Jeannette Grobbelaar (left) with Sue PattersonJeannette Grobbelaar died in November 2020.  Lighthouse Authorities recently informed me that Jeannette had passed away. She will be greatly missed.A solitary figure, she was an amazing lady. Honorary Curator of Cape Agulhas Lighthouse Museum, Author of Cape Agulhas Lighthouse: The First Hundred Years 1849-1949 as well as Golgotha van die Oseane ..read more

 P-J Hannabus passed away on 31 December 2020. The last of the Hannabus Lighthouse Dynasty we are glad that he was able to give us many wonderful anecdotes about himself, Babsie, Charlie and AE Hannabus. These stories will remain on this blog as a reminder of a good friend who will be missed.He was so proud of his Lighthouse Days as relief Lighthouse Keeper and that he was former Captain, South ..read more

..read more

 Songs of the AngelsWishing all readers of this blog a Peaceful and Happy Christmas and a Safe New Year ..read more

 Notes by Michael Parcell1)   “The old Jaol” was demolished in 1792.        2) The two former tiny villages of Eston and Normanby,  which lay very close to each other, are now united by housing development and are now part of Middlesbrough.        3) Bond Street still exists and is in the very centre of the city.     4) The Methodist New Connexion also then known as “Kilhamite Methodism” was ..read more

The original of this fascinating document is lost but an anonymous person has typed it out and what follows is an accurate copy.  I (Michael Parcell) have retained the original spelling and punctuation as the typist seems to have done.  George Brown died in 1899.  It is of interest to note that in his manuscript he wrote ‘fs’ instead of ‘ss’ which had gone out of fashion many years earlier.  The ..read more

       George Brown was born in the centre of the City of Hull on 4th May 1817 the son of a sea captain who was lost at sea when George was aged 8 when his ship the “Mary Ann Elizabeth” was on a voyage to Sierra Leone.  From an early age he took up the Christian religion in a big way as his “Log” reveals.  His “Log”, or life story, written in old age at the request, it seems, of his family is an ..read more

 Tombstone AngelLamb of God with Angels Angels at RookwoodGrim ReminderRemembered for killing 99 bears. A dubious claim to fame.1620 Informative Memorial for a Mariner ..read more

 The Gadsden family plot at Stellawood Cemetery Durban. The side visible in the photo shows the names of Maud Alice Gadsden (my grandmother) and Ernest Alfred Rhodes (her great uncle). Sydney Bartle Gadsden's name appears on the other side of the memorial. Kimberly Powell PhotoAfter the cross, the urn is one of the most commonly used cemetery monuments. The design represents a funeral urn and may ..read more

                                                                           Japie Greeff's last station ...                                                            Keep the Light Burning Bright ... Acknowledgement: Suzanne-Jo Leff Pa ..read more