The old Drostdy, the Victoria Hotel & the George Museum
Courtney Street
George
6530
Tel: 0448735343
Fax: 0448740354
What the visitor see in the George Museum today has grown from the private collection of one man, Charles Sayer. owner and long time editor of the George & Knysna Herald, a newspaper established by his parents in 1881.
With an abiding love and interest in all aspects of his home town and its history, Sayer collected and preserved. His special interest in old mechanical musical instruments and typewriters led to what today is the nucleus of the museum’s important collection.
In 1967 Sayer opened his “Mini Museum” , housed in a single room adjoining a café in Courtney Street, to the public. The people loved it and much encouraged by local authorities, he moved to the original George Town House (dating back to 1847)next to Market Square.
Barely six months after the move, the popular Sayer Museum gained provincial museum status as a fully-fledged cultural history museum for the region. The main theme was indigenous timber and its accompanying industries.
When the present museum opened in the original drostdy building (magistrate’s residence and office), Charles Sayers' popular “mini Museum” was re-created within the George Museum.
Affectionately known as the Vic by locals and travelers from far and wide, its hospitality and traditions became as legendary as the landmark itself. In 1972 the George municipality were blessed with the foresight to buy the hotel property and in 1976 it became the rightful home of the fledging museum. It closed for restoration and renovation and opened in its present form in 1992.
The town of George was established as a result of the growing demand for timber and the woods used in building, transport and furniture. In 1776 the Dutch East India Company established an outpost for the provision of timber, its location is thought to be near the western end of York Street. As the Timber Post had its own Posthouer (manager), some 12 woodcutters, a blacksmith, wagon maker and 200 oxen plus families and hangers on there was already a community of sorts here. After 1795 and the British occupation of the Cape, a caretaker of the forests in the area was appointed. Then after the second British occupation in 1806, it was decided that Swellendam magistracy was too large and so that of George Town was carved out of it. In 1811 Van Kervel was appointed as Landrost (magistrate) and the town was proclaimed by the Earl of Caledon, governor of the Cape Colony on St. George’s Day (23 April) and named after the reigning British monarch, George III.
In early days the lives and livelihood of the people revolved around the timber industry and the rich forests in the vicinity and it remained a peaceful and sleepy place. It was the dramatic improvement of communication – the roads, rail and air links eclipsing the ox wagons and coastal steamer of the last century that expose other charms and resource of the region and resulted in unprecedented growth for the town.
From the beginning of European colonization in South Africa in 1652, timber and the provision of various woods was of paramount importance for the survival of the settlers. Once forest areas near the present Cape Town were exhausted, the search for more timber continued along the coast. The great forests of the Southern Cape were discovered as early as 1711 but it was only in 1776 that Dutch East India Company established a Buitepos (Timber Post) where George is today.
Early woodcutters and their families lived in forest clearings where they evolved into a closely-knit community where intermarriage was common. Their build was thin and wiry but they were tough and strong with an incredible ability and skill in felling, sawing and handling timber. The utilization of the forest trees led to such industries as furniture and wagon making. By 1910 several large sawmills had been established in the district. Timber for export was transported to coastal ports by ox wagon. Today you will find sawmills with the ultimate in modern wood technology and innovative furniture factories in the Southern Cape. Unique to this area is the age-old technique and skill of manufacturing solid wood furniture by hand.
 |
|
|
|
Tel: 0448730703
Fax: 0448730760
routeinfo@intekom.co.za