Wall Mounted Family Coats of Arms

On Monday 3 September 2018 the Swellendam Heritage Association had two heritage information boards erected in the town.

One of these information boards is erected on the site of old lemmetjiesdorp (Lemmetjies Town) which area is still referred  to by this name. The inscription on the information board which is self explanatory reads as follows:

Lemmetjiesdorp

The area known as Lemmetjiesdorp was sold to one Dawid Lemmetjies in 1849. Upon Dawid Lemmetjies’ death in 1863 the plot of land passed on to his son, Arend Lemmetjies. Thirteen brown families lived on this land alongside the Glen stream.  In the 1970’s the Group Areas Act forced the Lemmetjies family descendents off their land.

This panel has been erected by The Swellendam Heritage Association as a dedication to the Lemmetjies family.

Lemmetjiesdorp

Die gebied bekend as Lemmetjiesdorp is in 1849 aan ene Dawid Lemmetjies verkoop. Met Dawid Lemmetjies se dood in 1863 is die stuk grond aan sy seun, Arend Lemmetjies, oorgedra. Dertien bruin gesinne het op die grond langs die Glenstroom gewoon. In die 1970’s het die Groepsgebiedewet die nageslag van die Lemmetjies-familie van hulle grond gedwing.

Hierdie paneel is opgerig deur die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging as erkenning aan die Lemmetjies-familie.

Lemmetjiesdorp Sign Erected 03. 09. 2018

The second information board was erected at the old Anglican Cemetery and is again dedicated to members of the Lemmetjies family who were the stone masons who built the lovely old stone wall around the cemetery. Again the inscription is self explanatory and reads as follows:

THE ANGLICAN CEMETERY STONE WALL

This beautiful wall of dressed stone bonded with clay was built by one Arend Lemmetjies circa 1855 when the Anglican Church was built in Swellendam. Arend Lemmetjies was a sought after stone-mason in Swellendam in the 1800’s along with his builder father Dawid Lemmetjies.

This panel has been erected by The Swellendam Heritage Association as a dedication to the Lemmetjies family.

DIE ANGLIKAANSE BEGRAAFPLAAS-RINGMUUR

Die Anglikaanse Kerk is in 1855 in Swellendam gebou. Die Anglikaanse begraafplaas is ongeveer dieselfde tyd geopen. Die pragtige klipmuur, wat met klei gebind is, is deur ene Arend Lemmetjies gebou. Hy en sy vader, Dawid Lemmetjies, was in daardie tyd gesogte klipkappers en bouers in Swellendam.

Hierdie paneel is opgerig deur die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging as erkenning aan die Lemmetjies-familie.

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On 19th March 2018 the church council of the DR Church. Swellendam decided to ask the Swellendam Heritage Association to make a survey of the remaining graves on the church property because, at the time, there was no complete catalogue of the details of the graves. That made it difficult for researchers and family members to get information they required. It will also make history more accessible to visitors and will make it easier to find a specific grave. This survey subject to specific conditions contains the following:

1. The drawing up of a catalogue with the location of each grave, as well as the wording of each tombstone. A short summary of the background of each grave is added
2. The tombstones are cleaned to remove algae which makes it difficult to read the wording on the tombstones.
3. When required the gravel on the grass will be supplemented or re-done
4. Gravestones where lettering has faded are to be repainted.
5. The church council wants the character of the graves to reflect the fact that the graveyard is already more than 200 years old.

The execution of these decisions was a special journey of discovery into the history of Swellendam, with this publication the church council, together with the Heritage association, hope to contribute to the writing of the history of Swellendam and hope that it will also be a valuable source of information to researchers and visitors to Swellendam.

The Church council hereby thanks the Swellendam Heritage committee for their great assistance and knowledgeable advice in the successful documenting and repair of the graveyard.

Hennie Steyn

SHA Committee

June 2018

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The committee of SHA took on the task of restoring the old "dipgat" on the corner where the Ashton Road meets the R60.

Under the guidance of Philip Bromley & Hennie Steyn, work is well under way.

There was a lot of preparation but the whitewash has now been applied and the results are looking really good - take a look as you Enter & Exit the town.

A new sign will be placed by the dipgat which will include a list of sponsors who have provided skills & materials .

The muicipality has been asked to make a car park so passing visitors can stop and look at this unusual artifact.

Die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging het onlangs 60 nuwe bykomende familiewapens langs hoofstraat aangebring. Dit is moontlik gemaak met finansiering deur mense wat spesifieke families verteenwoordig of erkenning aan ‘n spesifieke familie wou gee.

Hierdie versoek gaan aan mense wat:

1. Aan die bogenoemde families behoort en nie die geleentheid gehad het om daartoe by
   te dra nie.
2. Mense wat graag aan die projek wil deelneem en hul familiewapen borg omdat dit nie
   verteenwoordig word nie.
3. Mense wat graag ń ander familie se familiewapen wil borg. Of miskien ‘n familiewapen
   van een van die ou vaders van die dorp wat nie meer hier verteenwoordig word nie. Bv Ds Von Manger
4. Mense wat voel dis te duur, maar tog ń klein bydrae tot die projek te maak.

Alle families in Swellendam, toe en nou, is welkom om deel te neem. Ons het ook bydraes vir toekomstige instandhouding nodig. Geen bydrae is te klein nie en alle bydraes word erken. Alle donateurs se name word in ons argief aangeteken en bewaar.
Ons is baie bly oor al die positiewe kommentaar en hoop dit sal almal inspireer om hiertoe soos bo uiteengesit is, by te dra.
Die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging

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Bank Besonderhede vir skenkings:
Nedbank Swellendam
Branch / Tak 19876500
Swellendam Heritage Association / Swellendam Erfenisvereniging
Rekening Nr / Account Nbr 1118273125
Please enter your surname as reference.
Meld asseblief u van as verwysing.

The Swellendam Heritage Association recently erected 60 new additional family crests along Main Street. This was made possible with funding from people who represented specific families or wanted to give recognition to a particular family of their choosing.
This appeal is addressed to people who:

1. Belong to the above-mentioned families and did not have an opportunity to contribute to
   the cost of their family’s crest at the time.
2. Families who would like to participate in the project and sponsor their family crest as it is
   still not represented
3. Persons who want to sponsor a family crest for a family who financially find it difficult to
   participate or perhaps the crest of one of the past families of Swellendam no longer
   represented here. For example Ds Von Manger etc.
4. Persons who feel the cost is too high but would still like to make a small contribution to
   the project

All families of Swellendam, past and present, are encouraged to participate. We need contributions for future maintenance of the crests. No contribution is too small and all contributions will be acknowledged. All contributors’ names will be recorded and preserved in our archive.
We are encouraged by the positive comments we have received about this project and hope this will inspire everyone to make a contribution along the lines suggested above.

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The Swellendam Heritage Association.

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Banking details for donations are above.