History of Botrivier Long before Western settlement, this east-facing glen was home to prosperous herders, the Khoi-Khoi, who pastured their livestock in rich pastures along the banks of the “Couga River”. The river flows south towards the marsh Botrivier estuary, and was for centuries the home of contented tribes who savoured the privilege of fresh waters in the water-scarce Cape. “Rich in fat”, was the river’s name – a tribute to the area’s reputation for “lots of butter”, which the early settlers came in search of to barter for. It was this creamy “botter” (Afrikaans) which gave the “Bot River” its ultimate name. Later, the hamlet was to become an 18th century outpost for the Dutch East India Company at Compagnes Drift farm in Botrivier, now home to Beaumont Wines, where the owners have cherished and protected its early heritage. At the same time that a company of soldiers was stationed at the drift at Bot River to monitor who crossed the Cape frontier, Compagnes Drift also developed as a loan farm. Loan farms were owned by the Dutch East India Company. Under this scheme, burghers could rent the land, farm it and profit from it, but they could not own it. But in 1806 one man was awarded the title deeds to Compagnes Drift for his loyalty to the Dutch East India Company even as the Dutch lost control of the Cape to the British. As Napoleon extended his control over Europe, including Holland, the British sought to pre-empt possible French control of the Cape. In January 1806 British forces defeated the Dutch at the battle of Blouberg. Among the handful of Dutch burghers who rendered loyal service in the battle was Servaas Daniel de Kock. As a reward for his service, the Dutch East India Company gave him ownership of the farm he had worked on loan. De Kock planted wheat, vines, fruit trees, vegetables and tumeric – a spice that was in high demand in the curry-loving kitchens of the Cape of Good Hope. The Beaumont family bought Compagnes Drift farm in 1973. A major event in the life of Botrivier was the arrival of the railway line from Cape Town to Caledon in 1902. In much the same way as the American railway teams forged west in the USA, the Cape tracks were forged through the Hottentots-Holland mountain range above Somerset West - an awesome engineering feat - and this brought the village of Bot River to its feet when the first trains ran in 1912, allowing villagers, farmers and traders to journey to the Mother City of Cape Town faster than ever before. And the traffic grew from the City into the countryside too. Today, the Compagnes Drift Farm is also home to one of the Overberg’s most historic mill houses. The water mill at Compagnes Drift is thought to have been built around 1800. When Bishop La Trobe stopped overnight at the De Kock farm at Compagnes Drift farm in 1815 he noted in his diary that flooding had badly damaged the mill on the farm. It had also destroyed De Kock’s vineyards and choked his well. By 1880 the water mill at Compagnes Drift farm was one of approximately 2 000 mills in South Africa. As Andy Selfe explains [Bot River Mill 1 – 1:05”], evidence suggests that the 200-year old mill was much more than a simple farm mill. In its heyday, its mills ground flour from farms across the region, but this came to an abrupt halt when the government centralised milling. The incredible enthusiasm and dedication of Andy Selfe has recently seen this mill being restored, and for the first time in decades the ancient water mill is turning again. This mill house is truly a living museum as it houses three different mill machines, one of which is driven by the beautiful wooden water wheel that is again powered by a natural stream- for the first time in 80 years! The entire mill is powered by water from the Jakkals River that runs through Compagnes Drift farm and is regulated through a series of sluice gates. Andy Selfe describes the moving parts The mill at Compagnes Drift farm is a Vitruvian water mill. The design dates back to antiquity and takes its name from the Roman writer, architect and engineer, Vitruvius. According to Andy Selfe, Vitruvius set three principles for his designs. Click here to find out what they were: The millstones at the old mill are made of three types kinds of stone – German, South African and French. Andy Selfe tells us more: A school teacher remembers Andew Karelse was born in 1923 and grew up in Houw Hoek where his father worked on the railway line. After qualifying as a teacher he took up his first post over the mountain in Bot River, on a farm school in 1945. Karelse taught at Rooiheuwel, a farm school that started on the Le Roux farm in the early 1920s. Until that time, the only school for “coloured’ or “brown” children was at Houw Hoek, too distant for the children of Bot River. The school grew rapidly and produced good results, but life was hard. Andew Karelse taught there until he retired in 1983. To this day, local people pass his cottage and greet him deferentially, as “meester” (master), much to his embarrassment
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 20:27:01 +0000
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