Then in 1826 when the second magistrate (Van der Riet) and his family was on holiday disaster struck.  Nearly the whole building was destroyed in a fire, but some parts could be saved and it was rebuilt.

History states that in 1897 the building was turned into a boarding house and in 1903 it took another change to become the Victoria Hotel which apparently served famous pub lunches.

Photo credit: George Herald Newspaper

Meanwhile Charles Sayers started a museum in a rented room in Courtney Street. The museum quickly expanded due to generous donations and moved to the Old Town House in Market Street, but soon these premises were also bursting it seems.

It was time for change once more.  The tourism boom arrived round about 1968 in the town of George.  There was a proposal to demolish the Drostdy to make way for a grand three storey hotel boasting three stars next to the door.  Luckily the demolition of the building was avoided when the municipality bought it in 1972 with the main purpose to establish a museum for George.  After extensive renovations, the doors opened in 1976 with Mr Sayers as the curator.

A 2016 view of the museum

The  museum was still expanding and the Sayers Hall was added in 1991 and the timber exhibition in the back garden was completed in 1993.

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 Museum times:
Monday – Friday:  08:00 – 16:30 and Saturdays: 09:00 -12:30

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Dan 100 jaar later in 1911 word daar op die hoek van Mark- en Hiberniastrate, ‘n gedenksaal opgerig wat vandag die Ingenieurs Departement van die George Munisipaliteit huisves.

Ek kruis die straat en stap na die witgeverfde Poskantoor met sy mooi houtdeure en kenmerkende rooi posbusse.  Nie net is dit in 1948 voltooi, maar spog ook met ‘n hout kloktoring.

Dan verder op in die straat kry ek onverwags, agter mooi ysterhekke in ‘n lowergroen tuin, ‘n glimps van die statige Bishops Lea, huis van die Diocese of George. Iets wat ek dink nie baie Georgiete van bewus is nie is dat die huis deur die bekende Sir Herbert Baker ontwerp is.

Die koffie geure van Beans about Coffee in Van Kervel Huis lok jou na binne.  Hier kan jy kies uit ‘n verskeidenheid koffiebone wat vars gemaal word terwyl jy wag.  Die geur oorreed my onmiddellik om een van die vele blends wat beskikbaar is te probeer.  Met lande van oorsprong soos Kenyia, Ethiopie en nog vele meer is dit maar moeilik om die lekkerste een te kies.

Maar ek stap aan.  Volgens geskrifte arriveer juf Christina van Niekerk in 1877 in  George met die visie van ‘n skool vir die omgewing.  Charles Bullock, wat ook baie van die sandsteen geboue in Oudtshoorn ontwerp het, dra sy deel in 1905 by tot die argitektoniese beeld van George en ontwerp die koshuis van die meisieskool wat ons sedert 1969 as die  Arts Theatre ken.

Reg langs hom is Oorskotjie wat deel van die skool kompleks gevorm het en dan volg Hurteria House wat as skool gedien het.  Ek verpoos ‘n oomblik in die koelte van die statige ou akkerbome op die sypaadjie.  Heerlik.

My draaipunt is aan die bopunt van Yorkstraat by die Drostdy wat in 1812 gebou is onder toesig van landdros Van Kervel.   In 1826 het die gebou egter afgebrand, maar in 1831 het dit tweede lewe gekry  toe William Hollet dit herstel het as sy privaat woning.   In die 19de eeu gryp Alex Fotheringham in om die gebou verder te laat herleef as die Victoria Hotel totdat die Munisipaliteit dit in 1972 gekoop het en as museum ingerig het.

Ek neem die pad aan die linkerkant van Yorkstraat af (rigting see se kant toe) verby die Landdroshof.  Voor die Toerisme Buro (ook die werk van ou Charles Bullock) staan ‘n ou slaweboom in die tuin.  As jy mooi kyk sal jy nog ‘n ketting aan die boom se stam sien.  Dit is op die dorp se eerste tennisbane opgerig.

Die volgende imposante plek wat my oog vang is Lache Huis by 120 Yorkstraat.  Dokter Charles Owen-Snow het in 1903 die mediese praktyk gekoop.  Hy word toe later ook die distriksgeneesheer en was die trotse eienaar van die eerste motor wat in George geloop het.  Vandag word die perseel onder andere as advokate kamers gebruik.

Weggesteek op die volgende hoek is die ou klip katedraal van St Marks wat deur die bekende Sophy Gray ontwerp is.  Die katedraal het ‘n ryke geskiedenis.  Dit is gebou deur drie klip skrynwerkers met klip wat aangery is vanaf Victoria Hoogte en in net 13 maande voltooi.  Soos so baie kerke in ons land is die deure van die katedraal ook vandag gesluit vir die publiek, maar agter die kerkie is daar ‘n ou begraafplaas met  ‘n paar interessante grafte.  Henry Fancourt White, die bouer van die Montagu pas,  is seker heel tevrede om hier ‘n laaste lêplek te kon vind.  Ook Koning Elizabeth het tydens haar staatsbesoek in 1948 hier ‘n draai afgelê.

Ek eindig by die Standard Bank gebou op die hoek van York- en Hiberniastraat  wat klaarblyklik in 1879 sy eerste tak hier geopen het na gerugte dat goud in die omgewing gevind is.  Hierdie gebou dateer uit 1939 en het opknappingswerk in 1978 en 1983 ondergaan.

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Here you can witness the incredible history, architecture and craftsmanship that are present at this stately building which is also declared a National Heritage site.

The church’s story starts a decade or so before it was inaugurated.  On 14 April 1832 Rev Ballot laid the first cornerstone of the building, but because of financial problems the building took twelve years to complete.  But then the church suffered the unwelcome event on 13 September 1905 when the steeple collapsed after 10 inches (+- 250 mm) of rain fell in three days.  The congregation bravely started with reconstruction work and the present bell was bought at the time. The London firm, Philipson and Stow, presented the congregation with the steeple clock.

As you exit the front doors of the church there is a historical old sundial next to the path of the main entrance which was erected by surveyor Edmore one and a quarter centuries ago.

The teak door of the main entrance was brought from Cape Town to George by ox wagon – not an easy task in those days!  Even today with the well developed road network it will take a week or two to transport it from Cape Town to George.  The present day organ dates back to 1879.  The high wooden ceiling is very impressive and the yellowwood  and stinkwood  for the ceiling, support pillars and galleries all came from local forests in Plettenberg Bay and Knysna. The pulpit was also constructed from stinkwood at a cost of R400, which I suspect in those days was quite a fortune.

Although a historical building the church is still active and sermons are held every Sunday.

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