Some good news for the Kowie Museum
After some time of uncertainty, the Kowie Museum Chairperson, Bugs Wilmot, had some good news to share at the Museum’s AGM recently.
The new concessionaire of the railway line from Alicedale to Port Alfred has assured the Board in writing that the Museum may stay on in its current home at the old 1884 railway station (though no formal arrangement has yet been made).
On the strength of this promise of security of tenure, plans can now go ahead to replace the old rusty leaking roof over the Museum with sheets of roofing that have already been donated.
The cost of the contractor’s work has already been pledged through the local Rotary Club via a generous trust that has also supported Rotarian projects in the past.
The museum curator, Marilyn Pattenden, and the board can now go ahead with various innovative ideas that have been on hold, as described in the curator’s annual report.
Finance man, Quinton Dick, also presented his report showing a need for more members to subscribe and serious fundraising to be done, as the museum runs only on subscriptions, book sales, entrance fees and fundraising, with donations.
Following the AGM, the 58 people attending listened to guest speaker Barry Luckman ’ s hypothesis that the Phoenicians could well have landed along our coastline during their explorations about 500 BCE.
Barry, who came to Port Alfred from England as a child, and has just returned, remembers exploring the overgrown ruins of the Customs house on the East Bank where a fort was believed to have stood, and listening to family tales about possible Phoenician landings, citing various indications of a Phoenician presence along this coastline. These were all the more interesting when listeners heard that his stepfather was Dr H Atherstone, a descendant of THE Dr W G Atherstone of diamond and anaesthetic fame.
Barry discovered some of WG’s journals in the Cory Library and showed illustrations of the good doctor’s “hieroglyphic” shorthand which has not yet been deciphered. After the illustrated talk a slew of questions, and information from long-time residents, showed the level of interest in the subject.
The evening ended with wine and snacks at
the Don Powis Hall at Settlers.
The new board is: Joy Billing, Gwynn Crothall, Quinton Dick, Heather Howard, Barry Luckman, Yvonne Surtees and Brian Wilmot plus, ex officio, curator Marilyn Pattenden. Erika Freeme was presented with a gift on her retirement from the board on the Freemes’ move to Kenton.
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