Western Cape
The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...
, South Africa. It is the third-largest city in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is located north-east of
Cape Town
Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
.
Being the largest town in the Western Cape's interior region, it serves as the administrative capital of the Breede Valley Local Municipality and as regional headquarters for most central and Provincial Government Departments. Its mayor is Antoinette Steyn. The town also serves as the hub of the Western Cape's interior commercial, distribution and retail activity with a shopping mall, well developed central business district and infrastructure.
Worcester is located at an elevation of and can be reached by road either travelling on the N1 highway through the Huguenot Tunnel or by driving through spectacular mountain passes. From
Cape Town
Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
Du Toitskloof, from
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
Bainskloof, from
Malmesbury, Western Cape
Malmesbury is a town of approximately 36,000 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa, about 65 km north of Cape Town.
The town is the largest in the Swartland (‘black land’) which took its name from the Dicerothamnus rhi ...
Robertson
Robertson may refer to:
People
* Robertson (surname) (includes a list of people with this name)
* Robertson (given name)
* Clan Robertson, a Scottish clan
* Robertson, stage name of Belgian magician Étienne-Gaspard Robert (1763–1837)
Plac ...
Goree, from
Hermanus
Hermanus (; originally called ''Hermanuspietersfontein'', but shortened in 1902 as the name was too long for the postal service
Rooihoogte and from
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
Hex River, with vistas over the Hex River Valley.
Geographically, the district is delimited mainly by mountains; to the southwest lies the massive Stettyns mountain range with an annual rainfall in excess of 2000 mm. To the west lie the Du Toitskloof Mountains and northwest lies the Slanghoek, Little Drakenstein, Elandskloof and Lemiet mountain ranges. To the north rises the
Hex River Mountains
The Hex River Mountains () make up the second highest mountain range in the Western Cape province of South Africa and are located north-east of Cape Town. They form part of a large anticline in the Cape Fold Belt mountain system and form a nort ...
which include the towering peaks of Chavonnes, Brandwacht, Fonteintjiesberg and Audensberg. Northeast of the town the colourful Keerom Mountain runs into the Langeberg range.
Worcester and its surroundings form part of the
Breede River
The Breede River (), also known as Breë River, is a river in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Travelling inland north from the city of Cape Town, the river runs in a west to east direction. The surrounding western mountains formed th ...
catchment area, which is fed by a number of smaller rivers supplemented by the run-off from the winter snows in the mountains. The district also includes the Hex River Valley.
History
Dutch period
In the early days of the Cape's history the main road through the great mountain barrier which stretches northwards from the Hottentots-Holland, Wemmershoek and Slanghoek mountains to the Groot Winterhoek mountains, lay through the Roodezand Pass into the valley of
Tulbagh
Tulbagh (), previously named Roodezand, then Land van Waveren later in 1804 named after Cape of Good Hope Governor Ryk Tulbagh, is a town located in the "Land van Waveren" mountain basin (also known as the Tulbagh basin), in the Cape Winelands ...
. From here the road gave access in the south-east to "the original great rift valley of Africa" as
Jan Smuts
Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts, (baptismal name Jan Christiaan Smuts, 24 May 1870 11 September 1950) was a South African statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various military and cabinet posts, he served as P ...
once described the Breede River Valley.
Worcester district is as old as hunting grounds and cattle runs go in the Cape, but new as a settled area. Before 1700, the area now known as the Breede River Valley was a hunter's paradise, teeming with game and wild birds. The main source of income, especially the sale of elephant tusks came from hunting licenses issued by the
Dutch East India Company
The United East India Company ( ; VOC ), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered company, chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world. Established on 20 March 1602 by the States Ge ...
. By 1709 European farmers were given grazing rights in the area "over de Breede Rivier." In 1714 the first quitrent farms were released. Settlement in most cases was not on a permanent basis and "Hartebees huisies" were erected. When European settlers first arrived at the later
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony (), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope. It existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with three ...
, the
Breede River Valley
Breede River Valley is a region of Western Cape Province, South Africa known for being the largest fruit and wine producing valley in the Western Cape, as well as South Africa's leading race-horse breeding area. It is part of the Boland borderin ...
Khoi
Khoikhoi ( /ˈkɔɪkɔɪ/ ''KOY-koy'') (or Khoekhoe in Namibian orthography) are the traditionally nomadic pastoralist indigenous population of South Africa. They are often grouped with the hunter-gatherer San (literally "foragers") peop ...
livestock farmers. The Gainou, Korannas and Afrikaner tribes traded livestock with the settlers. With the European settlers came the
smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
virus, that would turn into an epidemic for the Khoi people and by 1713 would take its toll on their existence as a people.
European settlement took place at Waay Hoek, Bossiesveld, Kleinbosch, Slanghoek, Brandvalley, Vendutiekraal, Rooye Wal and Doornrivier. The first farms in the Hex River Valley were Kloppersbosch and De Buffelskraal, dating from 1731. With the European settlers came their
slaves
Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
and eventually so-called free Khoi, who would settle on the farms as labourers.
British colonial history
With the Cape Colony interior expanding with the settlement of an increasing number of European settlers,
Lord Charles Somerset
Lord Charles Henry Somerset PC (12 December 1767 – 18 February 1831), born in Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racket (sports equipment), racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net (device), net. Although it ma ...
instructed
Magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...
Fischer of
Tulbagh
Tulbagh (), previously named Roodezand, then Land van Waveren later in 1804 named after Cape of Good Hope Governor Ryk Tulbagh, is a town located in the "Land van Waveren" mountain basin (also known as the Tulbagh basin), in the Cape Winelands ...
, to find a location to establish a new deputy magisterial seat during 1818. Fischer duly reported that the two quitrent farms, De Lange Rug and Roodedraai, be bought for this purpose. On 9 January 1819 the Colonial surveyors, Tulleken and Hertzog mapped the two farms and on 4 November, the first official advertisement for the sale of plots was issued. On 28 February 1820, the official date of the establishment of Worcester, 89 of the proclaimed 144 plots were sold. Fischer also reported that "this place becomes more important when the new road over the Franschhoek Mountains will be completed." The African Rifles Regiment started construction of this road in 1819.
A winter storm in 1822 caused damage to the town of Tulbagh. Captain Charles Trappes recommended to Somerset that the magisterial seat be moved to the new town.
By 1830, 329 farms were cultivated in the district and by 1832 the town of Worcester was becoming a frontier town with the Market Square being used for stock sales. Many a fine animal changed ownership in the days when Worcester was a jumping-off spot for the "togryers" (transport riders) of the 19th century.
By the 1850s the necessity for the formation of a hamlet west of the Breede River had become clear; the ward was cut off from Worcester during the rainy season when the river burst it banks regularly. The farm Aan-de-Smalblaar was transported to Johannes Petrus Jordaan on 23 July 1858. Jan Jordaan divided a portion of the farm into 57 residential plots and these were sold at a Public Auction on 11 June 1859. The hamlet of Rawsonville was named for William Rawson, the Cape Colonial Secretary.
German settlers employed as "tagloners" on the surrounding farms from 1860 onwards, would soon use the abundance of fertile soil, water and their skilled labour to see the area evolve from livestock farming to cultivated land,
orchards
An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees that are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of lar ...
and
vineyards
A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...
. By 1865 the production from the flourishing vineyards compared favourably with the
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch (; )A Universal Pronouncing Gazetteer. Thomas Baldwin ...
and
Paarl
Paarl (; ; derived from ''parel'', meaning "pearl" in Dutch) is a city with 294,457 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is the largest city in the Boland, Western Cape, Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni ...
valleys. Much of the crop was dried for raisins, and this continued to be an important aspect of the local industry into the 20th century. The decline in the demand for raisins after the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
persuaded most of the farmers to convert to wine-grape growing: and in response to this change an extensive network of co-operative wineries sprang up. Today the Breede River Valley is the largest wine-producing region in South Africa, contributing almost 25% of the country's viticultural output. The Olof Bergh
Solera
Solera is a process for aging liquids such as wine, beer, vinegar, and brandy, by fractional blending in such a way that the finished product is a mixture of ages, with the average age gradually increasing as the process continues over many yea ...
Brandy Cellar and the KWV Brandy Cellar form part of the South African Brandy Route and 33 wineries produce and bottle in the Worcester area.
The first export grapes planted in the Hex River Valley dates from 1875. Today the Hex River Valley produces more than 17 million cartons of
table grapes
Table grapes are grapes intended for consumption as fresh fruit, as opposed to grapes grown for wine production, juice production, jelly and jam making, or for drying into raisins.
''Vitis vinifera'' table grapes can be in the form of either s ...
per annum. In the dryer southern regions of the valley,
Olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
production have also been added in recent years.
Central to this agricultural production, is the Greater Brandvlei Dam, with a capacity of 342 million cubic metres. The dam was completed in 1936, fully extended by 1987 and provides water to various
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...
schemes in the valley.
Lord Charles Somerset named the new town for his eldest brother, the Marquis of Worcester and by 1840, 132 of the original 144 plots were sold.
Captain Charles Trappes was responsible for the planning of the town. A dubious character in some ways, Trappes, however, was far in advance of his time when he laid out the wide streets and town blocks with vision and a high regard for squares. Trappes made the early builders put the houses close to the street and soon these builders would develop their own style of
gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
s. An early visitor, James Backhouse found 1300 people living in the rising town in 1840. According to the 1844 Cape Almanac, William Watson ran one of the best hotels in the country and Bishop Gray said in 1845 that the houses were a great distance from each other.
The Worcester District Council was proclaimed on 20 December 1855. The boundaries were northwest – Kleinberg, northeast – Bloutoring, southeast – Mowers Heights, southwest – Roodehoogte and west – Du Toitskloof Mountains.
Sub division of the original plots dates back to the 1860s when the town experienced its first economic boom. By the 1890s, when there was a downturn in economic fortune the population grew at a considerable rate, as landless people moved to the town. Small industry, business and residence still operated within the original boundaries of the town. During the 1890s Worcester's community would also evolve into an uptown section for rich and middle-class people and a downtown section for so-called poor Whites and Coloured people. Even the Dutch Reformed Congregation would censure European and Coloured people living under desegregated circumstances.
Worcester received Municipal status on 30 September 1895. A Town Council, consisting of 8 members governed the town.
Recent history
When Black
Africans
The ethnic groups of Africa number in the thousands, with each ethnicity generally having their own language (or dialect of a language) and culture. The ethnolinguistic groups include various Afroasiatic, Khoisan, Niger-Congo, and Nilo-Sahara ...
returned to Worcester at the end of the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, they were mainly employed as cheap labour for new construction programs springing up around town. By 1936, 1271 Black African people were living in the Worcester district.
At the end of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, housing in Worcester was at a premium and Worcester had a squatter camp at Parkersdam. It was also during these years that Worcester started to expand with new residential areas and an industrial area. The
apartheid
Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...
regime responded by total
segregation Segregation may refer to:
Separation of people
* Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space
* School segregation
* Housing segregation
* Racial segregation, separation of human ...
of the different communities.
In the Coloured area 1350 sub-economic dwellings and 584 economic dwellings were built in Esselen Park Uitbreiding (extension) also known as "ICE CHASSIS", Roodewal and Riverview. In addition, 230 plots were sold in Esselen Park for the erection of dwellings by purchasers. Mostly Indian traders were forced to move their businesses from the declared White areas and resettle in the downtown business district of Durban Street.
The Zweletemba township, to the southeast of the town, was awarded 524 sub-economic, 300 economic dwellings and two hostel schemes of 1274 units for single persons. Due to the policy of Apartheid, these people were not considered to be permanent residents and it was only after the abolishment of influx control in 1986 that the township population really exploded. In 1985, students protested over Afrikaans being a dominant language at school. Riots broke out and several students were shot by police in Robertson Road. A student named Nkosana Nation Bahumi was killed due to the protests.
A further 67 sub-economic and 137 economic dwellings were developed in the White Areas and affluent residential areas towards the north of the town. The early years of Apartheid would also see the old town being transformed into a central business district. Most of the character and charm of the old buildings was lost as the then government and society replaced these buildings with new administrative and retail buildings, based on "New-World"
consumerism
Consumerism is a socio-cultural and economic phenomenon that is typical of industrialized societies. It is characterized by the continuous acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing quantities. In contemporary consumer society, the ...
. Grand Apartheid would leave the community divided and in segregated living areas.
A separate Management Committee for Coloured People was introduced on 2 April 1965. With the coming of democracy to South Africa, Worcester now forms part of the Breede Valley Local Municipality.
Timeline
* 1841 –
Mail coaches
The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal syst ...
from Cape Town, via
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch (; )A Universal Pronouncing Gazetteer. Thomas Baldwin ...
,
Paarl
Paarl (; ; derived from ''parel'', meaning "pearl" in Dutch) is a city with 294,457 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is the largest city in the Boland, Western Cape, Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni ...
and then continuing to
Swellendam
Swellendam () is the third oldest town in South Africa (after Cape Town and Stellenbosch), a town with 17,537 inhabitants situated in the Western Cape province. The town has over 50 provincial heritage sites, most of them buildings of Cape D ...
.
* 1850 – Sheets of
galvanised
Galvanization ( also spelled galvanisation) is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in which the parts are coated by submerging them in a bath o ...
(corrugated) iron first imported to Worcester.
* 1857 – The Worcester Volunteers Regiment was formed, consisting of a cavalry squadron and an infantry company. This regiment eventually formed part of the Regiment Westelike Provinsie.
* 1861 – The first Town Hall was completed.
* 1865 – Music Society formed, and by 1880 concerts took place regularly.
* 1870 – Worcester's Oldest School was created namely "Boys High School". In 1972 this merged with Girls High School to establish " Worcester Gymnasium" on the same site.
* 1873 – The Cape Government took the decision to run the Cape Town – Beaufort railway line through Worcester, rather than Tulbagh or any of the other nearby competing towns. This decision has had an enormous influence on Worcester's growth.
* 1876 – Opening of the Worcester railway station.
* 1876 – First
telegraph
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...
office and thrice-weekly postal service.
* 1876 – Formation of the Worcester lodge of
Freemasons
Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
.
* 1877 to 1885 – At this time, while the railway was under construction to
Kimberley
Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to:
Places and historical events
Australia
Queensland
* Kimberley, Queensland, a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas
South Australia
* County of Kimberley, a cadastral unit in South Australia
Ta ...
, travellers to the Kimberley diamond fields were carried from Cape Town to Worcester in one day, spent the night at a hotel, and then carried on the next day to the railhead, where coaches met the trains to take passengers on to Kimberley. Well known mining magnates such as
Barney Barnato
Barney Barnato (born Barnet Isaacs; 21 February 1851 – 14 June 1897) was a British Randlord and diamond magnate who was one of the entrepreneurs who gained control of diamond mining, and later, gold mining in South Africa from the 1870s up ...
,
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes ( ; 5 July 185326 March 1902) was an English-South African mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896. He and his British South Africa Company founded ...
and
Alfred Beit
Alfred Beit (15 February 1853 – 16 July 1906) was an Anglo-German gold and diamond magnate in South Africa, and a major donor and profiteer of infrastructure development on the African continent. He also donated much money to university ed ...
stayed over in Worcester on many occasions.
* 1882 to 1890 – Due to a shortage of coal a forestry was established in Worcester to provide wood for use in the steam engine furnaces. The trees chosen were blue gums which helped to reduce the import of coal.
* 1886 – The first telephone was installed.
* 1891 – Worcester Gold Mining Company Ltd founded. The company developed a gold mine at Barberton which eventually closed down, with substantial losses to the share-holders.
* 1895 – International Organization of Good Templars built a community hall in Porter Street, dedicated to the abstinence from alcohol.
* 1900 – On 6 December a mass meeting of some 10,000 people, concerning the
Anglo-Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic an ...
took place in Worcester. The chairman, Mr S.C. Cronwright-Schreiner (the husband of
Olive Schreiner
Olive Schreiner (24 March 1855 – 11 December 1920) was a South African author, anti-war campaigner and intellectual. She is best remembered today for her novel '' The Story of an African Farm'' (1883), which has been highly acclaimed. It dea ...
) attacked Capitalism and was cheered by all and sundry. Australian troops were deployed to maintain law and order.
* 1901 – On 3 January, with Boer commandos in the vicinity,
martial law
Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
was declared in the
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony (), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope. It existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with three ...
, including Worcester
* 1903 – The Worcester
Chamber of Commerce
A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...
was established in April, when 65 town and 44 country members were enrolled free of entrance fee. The first AGM was held in September 1904. On that date the total annual import to SA amounted to £35 million. The exports totalled £25 million per annum. The gross traffic receipts for the Railway Companies came to £3 million and the "European" population of the country stood at 1 million.
* 1903 - On 12 February the "Boere Sending School" opens in the old magistrate's building to train missionaries. This later an industrial school under the name Drostdy Skool and today is Drostdy Technical High School.
* 1904 – Worcester Band, Philharmonic Society and Academy of Music formed.
* 1908 – Good Hope Café and Cinema was started by the first Greek resident of Worcester. Mr Costas Drigos bought the property and by 1920 he sold to the Gianellos brothers. In the early days most meetings of social-, political- or sport organisations were held at the Good Hope Café.
* 1909 – A
Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts or Boy Scout may refer to:
* Members, sections or organisations in the Scouting Movement
** Scout (Scouting), a boy or a girl participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
** Scouting America, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America ...
troop was established at Worcester
* 1914 – Hospital completed at Hospital Hill
* 1914 – The New Cape Central Railway Company donated the NCCR shield for schools rugby matches between Worcester- and
Robertson
Robertson may refer to:
People
* Robertson (surname) (includes a list of people with this name)
* Robertson (given name)
* Clan Robertson, a Scottish clan
* Robertson, stage name of Belgian magician Étienne-Gaspard Robert (1763–1837)
Plac ...
Boys High schools. The schools that grew out of these two schools still compete annually for this shield.
* 1926 –
Child Welfare
Child protection (also called child welfare) is the safeguarding of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, abandonment, and neglect. It involves identifying signs of potential harm. This includes responding to allegations or suspicions ...
established
* 1959 - Construction on Worcester Correctional Services completes
* 1961 – The Escom Hex River Power Station, situated at Worcester, electrified the railway track from Cape Town to
Beaufort West
Beaufort West (Afrikaans: ''Beaufort-Wes''; Xhosa: ''eBhobhofolo'') is a town in the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is the largest town in the arid Great Karoo region, and is known as the "Capital of the Karoo". It forms part of the ...
, making it the longest electrified section in Africa.
* 1961 - Esselen Park High established.
* 1964 - First Worcester Scouts established by John Beukes.
* 1972 - Amalgamation of Boy's High and Girl's High school and the formation of Worcester High School.
Climate
Worcester experiences more extremes of temperature than neighbouring Cape Town, as oceanic influences are blocked by the Du Toitskloof and Slanghoek mountain ranges to the west. The daytime maximum in summer averages around , but some days in February can reach in excess of . Summer is generally dry with the rare late summer thunderstorm, whilst spring and autumn are shoulder seasons of pleasant temperatures ranging from an average minimum to a maximum, with the occasional rain shower.
Winter
Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Dif ...
s are generally very windy and often cool to cold with snow being common on the higher lying ground above . Daytime maximums range from , with minimums hovering at or just above freezing. Winter brings most of Worcester's annual rainfall. The town lies in a curious rain-shadow phenomenon caused by the surrounding high mountains.
There are a number of wards within the Worcester District, reflecting a marked internal variation in soil types and micro-climates. In the Breede River, Botha, Slanghoek and Goudini wards the soils are sandy loams with a varying loose stone content and a fairly high, free water table. Along the river banks in the Nuy, Doornrivier, Aan De Doorns and Overhex wards, fertile alluvial and calcareous clayish soils can be found.
The annual average rainfall in the Slanghoek area is in excess of , in contrast with a low of in the Nuy and Scherpenheuvel areas to the east and southeast.
Economy
George Parker owned a shop and managed the first Post Office on the south side of town, from 1824 to 1860. His salary as Post Master was about 24 ZAR per year, and as Shopkeeper, by ordinance, he had to supply twelve months worth of credit to clients. The town of Worcester was founded as an administrative seat and to create a church and central market place for the frontier farmers. With the market established, Scottish artisans settled in the town, bringing their skills as tinsmiths, coppersmiths, blacksmiths, shoemakers etc. By the mid-1830s the Colonial interior was starting to open up and Worcester as frontier town would gain by this. The first economic boon would come in the form of livestock trading and fresh produce farming followed by the development of a wagon industry. Due to the fact that Worcester was the last town before the Karoo interior, hotels and shops started to spring up to replenish travellers. With a solid foundation for economic development laid by 1845 and the road across the Bainskloof pass completed in 1852, bringing quicker access to Cape Town, it was time for Worcester to move forward.
The Worcester Commercial Bank Unlimited was officially established in 1856. Due to growth in the wagon making industry, the Bank ran into a credit crisis by 1864. Discounting of bills of exchange became difficult and investors started to withdraw their money. Only a £6000 capital injection by the board of directors saved the Bank from ruin. The discovery of diamonds brought a steadier stream of prospectors travelling through Worcester. This led to the opening of more shops and lodgings and other facilities to meet their needs and a rise in the town's population.
These factors led to the early construction of a diverse and cosmopolitan society in Worcester, outside of Cape Town, the only town that would develop as such in the Western Province during the late 19th century. In 1890 the African Banking Corporation was established in London, all branches were overseas. The Bank was formed as a consortium bank owned jointly by
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank plc is a major British retail banking, retail and commercial bank with a significant presence across England and Wales. It has traditionally been regarded one of the "Big Four (banking)#England and Wales, Big Four" clearing house ...
Westminster
Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...
and Standard Bank of South Africa. In December 1891, Articles of Agreement were drawn up with the Worcester Bank and operations were handed over to African Banking Corporation in February 1892.
Finance would bring the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
to Worcester and economic growth really started once the railway line reached the town in 1876. The previous decade saw German artisans arriving from
Pomerania
Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...
, employed by farmers. These German labourers would bring their skills as expert farmers and would play a major role in the development of the farming industry.
A second group of German settlers followed in the 1870s to help with railway line construction. They again would bring skills as highly trained artisans. By the 1880s a Jewish community of traders and capital-rich business people would follow. The early 1900s saw the first
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
and Portuguese communities all settled in Worcester at the end of World War II.
By 1882 the Cape Colonial Government proclaimed that the railway line should be extended to Robertson. The New Cape Central Railway Company (NCCR) undertook the construction of this line and it was completed in September 1887. Newspapers of the era informed the public of 3 up and 3 down trains on a daily basis. In addition to the new line, railway sidings were established throughout the district. From Cape Town at Breërivier, Botha's Halt, Goudini Road and Chavonnes. To Kimberley at De Wet, Sandhills and Orchard. On the NCCR line at Overhex and Nuy. In 1883 the Reverend William Murray and the Church Council petitioned the Cape Colonial Government against the use of trains on Sundays.
By the 1880s 40 companies manufactured wagons in Worcester, Fairbairn- Durban- and Riebeeck Streets housed these factories. The Worcester Industry slowly died as the railway lines became a more effective mode of transportation.
The Western Wine and
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...
Company founded in 1895 built the first
distillery
Distillation, also classical distillation, is the process of separating the component substances of a liquid mixture of two or more chemically discrete substances; the separation process is realized by way of the selective boiling of the mixt ...
in Porter Street. By 1918 the KWV was founded and took control of the distillery.
JS Naudè & Co controlled the buying and distribution of deciduous fruit from 1899 onwards. The company developed internal, African and in later years European markets. By 1960 all the companies in Worcester amalgamated to form Deciduous Fruit Distributors of Worcester.
The
Prune
A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica'') tree. Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. Use of the term ''prune'' for fresh plums is obsolete except when applied to varieties of ...
Growers Association was founded in 1890; by 1907 this organisation was changed to a company, which would become Safari SAD. The first branch opened in Porter Street in 1921.
The Union Vinegar Company was established in 1913. It was the first South African factory to produce
Beet
The beetroot (British English) or beet (North American English) is the taproot portion of a '' Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'' plant in the Conditiva Group. The plant is a root vegetable also known as the table beet, garden beet, dinner ...
root
salad
A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...
. Other products included vinegar, pickled onions, piccalilli, tomato sauce and
Worcester sauce
Worcestershire sauce or Worcester sauce (UK: ) is a fermented liquid condiment invented by pharmacists John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins in the city of Worcester in Worcestershire, England, during the first half of the 19th century ...
.
Simon and Woolf Heller were merchants in
dried fruit
Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed prior to cooking or being eaten on its own. Drying may occur either naturally, by sun, through the use of industrial dehydrators, or by freeze drying. ...
. In 1930 they established a Jam Factory. With the outbreak of the Second World War the Standard Fruit Company received an order for 170 000 cases of
jam
Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread.
There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the meth ...
. The company was transformed into a public company, Standard Canners and Packers. In 1954 Langeberg Food Processors Ltd bought the controlling stock.
In 1952 Eskom's Hex River Power Station came into production. It was built primarily for railway electrification and additional supply of electricity for rural areas. The Power Station was demolished in 1990.
The main incentive in 1949 for the establishment of Hex River Textiles Mills Ltd was the plentiful supply of labour, as well as the suitability of the Hex River's water for the purpose. Operating at its peak during the 1960s, the factory employed 1200 workers.
The multi-national company, Rainbow Chicken Ltd invested substantial capital in farms and a factory in Worcester during the 1970s. Today some light industries such as millers, coldddrink manufacturers, food manufacturers, furniture manufacturers, paint manufacturers, joineries and engineering works are located in the town.
Water and sewerage
Worcester originally drew its water from the Hex River. The early water distribution method was very primitive. The water ran in over Joubert's Mill and then flowed in open channels through the town. The first reservoir and distribution pipes were built in 1875. In 1910 a diversion and storage dam had been constructed in Fairy Glen, followed by the completion of a
filtration
Filtration is a physical separation process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture using a ''filter medium'' that has a complex structure through which only the fluid can pass. Solid particles that cannot pass through the filte ...
and chlorination plant in 1936. By 1945 Worcester started planning to build a proper water impounding scheme. Construction of the Stettynskloof Dam started in 1952. The work was undertaken by Beton und Monierbau Aktiengesellschaft of
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...
, Germany. Dr. Heinz Schulze was the head engineer and work was completed in 1955.
After completion of the town's
sewerage
Sewerage (or sewage system) is the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff ( stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers. It encompasses components such as receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, and scr ...
scheme in 1934 considerable development took place in the Worcester Municipal area. The sewerage purification works was completed in 1962, with an estimated life span of 30 years.
Transport & communication
In 1846 construction on the
Bainskloof Pass
Bainskloof Pass () is a mountain pass on the R301 regional road between Wellington and Ceres in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The 18-kilometer (11-mile) pass, opened in 1854, was constructed by road engineer Andrew Geddes Bain wit ...
started,
Andrew Geddes Bain
Andrew Geddes Bain (baptised 11 June 1797 – 20 October 1864), was a Cape Colony geologist, road engineer, palaeontologist and explorer.
Life history
The only child of Alexander Bain and Jean Geddes, both of whom died when Bain was still a ...
was the head engineer and the road was completed in 1852. By November 1863, only 60 kilometres of
railway line
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of land transport, next to road ...
(from Cape Town to Wellington) was in operation in the whole of "South Africa". However, the discovery of
diamonds
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Diamond is tasteless, odourless, strong, brittle solid, colourless in pure form, a poor conductor of electricity, and insol ...
in
Kimberley
Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to:
Places and historical events
Australia
Queensland
* Kimberley, Queensland, a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas
South Australia
* County of Kimberley, a cadastral unit in South Australia
Ta ...
, and the attainment of
Responsible Government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability, the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. Governments (the equivalent of the executive br ...
for the
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony (), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope. It existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with three ...
in 1872, prompted the Cape Prime Minister
John Molteno
Sir John Charles Molteno (; 5 June 1814 – 1 September 1886) was a politician and businessman who served as the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1872 to 1878.
Early life
Born in London into a large Anglo-Italian family, Molten ...
to start expansion of the railway- and telegraph lines to Kimberley.
The
Cape Government Railways
The Cape Government Railways (CGR) was the government-owned railway operator in the Cape Colony from 1874 until the creation of the South African Railways (SAR) in 1910.
History Private railways
The first railways at the Cape were privately ow ...
were immediately formed for this purpose. Thomas Brounger was appointed as the head railway engineer, and with the help of Thomas Bain, the line to Worcester was opened on 16 June 1876. On the opening of the station at Worcester, the
Cape Argus
The ''Cape Argus'' is a daily newspaper co-founded in 1857 by Saul Solomon and published by Sekunjalo in Cape Town, South Africa. It is commonly referred to as ''The Argus''.
Although not the first English-language newspaper in South Africa ...
reported as follows:
"Worcester, on June 16, 1876, was the scene of elaborate ceremony and of a very large and distinguished assemblage to witness the railway opening by
Sir Henry Barkly
Sir Henry Barkly (24 February 1815 – 20 October 1898) was a British politician, colonial governor and patron of the sciences.
Early life and education
Born on 24 February 1815 at Highbury, Middlesex (now London), he was the eldest son of Sus ...
. After the address had been presented to the Governor and His Excellency's reply, there were short speeches by Sir Arthur Cunningham, Commander of the Forces, and Sir
John Molteno
Sir John Charles Molteno (; 5 June 1814 – 1 September 1886) was a politician and businessman who served as the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1872 to 1878.
Early life
Born in London into a large Anglo-Italian family, Molten ...
, the Cape Prime Minister, and an adjournment made to the grand luncheon or banquet. In the evening there was a ball, at which most people enjoyed themselves, undeterred by the failure of the lighting and refreshments arrangement."
During 1875 the farm De Doorns in the Hex River Valley was bought by the Cape Colonial Government to build a railway station. Around this station the hamlet of De Doorns would develop. By 1877, the line already reached Montagu Road on its way to Kimberley and in 1883 the name was changed to Touws River. Construction of an additional main railway line during 1931 would lead to the establishment of Matroosberg station.
Electricity
On 25 June 1916 the first supply of electricity to Worcester was provided by 2 x 40 kW 220 volt
direct current
Direct current (DC) is one-directional electric current, flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor (material), conductor such as a wire, but can also flow throug ...
water turbine generators. Growth was slow but steady and by 1921 Worcester had its own
Power Station
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...
Building. By 1933 overloading at peak periods necessitated increased capacity.
Eskom
Eskom Hld SOC Ltd or Eskom is a South African electricity public utility. Eskom was established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM) (). Eskom represents South Africa in the Southern African Power Pool. The utility is the larg ...
provided a single standby line. By 1948 Eskom started construction on the Hex River Power Station. The power station came into production in 1952 and the municipal main sub-station was connected to Eskom, all supply was then taken from this source.
Demographics
Religion
During the early years, religion played a comprehensive part in the development of Worcester as a town. Though the new town was still underdeveloped, by 1821, the
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church (, , abbreviated NHK ) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the traditional denomination of the Dutch royal famil ...
congregation was already established in Worcester. The Reverend Henry Sutherland, a Scotsman, served the congregation from 1824 to 1859.
After the
abolition
Abolition refers to the act of putting an end to something by law, and may refer to:
*Abolitionism, abolition of slavery
*Capital punishment#Abolition of capital punishment, Abolition of the death penalty, also called capital punishment
*Abolitio ...
of
slavery
Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
in 1834, the so-called "Coloured quarter" of town started to populate, south of Durban Street, between Rainer- and Grey Streets. This community was mainly composed of free slaves and 24 plots were set aside for development in 1840. For the next 110 years, the
Rhenish Missionary Society
The Rhenish Missionary Society (''Rhenish'' of the river Rhine; , ''RMG'') was one of the largest Protestant missionary society, missionary societies in Germany. Formed from smaller missions founded as far back as 1799, the Society was amalgamate ...
would play an important part in the development of this community. Worcester's first Mission Church was established in 1832. The Rhenish Mission complex situated on the corner of High- and Adderley streets forms an integral part of the rich Worcester cultural and architectural heritage. The coloured community-owned farms, Hendrik Gertse at Hex River, Andreas Jasons at Brandwacht, Jeftha Fransman at Goudini while the Afrika, Hartzenberg, Everts, Solomons, Romans and Titus families were employed as labourers.
The
Anglican church
Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
Sophy Gray
Sophy Gray or Sophia Gray (5 January 1814 – 27 April 1871), was a Diocese, diocesan administrator, artist, architect, Equestrianism, horsewoman and the wife of Cape Town bishop Robert Gray (bishop of Cape Town), Robert Gray. Born at Easingto ...
and its foundation stone was laid 15 December 1852. The first rector was the Reverend John Melville-Martine M.A., who previously had been vicar of Shipley,
Sussex
Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...
. Melville-Martine also ministered at
Brigus
Brigus is a small fishing community located in Conception Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Brigus was home to Captain Bob Bartlett and the location of his residence Hawthorne Cottage.Canada travel guide. Lonely Planet 14th Edition (2020 ...
bricklayers
A bricklayer, which is related to but different from a mason, is a craftsperson and tradesperson who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The terms also refer to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of masonry. ...
,
vat
A value-added tax (VAT or goods and services tax (GST), general consumption tax (GCT)) is a consumption tax that is levied on the value added at each stage of a product's production and distribution. VAT is similar to, and is often compared wi ...
tailors
A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century.
History
Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...
in Worcester and dates back to the era of free slaves in the 1830s. Application to construct a mosque was first filed in 1867. Permission was granted in 1880 and by 1881 the Muslim community started to use the premises at Durban Street.
The first Germans settled in Worcester during the 1860s as skilled farm labourers. During the 1870s a second wave of German artisans helped with the construction of the railway line and in return received Crown property at Goudini Road in 1880. A
Lutheran
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
congregation was established and the church building was completed in November 1883.
The first
Congregational church
Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice congregational government. Each congregation independently a ...
was built at 54 Porter Street in 1894. The site had disadvantages, in particular" the aroma from the vinegar factory next door." In 1948 the property was sold and the present fine church was erected in Church Street.
In 1848, Dr Diederich Heinrich Fraenkel found his way to Worcester to become District Surgeon, his father, Dr Siegfried Fraenkel, was the first conforming Jew to reside at the Cape. Educated at SACS, Dr Fraenkel was the first
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
resident at Worcester. Jewish traders began to settle in Worcester during the 1880s, a plot of ground was purchased in 1902 from the Municipality to establish a Jewish cemetery. The first
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
congregation was founded in 1903 and in 1904 the synagogue was consecrated in Durban Street.
The work of the
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...
in Worcester began in 1891, when Captain Lotz "opened fire" and became the first Commanding Officer in charge. Brother Craayenstein, born in 1868, kept the work of the Corps going visibly. A faithful soldier to the Army for many decades, he was a familiar figure in Worcester, attending the Saturday night Open-Air meetings with his violin, which he also took to the goal every Sunday morning for service. After the Saturday night meetings he was welcomed into the public bars, whose customers put money liberally into the box he carried for the Army. In January 1961 Worcester's oldest and most faithful soldier of the Salvation Army was promoted to Glory – the Army's term for dying.
During the 1920s the
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
Church started with missionary work under the
Xhosa
Xhosa may refer to:
* Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa
* Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people
See als ...
community and by 1937 the Dutch Reformed Church followed in the
Basotho
The Sotho (), also known as the Basotho (), are a Sotho-Tswana ethnic group indigenous to Southern Africa. They primarily inhabit the regions of Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.
The ancestors of the Sotho people are believed to h ...
community. By 1938 the missionary societies rented a hall where church and school could be attended.
File:Rhenish Mission Church, Worcester, Western Cape (24 May 2009).jpg, Rhenish Mission Church Adderley Street
File:Anglican Church on Market Square (Worcester, Western Cape, May 2009).jpg, Anglican Church on Market Square
File:Lutheran Church, Adderley Street (Worcester, Western Cape, May 2009).jpg, Lutheran Church Adderley Street
File:Salvation Army, Porter Street (Worcester, Western Cape - May 2009).jpg, Salvation Army Porter Street
File:Synagogue, Rawsonville, Western Cape (June 2009).jpg, Old Synagogue Durban Street
File:Congregational Church, Worcester, Western Cape (May 2009).jpg, Congregational Church Church Street
Residential Areas
Culture
Education
Schooling started in Worcester with Worcester Boys High's origin dating back to 1824.
Magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...
Truter, District Surgeon Glaeser and Reverend Sutherland served on the School Commission when the Government Free School reached the town in 1830. School was attended six days a week and subjects included Dictatation, Reading, Grammar, Writing, Arithmetic and Translating from Dutch into English. School started at 8 am, finished at 4 pm with a two-hour break at 11 am.
The official formation of the school took place on 2 July 1873 when the "Undenominational Boys Public school" was declared. By June 1882 the school was classified as a Class 1 Public School and by 1899 a high school. It later became Worcester Boys' High. In 1972 Worcester Boys' High and Worcester Girls High amalgamated and formed Worcester High School. Another result of the amalgamation in 1972 was Hoerskool Montana . Worcester High School operated for 20 years before amalgamating once more in 1992, with Worcester East High School. This joining formed Worcester Gymnasium, which opened in January 1992, on the grounds of the former school. Parts of the Boys' Highs' building are still used.
The Ladies Seminary was founded by the Dutch Reformed Church in January 1876 after a period of 3 years when no education was offered to girls in Worcester. By 1908 it became a Girls High School.
Schools for Deaf and Blind people were founded in 1881 by the Dutch Reformed Church. Two world-renowned schools developed out of humble beginnings. From the 1880s to 1899 the Lutheran and Anglican Churches operated their own schools in town. Coloured children were allowed to attend the Lutheran School to receive a higher education.
Worcester Practising School (Oefen Skool) was established in 1938 as one of the primary schools for coloured children.
During the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
,
Prisoners of War
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
were sent to
St Helena
Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory.
Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...
,
Ceylon
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
etc. Many of the young boys never received or completed an education. The Dutch Reformed Church founded a school in what became the birth of adult education. Students were taught in the Gospel but also learned trades. The Drostdy was handed over by Government for this purpose in 1903 and by 1911 it had developed into an Industrial School. Since 1944 it is known as the Drostdy Technical High School.
A
Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
school has been in operation in Worcester since the 1840s. In 1835 a Mission School where elementary education was offered was started by the Rhenish Missionary Society. By the end of the first World War the Venerable Söhnge came to Worcester with instructions from the Society to develop a Teachers Training College for Coloured people.
The Dutch Reformed Mission Church, who had by then taken over the duties of the Rhenish Society, started a school for Coloured deaf children in 1933. Ironically it was under the Apartheid system that schools were first built for the Coloured and Black African communities. During the Apartheid years, education was only offered on an elementary level in the Zweletemba township.
Montana is High School in the northern part of the town, founded in 1972, as another product of the amalgamation of Girls High and Boys High.
In 1997 an English-medium independent school was founded. Known a Lanner House after the indigenous
Lanner falcon
The lanner falcon (''Falco biarmicus'') is a medium-sized bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. It prefers open habitat and is mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding season. A l ...
, the school provides education for children from preschool to Grade 9. Despite the fact that the language of instruction is English, an increasing number of Afrikaans families are enrolling their children in the school.
In 2014 the Stellenbosch University Ukwanda campus was opened officially. This campus is utilized by the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of Stellenbosch University to train final year students of the occupational therapy, physiotherapy, human nutrition, speech and language therapy and medical programs.
In August 2015, construction on a new high school, Somerset High, began and was completed in December 2016. The school began its first academic year in 2017.
Media
The first edition of the Worcester Weekly News was printed on 31 July 1880. The proprietor was Mr Watson and issues published under this masthead until 17 August 1882. J.E. de Jong was a master-printer from
Deventer
Deventer (; Sallaans dialect, Sallands: ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Salland historical region of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Overijssel, ...
,
Overijssel
Overijssel (; ; ; ) is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the eastern part of the country. The province's name comes from the perspective of the Prince-Bishopric of Utrecht, Episcopal principality of Utrecht ...
, Netherlands. He settled in Cape Town in 1875 and worked for The Cape Argus Printing and Publishing Company. By 1882 he had moved to Worcester and bought the Worcester Weekly News. From August 1882 he changed the name to the Worcester Advertiser, politically supported the Afrikanerbond and would criticise the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
in later years.
By 1894 the town was experiencing solid population growth and the then Cape Colony Premier,
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes ( ; 5 July 185326 March 1902) was an English-South African mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896. He and his British South Africa Company founded ...
realised that to gain influence with the public he needed the local newspaper to support his policies. De Jong was offered £5000 for his newspaper and a salary of £500 per annum. De Jong refused the offer and Rhodes decided to start his own newspaper, The Worcester Standard. These two papers ran in opposition until 1927, when they amalgamated to form the Worcester Standard and Advertiser. During the Anglo-Boer War, De Jong was jailed at Tokai. In 2023 the Worcester Standard amalgamated with the Breederivier Gazette and began to be distributed as a free newspaper.
The paper remained in private proprietary until 1980, when it was sold to
Naspers
Naspers Limited (until 1998 Die Nasionale Pers) is a South African multinational internet, technology and multimedia holding company headquartered in Cape Town.
The company has interests in online retail, publishing, real estate, and ventu ...
. The paper publishes to this day, making it one of the oldest local newspapers in South Africa. In 2023 the Worcester Standard amalgamated with the Breederivier Gazette and began distribution as a free newspaper.
Sport
Tennis and cricket
Lawn Tennis was played at the Standard Courts from 1877 and by 1906, two clubs played competitive tennis in Worcester. On 3 January 1877, a Worcester
Cricket
Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
team played for the first time against a Cape Town side. Matches took place at Church-, Market and Queen Squares. Players were organised into three local teams, Rangers, Worcester and United and played their matches on Saturdays.
In 1905 the MCC under Pelham Plum Warner played a match against a combined Worcester side. From 1908 matches were played in league format and competition for the Perkins Cup started. From 1916 to 1925 Richard Robins (Dick) Luyt played for the Worcester Club as well as representing
Western Province
Western Province or West Province may refer to:
*Western Province, Cameroon
*Western Province, Rwanda
*Western Province (Kenya)
*Western Province (Papua New Guinea)
*Western Province (Solomon Islands)
*Western Province, Sri Lanka
*Western Provinc ...
in the Currie Cup Competition. On 20 and 21 January 1925, Luyt captained a Western Province Country Districts side at Worcester when they played against the
Solomon Joel
Solomon Barnato Joel (23 May 1865 – 22 May 1931) was a British-South African business magnate. He moved to Cape Colony in the 1880s where he made his fortune in connection with diamonds, later becoming a financier with interests in mining, b ...
XI. During the 1950s Luyt would become a Springbok cricket selector. Between 1921 and 1922, the Springbok cricketer Jimmy Blanckenberg played for Worcester and on 2 August 1931; Eddie Fuller was born in Worcester.
Boland Park would have to wait until the 1990s to see provincial cricket again. By this time Claude Henderson, born and educated at Worcester was the new cricketing star. Peter Kirsten,
Gary Kirsten
Gary Kirsten (born 23 November 1967) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer who was a member of the South Africa team that won the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy.
Kirsten played 101 Test matches and 185 One Day Internationals for So ...
Kepler Wessels
Kepler Christoffel Wessels (born 14 September 1957) is a South African-Australian cricket commentator and former cricketer who captained South Africa after playing 24 Tests for Australia. Since retiring he has been a lawn bowls competitor.
He ...
Glamorgan
Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...
played against
Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...
in an over limited match at Boland Park. Henderson would go on to represent South Africa in 7 test matches and 4 ODI's.
Rugby Union
Barry
Fairy Heatlie
Barry "Fairy" Heatlie (25 April 1872 – 19 August 1951) Scrum.com was a
Western Province
Western Province or West Province may refer to:
*Western Province, Cameroon
*Western Province, Rwanda
*Western Province (Kenya)
*Western Province (Papua New Guinea)
*Western Province (Solomon Islands)
*Western Province, Sri Lanka
*Western Provinc ...
in 41 matches and he was never on the losing side in 26
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup () is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces. Although it is the premier domestic competition, four South African franc ...
matches. Heatlie was a big, robust forward and an intelligent, inspiring leader. When Heatlie was given the captaincy of the South Africans for the final test in 1896, he decided to supply his team with jerseys from the Old Diocesan Club. It was a happy coincidence that the jerseys were green and that South Africa, therefore, won her first international wearing what was to become the national colour. South Africa won the test 5 – 0 and afterwards Heatlie was carried around the field in triumph. Barry Heatlie and his 14 heroes had to rely on public transport to get home after their historic triumph.
In 1882 a Worcester Rugby team played in the first recorded match against De Doorns, "A special train was engaged and a tremendous crowd of enthusiasts proceeded to the Valley for a whole day's picnicking and some football." The Church Council complained about this "tendency of the age," matches played on Saturday afternoon interfered with the Preparation Service for Sunday Sermon. The Rugby Club was founded by Jimmy de Jongh, a local lawyer and started competition in the Western Province Country League in 1884. For the first league match played against Malmesbury, the team left Worcester on the Thursday to only return on Monday. Malmesbury declared match day as a Public Holiday. Charles Heatlie represented the Cape Colony against the first British side in 1891 and under his captaincy, Worcester won the Country Cup from 1889 to 1894. The club again won the Cup in 1897 when Noble Heatlie was captain.
In 1883 Villagers Worcester was established and trophies show that by 1893 they even have their own union. They are one of the oldest clubs from the formerly disadvantage communities that played and survived two world wars. Others break up and re-establish decades later and claim back their first establish date. Six players of the club had the honour of wearing the green and gold of SARU. Johnny Neethling, Isak Neethling, Abe Felix, Maurice Hankey, Christy Noble and Charles January. Villagers Worcester won the premier division of the Boland Union in 2012 and represent the union in the first Community Cup Competition of 2013.
Percy Allport was educated at Worcester and became a
Springbok
The springbok or springbuck (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is an antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus (biology), genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first Species description, described by the Germa ...
when he represented South Africa in 1910. Allport played at fullback in the last two tests of the series against the fourth English touring side. With the series poised at one win each, the third test at
Newlands
Newlands may refer to:
Places Australia
* Newlands, Queensland, a locality in the Whitsunday Region
* Newlands, Western Australia, a town in the Shire of Donnybrook–Balingup
Ireland
* Newlands Cross, Dublin, named after the former Newlands ...
created more public interest than any other rugby match up to then and for the first time reports in the old newspapers refer to the "perpetual Newlands roar." The highlight of the match was undoubtedly a try scored by Allport. It was to be 45 years before Roy Dryburgh became only the second Springbok fullback in history to score a try in a test.
Richard Robins (Dick) Luyt was born at Ceres and was ranked by his contemporaries as a centre as good as Japie Krige. He had the same uncanny ability to create openings for his teammates and it would seem as if he was South Africa's first hard-tackling centre. Dick Luyt who was a medical doctor settled in Worcester during 1916 and played and captained the Worcester club until 1922.
In 1931, Schalk du Toit and Alvi van der Merwe were selected to tour with
Bennie Osler
Benjamin Louwrens Osler (23 November 1901 – 28 April 1962) was a rugby union footballer who played internationally for South Africa. Osler played mainly at fly-half for both South Africa, and his provincial team of Western Province.
Osler wa ...
's Springbok side to the United Kingdom with Van der Merwe playing in the test against Wales. His son Johan became Boland captain and later played for Villagers Worcester. Buks Marais who was educated at Worcester became a Springbok in 1949 when he played in two tests against the
All Blacks
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...
. He toured with the Springboks to Europe in 1951/52 and played in the test against
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
. In 1953 he returned to Worcester and again played in the first two tests against the
Wallabies
A wallaby () is a small or middle-sized macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same taxonomic family as kangaroos and som ...
. In 1952 the Boland Provincial side played in the Currie Cup final against
Transvaal
Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name ''Transvaal''.
* South African Republic (1856–1902; ...
. Steve Hoffman, Johan Naude and Albertus van der Merwe played for the Boland team. Hoffman would become a Springbok in 1953 and Van der Merwe would represent the Springboks in 12 tests from 1955 to 1960.
In 1969 Mike Jennings was selected to tour with the Springboks to Britain. The tour would become infamous as the "Demo tour." Johan Oosthuizen, born and educated at Worcester, would represent the Springboks in 9 tests from 1974 to 1976. During 1996 the All Blacks played a rugby match on their South African tour, against the Boland Provincial side at Esselen Park.
Golf and other sports
The early golfers wore red blazers and long white trousers and played on Church Square during the 1880s. The first Golf Club in Southern Africa was the Royal Cape Golf Club founded in 1885. The Worcester Golf Club was established in 1896 and competition for the Donnison Cup between these two clubs started in 1905.
By 1892 Izak Meiring, Hennie de Wet and Jas Perkins founded the Mountain Club, the first of its kind in South Africa. Meiring who was a pharmacist and amateur surveyor, confirmed Matroosberg as the highest peak in the Western Province. Meiring's Plateau on the Brandwacht Mountains was named for him. The Worcester Athletic and Cycling Club was founded in 1905, the Swimming Club in 1906 and the Piscatorial Club in 1907.
The Cape Gliding Club has been based at the Worcester airfield since 1988.
Notable sporting performances
* Dicky Broberg – during 1971 he set a new South African record in the 800m track event when he ran a time of 1 min 44.70 sec. His time was only .40-second slower than the world record and would be ranked as the fastest time in the world during 1971. As a South African record it would only be broken during 1996.
* Stefan Hugo – won the Berg River Canoe Marathon in 1976, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1984.
* JJ Provoyeur – in 1994/95 he single-handed
circumnavigate
Circumnavigation is the complete navigation around an entire island, continent, or astronomical body (e.g. a planet or moon). This article focuses on the circumnavigation of Earth.
The first circumnavigation of the Earth was the Magellan Exped ...
d the globe during the BOC Challenge. He completed the race in 133 days.
Notable residents
* C. Louis Leipoldt – South African poet in Afrikaans, writer in English, Afrikaans and Dutch, born in Worcester 1882
* Jean Welz – Austrian born architect and artist, lived in Worcester from 1943 to 1969
*
J. M. Coetzee
John Maxwell Coetzee Order of Australia, AC Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, FRSL Order of Mapungubwe, OMG (born 9 February 1940) is a South African and Australian novelist, essayist, linguist, and translator. The recipient of the 2003 ...
– Nobel Prize winner for literature, lived as a boy in Worcester
*
Stefanus Gie
Stefanus François Naudé Gie (13 July 1884 – 10 April 1945) was a South African historian, politician, and diplomat.
Educator
Gie was born in Worcester, Cape Colony (now the Western Cape province) to an Afrikaner family. He was of Dutch, Fr ...
– diplomat
* John-Roy Jenkinson – rugby union player
* David Kramer – Singer, songwriter, playwright and director
* Diana Ferrus – South African poet and story writer in Afrikaans
* Tamaryn Green – Miss South Africa 2018 and first runner-up at
Miss Universe 2018
Miss Universe 2018 was the 67th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Impact, Muang Thong Thani, Impact Arena in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand, on 17 December 2018.
At the conclusion of the event, Demi-Leigh Tebow, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of Sout ...
* Deetlefs du Toit – former South African politician now living in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
* Lundi Tyamara – Famous South African Gospel Singer
* Pieter Hugo Naudé - Famous South African painter
* Dr.George W. Glaeser - Born 1 August 1822, Died 7 August 1883. For many years District Surgeon of Worcester.
# David Kramer;
#
Dumile Feni
Zwelidumile Geelboi Mgxaji Mhlaba "Dumile" Feni (May 21, 1942 – 1991) was a South African contemporary visual artist known for both his drawings and paintings that included sculptural elements, as well as for his sculptures, which often depi ...
(Posthumous);
# Diana Ferrus;
# Cecyl Esau;
# Raymond Parsons;
# Thembile Lewis Skweyiya (Posthumous);
# Bibi Dawood (Posthumous);
# Danny Titus; and
# J. M. Coetzee
Coats of arms
Municipality (1) — By 1931, the town council had assumed a coat of arms consisting of a blue shield depicting a golden portcullis on a silver and red torse. The portcullis is the crest of the arms of the Somerset family.
Municipality (2) — On 27 September 1948, the council approved a new design, by
Ivan Mitford-Barberton
Ivan Mitford-Barberton (1896–1976) was a South African sculptor, writer and authority on heraldry.
Early life and education
Mitford-Barberton was born in Somerset East, in Cape Colony, in 1896. He was a descendant of several 1820 Settler ...
and H. Ellis Tomlinson. This was in response to a Cape Provincial Administration circular calling on municipalities to have their arms checked and, if necessary, re-designed to make them heraldically correct. The arms were registered with the provincial administration in May 1957Cape of Good Hope ''Official Gazette'' 2867 (24 May 1957) and at the Bureau of Heraldry in February 1983.National Archives of South Africa: Data of the Bureau of Heraldry /ref>
The arms were: ''Quarterly, Sable and Gules, a portcullis Or, nailed Azure; on a chief wavy Argent, three hurts, on each a fleur-de-lis, Or'' (in layman's terms: a shield quartered in black and red, displaying a golden portcullis with blue nails, above this is a horizontal silver strip with a wavy edge, displaying three golden fleurs de lis on blue discs). The crest was a golden demi-lion holding a cornucopia of fruit. The motto was ''Mutare sperno''. The black and red quartered shield was derived from the arms of the English city of
Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Engl ...
.
Divisional council (1) —
By 1959, the divisional council (the local authority for the rural areas outside the town) had taken over the old discarded municipal arms.Western Cape Archives : A 2514 (Box 25 : file K2/5).
Divisional council (2) — The divisional council had a new coat of arms designed by Cornelis Pama in 1973. It was registered at the Bureau on 29 November 1974.
The arms were: ''Vert, a bend
dancetty
The lines in heraldry used to divide and vary fields and charges are by default straight, but may have many different shapes. Care must be taken to distinguish these types of lines from the use of lines as charges, and to distinguish these shap ...
Argent in the shape of a letter W between two
bezant
In the Middle Ages, the term bezant (, from Latin ) was used in Western Europe to describe several gold coins of the east, all derived ultimately from the Roman . The word itself comes from the Greek Byzantion, the ancient name of Constantinop ...
s'' (i.e. a green shield displaying a silver W-shaped stripe between two golden discs). The crest was two bunches of grapes on either side of a stick, and the motto was ''Fructu noscitur''. These arms were re-registered by the council's successor, the Divisional Council of Matroosberg, in April 1980. The latter also had a flag consisting of a banner of the arms.
Incidents
On 24 December 1996, Stefaans Coetzee and associates carried out the 1996 Shoprite bombing where a bomb was planted in a Christmas tree decoration in a Shoprite shopping centre. Another was placed at a Narutam pharmacy just down the street. The Shoprite bomb ripped through the building killing a woman and 3 children, and further injuring 67 people. The Narutam bomb disintegrated the tree and injured 2. On 28 March 2016, that same Shoprite caught ablaze and was heavily damaged.
Notes and references
*
*
*
* Worcester 150 Years; R.G. Grebe Worcester Municipality 1970
* Worcester Boys' High School Journal; WSEP 1968
*
* Various articles from the Worcester Standard and Advertiser
*
* Museum Archive Assistance: Johannes Malgas
* The Complete Book of SA Wine; Kench, Hands & Hughes; C. Struik 1983
*