Then and Now: The Humewood Slipway

Last week I did a post Then and Now : Humewood Beach showing a couple of historic photos of Humewood beach along with a modern one.  I purposely didn't post the two historic photos of the Humewood Slipway below as they were taken from a different direction and I decided to make a separate post for them. The pillars and old slipway you can still see at Humewood Beach was built long before Port Elizabeth had a harbour.  Construction on the…

1 Comment

Then and Now – Humewood Beach

Humewood Beach is one of Port Elizabeth's flagship beaches and one that is popular with just about everybody.  Being a Blue Flag Beach it has to adhere to international standards of safety and cleanliness and with the bridge overhead creating shade and nearby parking it's a great family beach.  But where did Humewood get it's name from and has it always been popular beach?Humewood Beach obviously got it's name from the suburb of Humewood which in turn was named after William…

Comments Off on Then and Now – Humewood Beach

Lady Elizabeth Donkin – Then and Now

I wonder how many people who have seen the mosaic art piece on the Donkin Reserve next to the pyramid have noticed that the only known portrait of Lady Elizabeth Donkin has been incorporated into it.Elizabeth Frances néeMarkham was the young wife of Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin and died of fever shortly after child birth while Donkin was stationed in the East.  Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of the Very Rev Dr George Markham, dean of York, and the grand-daughter of…

Comments Off on Lady Elizabeth Donkin – Then and Now

Then and Now – Fort Frederick

Fort Frederick is the oldest building in Port Elizabeth and said to be the first permanent stone structure built by the British in Africa south of the Equator. The fort was built in August 1799 near the mouth of the Baakens River in Algoa Bay to safeguard the fresh water supply and to keep watch for a possible landing of French troops send to assist the Graaff-Reinet rebels during the Napoleonic wars.  The fort was named after Frederick, Duke of York and…

2 Comments

Then and Now – Beachfront Fun fair

Driving past Kings Beach yesterday morning I noticed that "Playland" (because that is what we still call it even if it has a different name these days) is busy setting up for the coming summer holidays.  Just the day before Cat Anderson James posted a Fun fair Then and Now on the Ex PE 60's 70's, 80's group on Facebook.  If I'm correct the "Then" fun fair was located somewhere around Humewood beach.  The "Now" photo I took a year or…

Comments Off on Then and Now – Beachfront Fun fair

The Obelisk water troughs

If you know a bit about Port Elizabeth's history then you will know that at one stage there was an obelisk standing on Market Square in front of the City Hall.  The obelisk is known as The Prince of Wales Obelisk and was brought to South Africa by the founder of the Eastern Province Herald, John Paterson to be placed on the grave of his partner, George Kemp. The Kemp family decided that it was too elaborate to place on the…

4 Comments

Old Port Elizabeth coat of arms

A week or so ago I went for a walk around St Georges Park and at one stage spent a little time at the Prince Alfred Guard Memorial.  On the memorial I found this old Port Elizabeth coat of arms and I decided to go and do a little research about it.  Turns out this one evolved into a more elaborate coat of arms that was used until Port Elizabeth became part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.The later arms (above) were…

2 Comments

The Red Windmill – Then and Now

 There was a time when the Port Elizabeth beachfront had some real iconic roadhouses.  Places like the Red Windmill, Something Good, Cashbah and Palm Beach (Flat Rocks).  Three of these are no more with the new Something Good still being there although slightly more advanced these days.  The Red Windmill Roadhouse used to be at Hobie Beach and is remembered for the neon lighting instructed you to “flick your lights for service”.  With the development of the area the roadhouse became an burger and ice cream shop with…

2 Comments

Then and Now – Queen Victoria Statue and Public Library

One of Port Elizabeth's best known historic landmarks is the Public Library with the statue of Queen Victoria in front of it.  The statue of Queen Vic was unveiled by major of Port Elizabeth, J.C. Kemsley, on 30 September 1903.  It was carved from Sicilian marble by Edward Roscoe Mullins of London to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee which took place in 1897 and was paid for my public subscription.  The first site preferred was in front of the City Hall but…

Comments Off on Then and Now – Queen Victoria Statue and Public Library

Then and Now – Grey Institute

In the mid 1800's there was a boom happening in Port Elizabeth.  It was during this time that Sir George Grey, Governor of the Cape from 1854-61, played a leading role in the establishment of educational institutes throughout the colony.  At the instigation of John Paterson, one of Port Elizabeth's the first Town Councillors, the then municipality took over vacant land on top of the hill opposite the Donkin Reserve and the establishment of a grammar school.  A Mr Archibald was commissioned to prepare…

4 Comments