Heritage of the Karoo

Men behind the church

As a result of a London Missionary Society outreach programme a congregational church was started in Cradock in 1820. Rev George Baker, who was born in Essex in 1789 and who had come to South Africa in 1815 to serve as a missionary with the LMS moved to Cradock as the town’s first preacher in 1821. John Munro, who was in charge of the Bethelsdorp, also moved there in December, 1839, to become the town’s first teacher at the Congregational School He worked in Cradock until his retirement in 1846. Robert Barry Taylor joined this community on August 26, 1848. Up until his arrival the school had doubled a church, but he did not find this satisfactory and he motivated the community to collect funds and to build itself a church. This Neo-Gothic building with yellowwood doors was inaugurated on July 24, 1855, states the 21st anniversary booklet of the Cradock Congregational Church. The church was a small scale a replica of the Harpenden Church in England. It had a square tower with four small turrets on the corners. Sadly these did not survive. Initially it was called the Harpenden Chapel, then the Harpenden Independent Church. Later its English links faded and it was known as the United Congregational Church. A few years after its completion, the building was destroyed by storm and earth tremor. Undaunted Robert Barry Taylor simply began raising funds again for restoration work. This time a front porch and clock tower were added. The church was enlarged during the time of Pastor J G Weis (1906–1914). In 1974 the building was seriously damaged in a flood, but the congregation leapt into action to rescue it. The congregation felt it owed a great deal to Rev Taylor and his wife, Marianne, so they buried them beneath the pulpit. In 1982, when the church was declared a national monument, Professor Dennis Radford, from the University of the Witwatersrand, worked on restorations. He said he felt Rev Taylor had initially been buried in the church cemetery when he died in 1876, and that the same applied to his wife when she died in 1895. In his opinion it was only in 1909, when the church was enlarged, that the couple were accorded the honour of burial beneath the pulpit.

An exciting discovery was made while restoration of the Cradock church was in progress. A beautifully painted, colourful, traditional old Cape-style frieze, similar to the antique paintings at the Koopmans de Wet House, Boschendal and Libertas, was discovered on the walls by a Scottish expert, Mr Rattray. Further cleaning revealed a second treasure, a marble panel, framed in yellowwood and painted to resemble a knotty wood was also found. “Such panels were immensely stylish in Victorian times,” said Rattray. Sadly this magnificently restored historic church just disappeared. Vandals struck and destroyed much of the interior, then later years and it was swallowed up by modern developments, electricity pylons and substations and then it disappeared under a web of power lines.

Enjoy a stop-over in a byegone

Fancy a stay on a historic Karoo farm? Try Rietpoort, 30 km north of Victoria West on the road to Britstown. This farm lies right alongside the N12 and its “modern history”, say owners Dirk and Naomi Ras, begins in the 1700's, when nomadic European farmers moved into the hinterland and started settling down. They chose this spot because it was near a spring, once a. source of life for ancient people and animals. It still supplies sufficient water for household needs, irrigation purposes and to maintain a poplar grove as well as ancient orchard with 150-year old pear trees. Ruins of an old watermill bear testimony to the fact that flour was once milled at this spring. The foundation stones of the first cottage are still clearly visible near the current homestead, which is over 200 years old and was built from stone and clay brick. Its walls are half a metre thick. Floor and ceilings planks are of yellow wood brought from Knysna by ox wagon. In time sash windows and Oregon pine shutters were added as well as a Victorian veranda. “In the 1920's, when my grandparents married, pressed steel ceilings were installed in the dining room, reception rooms and main bedroom,” says Dick. A slave bell adorns the front porch. Other structures, once built as dwellings still stand but, over the years, have been turned into stables and barns. Fortunately many interesting original features, such as “brandsolders” (old fire-ceilings) of reeds and clay and lofts with wide support beams still exist. There are also signs of ancient civilisations across the farm and there is a fascinating patch of fossilised mudstone. Dick once found a stone tool in an ancient “work area” near some ostrich egg shards. There are also rock engravings of eland, elephant and other animals. “One depicts a creature that looks like an ancient sabre-tooth tiger,” says Dick. “We also have a Bushman piano, made from specially positioned sections of dolerite which emit different notes when struck with another piece of rock.” Old stone kraals date back to the early 1800's when predators roamed the Karoo and it was essential to bring in all livestock at night. “Over the years the dung in these kraals became so thick that sheep could jump over the walls. The dung was so compacted that a special implement had to be used to cut it into sods which were used to heighten the wall,” said Dick. Rietpoort is now part of the modern world and runs on solar and wind power.

And the dream remains - Matjiesfontein

An icon of the Karoo has passed on, but his dreams will never die. David Duncan Rawdon, the man, who loved life, enjoyed Spanish champagne and a good brandy will forever be remembered at his beloved Matjiesfontein. He re-created this village 40 years ago and turned it into the tourist spot that its original owner James D Logan would have envied. David, a legend in the hotel industry, an inspiration to many, a mentor, a guru, discovered Matjiesfontein in about 1960. By then he had a long list of top class hotels to his credit – Rawdons in Natal, the Lanzerac in Stellenbosch and the Marine in Hermanus - yet it was the ramshackled, rundown Matjiesfontein that stole his heart. He once laughing said: “The day after I bought the village I went into the bank at Laingsburg and heard some locals whisper ‘there’s the mad Englishman who bought Matjiesfontein – what does he think he can do with that dump?” As ever David had seen past the sad, forlorn buildings. He’d seen a little piece of Old Victorian England on the plains of the Karoo and within ten years, like the Phoenix it rose and his dream became a reality. The old Milner Hotel, ennobled to Lord Milner, opened its doors in 1970 and by 1979, in David’s capable hands, the village was declared a National Heritage site. David once said: “All my hotels have been important, exciting and different, but Matjiesfontein was a real struggle and for this reason is special and closest to my heart. I hope it will go on forever.” So does everyone who loves the village.

Few realise that despite reaching great heights of brilliance in the hospitality and interior decorating, David, by his own admission, lacked ambition as a young man. So much so that his father despaired of him ever “making anything of himself.” Born in 1924, David was the eldest of three sons. His father was an American dentist Dr George Rawdon, and his beloved mother, Marie, was a domestic science teacher. She ensured all her boys learned to cook and David discovered many culinary secrets at her side. He was devoted to her and created a museum in her memory on the Matjiesfontein station. Educated at Hilton College, David was a keen rugby player and represented Northern Transvaal in 1944. He also served in the South African Air Force in Italy during World War II. On his return from “up north” he exasperated his father by not settling down and finding a job. His father warned he would end up as a rat catcher, instead he became a hawker. Then he “almost tried farming” but moved into the hotel industry and never looked back. He set the standards and created iconic hotels widely known not only in South Africa but also internationally. A love of antiques led to him making a name in interior decorating. He encouraged his workforce, inspired loyalty and dedication. He loved sharing knowledge and fostering ability. David adored Matjiesfontein where he created a home in the old jail. To consolidate his dream he placed Matjiesfontein in an Educational Trust to be run by two nephews and younger brother Benjamin. They will ensure the magic lives on. ”David was much loved,” says Jonathan Rawdon. “He showed us the fun side of life. Nothing got him down. Ever the optimist, he never took things too seriously and always looked on the bright side. Matjiesfontein will continue as was his dearest wish.”

Well known politician once a Karoo Doctor - History of the smart syndicate dam

Thomas William Smart had such a high profile as a politician that his medical background has almost been forgotten. He was born in Trinn, County Meath, Ireland, on February 22, 1858, and he obtained his degree from Trinity College, in Dublin. He came to the Cape, was registered as a medical doctor and, in 1880, went to the little Karoo town of Britstown to start a general practice. Smartt was a supporter of Cecil John Rhodes and in 1893 when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as member for Woodhouse – he later represented Cathcart, East London and Fort Beaufort, from 1910 to 1929, and Hopetown from 1924 to 1929. Smartt served as Colonial Secretary from 1896 to 1898. He was appointed Commissioner of Lands and Public Works in 1900 and again from 1904 to 1908. He was a delegate at the National Convention and he served as a member of the Union House of Assembly from 1910 until May, 1929. (He died on April 17, that year.) Sir Thomas was one of the initial 121 members elected to the first Union Parliament which held its inaugural meeting on October 31, 1910. He and three other members – Leander Starr Jameson, Dr A I de Jager and Bissett Berry - had served in the Cape Parliament. In fact, Smartt served without interruption in the Cape and Union Parliaments for 35 years Smartt became the leader of the Unionist Party in 1911 (the same year as he was knighted) and continued in this capacity until it amalgamated with the South African Party under the leadership of General Smuts in 1921. He became Minister of Agriculture in 1921 and held this position until 1924. During this time he started an agricultural syndicate at De Aar in the Karoo and one of the two dams it built was named in his honour. This syndicate planted lucerne and wheat and set up breeding and feeding programmes for sheep, karakul, goats and Clydesdale horses. It operated until 1954 when it was liquidated. The assets of this considerable enterprise were dispersed among its members. A massive flood in the Ongers River area in March, 1961, destroyed the Smartt Syndicate Irrigation Dam. A new dam was then built in 1964.

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Heritage of the Karoo

Men behind the church

Enjoy a stop-over in a byegone

And the dream remains - Matjiesfontein

Well known politician once a Karoo Doctor - History of the smart syndicate dam