History Narratives

January 19, 2022

YOU CAN HELP: BEHIND THE KOPPIE

We have several words in English to refer to places where we bury our dead: burying ground, burial place, graveyard, churchyard and cemetery, for example. In the history of Hermanus, different terms have been used at different times. It also appears that different places have been used as cemeteries at […]
January 19, 2022
Hermanus History Society

The Birkenhead Hotel

The Luyt family in Hermanus had a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Their investments were successful, more often than not. The Marine and Riviera hotels were a longstanding success. P J Luyt had brought his energy and managerial talents to many other organisations in the town, for instance, the Wildflower Society (forerunner […]
January 19, 2022
Hermanus History Society

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THE HERMANUS HOTELS

Generally, the owners and managers of Hermanus hotels kept quiet establishments. Their guests were mainly middle to upper-middle-class individuals and families, not given to riotous nights. But sometimes events beyond management’s control occurred and resulted in a story that would go round the village. Then, it might be passed down […]
November 17, 2021
Hermanus History Society

DESTINATION HERMANUS (third Instalment)

The Napier Family This account of a more recent journey to Hermanus was written by Nancy Okes (born Napier) and tells of a trip from Cape Town to Hermanus almost exactly 100 years ago, in 1922. The writer contributed a chapter to the book “Hermanus Stories III” by S J […]