HASA Symposium 2021

Drostdy Court Room in the Drostdy, Swellengrebel Street.

Tea / Coffee / Registration.

Welcome, Alf Hunter, Chair of Swellendam Heritage Association & Jacques Stoltz, Chair of Heritage Association of South Africa.

HASA AGM.

Light finger lunch at Aan de Eike, 13 Swellengrebel Street.

HASA AGM.

A presentation and workshop on “Colour your life ” will be presented for partners/spouses by MargieWalker.

Guided tour of the museum complex by Johan Kriek to include:
The Drostdy, the Old Goal, the Ambergswerf, Mayville and the Gwen Fagan Rose Garden.

Meet at the OLD GOAL by the OLD MILL, 243 Voortrek Street for drinks and a traditional dinner.
Philip Bromley to introduce the “Family Crest” project.
Wynand Olivier will talk about the ‘Onderdorp’, the end of town where craftspeople had their workshops.

NG Kerk Hall, 5 Voortrek Street.

Tea / Coffee / Registration.

Welcome, Executive Mayor Nicholas Myburgh & HASA Chair, Jacques Stoltz.

Housekeeping, Carol Podd.

Presentations introduced by Jacques Stoltz.
Time will be allocated for questions.

The invisible Khoekhoen of the Overberg - Prof Andrew Smith.

Overberg furniture - Len Raymond.

Tea / Coffee / Book Sale.
Presentations - working with Provincial Heritage Authorities.

Urban heritage in Stellenbosch - Lauren Buchanan.

Problems with heritage legislation in rural Karoo Towns - Dr Judy Maguire.

Overview, and way forward - Dr Antonia Malan.

Lunch – Grace & Merci. Kerk plein, 8A Voortrek Street.

Town Walk to the famous eclectic NG Kerk where organ music will be played, 11 Voortrek Street.
On to the cemetery with its stories with hosts Hennie & Annemie Steyn.

Walk to Oefeningshuis - present a blue plaque, 36 Voortrek Street.

Visit to Schoone Oordt, a Georgian house with Victorian cast iron verandah. 1 Swellengrebel Street
Alison Walker will tell us about the building and provide tea in the garden.

Sherry at The Auld House once the home of Joseph Barry, the leading mercantile trader and founder of “Barry and nephews”. 4 Voortrek Street.
During the latter half of the 20th century, the house was restored by Rupert & Alida Erskine and will be described by Len Raymond.

Delegates and guests will attend a Gala Gold Award Dinner at the NG Kerk Hall.
Venue: 7 Voortrek Street.

NG Kerk Hall, 5 Voortrek Street.

Meet in the Drostdy carpark. 18 Swellengrebel Street.
A bus will be provided and seating will be COVID-19 compliant. Delegates may use their own transport.

Depart.

Suurbraak, one of the oldest Mission stations in the country where the Attaqua and free slaves have settled and built homes dating to the early 1800s. (Suurbraak is located just east of Swellendam along the N2 highway and the R324, at the southern end of the Tradouw Pass).
The Mission buildings in the Braak were restored by the Swellendam Heritage Association, known then as the Swellendam Trust.
Local artist Donovan Julies will talk about the place and the motivation for his work.

Visit Lismore (The Barry farm) at the foot of the Tradouw Pass and still worked by members of the family. R324, Suurbraak.
Jonathan Barry will tell the story of the farm and provide tea.

Next a visit to the VOC’s (DEIC) cattle outpost, Rietvallei (aan de Buffeljagsrivier leggend) established as far as can be ascertained, circa 1729. It is still a working farm today.
There will be a chance to talk to an aged farm labourer whose family have been engaged on the farm for generations.

Sugar Bridge (bus stop) Swellendam’s most famous endangered heritage site – constructed by the Higgo Brothers to the Design of Charles Michell in 1852.
Weather permitting we will cross the Bufflesjags river by the drift between the train bridge and the piers of the original engineer’s bridge which have stood idly for nearly 100 years, awaiting a new roadway.
Many and various plans have been mooted and Etienne Zeeman will up-date you with the latest plan.

Rotterdam, a farm owned by the landdrost Anthonie Faure in the late 1700s, was farmed very successfully.
Over years it fell into disrepair and was restored by the Fraser-Jones family including the farm house and enlarged werf. Andrew Fraser-Jones will describe his farm.
A light lunch of farm bread & cheeses will be provided.

Returning to town the route will go across the railway tracks to visit Railton.
There will be a stop at the train station once a delightful Art Deco building and we will pass the Bloemfontein huisie, the oldest building in Railton.

Back in Swellendam, we will reach the Agricultural Show ground, home to the oldest continually held show in the World. 2021 would have been 188 years but for the COVID pandemic – it still deserves recognition and a blue plaque will be presented.

The tour will finish at Klippe Rivier described by Hans Fransen as “certainly the finest house in the “Overberg”.
The land has been farmed since 1725 and for many generations by the Steyn family. The current owners  Michael &  Hanneke Dippenaar will show you their house and give one of their famous teas.

Closure with an informal spit braai at the Swellendam Bowls Club.