History of Clanwilliam

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CLANWILLIAM

BEGINNINGS

One of the ten oldest towns, Clanwilliam’s beginnings goes back to 1660 when a team of Dutch explorers who were sent out by Jan van Riebeeck first reached the Olifants River. When they entered the valley, the saw a large number of elephants on the riverbank. Jan Danckaert, the Dutch cadet in charge of the party, then named the river.

In 1732 the first farm in the Olifants River valley was awarded to Pieter van Zyl. The Town was originally known as Jan Disselsvlei , after Jan Dissel, a local pioneer and a botanist who lived in the Rhenosterbosch at Piquetbergen.

The area first formed part of the district of Stellenbosch, but was declared a sub-district of its own in 1808 by the Earl of Caledon, then Governor of the Cape.

A new name: On 1 January 1814, Caledon’s successor, Sir John Cradock, renamed the area after his father-in-law, the Earl of Clanwilliam. It cannot be said with certainty when the town originated, but according to the available information it must have been between 1804 and 1808.

ARRIVAL OF THE 1820 SETTLERS

Lord Charles Somerset (Governor of the Cape Colony from 1814) wanted more people to be sent out to the Cape and to be settled in the Eastern Cape. As a result of his idea of an immigration scheme the British Government decided in July 1819 to go forward with the scheme which for them had a three-fold purpose:
* To populate the eastern frontier of the Cape of Good Hope
* To increase the English-speaking community in their new Colony.
* To ease political tensions in Britain that had been stretched to breaking point with post-war unemployment, industrialisation and poor trade.

On 12 February 1820 the ships “East Indian” and “Fanny” left Cork with four, mainly Irish, groups of immigrants and reached Simons Bay on 30 April and 1 May respectively. From there they sailed to Saldanha Bay. Although Lord Charles Somerset was planning to settle all the settlers in the Zuurveld in the Eastern Cape, the acting Governor, Sir Rufane Donkin, decided to grant land in the vicinity of Clanwilliam to four groups of Irish Settlers to keep them separate from the other Settlers.

The four groups were led by William Parker, Captain Walter Synnot, Captain Thomas Butler and Mnr. John Ingram and consisted of 126 men, 73 women and 159 children. Rev. Francis McCleland, paid by the Colonial Government, accompanied them while Parker was the leader.
Every male immigrant older than eighteen would receive one hundred acres to cultivate and after three years ownership would be transferred to them. The land they would receive was marked out for each group as follows:
Parker: Kleine Valley (1 600 morgen)
Ingram: Groote-en Kleine Patryse Valley (1 350 morgen)
Butler: Taaybosch Kraal (600 morgen)
Synnot: The present farm De Vlei (500 morgen)

When Parker heard that he had to go to Clanwilliam and not Knysna, as he had thought, he continued to cause problems for the authorities and demanded to be settled in Saldanha Bay, but eventually returned to Ireland in 1822.
The rest of the Settlers decided to move to Clanwilliam.

After a short while in Clanwilliam, the Settlers realised that they would not be able to make a living here. The arable land was not enough and the heat necessitated irrigation. Most of them were skilled labourers anyway and even the farmers among them did not understand the South African conditions. They requested a transfer and were taken to the Eastern Cape where they settled.

However, Ingram remained and he was able to buy the land of those who left at a very low price. Also Synnot remained and on 30 November 1821 he was appointed the assistant magistrate of the area.

When, in 1825, Rev. McCleland had only six families left in his congregation he was transferred to Port Elizabeth. The small group who settled here permanently included surnames like Foster, Freyer, Shaw, McMahon, and others. Even though they were a small group, they played a leading role in the area until the first half of the previous century.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHURCH AND CONGREGATION

Until 1826 Clanwilliam formed part of the town Tulbagh, although a portion of the population chose to attend Zwartlandkerk (Malmesbury).

For more than eighty years Roodezand and Zwartland remain the nearest churches. It should be mentioned that the priest of Tulbagh did visit Clanwilliam once a year for the sacraments and serving the baptism.

Marquard was born in 1789 in Pruise and settled in the Netherlands at the age of 18 where he finished his theological course. After that he was sent to the “Cape of Good Hope” to work with the coloured people of the Clanwilliam district. In 1815 he travelled from Europe and settled in Clanwilliam.

When his fellowship decided to place his mission work under the control of the London Missionary Society in 1816, Marquard was so dissatisfied, that he left their service and joined the “Colonial Reformed Church”. He became a member of the Zwartland Church but stayed in Clanwilliam as an independent missionary.

DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA

In 1914 the Bulshoekdam was built in the Olifantsriver, about fifteen miles north of Clanwilliam, to bring irrigation to Vredendal. In 1935 the Clanwilliam dam was completed. On August 15, 1935 the dam overflowed for the first time.

In June 1958 the national road (N7) between Citrusdal and Clanwilliam finally opened and in 1963 the one between Clanwilliam and Klawer opened.

DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOWN

Although initially very slow, the town gradually grew into a modern country town with a population of 264 whites and 840 coloureds in 1907 to 818 whites, 1,372 coloureds and 24 blacks, according to the census records of 1960.

In 1901, the town received municipal status with Mr. Charles Fryer, one of the descendants of the 1820 Irish Settlers, as the first mayor.

In 1964 the town received its own coat of arms which symbolized the citrus industry and the Olifants River. The motto “Toujours Pret” (Always Ready) is derived from the coat of arms of the Clanwilliams in Scotland.

This picturesque town, the beauty of the Northwest, has had its own hydroelectric generator since 1938 which provided electricity for the most part of the year. In 1958 it was enlarged at a cost of R 80 000. Also the town’s water supply scheme was improved in the same year for an amount of R42 000.

A modern Memorial Library was built during 1958 for the amount of R20 000. It was named after Dr. C. Leipoldt, who spent his childhood years here, and his friend, Dr. P. le Fras Nortier, the father of the seedless orange tree.

DIE KORTLIKSE GESKIEDENIS VAN CLANWILLIAM

DIE BEGIN

As een van die tien oudste dorpe in die land gaan Clanwilliam se begindae so ver terug as 1660 toe ‘n span Nederlandse ontdekkers wat deur Jan van Riebeeck uitgestuur is, die Olifantsrivier bereik het. Toe hulle die vallei binnekom, het hulle ‘n groot getal olifante op die walle van die river opgemerk. Jan Danckaert, die Nederlandse kadet in bevel van die geselskap, het toe die rivier sy naam gegee.

In 1732 is die eerste plaas in die Olifantsriviervallei gegee aan Pieter van Zyl. Die dorp was eers bekend as Jan Disselsvlei , so genoem na Jan Dissel, ‘n plaaslike pionier en ‘n botanis wat gewoon het in die Rhenosterbosch by Piquetbergen. Die gebied het aanvanklik deel gevorm van die distrik van Stellenbosch, maar is in 1808 verklaar tot ‘n sub-distrik op sy eie deur die Graaf van Caledon, wat toe die Goewerneur van die Kaap was.

‘N NUWE NAAM

Op 1 Januarie 1814, het Caledon se opvolger, Sir John Cradock, die streek hernoem na sy skoonvader, die Graaf van Clanwilliam.

AANKOMS VAN DIE 1820 SETLAARS

Lord Charles Somerset (Goewerneur van die Kaapkolonie vanaf 1814) wou hê dat meer mense na die Kaap gestuur moes word en in die Oos-Kaap gevestig word. Hierdie idee van hom het ‘n immigrasie skema deur die Britse regering in 1819 tot stand gekom met ‘n drie-voudige doel:
* Om die oostelike grens van die Kaap die Goeie Hoop te bevolk
* Om die Engelssprekende gemeenskap in die Kolonie te vergroot
* Om politieke spanning in Brittanje te verlig wat as gevolg van na-oorlogse werklooshied, industrialisasie en swak handel, breekpunt bereik het

Op 12 Februarie 1820 het die skepe “East Indian” en “Fanny” uit Cork gevaar met vier groepe immigrante, hoofsaaklik Iere. Hulle het Simonsbaai bereik op 30 April en 1 Mei respektiewelik. Alhoewel Lord Charles Somerset van plan was om al die Setlaars in die Zuurveld in die Oos-Kaap te vestig, het die dienende goewerneur, Sir Rufane Donkin, besluit om grond in die omgewing van Clanwilliam aan die vier groepe Ierse Setlaars toe te ken om hulle sodoende weg te hou van die ander Setlaars.

Die vier groepe is gelei deur William Parker, Captain Walter Synnot, Captain Thomas Butler en Mnr. John Ingram en het bestaan uit 126 mans, 73 vroue en 159 kinders.
Ds. Francis McCleland, wat deur die Kolonial Regering betaal is, het met hulle saamgegaan, terwyl Parker die leier was.
Elke manlike immigrant ouer as agtien sou eenhonderd akker grond ontvang om te bewerk. Na drie jaar sou eienaarskap aan hulle oorgedra word. Die grond was soos volg uitgemerk vir elke groep:
Parker: Kleine Valley (1 600 morg)
Ingram: Groote-en Kleine Patryse Valley (1 350 morg)
Butler: Taaybosch Kraal (600 morg)
Synnot: Die huidige plaas De Vlei (500 morg)

Toe Parker verneem dat hy na Clanwilliam moes gaan en nie na Knysna nie, soos hy verwag het, het hy aangehou om probleme vir die outoriteite te maak en het ge-eis om in Saldanhabaai gevestig te word, maar hy het uiteindelik teruggekeer na Ierland in 1822. Die res van die Settlaars het besluit om tog na Clanwilliam te trek.

Na ‘n kort tydjie in Clanwilliam het die settlaars besef dat hulle nie daar ‘n lewe sou kon maak nie. Die bewerkbare grond was nie genoeg nie en die hitte het besproeiing genoodsaak. Die meeste van hulle was in elk geval geskoolde arbeiders en selfs die boere onder hulle het nie die Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede verstaan nie. Hulle het ‘n oorplasing aangevra en is toe na die Oos-Kaap geneem waar hulle gevestig het.

Ingram het nietemin besluit om te bly en hy kon toe die grond van die ander wat weg is, teen ‘n baie lae prys aankoop. Synnot het ook gebly en op 30 November 1821 is hy aangestel as assistent-magistraat van die gebied.
In 1825, toe Ds. McCleland slegs ses families in sy gemeente oorgehad het, is hy verplaas na Port Elizabeth.

Die klein groepie wat permanent hier gevestig het sluit vanne in soos Foster, Freyer, Shaw, McMahon, en ander. Al was hulle maar ‘n klein groepie, het hulle ‘n leidende rol gespeel in die omgewing tot in die eerste helfte van die vorige eeu.

GROEI EN ONTWIKKELING VAN DIE KERK EN DIE GEMEENTE

Tot ongeveer 1826 het Clanwilliam deel gevorm van die dorp Tulbagh, alhoewel ‘n gedeelte van die bevolding verkies het om te behoort aan die Zwartlandkerk (Malmesbury).

Vir meer as tagtig jaar was Roodezand en Zwartland die naaste kerke. Dit moet wel vermeld word dat iemand van Tulbagh een keer per jaar Clanwilliam besoek het om die sakramente en die doop bedien.

Marquard is in 1789 in Pruise gebore en het hom op ouderdom 18 in Nederland gevestig waar hy ‘n teologiese kursus voltooi het. Hierna is hy na die Kaap die Goeie Hoop gestuur om te gaan werk met die gekleurde bevolking van die Clanwilliam omgewing. Hy het in 1815 van Europa gekom en hom in Clanwilliam gevestig.

Toe die Sendinggenootskap vir wie hy gewerk het besluit het om sy werk onder die beheer van die Londonse Sendinggenootskap te plaas vanaf 1816, was Marquard so ontevrede dat hy hulle diens verlaat het en by die Koloniale Gereformeede Kerk aangesluit het. Hy het ‘n lid geword van die Zwartland Kerk, maar het in Clanwilliam aangebly as ‘n onafhanklike sendeling.

ONTWIKKELING VAN DIE GEBIED

In 1914 is die Bulshoekdam in the Olifantsrivier gebou, ongeveer twintig kilometer noord van Clanwilliam, met die doel om besproeiing vir Vredendal te verskaf.

In 1935 is die Clanwilliam dam voltooi. Op August 15, 1935 het die dam die eerste keer oorgeloop.

In Junie 1958 is die nasionale pad, die N7, tussen Citrusdal en Clanwilliam finaal ge-open en in 1963 is die pad tussen Clanwilliam en Klawer ge-open.

ONTWIKKELING VAN DIE DORP

Alhoewel aanvanklik baie stadig, het die dorp geleidelik ontwikkel tot ‘n moderne plattelandse dorp met ‘n bevolking van 264 blankes en 840 gekleurdes in 1907 tot 818 blankes, 1,372 gekleurdes en 24 swartes, volgens die sensus van 1960.

In 1901, het die dorp munisipale status ontvang met Mr. Charles Fryer, een van die afstammelinge van die 1820 Ierse Setlaars, as die eerste burgemeester.

In 1964 het die dorp sy eie dorpswapen ontvang wat die sitrusindustrie en die Olifantsrivier simboliseer. Die dorpsleuse “Toujours Pret” (Altyd gereed) is afgelei uit die familiewapen van die Clanwilliams in Skotland.

Hierdie skilderagtige dorp, die juweel van die Noordweste, het alreeds sedert 1938 sy eie hidro-elektriese generator wat vir die grootste deel van die jaar elektrisiteit voorsien.

In 1958 is dit teen ‘n koste van R80 000 vergroot. Ook die dorp se watervoorsieningsskema is in dieselfde jaar verbeter vir ‘n bedrag van R42 000.

‘n Moderne Gedenkbiblioteek is in 1958 gebou vir ‘n bedrag van R20 000. Dit is genoem na Dr. C. Leipoldt, wat sy kinderjare in die dorp deurgebring het, en sy vriend, Dr. P. le Fras Nortier, die vader van die pitlose lemoenboom.

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