CULTURAL HERITAGE: RESTORED STREET FACADES

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Cachet: The cachet on this cover is anchored by a bronze national monument badge, shown in careful detail with its raised relief of a gateway building surrounded by a wreath of laurel and wheat. Two small figures sit atop the badge on either side of a coat of arms, giving the medallion a formal, official character. Beneath the badge the bilingual title "Kultuurerfenis · Cultural heritage / Restourasie · Restoration" runs across the bottom of the cover in elegant serif type, setting the tone for the conservation theme carried through the stamps. Four stamps sit in a block in the top right corner, each illustrated by A H Barrett and showing a different restored South African street facade, from Graaff-Reinet to Pietermaritzburg. A single Graaff-Reinet postmark cancels the block.

Info card

CULTURAL HERITAGE: RESTORED STREET FACADES The realization that much of South Africa's cultural heritage could be lost in the process of development has led to the purposeful conservation of historic buildings and complete street facades. 14c stamp Graaff-Reinet Graaff-Reinet is the fourth oldest town in South Africa. It was established in 1786 and named after Governor Van der Graaff and his wife, Reinet. So far 150 of the more than 300 historic buildings in Graaff-Reinet have been restored and proclaimed. In 1956 the one-time Dutch Reformed Church parsonage (better known as Reinet House) was rebuilt. After part of the house was gutted by fire in 1980, the Save Reinet Foundation was founded to assist in the reconstruction of Old Graaff-Reinet with a view to the town's bicentenial in 1986. This stamp depicts Drostdyhof (formerly Stretch's Court), a number of 19th century cottages on the one-time Vrij Straat (Free Street) behind the restored magistrate's residence, the Drostdy. In 1885 an Irishman from Limerick, Captain Charles Lennox Stretch, acquired the old drostdy and the adjoining land. Stretch, a land-surveyor, subdivided the land into plots and sold the cottages on the one-time Vrij Straat (Free Street) behind the restored magistrate's residence, the Drostdy. In 1966 Historical Homes of South Africa Limited bought the cottages and restored the entire street in 1970. Today Drostdyhof is part of a hotel complex. Original photograph: E. S. Whitlock 20c stamp Pilgrim's Rest Pilgrim's Rest in the Eastern Transvaal is the oldest unaltered gold-diggers' village in South Africa. The entire village was bought by the Transvaal Provincial Council in 1974 and restored to the appearance of the period 1873-1915. In 1873 alluvial gold was discovered in Pilgrim's Creek and a tent town mushroomed in the valley. In time the canvas dwellings were replaced by wood and corrugated iron cottages with a characteristic architecture. As far as possible, the buildings and structures were restored to their original state and are used for their original purposes. Original building materials, colour schemes and front gardens were retained or reconstructed. A permanent community has been established, and Pilgrim's Rest is now a living museum and a popular tourist resort. Original photograph: Departmental Art Studio 25c stamp Bethlehem The Free State town of Bethlehem was founded in 1860. The first inhabitants found that wheat did well in that area and named the village after the Biblical Bethlehem, which means "house of bread". Sandstone buildings from the 19th century give the Eastern Free State a special character. Three splendid examples of sandstone architecture stand on Louw Street in Bethlehem, viz the St Augustine Anglican Church, the old magistracy, and the Strapp shop building depicted on this stamp. The business J. T. Strapp and Son, Direct Importers was established by James Strapp around 1880 and the sandstone shop was probably erected in 1893. When the shop closed down in 1979, the Town Council bought the building, restored it and leased it to two business concerns. Strapp's Store was proclaimed a national monument in 1981. Original photograph: Studio ELFIN 30c stamp Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg was established towards the end of 1838 as the capital of the Republic of Natalia. The first erven were granted to the first Voortrekkers by the Volksraad in 1839. Named after the Voortrekker leader Pieter Mauritz Retief, the town was first known as Pietermauritzburg but the spelling was later changed to its present form. The house Palmdene depicted on this stamp stands on a portion of the original erf at 12 Loop Street, which was granted to Gert J. Jordaan on 28 February 1839. The erf was subdivided in 1897 and the house was erected around this period. The large and imposing Victorian double-storey dwelling is built of the traditional Pietermaritzburg pink brick and is flanked on three sides by a verandah and balcony. The verandah and balcony posts are made of cast iron and support an elaborately decorated upper floor with cast-iron balustrade, roof drip frets and column brackets. The cast iron was imported from the Macfarlane Foundry in Glasgow, Scotland. Palmdene was recently restored and is now used as offices. The present address is 126 Longmarket Street. Original photograph: E. E. Shariff KULTUURERFENIS: GERESTOUREERDE STRAATFASADES Die besef dat baie van Suid-Afrika se kultuurerfenis in die proses van vooruitgang verlore kon gaan, het tot die doelgerigte bewaring van historiese geboue en volledige straatfasades gelei. 14c-seël Graaff-Reinet Graaff-Reinet is die vierde oudste dorp in Suid-Afrika. Dit is in 1786 gestig en na goewerneur Van der Graaff en sy vrou Reinet vernoem. Van die meer as 300 historiese geboue in Graaff-Reinet het 150 reeds gerestoureer en geproklameer. In 1956 is die ou Ned. Geref. Kerk-pastorie, beter bekend as Reinethuis, herbou. Nadat 'n deel van die huis in 1980 deur brand vernietig is, is die Stigting Vir Ou Graaff-Reinet in die lewe geroep om te help met die herskepping van Ou Graaff-Reinet met die oog op die dorp se tweede-eeufeesviering in 1986. Dié seël toon Drostdyhof (voorheen Stretch's Court), 'n aantal 19-eeuse koitjuise aan die eertydse Vrij Straat agter die gerestoureerde Drostdy. In 1885 het 'n Ier van Limerick, kaptein Charles Lennox Stretch, die drostdy en die aangrensende grond gekoop. Stretch, 'n landmeter, het die grond in erwe onderverdeel en die koitjuise aan die Vrij Straat verkoop. In 1966 het Historiese Huise van Suid-Afrika Beperk die huisies gekoop en die hele straatjie in 1979 gerestoureer. Drostdyhof is tans deel van 'n hotelkompleks. Oorspronklike foto: E. S. Whitlock 20c-seël Pilgrim's Rest Pilgrim's Rest in Oos-Transvaal is die oudste onveranderde goudgraversdorpie in Suid-Afrika. Die hele dorpie is in 1974 deur die Transvaalse Provinsiale Administrasie aangekoop en tot sy voorkoms gedurende die jare 1873-1915 herstel. In 1873 is goud in Pilgrim's Creek ontdek en 'n tentdorp het in die vallei opgeskiet. Hierdie seildwellings is mettertyd deur hout-en-sinkhuisies met 'n kenmerkende boustyl vervang. Die geboue en strukture is so getrou moontlik na die oorspronklike toestand herstel en word steeds vir die oorspronklike doel gebruik. Oorspronklike boumateriale, kleurskemas en voortuine is behou of teruggebring. 'n Permanente gemeenskap is gevestig en Pilgrim's Rest is tans 'n lewende museum en 'n gewilde toeriste-oord. Oorspronklike foto: Departementele Kunsateljee 25c-seël Bethlehem Die Vrystaatse dorp Bethlehem is in 1860 gestig. Die eerste intrekkers het gevind dat koring daar goed aard en die dorp na die Bybelse Bethlehem vernoem, wat "huis van brood" beteken. Sandkliggeboue uit die 19e eeu verleen 'n besondere karakter aan die Oos-Vrystaat. Drie pragvoorbeelde van sandklipargitektuur staan aan Louwstraat in Bethlehem, nl. die St Augustine Anglikaanse Kerk, die ou landdroskantoor, en die Strapp-winkelgebou wat op hierdie seël afgebeeld is. Die sakeonderneming J. T. Strapp en Seun, Direkte Importeurs, is omstreeks 1880 deur James Strapp gestig en die sandklipwinkel is waarskynlik in 1893 opgerig. Toe die saak in 1979 gesluit het, het die Stadsraad die gebou gekoop, gerestoureer en aan twee sakeondernemings verhuur. Strapp se Winkel is in 1981 tot nasionale gedenkwaardigheid verklaar. Oorspronklike foto: Ateljee ELFIN 30c-seël Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg is teen die einde van 1838 as die hoofstad van die Republiek Natalia gestig. Die eerste erwe is in 1839 deur die Volksraad aan die eerste Voortrekkers toegeken. Vernoem na die Voortrekkerleier Pieter Mauritz Retief, is die dorp aanvanklik as Pietermauritzburg bekend gestaan, maar die spelling is later na sy huidige vorm verander. Die huis Palmdene wat op die seël afgebeeld is, staan op 'n gedeelte van die oorspronklike erf op 12 Loopstraat, wat op 28 Februarie 1839 aan Gert J. Jordaan toegeken is. Die erf is in 1897 onderverdeel en die huis is omstreeks die tyd gebou. Die groot en imposante Victoriaanse dubbelverdiepinggewoning is van die tradisionele Pietermaritzburgse pienk baksteen gebou en word aan drie kante deur 'n veranda en balkon omring. Die veranda- en balkonpale is van gietyster en ondersteun 'n vernaamste versierde boonste verdieping met gietyster-balustrade, dakdrupfrieë en kolomkonsole. Die gietyster is uit die Macfarlane-metaalgietery in Glasgow, Skotland, ingevoer. Palmdene is onlangs gerestoureer en word nou as kantore gebruik. Die huidige adres is 126 Longmarketstraat. Oorspronklike foto: E. E. Shariff

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 14 August 1986 in Graaff-Reinet. It carries a set of four stamps illustrated by A H Barrett, each depicting a restored historic street facade from a different South African town. Pilgrim's Rest began life as a tent town after alluvial gold was discovered there in 1873, and its canvas dwellings were gradually replaced with the wood and corrugated iron cottages that define its restored appearance today.

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