Graves of DR Church

August 15, 2021

Graves of DR Church

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

More projects

August 18, 2021

Wall Mounted Family Coats of Arms

Wall Mounted Family Coats of Arms.

Owing to the public’s enthusiasm regarding The Swellendam Heritage Association’s project “Swellendam Families” now in the process of lining the lower part of the town’s main road, the Swellendam Heritage Association are pleased to announce an extension to the project. The name given to this extension is “The Swellendam Families Private Collection”.

As the name try’s to suggests, the project enables families to erect their family’s crest at their home.

The crests are available in various sizes, are in colour and mounted on a rust resistant Chromodek® steel plate panel which can be affixed to a suitable place on a wall at the family’s home.

These family crest panels make an excellent long-lasting gift as well.

Prices are as follows:

  • 200mm X 300mm = R300* incl
  • 300mm X 400mm = R400* incl
  • 400mm X 600mm = R500* incl

Where a family crest is available in the SHA’s library.

There is an additional charge of R400 where a crest needs to be created.

Contact / Kontak Hennie Steyn 082 956 9454  flinkskink@gmail.com Philip Bromley 073 248 3999 p.bromley05@gmail.com   Bank besonderhede / details Nedbank (Swellendam) Branch / Tak 19876500 Swellendam Heritage Association / Erfenisvereniging Rekening Nr / Account Nbr 1118273125 Please enter your surname as reference. Meld asseblief u van as verwysing.  

Muur gemonteerde  Familiewapens.

As gevolg van die publiek se entoesiasme in verband met Die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging se projek “Swellendam Families” wat tans besig is om die onderkant van die dorp se hoofstraat te versier, is die Die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging bly om aan te kondig ‘n uitbreiding van die projek. Die uitbreiding word benoem “Die Swellendam Families Privaat Versameling”

Soos die naam probeer aandui, laat die projek toe dat families hulle familewapen by die huis kan oprig.

Hierdie familiewapen bordjies maak ook sommer ‘n oulike duursame geskenk.

Pryse is soos volg:

  • 200mm X 300mm = R300* insl
  • 300mm X 400mm = R400* insl
  • 400mm X 600mm = R500* insl

Waar ‘n familiewapen beskikbaar is in die Erfenisvereniging se versameling.

Daar is ‘n additionele koste van R400 as ‘n familiewapen nuut geskep moet word.

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August 16, 2021

Request for donations

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


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.


The Swellendam Heritage Association.


Banking details for donations are above.

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August 13, 2021

Swellendam Crests

C/O Moolman Street 10
Swellendam,
Western Cape Province ,
6740.

TO: Mr Dana Du Plessis
CC: Mr Anton Groenewald
FROM: The Swellendam Heritage Association (SHA)

Dear Sir,

SWELLENDAM FAMILY CREST PROJECT

Our meeting of 22 August 2018 to discuss the potential Family Crest Project has reference.

As communicated at the above meeting, it is the intention of the Swellendam Heritage Association (SHA) to launch a community focussed and inclusive heritage project with support from the Municipal Management Team.

This project entails the design and installation of board mounted family crests on existing lamp posts along the western end of Voortrek Street in Swellendam.

The aim of the project is not only to enhance our town and draw visitors, but also to draw together the diverse families within the Swellendam community. Less privileged families will be sponsored and assisted with the design and erection of their family crests to ensure representation that is true to the intention of this initiative.

Approval for this initiative from the Municipality, as well as assistance with the erection of the Crests is requested. We plan to launch a pilot project consisting of three (3) installations following which an assessment will be made. Depending on the outcome of the assessment the intention is to proceed with the rollout of approximately 60 installations.

I trust that the above will meet with your approval.

Kind regards

PHILIP BROMLEY
Chairman – SHA

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August 12, 2021

Replacement Facsimile Bronze Plaques Available

(Article from the Heritage Portal)

Over the past two decades, many bronze old National Monuments plaques have been damaged or stolen. For those owners and institutions looking to replace these plaques there is a cost effective ceramic substitute which is incredibly durable and looks exactly like the original. It is resistant to sun, rain and wind and is worthless to bronze thieves. The plaques are easily attached to walls with ordinary silicone adhesive.

*Only Registered PHS (Provincial Heritage Sites) should apply.

*It is recommended that where such an original bronze plaque is still in place, the owner of the building remove the original plaque and have this re-affixed safely inside the building and the facsimile plaque affixed in its place outside.

The ceramic plaques cost R700 each. The cost includes prompt delivery with Postnet’s courier service.

Contact Marthinus van Bart for more information or to order – kultuurkroniek@gmail.com  or 072 740 5203.

* Text inserted by The Swellendam Heritage association

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