews, Italians and more
- Shipping
- Sport
- Towns / Cities
- Zimbabwe / Rhodesia
Zoo Lake is 100 years old
Zoo Lake, in Johannesburg, celebrated its 100th birthday recently. In 1904, the land around the Johannesburg Zoo and Zoo Lake in the Herman Eckstein Park was ceded in trust to residents of Johannesburg to be used as a public park, by Werner Beit and Company which later became Rand Mines. In February 1906 the council looked at the possibility of establishing an artificial lake. Once agreed to, it became a job-creation project for the poor. The first boating licence was issued in 1911. Much of the parkland was originally marshland and formed part of the Sachsenwald plantation which was owned by the Braamfontein Company. The trees were sold as timber and other trees were planted to see which tree was best suited to the Highveld.
Percy Fitzpatrick, who was acting head of Rand Mines, eventually started housing sick and injured wild animals which he brought back from his hunting trips. When his wife objected to them roaming around, they were put into enclosures and people came to see them. These enclosures were eventually converted into the Johannesburg Zoo.
Started in 1949 by the Johannesburg City Council's welfare department and Rotary, Carols by Candlelight has become an annual event attended by thousands of people.
In 1956, Margot Fonteyn danced Swan Lake with the lake as a backdrop as part of the city's 70th celebrations. Two years later, pennywhistler Spokes Mashiyane played at the lake and a young white woman was seen dancing to his music. Pressure was put on the council to declare Zoo Lake a whites only park but the council said the deed of gift did not distinguish colour between people of Johannesburg and it would only change the park if national government would finance an amenity of the same size in a black area. This was not taken any further and the lake remained open to people of all races.
The Coronation Fountain, which stands in the middle of the lake, was built in 1937 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI. In 2003 the fountain was restored at a cost of R350 000, mainly through fundraising and with money from Johannesburg City Parks and the city's arts, culture and heritage services department.
Percy Fitzpatrick, who was acting head of Rand Mines, eventually started housing sick and injured wild animals which he brought back from his hunting trips. When his wife objected to them roaming around, they were put into enclosures and people came to see them. These enclosures were eventually converted into the Johannesburg Zoo.
Started in 1949 by the Johannesburg City Council's welfare department and Rotary, Carols by Candlelight has become an annual event attended by thousands of people.
In 1956, Margot Fonteyn danced Swan Lake with the lake as a backdrop as part of the city's 70th celebrations. Two years later, pennywhistler Spokes Mashiyane played at the lake and a young white woman was seen dancing to his music. Pressure was put on the council to declare Zoo Lake a whites only park but the council said the deed of gift did not distinguish colour between people of Johannesburg and it would only change the park if national government would finance an amenity of the same size in a black area. This was not taken any further and the lake remained open to people of all races.
The Coronation Fountain, which stands in the middle of the lake, was built in 1937 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI. In 2003 the fountain was restored at a cost of R350 000, mainly through fundraising and with money from Johannesburg City Parks and the city's arts, culture and heritage services department.
Military grave vandalised
KwaZulu-Natal's provincial heritage association, Amafa, recently issued a warning that military graves and battlefields in the province do not contain any valuable relics. This was following yet another incident of vandalism on a military grave, in which vandals smashed the Gloucestershire Memorial at Rietfontein near Ladysmith, digging up the grave of the regiment’s commanding officer, Colonel E.P. Wilford, who was killed during the Anglo-Boer War. It will cost Amafa around R8 000 to repair a marble obelisk bearing the regiment’s insignia and an inscription marking Colonel Wilford’s grave.
Funding at last
South Africa's libraries are to get a R1bn funds injection over the next three years, according to Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan. Other infrastructure overhauls included the National Archives in Pretoria. A R700m extension to the National Archives has been approved and is in the design phase.
Harrow Road renamed
Harrow Road in Johannesburg was recently renamed Joe Slovo Drive. City bosses said the renaming was in remembrance of the veteran freedom fighter who died from cancer in 1995. Slovo spent his early years in Yeoville. He was arrested and detained for two months during the treason trial of 1956. During his years in exile, he lived in the UK, Angola, Mozambique and Zambia, returning to South Africa in 1990. At the time of his death he was the Minister of Housing, the national chairman of the South African Communist Party and a member of the national executive committee of the ANC.
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