Its been a year or two since my visit to Cradock here in the Eastern Cape, but I found a couple of pics of attractions in the town that I haven’t posted before.
The historic NG Moederkerk (Dutch Reformed Church)
The church was completed in 1868 for the local Dutch Reformed congregation that was established in 1824, a mere 10 years after the town received it’s name. The design of the church was based on the design of “St. Martins-in-the-Field” in London’s Trafalgar Square. During the Anglo-Boer War the church roof was used as a lookout post by the British soldiers who occupied the town.
Cradock Four Memorial The four Cradock activists – Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkonto, Fort Calata and Sicelo Mhlauli – were killed by policemen in 1985 on their way back to Cradock from a meeting in Port Elizabeth. Goniwe set up the Cradock Residents’ Association (Cradora) and took on the contentious issues of rent increases, which led to consumer boycotts of white businesses in the town. The murder made headlines and Goniwe and his comrades became known as the Cradock Four.
Schreiner House MuseumThe museum is situated in the house where the world-renowned South African author Olive Schreiner lived from 1868 till 1870. The Schreiner House Museum houses Olive’s personal library, exhibitions depicting her life and those of her siblings, and copies of all the books she wrote. The bookshop at the Schreiner House sells a wide variety of books, including Schreiner’s most celebrated work, The Story of an African Farm, as well as other books by and about her.
The early 20th Century horse drinking troughIn the early days of most towns there were spots where the farmers would stop to water their horses and animals after a long journey. This horse drinking trough can be found in Frere Street and was commissioned by the Cradock Town Council in commemoration of King Edward VIII, in 1902.
Interesting collection of history.
Wow, what a church! Do you perhaps know what the building behind the watering trough is?
I sure do like that church Jonker. What a beautiful building.
Great church photo. What an interesting town. I guess we all have history if we go and look for it.
I write a blog about memorial drinking fountains and would like permission to use the photo of the Horse trough/drinking fountain. I will, of course, credit and link back to your site. You can view my blog at http://memorialdrinkingfountains.wordpress.com