Thursday, July 31, 2008

Westering High School Established 1985 Port Elizabeth



Coat of arms

QUOTE: "This was designed by Mrs R Blackbeard, wife of the first principal of the school..... The lamp of learning is placed at the honor point of the shield. The flame is the symbol of Christianity, which we endeavor to instill at our school. The school colors are navy blue, gold white."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westering_High_School

The Chevron and shield is an expression from the coat of arms of The Honourable Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin who named Port Elizabeth, and was the establishments first governor.

Port Elizabeth Town Map 1849

Book of the Week

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Port Elizabeth 1854



Water Colour Port Elizabeth 1854
Oliver Lester

Sir Rufane Donkin and Elizabeth Donkin Port Elizabeth 1820



Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin

The life of Sir Rufane Donkin is a remarkable and honourable one. Sir Rufane Donkin was born in 1773 and died in Southampton England in 1841. He was born of a military family, his father Robert Donkin was a greatly respected General.

Sir Rufane Donkin Joined the army at the age of five under his father's command and later served in the 11th Light Foot and the 44th Light Foot Regiment. In 1793 he received the rank of Captain, 1776 Major and at the age of 25 was promoted to the rank of Lt General.

He lead a Battalion with distinction and received the KCB. Later the British government deployed him in India. He was in active service in the West Indies in 1794 and in the Ostand expedition. He honoured his country and served wherever they required him.

His life is also one of romance and undying love. He married Elizabeth Markham in Yorkshire under a traditional organised marriage which was the custom in those times for the social upper classes. But Sir Rufane Donkin truly fell in love with his beautiful young wife. In most cases the wives of high ranking military officials stayed at home while their husbands were abroad. However Elizabeth Donkin chose to be with her husband and traveled with him to India where she was to become seriously ill, and died in August 1818 after their first son George David was born.

The effect on Sir Rufane Donkin after her death was immense, and to such an extent was placed on leave from his post, however he was given the task of organising the 1820 Settlers in Port Elizabeth. He was officially the first governor of PE from the 6 June 1820 - 1821. His wife Elizabeth was buried in Meerut in India but her heart was embalmed at his request.

On his return to England he married Anna Maria Elliot in 1832, but the loss of his first love lay heavily on his soul, and in August 1841 he committed suicide. His father died the same year in March just before the death of his son. Sir Rufane Donkin was buried along with the embalmed heart of his wife. Love it is said is as strong as death!

Sir Rufane Donkin built a memorial to his wife Elizabeth known as the Donkin Memorial atop a hill above the city center and named the city, Port Elizabeth, in her memory.
The Donkin Reserve is open to all in perpetuity according to his will.

At the end of his military career he spent his life in political and literary work. He became a member of the Royal Society and other learned bodies. He became a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society to name just a few of his achievments. Port Elizabeth is proud of the heritage passed on to us by Sir Rufane Donkin from which all PE's citizens have benefited.

Elizabeth Donkin

The Christian life of Elizabeth Donkin is no less exceptional than that of Sir Rufan Donkin, leaving the safety and comfort of her homeland to be with her husband, and for the greater good of England.

QUOTE: "Elizabeth Frances Markham was born on 28 August 1790 to a clerical family. Her grandfather had been the Archbishop of York (The Rt. Rev. Dr. William Markham) and her father (Richard) was the Dean of York. 1815 was the year of the Battle of Waterloo, and it was in this year - on May Day - that she married Rufane at Stokesley in Yorkshire." http://www.momentos.co.za/donstory.htm

Without taking the story of Margaret Donkin's life too far, there are Biblical parallels to be found within the pages of the bible. The events which inspired the creation of the Donkin Memorial can by no means be compared to the sacrifice of JESUS on Calvary, but the location of the memorial, and what it means, is certainly similar to that place called Golgotha, the "Place of the Scull", a hill outside Jerusalem which overlooks a busy bus stop with its teeming crowds.

Golgotha was a place of LOVE which without the Cross of Christ would mean very little. And so it is that the life of Margaret is mirrored to a small extent in her SAVIOUR, her willingness to sacrifice, for her nation, her people, her countrymen, her husband, and her LORD, little wonder why the Memorial exists in her honour. Pure and loving acts can sustain a troubled nation. All these virtues were surely recognised by Sir Rufane Donkin to remember her.

The Donkin Memorial is not just another nice monument but a symbol of the power of Christian love and sacrifice replicated in page after page of Biblical text.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Stained Glass Window Life of JESUS CHRIST St Augustine Port Elizabeth



http://catholic-pe.co.za/painting.htm

Picture Reproduced by kind permission
Thanx to St Augustine's Church
Catholic Diocese of Port Elizabeth
and Mr John Reeks

The Good Shepherd Stained glass Windows St Augustine's Church Port Elizabeth



http://catholic-pe.co.za/painting.htm

Picture Reproduced by kind permission
Thanx to St Augustine's Church
Catholic Diocese of Port Elizabeth
and Mr John Reeks

Painting of JESUS St Augustine's Church Catholic Diocese Port Elizabeth



QUOTE:

"The 17th Century painting of Jesus before partial restoration
(See below, the painting after partial restoration)

Bishop Michael Coleman of the Port Elizabeth Diocese is launching an appeal to help restore and exhibit an old oil painting of Our Lord.

The painting was originally in Risley Hall, a Tudor manor house near Derby in England. In an old inventory, it was listed as “The Saviour”, attributed to Velasquez (1599-1660). In 1912, it was valued at £1200 and hung in the entrance hall. There were a large number of good paintings at Risley Hall, including those attributed to Ruebens, Stubbs and Sir Godfrey Kneller; “The Saviour” was assessed as the most valuable of all."

http://catholic-pe.co.za/painting.htm

Picture Reproduced by kind permission
Thanx to St Augustine's Church
Catholic Diocese of Port Elizabeth
and Mr John Reeks

Charlotte Church "I Vow to Thee My Country"

Monday, July 28, 2008

Piet Retief's Farm Summerstrand Port Elizabeth

QUOTE: “From 1814 to 1821 the Strandfontein farm, which later became the Summerstrand beach suburb of Port Elizabeth, was in possession of Piet Retief, who later became a Voortrekker leader and was killed in 1837 by Zulu king Dingane during negotiations about land. An estimated 500 men, woman and children of his party were massacred. After Retief the Strandfontein farm was owned by Frederik Korsten after whom another suburb of Port Elizabeth is named today”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Elizabeth

Piet Retief’s farm is marked by a small monument, if this has not been removed by the present government, and is a short distance from the Summerstrand Shopping Centre in an open patch of ground.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Book of the week



This is an old book but they can still be bought from Christian Bookstores. This is a woman of great FAITH being constantly led by JESUS. After reading about her your life will be touched and changed.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Holmeleigh Farm Port Elizabeth



Copyright 2009

Beachfront Port Elizabeth



To use this image quote: Our Christian Heritage/www.portelizabethtimes.blogspot.com/jpg 714/2009

Beachfront Port Elizabeth



To use this image quote: Our Christian Heritage/www.portelizabethtimes.blogspot.com/jpg 546/2009

Beachfront Port Elizabeth

Friday, July 25, 2008

Beautiful Sun Dial Port Elizabeth



Bought these beautiful sun dials in Port Elizabeth. One of the genuine artistic gems to be found for the garden at a nursery in Newton Park.

To use this image quote: Our Christian Heritage/www.portelizabethtimes.blogspot.com/jpg 058/2009

Thursday, July 24, 2008

A Mother's Joy GOD's Gift Port Elizabeth



A Mother's Love

To My Son

It's a love like no other - so hard to explain;
Rewarded by moments of joy and of pain;
It's a love that only a mother can know
created by GOD Who loves mothers so.

Its a love that unfolds when a mother gives birth,
A love JESUS had when HE walked on the earth;
As he blessed the sweet children by the touch of HIS hands
A love of a mother only HE understands.

When so gently the children HE held on HIS knee,
As HIS arms cradled babies, it is then we can see
the depth and the richness of each mother's love
born in the heart of the FATHER above.

It's alove that grows stronger with each passing day,
It never gives up though a child far may stray;
It's a love that endures through the good times and hard,
It's a love that is nearest the great love of GOD.

Reproduced by permission
SJA
Reflections
1990

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Port Elizabeth Christians Praise JESUS

Holmeleigh Farm Scare Crow Port Elizabeth

Looking Inland from Port Elizabeth 1848



Thomas Baines Painting 1848

This painting shows the south east side of the Baakens river with the Baakens river fort top left and the Donkin Memorial top right

Enjoy a Game of Garden Croquet Port Elizabeth



The Game of Croquet was brought to the continent by the English, which I played often when I was a child in our front garden.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Turakina Visits Port Elizabeth 1899



The Turakina entered Port Elizabeth waters for repairs to its rigging and bulwarks after it was damaged by heavy storms off the Cape on its way to London in 1899. Read more on this remarkable ship by Ian Harris, picture from the same source, seen here moored in foreign waters, possibly New Zealand. http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/NZFSC.html

Monday, July 21, 2008

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Book of the Week

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Eastern Cape Hate Crimes



Victoria Stadler (20) [left] RAPED AND MURDERED just three weeks after Jessica Wheeler (18) was raped and murdered in Knysna. (Read the entire Story by Tisha Steyn in the BEELD 17 November 2005, PHOTO’S in the same article.)

These young girls were violently RAPED AND MURDERED in the Eastern Cape in a RACIST ATTACK. These rapes and murders are very common in South Africa, be vigilent and watch your back!

Birkenhead Disaster 25 February 1852 en route to Port Elizabeth



QUOTE: "On February 25th, 1852 H.M. Troopship Birkenhead steamed out of Simon’s Bay near Cape Town set on course for disaster. The intended destination was Port Elizabeth.

The ship was iron built, and modern, by the famous John Laird shipbuilding family in 1845. She was just over 200 feet long and of 1400 tons. On board were 643 personnel and several officer’s horses. Among these was a draft for the Queen’s (Second) Royal Regiment of Foot consisting of a Corporal and fifty one men under the command of Ensign Boylan".

http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/1661to1966/birkenhead/birkenhead.html

The Birkenhead came to its fateful end after it struck a submerged rock just off Cape Point. The actions of the military men and Captain were heroic as recorded in the annals of history, where the command was given for women and children to be first in the lifeboats. Of the 643 passengers aboard more than two thirds lost their lives in the disaster.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Celebrate Giving on Boxing Day 26 December Port Elizabeth

Boxing Day celebrations take place on the 26th December. Traditionally it is a day when the poor are presented with gifts and has its roots in the Middle Ages. Boxing day is also the feast of St Stephen the first Christian Martyr.

Boxing Day tradition is probably the reason why many poor people in South Africa ask for a “Christmas Box” before Christmas festivities take place, even though the tradition has being reversed ie. giving a gift to the poor a few days before Christmas.

Port Elizabeth Divisional Council Emblem



Armoria Familia
Mike Oettle

Port Elizabeth Christians Follow JESUS

The Boardwalk Port Elizabeth

The Boardwalk Port Elizabeth

The Boardwalk Port Elizabeth

The Boardwalk Port Elizabeth

The Boardwalk Port Elizabeth

Monday, July 14, 2008

Old Automobile Show Port Elizabeth

Old Automobile Show Port Elizabeth

Old Automobile Show Port Elizabeth

Old Automobile Show Port Elizabeth

Blacks Attack White Women Eastern Cape



From this…………………………………………To this!

These pictures are downloaded from the website censorbugbear taken from one of the Afrikaans newspapers and shows Michelle Cocks after a ruthless criminal attack! She was also pregnant and lost her baby due to the injuries and trauma sustained despite her pleading with her RACIST ATTACKERS for her child’s life. The attack took place near Peddie where Michelle (31) from Rhodes Univerasity [top left], and Dr. Isla Grundy not shown, were carrying out research. (Full story and details unavailable from censorbugbear and its affiliated websites, but see the website newspaper article by the Daily Dispatch Newspaper 07 September 2002 about this woman on another website by typing Michelle Cocks za.)

See www.censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com

Blacks Attack White Women Eastern Cape



Dr Isla Grundy [Photo] shown after a ruthless RACIST ATTACK is attended to by medics [See Story above]. (Newspaper article from the HERALD Newspaper.)

See www.censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com

Our Heritage Algoa Bay Port Elizabeth

Sunday, July 13, 2008

St Mark's Church Chapel Framesby Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth Airport 1960's

The Harbour Port Elizabeth



The Harbour carried 249 vessels in 1865 while in 1965 carried 1567. This was an important port of call for ships coming to South Africa and for others on their way to the Far East.

Victoria Bar Jetty Street Port Elizabeth

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Beachfront Port Elizabeth



To use this image quote: Our Christian Heritage/www.portelizabethtimes.blogspot.com/jpg 610/2009