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Donkin Reserve

Today we are back home after our "trip" covering all the towns surrounding Port Elizabeth. So just to start off on the home front again, I am featuring one of Port Elizabeth's iconic landmarks. The Donkin Reserve. On the Donkin Reserve visitors will find the Donkin Lighthouse as well as the Donkin Memorial Pyramid. The story of the pyramid goes as follow: Sir Rufane Donkin married Elizabeth Frances Markham in 1815 and barely 2 months later was posted to India.…

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07/07/2009
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Mill Park

Since we recently welcomed anon and arnieo to this blog, both of whom coincidentally live in Houston Texas and used to live in the PE suburb of Mill Park, we thought we'd show a couple of views of this attractive suburb.Mill Park has an interesting history. According the the fascinating "Port Elizabeth in Bygone Days, written in 1947 by JJ Redgrave, "the present Mill Park area derived its name from the fact that there was in the early days an…

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16/02/2009
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Leather Lane

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.

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23/12/2008
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St Phillips Guest House

The St Phillips Guest House is one of the more upmarket guest houses in Richmond Hill. It was built in 1912, as the rectory for the St Phillips Church. It is situated in St Phillips Street, alongside the historic St Phillips Church.

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21/12/2008
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“Relic” from the past

One of the few old buildings from "yesteryear" still standing in North End. It might not look like much, but judging from the security company signs it must contain something of value.

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19/11/2008
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World War II Bunker

One of the many bunkers built along the South African coast World during War II. This one was photographed at Schoenmakerskop. Others can be seen at Bluewater Bay and Cape Recife.

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18/11/2008
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St Philips Street Then and Now

I can't believe our 1st blogiversary slipped by yesterday, we clean forgot about it, but would love to thank all our visitors who have really become friends in the past year.One of our readers, Brenda from UK, grew up in a house which is just across the park from us. She has sent us some lovely old photos from the 1930s to 60s, and this is one taken in 1949 in St Philips Street. Note the newly planted sidewalk trees…

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08/11/2008
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memories……..

A whole chain of events leads to today's post... Gillian of the Fworld did a post on the demise of PE's roadhouses, and I commented on it. We got an e-mail from regular London visitor Jeanne (she of award winning food blog Cooksister fame), who saw the comment, and sent us a link to the website for the Casbah Roadhouse. I wrote to them and got permission to publish a couple of their old PE pix.This is the old Casbah…

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07/11/2008
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Relic from the past

The enterance to the Walmer Town Hall on Main Road Walmer is a reminder of a by-gone era. The hall was built in 1908, when Walmer was still a separate town and municipality. It has long since been incorporated as a suburb of Port Elizabeth.

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22/09/2008
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Then and Now #2

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…

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29/08/2008