Monday, January 20, 2014

Then and Now - Donkin Reserve

The Donkin Reserve is truly one of Port Elizabeth's iconic attractions.  The pyramid (Donkin Memorial) was commissioned by Sir Rufane Donkin in August 1820 as a monument to his wife Lady Elizabeth after whom he named the town.  Sit Rufane was the Acting Governor of the Cape Colony and came to Algoa Bay to oversee the landing of the British Settlers  The Hill Lighthouse was brought into use on 1 June 1861 with Charles Hammond as the first lighthouse keeper.  The cottage adjoining to the lighthouse was built in 1865 for Hammond's family.  In 1929 the height of the lighthouse was increased because the town's lights behind it started to interfere with its visibility from the bay and in 1973 it was decommissioned and replaced by the Deal light. 

In the now picture the difference in height of the lighthouse is clearly visible.  The lighthouse keeper's cottage is now occupied by a Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism Visitor Information Centre and the Green Leave Cafe coffee shop.  The Donkin Reserve is quite a popular tourism attraction with visitors coming to see both the history as well as the art pieces forming part of Route 67. 
 
The historic picture is from Margaret Harradine's excellent book Port Elizabeth - A social chronicle to the end of 1945, a book well worth getting if you are interested in Port Elizabeth's history.
 
Additional note - Thanks to Grant Slater for the following information regarding the Time Ball visible in the "Then" picture:
"The Port Elizabeth Directory and Guide to the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope, for 1877." has the following:
---
Time Ball.
A black ball is dropped at 1 o'clock, Cape mean time corresponding to 1h. 28. 34.6 sec mean time at this place from the lighthouse on the hill every day, Sundays and Public Holidays excepted.

Latitude of Lighthouse 33º 57m. 45s. S.
Longutude of " 25º 37m. 16s. E.

If anything occurs to prevent the drop of the ball at the proper instant, a red and blue chequered flag will be shown from the upper window of the Lighthouse, and the ball dropped by chronometer at 1h. 05m. 00sec. Cape mean time, or 1h 33m. 34.6sec., Port Elizabeth mean time.

3 comments:

  1. The large ball on the lighthouse in the old photo is likely a "Noon sight" for setting ships' chronometer to work out longitude. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_by_chronometer

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  2. What wonderful pictures! I have been totally charmed by the fact that I come from a city named for love. I don't think we have ever made enough of a fuss about the unique way that Port Elizabeth got its name :)

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  3. "The Port Elizabeth Directory and Guide to the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope, for 1877." has the following:
    ---
    Time Ball.
    A black ball is dropped at 1 o'clock, Cape mean time corresponding to 1h. 28. 34.6 sec mean time at this place from the lighthouse on the hill every day, Sundays and Public Holidays excepted.

    Latitude of Lighthouse 33º 57m. 45s. S.
    Longutude of " 25º 37m. 16s. E.

    If anything occurs to prevent the drop of the ball at the proper instant, a red and blue chequered flag will be shown from the upper window of the Lighthouse, and the ball dropped by chronometer at 1h. 05m. 00sec. Cape mean time, or 1h 33m. 34.6sec., Port Elizabeth mean time.
    ---

    ReplyDelete