Capt Francis Evatt’s gravestone

On a walk along Route 67 the other day I popped into St Mary's Cathedral and was reminded that the original gravestone of Captain Francis Evatt was located in the entrance area of the church. Something a lot of people probably didn't know. Captain Evatt was commander of Fort Frederick from 1817 until his death in 1850 … Continue reading Capt Francis Evatt’s gravestone →

North End Defense Force Memorial

One of the things I discovered while in North End Cemetery is a Defense Force Memorial remembering soldiers who died in service of their country during the first and second World Wars. According to the main plaque the memorial stones commemorate soldiers that were buried elsewhere but who's glory won't be forgotten.

The Jewish Cemetery at North End

One of the things that really interested me when I visited the North End Cemetery the other day was the walled off Jewish Cemetery. I didn't get to explore it though as the sign by the entrance says, "Code of Conduct. Please note that all visitors to the cemetery must wear appropriate dress. Men and women must … Continue reading The Jewish Cemetery at North End →

The history of North End Cemetery

Over the years my interest in cemeteries has taken me to most of the cemeteries around town with the notable exception being the North End Cemetery. Not because I didn't want to but rather a case of never really being in that part of town with time to go. A week or two ago I … Continue reading The history of North End Cemetery →

Russell Road Cemetery

The Russell Road Cemetery is another of Port Elizabeth's historic grave yards dating back to the early days of Port Elizabeth. As the town grew the increased demands on the St Mary's Cemetery next to the Baakens River became too much and a solution had to be found, not just for another cemetery but also … Continue reading Russell Road Cemetery →

The Scottish Cemetery at St George’s Park

In the early days of Port Elizabeth the St Mary's Cemetery was used, first by the military based at Fort Frederick, and later for civilians with the cemetery being under the control of St Mary's Church. As the town grew more burial areas were required by the various Christian denominations and in the 1830's and … Continue reading The Scottish Cemetery at St George’s Park →

Cemetery fence at St Georges

The old Scottish Cemetery at St George's Park was established way back in 1854 on what was the western edge of town back then. These days the western edge of town is all the way over at Baywest.

Shipwreck memorial in South End Cemetery

Probably the biggest maritime disaster that ever took place on the Port Elizabeth coastline happened way back during the Great Gale of 1902. On Sunday, 31 August 1902 there were 38 ships at anchor along the then North End Beach. Rain and a south-easterly wind started to lash the bay and by midnight the storm … Continue reading Shipwreck memorial in South End Cemetery →

South End Cemetery in sepia

I stopped by the South End Cemetery last week to check up on my Geocaches in the area and took a slow drive around the cemetery. It's really sad to see how much vandalism has taken place in the cemetery. Pity the municipality can't put aside a bit of budget to restore a lot of … Continue reading South End Cemetery in sepia →

The Bethulie Concentration Camp cemetery – a sad part of our history

Bethulie in the southern Free State is one of those places not many people pass through as it's not really on any of the main thoroughfares going south (or north, depending how you look at it). On my last trip up to Johannesburg I deviated off the normal route to see what this town on … Continue reading The Bethulie Concentration Camp cemetery – a sad part of our history →