Colonial History of Knysna 1770-1890 (Part 4)

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The History of Knysna – Municipality of Knysna: By the early 1870’s Knysna had 25 settler dwellings with a population of 200. Also in early 1870, Arnt and Matheus Thesen and their families arrived to settle in Knysna. The Thesen’s had travelled from Norway on their sailing ship, the Albatros, and brought with them much needed sailing, commercial and practical skills. The Albatros was immediately put to use as a coastal trading vessel. The large family soon set to work in the vast indigenous forests, extracting and exporting timber on … Read the full article…

Colonial History of Knysna 1770-1890 (Part 3 – Magistracy)

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The History of Knysna – Knysna becomes a Seat of Magistracy: By 1848 the population of, what was to become the village of Knysna, excluding the families of the gentleman farmers, viz. Rex, Duthie and Barrington, and their retainers, consisted of a tiny (white) population of only 10 adults and 5 children! But the character of Knysna was soon to change. In 1847 John Sutherland built a stone school building and by 1855 there were 55 school children attending class. The building of the school was closely followed by the … Read the full article…

Colonial History of Knysna 1770-1890 (Part 2)

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The History of Knysna – Belvidere, Portland & the village of Newhaven: The next major player to settle in Knysna was Captain Thomas Henry Duthie, late of the 72 Highlanders, who married Caroline Rex and, in 1834, bought the farm Uitzicht from his father-in-law George Rex, which had been re-named Belvidere by Rex, located on the west side of the Knysna Estuary. Here, in 1848, Duthie built a stone farmhouse and raised a family. He was also the driving force behind the building of the little Norman style sandstone church … Read the full article…

Colonial History of Knysna 1770-1890 (Part 1)

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The History of Knysna – Melkhoutkraal Farm & the Village of Melville: Stephanus Ter Blans, the eldest son of Heemraad Ter Blans (Terblanche) of the Reeboksfontein farm near Little Brak River, was the first recorded colonist farmer to settle on the Knysna Estuary, in 1770. The loan farm was registered as de Melkhoute Craal (Melhoutkraal) and was located on the east bank of the Knysna River. The farm stretched from the Indian Ocean to today’s Long Street in town. Ter Blans died in 1794. Ter Blans’ widow, Hester Marx, remained … Read the full article…