[…] when your head yearns for the pillow’s rest the Eerste River grows louder and full and in your heart, the stones roll rounder still DJ Opperman. Grondstowwe by die siklus van seisoene II Winter (own translation) The round, white river stones of Stellenbosch’s Eerste River remind us of how the world used toRead more about The story of the island in the Eerste River[…]
Did you know that the Oude Leeskamer in Dorpstraat 182 was literally a room for reading in? At least three book clubs existed in the early 1800s: the Reading Club, who gathered in the Leeskamer (founded in 1847), the Book Society (1829) and the Dutch Leesgeselschap (1840). Before then the town had a postal coach service that occasionally brought books to andRead more about De Oude Leeskamer – where does the name come from?[…]
Did you know we use many Dutch KhoiSan place names in our everyday lives? I believe Namaqua, Obikwa and Outeniqua are examples of this. Read below for some more names that have been used at least since 1727 (from a book by Peter Kolbe with map – 1727). NAMAQUA – Place name with the suffix “-qua” (likeRead more about Obikwa and Outeniqua – Khoi and San place names in our everyday life[…]
As early as the 1800s a variety of sports were practiced in Stellenbosch, according to Dr. Danie Craven in Stellenbosch’s 300 year commemorative book (with F. Smuts). The sports practiced by the early pioneers (from the time of Adam Tas) mostly comprised of hunting, playing cards, billiards and later horse racing, although children were surely seen playing ball games onRead more about The first sports in Stellenbosch[…]
Artikel: Y Coetsee (2017) Sources/Bronne: Gedenkboek van het Victoria College (1918) Die Stellenbosse Heemkring 10 jaar oud (1978)
Andringa street Mr Watse Sebrus Andringa was one of Stellenbosch’s early magistrates or landdroste (around the same time as Ryneveld). He became landdros in 1812, but sadly was in office only for two years before his death. For some time Andringa was secretary of the Stellenbosch estate managers office (boedelkamer). Markotter Street Mr A.F. Markotter, or OubaasRead more about Some more street names and where they come from – Stellenbosch[…]
This beautiful gable house, hidden at the back of Metanoia and Heemstede, was built by a famous Stellenbosser, and his neighbour was also a legend. Prof G.G. Cillié and mr. Paul Roos lived as neighbours in two identical houses in Van Riebeeck Street. Most of the houses in this street (today Heemstede’s lawns) had similar layoutsRead more about The story of G.G. Cillie’s house[…]
This week I came across a beautiful historical picture of the Stellenbosch sawmills while paging through a Stellenbosch coffee table book from 1966 (the book cost R3,95): Over the past few years, there has been a lot of speculation about the sawmill on Polkadraai Road and what will happen to it. Earlier this year, EikestadnuusRead more about The story of the sawmills[…]
Architect and artist I think Carl Otto Hager would’ve been suprised that the old Lutheran church on the corner of Dorp Street and Bird Street is an art gallery today. He was himself a portrait painter and photographer. The small church is 163 years old and is one of Stellenbosch’s most beautiful heritage pieces. Carl was bornRead more about The story of the Lutheran church[…]
The story of this somewhat obscure little street is interesting because it tells us about the people who lived in Van Riebeeck Street before it was used for residences like Heemstede and Metanoia. Interestingly, this story also slots into a larger narrative, that of the Second World War. Henry Wicht was originally a dairy farmerRead more about Claassen Street – Where does the name come from?[…]
