The area of Central just about the Port Elizabeth CBD used to be called The Hill in the early day. It was because the area is situated at the top of quite a steep hill and it was a struggle to get horse carts, ox wagons and even the tram up the steep bit to the top. This pic is taken from the top of the Donkin Lighthouse looking towards on of the older parts of Central. In the foreground…
Central is the oldest part of Port Elizabeth and in the old days was known as The Hill. There are many historic buildings around Central, but some of the most beautiful old buildings are the stone churches of which there are many littered throughout the area. This one is the St Johns Methodist Church.
Bethelsdorp Village was established in 1803 by Dr Johannes Theodorus Van Der Kemp, a missionary working among the Khoikhoi. Many of the old buildings in Bethelsdorp Village are protected by the National Monuments Act. The Van Der Kemps Memorial Church in the village was first built in 1803 and is generally regarded as the first Congregational church in southern Africa. It was destroyed by fire in 1890, rebuilt in 1903 and again in 1926 and extended in 1985. Behind the…
One of the stone crosses on top of The Hill Presbyterian Church in Central. Happy Easter.
Looking down Leather Lane from Municipality Road, towards the Russell Road Cemetary and the Dutch Reformed Church, in Campbell Street. The grave of James Langley Dalton, who was awarded Victoria Cross, after the battle of Rorkes Drift, can be seen at this cemetary. I will feature his grave in the new year.
Richmond Hill is a great place to enjoy the sunrise, and this old church makes a particularly attractive foreground.
Again, many thanks to Gaston from France, who sent some of his pictures, taken when he lived here in the late 50s early 60s, and enabled us to do this comparative series. This is St Augustine's Cathedral, taken in 1960. And here it is this week. As with the Campanile view, I really question whether "progress" has brought around any improvement. The lovely gardens and fountain in front of City Hall, with natural stone paving, has been replaced by a…
Continuing our look at PE's eclectic skyline, from the same viewpoint as yesterday's photo, but a bit to the West, you see another iconic landmark which we have featured before, the Donkin Reserve, with its lighthouse and pyramid. You also see a mixture of some of the earliest residences in town, mixed with more modern (30s to 60s) blocks of flats. In the far background, the ugly new post office building, (which blocks many potentially sweeping views of the bay…
We have posted about South End before, it is one of the areas that were cleared out during the Apartheid era, because of the racialy mixed community, and this church was later demolished because the congregation kept returning here to worship. It remains as a necessary reminder of a shameful part of our history that will hopefully never be repeated!
Church FenceOriginally uploaded by Firefly Africa This is by guest photographer and passionate Port Elizabeth fan, FIREFLY. Thanks FF. It is the wonderful cast iron fence around Holy Trinity Church in Central. You can see more of his pix here.