Kameel Stoepstorie: Lonely Hill and the Salt Pans at Stella

 

The Salt pans at Stella 

Thanks to the Tammy and Liz from Lucky Star Ranch 

 

 

To start the Lonely Hill Stoepstorie I have to go back to an extract from the book

MEN OF THE TIMES.

. . . . Alfred Ernest Fincham is yet another of the sons of South African soil of whom we have the pleasure in writing this small sketch. He was born in the year 1869 at the Grange in the Herbert District and is a son of the late Mr. John Thornton Fincham, framer and general merchant of the district. Mr. A E Fincham's education as principally conducted in Herbert and at the finish of his curriculum he commenced business in one of his father’s branch stores, which he ultimately managed. In 1870 he gave up the business in those parts and proceeding northwards to Vryburg. Bechuanaland where he assisted in establishing the firm of Fincham and Sons being a partner in same until 1899, when he sold out his interest to take up farming in the Mafeking District, purchasing a block of farms of at Ramathlabama. Mr. Fincham was one of the defenders in the siege of Mafeking, belonging to the Town Guard, manning De Kock’s Corner Fort through the siege. When the siege was raised he returned to farm life, and subsequently commence business again, establishing the firm of A W and A E Fincham, general merchants, Mafeking, which he now controls, at the same time looking after his farming interests, giving attention chiefly to raising both large and small stock. Mr. Fincham has been a member of the Mafeking Divisional Council since 1899, and in 1900 was elected a member of the Town Council, serving as such through 1902 – 1903 and re-elected in 1905, being a Councilor at present. As may be understood he takes a keen and energetic interest in the welfare of the town, and for his sympathetic personality and public services, he has earned the highest esteem of his fellow townsmen. He married Elizabeth Ellen West, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth West of Beaconsfield and had four children . . .

Alfred and Elizabeth Ellen four children:

Louisa Elizabeth Smith (nee Fincham) married to Tom Smith

Mary Amelia Webster (nee Fincham) married to Albert Earnest Webster

Ada Ethel Rex (nee Fincham) married to George Henry

Victor Baden Fincham (my grandfather) married to Hester Cecilia Gauche.

Victor was born on 6 June 1900 during the Siege of Mafeking (Anglo Boer War) in an underground tunnel.

The Siege lasted for 217 days. 

Alfred Ernest and Elizabeth Ellen

The cattle on the farm in Ramathlabama contracted foot-and-mouth diseases. Alfred and Elizabeth moved to a new location - to the farm known as Biesiebult. Biesiesbult is now known as the town of Stella. As they reached the end of the road, Mary made commented, such a lonely hill. The part of the farm at the foot of the hill was then named Lonely Hill. 

This farm was situated next to the Salt pan. The salt pan was mentioned by David Livingston and Robert Moffat in their memories from the area. 

Hennie and Heather on the walk to the salt pan

 You can read more on Heather's visit here 10SouthAfricanTown

Great-grandfather then started the mining of salt. To get the salt to the customers they need for transportation was urgently required. The railroad at Kameelbult was the obvious choice.  

 

Thanks to Tammy and Liz for the beautiful photos of the Salt Pan at Stella 

 

 The railroad between Vryburg and Mafeking was first built in 1894, part of Cecil John Rhodes dream to build a railway from the Cape to Cairo. This project would run through my great-grandfathers' farm known as Kameelbult. The stop was named Kameel. Salt was brought in, with donkey wagons to Kameel where it was then loaded onto the railroad tracks. In those years it was a wooden and pole building. Later on, a corrugated iron building was put up. Only in the early 1930’s was a permanent building built. 

The following extract from the book:

Gun and camera in Southern Africa; a year of wanderings in Bechuanaland, the Kalahari Desert, and the Lake River country, Ngamiland.

By Bryden, H. A. (Henry Anderson), 1854-1937

There had been heavy summer rains for some days, during which Vryburg had become a quagmire, and the inhabitants waded forlornly about, as is their custom, in “field” boots, top Idiots, mackintoshes, and any other gear calculated to withstand the swamps, holes, and " sluits," that everywhere abounded. We waited till 3.30 p.m. and then set forth in a Cape cart under a lowering, stormy sky. Two hours and a half of heavy travelling brought us to Fincham's, a farm and accommodation house fifty miles out, where we out spanned.  Our horses were put up and we were offered such shelter as could they have given us for the night.

Lonely Hill's house is still there today. It has known better day but it was with a feeling longs that we stood on the land known as Lonely Hill at the foot of the little hill next to the salt pan.

The door leading to the Salt pan.  You can see the stone that was used to build the house. This stone was hauled from the banks of the salt pan

Hennie is taking a look out of the window to the porch

The out-building built from the same stone that was hauled in from the salt pan.

A lot of nostalgics when visiting Lonely Hill

There is still some of the ruins of stone building from the salt pan's stone in the town known as Stella

The old church that is now the workshop of the municipality

Till next time

Sandra

Please note that Lonely Hill is situated on private land and is not open to the public. 

  

Kameel Stoepstorie: Soetdorings

The Soetdorings are in full bloom. The fresh sweet smell fills the air and the little yellow flowers put colour in our day.

Vachellia karroo, commonly known as the Sweet thorn

Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them.

Till next time

Sandra 

Kameel Stoepstorie: Devondale tot Kameel

Al ooit gehoor van Devondale?

Die stasie is 25km vanaf Kameel. Vandag is daar min oor van die eens tuiste en besigheid van my Oupa Victor en Ouma Hester. Na hulle huwelik het hulle Devondale Store besit en in die huis langs die winkel gewoon. In die goeie dae van Devondale was daar die watertenks waar die stoomtreine water gevat het. Ek onthou nog die ou Convent wat een van die groot geboue in die omgewing was.

Wanneer daar by die familie op Kameel gaan kuier is, het oupa en ouma met die motorfiets en 

side-car gery.

 

Oupa Victor op die motorfiets reg om die pad te vat Kameel toe, maar daar was darem tyd vir ‘n foto sessie.

Dan was dit Ouma Hester se beurt in die syspan. Sou wat wou gee om daardie hoed van nader te kon besigtig.

Ouma op die motorfiets. Kyk die leer kamaste. In my opinie sien ons altyd ons oumas en oupas as baie streng maar as ek so na die foto’s kyk haal ek my hoed vir hulle af. Niks kon hulle onderkry nie.

Ek is seker hulle het by al die bekendes van die omgewing gekuier. Aunt Ethel (oupa se suster) en Uncle Rex Collins het, net oorkant die spoor op Devondale, gewoon. Ek is seker dat daar ook gekuier is by Uncle Alfi and Ant Nellie Fincham, wat op Kinderdam gewoon het. Ook onthou ek die Starkes van Curnow. Daar was die Barlow’s (my ouma en ouma aan moederskant) van Langverwag.

Pa Gerald het altyd vertel van die spook op Devondale – ouma en oupa het na die 4 uur tee gaan stap. Toe hulle terug kom was die tafeldoek onder die koppies en teepot uitgetrek en bo-oor alles gegooi, sonder dat iets uit sy plek was. Daar was natuurlik die fosfor-ligte op die drade waarvan Ma Floss vertel het.

Groot-Oupa Alfred Ernest is in 1937 oorlede en Oupa en Ouma Fincham het toe Kameelbult toe getrek

Die dae op die plaas was gevul met daaglikse plaas aktiwiteite. Die eerste trekker was ‘n groot aanwins.

Die Dorsmasjien

Kameel het ‘n winkel gekry – Mr McKay se winkel. Mr McKay was natuurlik Tannie Glen se pa. Hy het vir jare die winkel besit, maar die beste was die stories oor die mak kraanvoël, Jock, wat almal gejaag het.

Oom Ernest en Tannie Glen op hul troudag.

  Tannie Glen was ‘n legende in die plaaslike poskantoor waar sy vir jare gewerk het.

Die winkel is later jare deur Oom Daan en tant Lizzi bedryf. Nadat hulle vertrek het, het oom Russel en tannie Corrie Olewage die winkel bedryf. Later jare sou my ouers die winkel bedryf. Nadat hulle genoeg gehad het, het Patrick, my broer die winkel bedryf en later jare het hy dit verhuur. Toe die laaste huurders van die winkel hom, na vele kere gesoebat het om die winkel terug te neem, het hy die bul by die horings gepak en die deure van Wilrick Kontrei winkel geopen.

Kameel se “Mall” ‘n kontrei-winkel, posagentskap en die bottelstoor. 

Daar was ook die Italiaanse kryggevangenes wat op die plaas kom uithelp het na die Tweede Wêreld Oorlog. Pa Gerald het hulle by Zonderwater gevangenes gaan haal en weer teruggevat. Renato het vir baie jare kontak met die familie gehou.

My Pa, Gerald staan links

Pa Gerald, Oupa Victor, Ouma Hester, Jean voor en die Italiaaners.

Oupa Victor is in 1954 oorlede en ouma het die Cafee langs die treinspoor begin.

Kameel is een van die dae ek en Hennie se nuwe tuiste ons hoop om in die voetspore van ons ouers, groot-ouers en geliefdes te kan stap.

Aunt Louis, Aunt Mary and Aunt Ethel

Tot ‘n volgende keer 

Sandra en Hennie

Kameel Stoepstorie: A farm school in Kameel

This farm school opened its doors in 1934 in a room in my grandparents' house. My Granny – Hester Fincham was very involved with the day to day issues of the school. My parents and family also attended the farm school

Growth was evident and soon my grandfather – Victor Fincham built a school. Till today it is fondly remembered as the ‘Wit Skool” because since I can remember it was painted white.

Mrs Vic (Granny Hester) as she was known in the community was still seeing over the day to day running of the school. During a break, the learners would go to the post office to get the mail. En route to the post-office was Mr Mackay’s shop and here you could buy to huge Wilson toffees for one penny.

Fifty-seven years ago, my brother, Julian headed off to school. This was a huge family celebration as he was the eldest grandchild of Mrs Vic

Front Douglas and Julian. Middle Patric and Francis on Granny’s lap. Back Myself and Elaine

It looked like great fun and he even got to make sandwiches every day too! He had a smart suitcase, BOOKS, CRAYONS AND PAPERS! After not too much persuasion, I went off to school with him. I must have been the first 4-year-old in “Grade 0!”

  

Our teacher – I can’t remember if it was Miss Betsie or not, but she let me practice writing with the left hand and when that was tired, with the right hand. My mum would come and pick me up at break time soon after all the sandwiches had been devoured.

Front Riana, Maggie, Rita and Amanda. Middle Mariette, Elmarie, Elize, Myself and Ansie Next row Analize, Heila, Marieta, Velmay, Elaine and Ria. Roux, Hanelie, Anina, and Martjie (So sorry I have lost a name) Miss Betsie. Miss Betsie travelled by horse cart to school.

The most memorable thing from that first school year was Julian’s speech about what happened at home just before his leaving for school. I have never quite understood why children must always write a speech or composition about their holiday or what happened at home on a particular day.

Getting back to the story – like most farm children of the day, Ouboet (Big brother) was quite capable of driving the Ford. Hennie says it was a Ford 100. We would catch Uncle Koos’s bus to school. With Ouboet behind the wheel, we would drive to the farm gate and then get onto the bus.

His speech went as follows, “Miss, this morning on the way to school, Ford’s clutch slipped and the gears locked which nearly resulted in us being late for the bus.”

The following year, the school began and it was serious business. I recall Maggie and Elmarie who had the most delicious peach jam sandwiches. The sandwiches were later replaced by the most delicious chocolate cake. Elaine could go home whenever she felt like it. She was also my cousin and I would accompany her home during many a break time. She could run like a streak of lightning. Then there was Marieta and Mariette who could both sing so beautifully. Years later they would even get to sing the Drummer Boy song in the NG Church’s gallery. The clever girls were Heila, Riana and Amanda.

 

Still remember some of the boys' names Koos Swart, Johan, Evert, Karel, Kosie, Julian, Hennie, Pieter, Henry, Douglas, Patrick, Gertjie, Theo, Pookie, Johnny, Pierre, Diekie, Johannes Mr Olivier is the teacher. Ouboet is standing in the second row from the top just behind Gertjie with the black blazer. Next to Ouboet is Kosie with the badge on his lapel.

It was during this time of my life that I came to meet a certain school inspector. As he walked between the desks, he stopped at my desk. I think it was quite unusual at the time that a child could cope quite well writing with both their left and right hand. Perhaps he had not yet heard of the word ambidextrous! Who would have heard of such a thing back in 1963!

With the following words, “Miss, you had better decide which hand you are going to use to write with!” I got such a fright, I decided to go with the hand in which the crayon was held at the time – it was my left hand. Fortunately, all left-handed people are seen by myself as somewhat special, many of whom happen to be in our family.

 I remember Mr Basson – he had his classes in the old white school building. We sat according to our classes. The standard 3’s in front, then 4’s and then the 5’s. As the standards progressed each year, we would move further back too. The thing I remember the most about Mr Basson were his essays. He taught me to write about the mountains. He would write key words on the blackboard and we would have to create a story around them. I always wondered if he were missing the mountains of the Cape Boland as he would spend so much time teaching us about these majestic blue giants. I must say that from where I sit right now, living at the foot of the Platberg, I could even wax lyrical about the colours of this beautiful mountain.

 Later on, Andrew would arrive at school with his bandy legs. Like Elaine, he would run so fast you would just spot him disappearing into the distance!

And so, the years marched on. Many of our, “clutches,” would slip and our, “gears,” would jam but at the same time, we learned of the Majesty of God’s Grace and Mercy.

May God’s blessings always fall on the Kameel Primary School like soft and gentle rain.

Till next time

Hennie & Sandra