Public transport to and from Bonnievale

Public Transport started in South Africa and in 1801 a weekly Post wagon start service.
In 1805, Postal service was start for the conveyance of letters between Cape Town and the Country Districts.
1841 Mail Coaches from Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Paarl and then continuing to  Swellendam and the 1st direct Mail Coaches between Cape Town and Swellendam at 1842.

1857   First mail contract with Union Steamship Company for regular mail service between Britain and South Africa.

1860 on the map a privately owned Railway Line is from Worcester, Robertson and Ashton to Vale River Siding near Nordal.  The Farmers of Boschjesmans Drift, Boschjesmans Pad, Jan Harmans Gat, Gelukshoop, Bruintjes Rivier, Sand Drift, Riet Fontein, Lang Verwacht, Oude Kraal, Wolven Drift and Doorn Kloof, transport the goods to Vale River Siding for transport to Cape Town.

1898, the Cape Central Railway Privately owned line from Worcester to Swellendam with Robertson the Head Office, Ashton, Vale Siding and a stop at Drew.

1905, Vale Station in Station Road (Main Road) with packing shed and small building to store cheese, butter, wine and milk.

1906   The Cape Central Railway Private owned line from Worcester to Mossel Bay with Robertson the Head Office.

1908 in the Cape Times ad “A chance of a lifetime Riggton Estate, Vale, CC Railway near Ashton” and Post Card stamp of Bonnie Vale, address to CF Rigg, Bonnie Vale, Ashton Station, Cape Colony, South Africa.  In 1805, Postal service was start for the conveyance of letters between Cape Town and the Country Districts.

1917 Vale River Station change to Bonnie Vale in the Main Road, with Station Building with a Post Office and Telephone.

1921  (see photo)  of the staff at Ashton Station 1921 shows from left to right:  Clerk Booker (messages & orders); Stn Foreman Lewis (night shift);  E Parry,  Station Master Checker Brewis;  Van Rooyen, junior clerk.  Back row  Laborers (in uniform) used for shunting purposes the other two used for sanitary duties and at the extreme right is Driver Koch.

1922 the transport of passengers and 88% of goods by train, when Municipality take over the station was call Bonnievale.  C F Rigg owned the fist motorcar in Bonnievale.

1925 Photograph of Drew Station.  Between Ashton and Mossel Bay telegraphy was the only means of communication.  A very great event was the visit of the Prince of Wales in May 1925.  His train was scheduled via the H.C.C.R.  Each station master was expected to arrange locally for the beautifying of the station.  Mr. Booker was stationed at Drew where we were only three on the staff – the station master, Mr Booker and a labourer.  The day before the passage of the Royal Train myself and the labourer  had to collect flowers and foliage in the surrounding mountains by which to beautify the station.  An arch of flowers and foliage was erected across the line at the entrance to the platform containing the words WELCOME constructed of flowers.  We were greatly thrilled when the train passed through the station exceptionally slow, probably to allow everyone to observe the foliage and bunting at a small inconspicuous station.  We felt rewarded for our efforts.

1927 Voters List, DB van Rensburg of Langverwacht was the Transport Driver in and around the Town of Bonnievale.

1936 the railway crossing at Nordal, road to Ashton

1938 speed limit of 25 miles per hour on the length of the road over which the speed limit will apply two miles long and the width 30 feet.

1958 Railway line from Cape Town to Bonnievale 164, Mossel Bay 156, PE 512 and East Londen 800

2012   End of the history of Bonnievale Station.

Bonnievale 1981

Floods at Bonnievale

± every 20 years floods in Bonnievale & Farms

1866 Farms in Bosjemansdrift near Breede River

1906 Downpour in December (12 duim/300mm) farms and town

1921 Farms and town of Bonnie Vale

1922 Flooding and hail – farms and town Bonnie Vale

1941 Farms and town Bonnievale in June & July

1942 Farms and town Bonnievale in June & July

1957 Hail after havest – farms and town Bonnievale

1981 Floods – Cogmanskloof River and snow / August on Langeberg Mountain and town

1991 Breede River in June flooded

1999 100mm rain – town and farms

2008 Experienced devastating floods farms & Town

2009 Downpour

What happened from 1740-1899 in Cape Colony “Bossieveld”

1740 = Leningsplaas  | 1820 =Erfpagstelsel

Settlers and Hunters go through the Langeberg and Swarteberg into the Klein Karoo with their Cattle and to hunt.  Mud huts on the banks of the Breede River near Olifantskraans, for hunters.

1745 Swellendam district (Swellendam till Zand Vliet) Bossiesveld

From 1727 farmland Boesmans Drift and Langverwacht, and was later the Town Bonnievale Boesmans Drift Owners    

  • 1784 – 1855 JA Van Eeden
  • 1797 – 1853 H J Le Roux
  • 1800 C Beukman  (manager on the farm of  Mr Morkel from Stellenbosch)
  • 1801                  JMC Van Zyl
  • 1815                  WJN Van Zyl
  • 1817 – 1859 GH Van Zyl   x  HA Marais

Langverwacht Owners

  • 1783 – 1865 AA Cilliers  x  SH Bruwer
  • 1814 – 1897 J B Cilliers  x   AEJ Smit
  • 1752-1758 Carel David Wentzel “landmeter” for Government of Ryk Tulbagh
  • 1794 Governor CJ van der Graaf asked Mr Brink to map Brand Valij and Rivier Zonder Eind

Swellendam

  • 1842 The first direct Mail Coaches between Cape Town and Swellendam
  • 1843 The first government farms “Erfpag grond of Leningsplaas” 
  •  Beukman Coetzee
  • Steyn 1873 Veeplaas
  • Steyn 1873 Veeplaas
  • Steyn 1873 Veeplaas
  • Van Zijl
  • Le Roux
  • De Wit
  • 1845 HJ le Roux x HCS du Toit   farm on Boesmansdrif
  • 1850 Printed in Cape Colonial Gazette

(3 areas “Agterste, Middel en Voorste Bossiesveld”)

  • Van Zyl – Gideon   *1703   (1727 cattle farming in the area) and Jacobus Albertus *1738
  • Le Roux  –  Abraham @ Goedemoed  1709-1786
  • Cilliers  –   Abraham  @  Bossiesveld  1747-1832 and Josua Pieter  *1756

Most Drakenstein Farmers with Cattle farms in Bossiesveld

  • 1852 Turf Club—old Race Course on Breede River near Swellendam.  Stables: Cloete & van der Byl & Denysson & van Breda (minute book in Drostdy Museum)
  • 1854 – 1941  “ou” Master & seun Gibby van Zijl farming
  • 1855 Frederik Jacobus Beukman x  HP le Roux  (farming on Boesmansdrif)
  • 1856 Anna E van Zyl x JA le Roux   (farming on Boesmansdrif)
  • 1858 The Canal from De Hoop to Robertson near Klipdrift build by B Nothling.  
  • Water stop at Robertson, then PW Marais & J Marais build the Wakkerstroom Canal.  Angora Canal was from Zanddrift dam to Maraisdal
  • 1860 Recognition as the farm Boschmans Drift   (brought from Van Zijl owner of Mooiplaas land divided 5 acre plots)
  • Bernard Steyn & Frikkie van Zyl = Bonnie Vale
  • Private railway line from Ashton to Vale River Station
  • 1864 1st water for farming out the Breede River was Klipdrift Canaal of Dr FA Hanf a doctor of Robertson 
  • 1868 Boesmanspad a Wine Farm, owners the three brothers van Eeden.  Mr Taylor’s Wine Farm sell a part to Sarel van Zijl, who sell to Johannes Combrinck, sell to Gideon van Zijl from Montagu
  • 1870 Gabriel Jacobus Le Roux x Judith Aletta Bruwer   (farming on Boesmansdrif)
  • 1873 “Enkebrug” over Breede River Barnard IC Steyn build a house on Government lot.
  • 1876 In President Hermanus Steyn will, the farms Jan Harmansgat and Nooitgedacht, to Frederick Jacobus van Zijl (Veggie farmer) and Zanddrift to Gideon Petrus van Zijl
  • 1893 Jacobus P van Eeden x AEWC le Roux  (farming on Boesmansdirf)
  • 1893 Hendrik van Zyl, pomp water out of Breede River near the “Plaat” for use
  • 1896 The Farm Bonnie Vale sold for 800£
  • 1897 Van Zyl sold to Dieterlie for £4000, Riggton to farm with sugar cane and potato’s.  Then Forrest van Rosebank buys the land.
  • 1898    New Cape Central Railway (NCCR) from Worcester to Swelledam, Siding named “Vale” and a stop at Drew.  Dieterlie a German and Ernst de Wet a farmer Roberson district, start scheme, water from Breede River where Ashton, Montagu and Kogmanskloof rivers flowed in. After 3 km a deep canal halted by steep rugged Olifans Kranz.