The Coachman’s Cottage Museum as custodian of local history and culture of
schools and communities in the Helderberg region.
History of the Helderberg region
• Firgrove, Macassar, Somerset West, Strand, Gordon’s Bay and Sir Lowry’s pass
• Peggy Heap’s book: The Story of the Hottentots Holland (1977)
• Lack of written local history especially of mission stations and people of colour
Harold Herman’s work in this area since the 1980’s
• The Methodist Mission Stations of: Raithby, Somerset West and Sir Lowry’s pass
• The two museums in the Helderberg region: the Coachman’s Cottage Museum and the Lwandle Migrant History Museum
• The establishment of the Coachman’s cottage Museum in 2007
• The Coachman’s Cottage museum collection and it’s role in documenting the history of slave descendants, churches and schools in the region
• Ex of slaves and missionary history:- Raithby, Somerset West and Sir Lowry’s pass established
by first Methodist church missionary, rev. Barnabas Shaw – copies of Harold Herman’s papers available
- The newly published book on the history of the Katts family of Somerset West written by Mercia and Lionel Smith – copies available for sale
CAPS Guidelines for Heritage Assignment for Grade 10
• Local, regional or national focus• Three-stage process• Include oral history• Include ideologies and debates around
heritage• Include research• Include a Key Question
Key Question
• ‘How is colonial heritage memorialised and conserved in the historic core of Somerset West?’
NG Kerk
Eufees memorial
Methodist Church
Coachman’s Cottage
Learners’ Comments
• I did not know the Church was there until I did this project
• The gravel road that leads to the (NG) Church must be the only piece of untarred road in S.W.
• Die Kerkplein kom in ‘n arm gebied voor...dus is die terrein nie aantreklik vir toeriste nie
• I wondered why the birthplace or heart of S.W. was so abandoned and uncared for
More Learner Comments
• Aangesien Suid-Afrika eers onlangs apartheid afgeskaf het..., sukkel mense om die koloniale erfenis in ‘n positiewe lig te sien
• I think that this cottage (Cottage Museum) is the best looked after Heritage Site I have seen in Somerset West. Nobody visits – why?
Ideology and Debate: The issue of Dissonant Heritage
• How is colonial (minority) heritage in conflict with the values of post-colonial majority rule, within the historical core?
• Who are the Custodians? Who should pay for conservation of colonial minority heritage sites?
• How is S.A. Missions Heritage in conflict with the assumptions of urban development within the historic core?