Dear Barry You refer to an interesting book. Are you not aware of publications about Tollgates in the Cape(Eastern) Province in the late 1800's? Regards Marthinus -----Original Message----- From: south-africa-cape-town-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:south-africa-cape-town-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of south-africa-cape-town-request@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 9:01 AM To: south-africa-cape-town@rootsweb.com Subject: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Digest, Vol 7, Issue 162 Today's Topics: 1. Re: Old Bridge Somerset West (Coral Anna Foster) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:38:46 +0000 From: Coral Anna Foster <thandisa@msn.com> Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN] Old Bridge Somerset West To: south africa <south-africa-cape-town@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <SNT127-W42E9606B210B58837DF224C9E10@phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hello Barry: I wondered if the book mentions any of my family, FRANK EDWIN CARTWRIGHT & his siblings & offspring? also, the WATERMEYER family? I know that he owned the farm, SPIER & also had business ties w/ Lourensford Estate, but wondered if there was anything in the book. Thanks for your kind offer, Coral Anna (Cartwright) Foster Bridgewater, VA, USA (ex Kalk Bay) > From: bcrookes@iafrica.com > To: south-africa-cape-town@rootsweb.com > Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2012 15:54:10 +0200 > Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN] Old Bridge Somerset West > > Hi Pat > > There is a book called "The Story of Hottentots Holland" by Peggy Heap which > was published in 1970 with the sub-title "Social history of Somerset West, > the Strand, Gordon's Bay and Sir Lowry Pass over three centuries" which > states that "The Lourens River was bridged by the Central Road Board in > 1845. This double-span bridge was proclaimed a national monument in 1938 in > which year a new bridge was completed." > > The Central Road Board was formed in 1843 on account of the "appalling > condition of the roads in the colony". "The Colonial Secretary, the Hon. > John Montagu - he had fought as a subaltern at the battle of Waterloo - was > the force behind this body. One of the Central Road Board's first tasks was > the construction of a hard road across the Cape Downs. This work was > undertaken by Lt Col Charles Mitchell, Surveyor-General and Civil Engineer > of the Cape Colony, who had built Sir Lowry's Pass in 1830." > > The completion was widely welcomed but... "Within two years long stretches > of the road almost disappeared under drifting sands. Nothing daunted, > Mitchell then raised it in the worst places to a height of sixteen feet. At > the same time Montagu was experimenting with the planting of Hottentot or > sour fig (Mesembryanthemum) in an attempt to hold the sand. This was > partially successful, but Montagu was not satisfied and, every South African > bush and tree having been tried, he imported from Australia seeds of the > Port Jackson willow, wattle and hakea. These grew and spread, the Hrd Road > was saved and the sand of the Cape Downs controlled to a marked degree". > > These Australian trees are now widely distributed throughout the Western > Cape and in many places threaten the indigenous fynbos species, and > strenuous efforts are being taken to eliminate them. > > I am sure that Peggy Heap's book is now out of print, but I have a copy and, > as it has many stories of local families going back many years, if anyone > would like me to look up anything please get in touch with me, and if I am > not overwhelmed by the enquiries, I will see what I can find! > > Barry Crookes > > > > ------------------------------- > 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 ------------------------------ To contact the SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN list administrator, send an email to SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-admin@rootsweb.com. To post a message to the SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN mailing list, send an email to SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN@rootsweb.com. __________________________________________________________ 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 email with no additional text. End of SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Digest, Vol 7, Issue 162 ******************************************************