South Africa’s oldest letter box

The oldest official letter box in South Africa stands on the corner Worcester Street and Somerset Street in Grahamstown. The box is painted in the traditional Post Office red (Although there was some ugly blue graffiti on it during my visit. That is why the picture was taken from the wrong side with the sun in … Continue reading South Africa’s oldest letter box →

The Drostdy Gate

The Drostdy Gate forms the main walk in entrance to Rhodes University from the High Street of Grahamstown. Originally built in 1841, it was the entrance to the military establishment which was to be on the site of the then unoccupied and unused Drostdy House grounds. Framed in the Drostdy Gate's arch is the clock tower … Continue reading The Drostdy Gate →

Birch’s money chute system

T Birch & Company is one of the oldest outfitting and tailoring businesses in South Africa and opened up in Port Elizabeth in 1860. They expanded to Grahamstown in 1864 and has become the designers and official robe makers to most of the tertiary institutions as well as courts and churches in the country. But that isn't why I took Chaos … Continue reading Birch’s money chute system →

Fort Selwyn

The hill overlooking Grahamstown from the east on which the prominent Settlers Monument is situated is called Gunfire Hill. In 1835 during the 6th Frontier War (there were nine Frontier wars stretching over 100 years) it was decided to built a fort on top of the hill to protect the approaches to the town as … Continue reading Fort Selwyn →

Grahamstown Observatory Museum

My visit to Grahamstown with Chaos Boy started on a high note with our visit to the Natural Science Museum but he got bored at the History Museum, so when I told him that we were going to a third museum he was obviously a bit reluctant to go in case it was boring again. Oh … Continue reading Grahamstown Observatory Museum →

Grahamstown History Museum

The second museum that forms part of the Albany Museum Complex in Grahamstown is the History Museum. This museum was established in 1965 and used to be known as the 1820 Settlers Memorial Museum. A couple of years ago it was decided to not just focus on the contribution of the 1820 British Settlers to the … Continue reading Grahamstown History Museum →

Grahamstown Natural Science Museum

Like father, like son. Chaos Boy has developed an interest in geography, the world, its wonders and its interesting bits and pieces like archaeology, legends and mysteries. One night I was reading to him about Egypt (he chose the book, not me) and I told him that there is a real mummy in the Natural Science Museum in Grahamstown. He … Continue reading Grahamstown Natural Science Museum →

British Settlers Family Statue

The area from Port Elizabeth eastwards, specially around Grahamstown and Bathurst, is where the British Settlers settled in 1820 (see here and here). On top of Gunfire Hill overlooking Grahamstown is the big Settlers Monument building and just down the road from it visitors will find the British Settlers Family statue. The statue depicts a settler … Continue reading British Settlers Family Statue →

1820 Settlers Monuments

The town of Grahamstown (well, its actually a city as it has a cathedral) in the Eastern Cape is situated right in the middle of Settlers country. It is in this area that the 1820 British Settlers (see here, here and here for the Settler story) settled down and it was inevetable that the town … Continue reading 1820 Settlers Monuments →

Cathedral of St Michael and St George

Just two random shots of the Anglican Cathedral of St Michael and St George in Grahamstown.