In Mid-Victorian Cape Town

In Mid-Victorian Cape Town
Emma Rutherfoord was the daughter of H.E. Rutherfoord, a prosperous merchant who had come to the Cape in 1818 and later became a member of the Legislative Council of the Cape Parliament.  In 1856 Emma married Rev. Andrew Murray and shared with her husband the trials and hardships of his work in Bloemfontein (this being the subject of another set of letters in book form). The letters in this book, addressed to her sister Mary, were all written before her marriage, and give a picture of happy family life in fairly comfortable circumstances in Cape Town of the 1850's. 

While many accounts of the Cape in those days were written by travellers passing through, these letters are from a more personal perspective. Rather than grumbling about the discomforts and inconveniences that others grumbled about, her letters speak of the families and houses, the paddocks that stretched up the mountain, Mermaid Cove, High Rocks and Bantry Bay. They tell of the numerous visitors from far-flung countries, including missionaries from all denominations. Some of the dinner-conversations also make it into the book, such as the high cost of meat and the wretched salaries paid to Civil Servants. We get to learn about the lovely flowers that were found in the triangle between what today are Kloof Road and Regent Road.  We come across references to things which are still part of Cape Town life today - comparisons between Green Point and the Southern Suburbs, the South-easter, the trying heat of February and the wild flowers of the Cape Flats. 

This little book presents a truly personal insight into life at the Cape in mid-Victorian times.

Pages:   157

Format:  Downloadable PDF (±108Mb, zipped)

In Mid-Victorian Cape Town

Emma Rutherfoord was die dogter van H.E. Rutherfoord, 'n welgestelde handelaar wat in 1818 aan die Kaap geland het en later lid van die Wetgewende Vergadering in die Kaapse Parlement geword het.  Emma het in 1856 met ds. Andrew Murray in die huwelik getree en het die wel en weë van sendelingwerk met haar man te Bloemfontein gedeel (hierdie ervarings vorm die basis van 'n ander boek). Die briewe in hierdie boek, wat almal aan haar suster Mary geaddresseer is, is geset in die periode voor haar huwelik met Murray, en laat ons meeleef in die omstandighede van hierdie familie in Kaapstad van die 1850's. 

Baie beskrywings van die Kaap in daardie tydperk is geskryf deur besoekers aan die stad terwyl hierdie briewe ons 'n meer persoonlike perspektief gee. Eerder as om te mor oor die probleme en ongerief waaroor ander so dikwels gekla het, vertel hierdie briewe ons meer van die families en huise van die tydperk, die velde teen die hange van die berg, Mermaid Cove, High Rocks en Bantry Bay. Hulle vertel van die vele besoekers van ander lande, insluitende sendelinge van verskeie denominasies.  Ons luister in op sommige van die gesprekke om die etenstafel, soos dié oor die hoë koste van vleis en die slegte salarisse van staatsamptenare.  Ons leer selfs van die pragtige blomme wat in die driehoek tussen wat vandag Kloof en Regent strate is, te vinde was. En dan lees ons ook van dinge wat steeds vandag deel van die lewe aan die Kaap is - vergelykings tusssen Groenpunt en die suidelike voorstede, die Suidooster, die hitte in Februariemaand en die veldblomme van die Kaapse vlaktes.

Hierdie klein boekie gee ons inderdaad 'n baie persoonlike insig in die lewe aan die Kaap in die mid-Victoriaanse era.

Bladsye:   157

Formaat:  Aflaaibare PDF (±108Mb, ge-zip)