Hello Pat That bridge could very well have been built by the Italian prisoners of war but I have yet to find confirmed evidence. Bainskloof to Du Toit's Kloof was built by 500 Italian prisoners of were used in the early stages of the work and in 1949 it was completed with local labour. Chapman's Peak, Outeniqua pass and the beautiful Bulshoek dam stone wall was also built by Italian prisoners of war. I would suggest that you contact the local historian at Lourensford wine estate as I am sure they will be able to help. I did find this " We now turn left into Main Street, Somerset West.De Grote Algemene Weg of yesteryear. As we cross the bridge completed in 1938 we see the original double span Table Mountain sandstone bridge on the right. It is dated 1845 and is a National Monument." Which means it was a new bridge built around the 2nd World War. http://www.gordonsbay.com/somersetwest_1.htm Today the town boasts the largest concentration of millionaire residents in the country an the 2nd largest German community outside of Germany. Regards. Heather Heather MacAlister Channel Manager E heather@ancestry24.co.za T +27 (021) 406 4343 F +27 (0)86 5810390 Join us on Facebook twitter.com/ancestry24 | Skype: ancestry24 7th Floor , 11 Adderley Street, Cape Town, 8000 | ancestry24.co.za -----Original Message----- From: south-africa-cape-town-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:south-africa-cape-town-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Pat Frykberg Sent: 23 June 2012 05:01 AM To: south-africa-cape-town@rootsweb.com Subject: [SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN] Old Bridge Somerset West I have had a query thus: "My father's parents came from Somerset West. He has told me that the bridge was built in 1860 by Italian prisoners-of-war and has been recently renovated. Can you find out more. Was that the Boer war?" Her story has been terribly garbled and misunderstood and as so often happens gets distorted and muddled in the minds of those who have it only on hearsay. Sadly she knows very little about SA. Well from my own personal experience I know Italian POWs were sent down to SA after SA troops invaded Abyssinia in WW2. Possible some later too from Libya. Many of these POWs did a lot of work on farms, built at least one church in Nigel, and generally many were on parole. There was no war with Italy in 1860! She has clearly heard vaguely of the ABW. Please would someone tell me about Somerset West's bridge over I think the Lourens River? I have done some googling which has photos of a stone bridge and taverns. etc. But I can't find a good history of the town. I do know it is stunningly beautiful part of the Cape. Many thanks for any help and information sincerely Patricia Frykberg Havelock North New Zealand ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2180 / Virus Database: 2437/5079 - Release Date: 06/19/12 This email and its contents are subject to an email legal notice that can be viewed at: http://www.naspers.com/email/disclaimer.html Should you be unable to access the link provided, please email us for a copy at csc@optinet.net Hierdie e-pos en sy inhoud is onderhewig aan 'n regskennisgewing oor elektroniese pos wat gelees kan word by http://www.naspers.com/epos/vrywaring.html 'n Afskrif kan aangevra word by csc@optinet.ne
That's exactly what I needed Heather. She is English this lady, who married a chap from Zimbabwe whose parents came from SomersetW. You ( and I ) must be constantly aware of how stories get distorted. I had occasion this week to give an address to Rotary and was astonished at how few of those " leaders" of our society knew that a place like Namibia existed. They asked innumerable questions. thankfully I was able to answer. One thing genealogy does is to widen one's horizons and witness man's fragility! Thanks my dear. I cruise your site but am really getting past active research. But not interest. You do a splendid job. Pat -------------------------------------------------- From: "Heather MacAlister" <heather@ancestry24.co.za> Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2012 4:14 AM To: <south-africa-cape-town@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN] Old Bridge Somerset West > Hello Pat > > That bridge could very well have been built by the Italian prisoners of > war but I have yet to find confirmed evidence. > Bainskloof to Du Toit's Kloof was built by 500 Italian prisoners of were > used in the early stages of the work and in 1949 it was completed with > local labour. Chapman's Peak, Outeniqua pass and the beautiful Bulshoek > dam stone wall was also built by Italian prisoners of war. > I would suggest that you contact the local historian at Lourensford wine > estate as I am sure they will be able to help. > > I did find this " We now turn left into Main Street, Somerset West.De > Grote Algemene Weg of yesteryear. As we cross the bridge completed in 1938 > we see the original double span Table Mountain sandstone bridge on the > right. It is dated 1845 and is a National Monument." Which means it was a > new bridge built around the 2nd World War. > http://www.gordonsbay.com/somersetwest_1.htm > > Today the town boasts the largest concentration of millionaire residents > in the country an the 2nd largest German community outside of Germany. > > Regards. > Heather > > Heather MacAlister > Channel Manager > E heather@ancestry24.co.za > T +27 (021) 406 4343 > > > F +27 (0)86 5810390 > Join us on Facebook > twitter.com/ancestry24 | Skype: ancestry24 > 7th Floor , 11 Adderley Street, Cape Town, 8000 | ancestry24.co.za > > > -----Original Message----- > From: south-africa-cape-town-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:south-africa-cape-town-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Pat > Frykberg > Sent: 23 June 2012 05:01 AM > To: south-africa-cape-town@rootsweb.com > Subject: [SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN] Old Bridge Somerset West > > I have had a query thus: > "My father's parents came from Somerset West. He has told me that the > bridge was built in 1860 by Italian prisoners-of-war and has been recently > renovated. Can you find out more. Was that the Boer war?" > Her story has been terribly garbled and misunderstood and as so often > happens gets distorted and muddled in the minds of those who have it only > on hearsay. Sadly she knows very little about SA. > > Well from my own personal experience I know Italian POWs were sent down > to SA after SA troops invaded Abyssinia in WW2. Possible some later too > from Libya. Many of these POWs did a lot of work on farms, built at least > one church in Nigel, and generally many were on parole. There was no war > with Italy in 1860! She has clearly heard vaguely of the ABW. > > Please would someone tell me about Somerset West's bridge over I think the > Lourens River? > I have done some googling which has photos of a stone bridge and taverns. > etc. But I can't find a good history of the town. I do know it is > stunningly beautiful part of the Cape. > > Many thanks for any help and information > > sincerely > Patricia Frykberg > Havelock North > New Zealand > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.2180 / Virus Database: 2437/5079 - Release Date: 06/19/12 > This email and its contents are subject to an email legal notice that can > be viewed at: http://www.naspers.com/email/disclaimer.html Should you be > unable to access the link provided, please email us for a copy at > csc@optinet.net > Hierdie e-pos en sy inhoud is onderhewig aan 'n regskennisgewing oor > elektroniese pos wat gelees kan word by > http://www.naspers.com/epos/vrywaring.html 'n Afskrif kan aangevra word by > csc@optinet.ne > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2433/5087 - Release Date: 06/22/12 > >