Alexander McCorkindale 1856 – 1872
The area, New-Scotland is well known to the people of Lothair, Warburton, Lochiel, The Brook and Jessievale. This all is due to an eccentric Scotsman, Alexander McCorkindale. He fell in love with this area because it reminded him so much of his home country. McCorkindale’s activities from 1856 up to his death in 1872 were quite extraordinary. He was an entrepreneur, a shrewd businessman (typical Scot) and a visionary.
McCorkindale convinced the ZAR government to sell him 200 farms near the Swaziland border, in order to establish an immigration scheme. He gave these farms Scottish names like Iona, Dumbarton, Bonnie Brook and Craigie Lea. Due to his charming personality, the ZAR were very impressed with all the developments he envisaged for the region, especially the 8000 pounds stirling he paid for the first farms he bought. Alexander McCorkindale raised the money by selling the mineral rights to the Glasgow and South African Mining Company Limited. During this time he stayed at Lake Banager, in an overhanging cave while building a cottage overlooking the lake.
He furthermore convinced the ZAR Government to investigate his scheme to build a
harbor at Maputo and to deepen the Pongola River up to Josini dam. This was necessary to bring the ships inland, to establish a tsetse free transport route for exports. The ox wagons would bring their cargo only to Pongola where it would be loaded onto ships for export. During his inspection recce of the Pongola River on foot he contracted malaria, and died on Inhaca Island in 1872.
It took the ZAR government another 20 years to untangle and finalize business. During the court case, Bok vs. McCorkindale, his widow had to give back 20 farms to settle matters.
Alexander was also responsible for the name Chrissiesmeer. Him and his wife did not have children and were very fond of Pres. M.W. Pretorius’s daughter, Christina. They renamed Zeekoeipan to Miss Chrissies Lake, which later became Lake Chrissie and even later, Chrissiesmeer.
Read more on the Chrissiesmeer website.
For more information about Chrissiesmeer visit www.chrissiesmeer.co.za
Florence Farm 1866 – 1989
The Scottish families who occupied the land in the late 1800s originally gave the farm’s name “FLORENCE”. The name was probably derived from the popular English girl’s name at the time – for example think of Florence Nightingale.
Alexander McCorkindale was the founder of this area. He, together with many other Scottish families, settled in the area because it reminded them of Scotland. To this day the area is still known as New-Scotland. A map compiled by the British Military Intelligence in 1900 (hanging in our lounge), shows that the original Florence farm was about 3 000 ha and belonged to R.S.M. Royston.
In The Buffet area of the Wedding Venue, all the names of previous owners are stenciled on the trusses. This was done to give recognition to the past.
1866 – 1918
Richard Septimus Manchester Royston was born in Durban 1866, he was a stonemason, who among others built the Durban Post Office. In 1908 he was sent to Lake Chrissie by the government of that time as a Protector of the “Florence” San Tribe. He built the sandstone house on the original farm Florence – now called “Oom Tony Rijchrt se Florence”. The house sadly burnt down on 31 December 1946. Fanie du Plessis and Bessie (Meyer) du Plessis (her father was Rooi Koos Meyer) was living on that part of Florence at the time – Bessie was the aunt of Ina (Meyer) Rijchrt, Oom Tony’s wife.
Royston was also a farmer, transport rider, store keeper, builder and first church, Warden of the St. George’s Church in Lake Chrissie (opposite the Police Station on the main road to Swaziland). He died on 19 November 1918 and his gravestone can be visited in the Lake Chrissie cemetery. We had the privilege of meeting both his grandson (Donald Redvers Royston – tell nr: 033-347 1537) and great grandson (Rev. Father Basil Garnet Royston – frbasilroyston@dochs.org or brercottage@covad.net) in April 2001. (The above information was obtained from them).
1918- 1930
Eksteen familie
This part of the history was only recently discovered, when the Randal and Jacobz families attended a wedding at Florence. They we descendents of The EKSTEEN familie who worked and lived on Florence between 1918 -1930.
Jan Randal and Eksteen Jacobz told me stories of how they sheared sheep, and milked cows in the old barn now The Wedding venue.
1925 – 1950
After 1925, Florence Farm came into the hands of the Meyers and it was later divided into seven parts, supposedly for their seven children.
Esias Engelbertus Meyer was getroud met Christina Louisa Margaretha (Lewis) Meyer. Hulle het hier op die huidige Florence Gasteplaas (IT 95) gewoon en is ook hier op die plaas begrawe.
Hulle het 8 kinders gehad:
- Rooi Koos Meyer getroud met Martjie
- Jan Bles Meyer getroud met Bellie.
- Christiaan (JB) Meyer Gebore: 9 Julie 1891 oorlede: 1 Maart 1965. getroud met Bettie { Maria Elizabeth (Erasmus)} Gebore: 22 jan 1899 Oorlede: 25 Sept 1973
- Nelie Meyer getroud met Klasie Swart
- Grieta Meyer getroud met Jaap Munnik
- Nonnie Meyer getroud met Hendrik Spies ( Fransie van Niekerk se pa en stief ma )
- Johanna Meyer getroud met Frikkie van Niekerk
- Johannes (Hans)Phillepus Meyer verloof aan Gerrie Spies maar oorlede in ‘n perdekar ongeluk. Sy graf is ook hier op Florence.
Fransie van Niekerk het ons in Junie 2005 besoek en baie inligting verskaf. Dit is Fransie se pa Hendrik Spies wat op die skuur se dak sit (sien foto onder) – gebou in 1938. Vandag is dit Florence Gasteplaas se Waenhuis Cottage wat in 2016 verander het in die Ram Kamp.
(Fransie was toe woonagtig in Ruimtesig Co4, Lynnwoodrif, Pta Tel nr: 012 991 4471 of 082 2155 622.)
In Julie 2006 besoek Fanie en Bessie (Meyer) du Plessis se seun, Lourens Martinus du Plessis ons en vul nog geskiedenis in (Tel nr: 082 922 1636 of 013 7411 378).
1950 – 1970
Een van die Meyers se naam moes Kobie gewees het , want volgens Tannie Marie Groenewaldt, wat ook vir my Ané Steinberg (gebore Steenkamp) op Chrissiesmeer skoolgehou het, het haar pa, David Stephanus de Villiers die plaas Florence, by Kobie Meyer gekoop – vermoedelik na hy uigeboer het. Dit moes ongeveer 1950 rond gewees het. David De Villiers het weer aan die huis verbou en verbreek want ons het sinkplate gekry wat gemerk was vir De Villiers via Breyten. Een van hierdie sinkplate is in die interieuer van die Jukskei kamer verewig.
1970 – 1980
Na hulle dood het Tannie Marie Groenewaldt die plaas geërf en aan die van Eedens verkoop. Oom Theuns en Tannie Kowie van Eeden was albei onderwysers en het deeltyds geboer. Hul kinders, Marina en Deon van Eeden, was saam met my en Nico op Carolina op skool en dié het baie kere op Florence gekuier gedurende 1973 – 1977.
1980 – 1989
Rondom 1980 het die van Eedens aan die Weilbachs van die Vrystaat verkoop. Hulle het probeer koring plant en baie natuurlike weiding omgeploeg wat honderde jare sal neem om weer te herstel. Florence is ‘n baie sensitiewe vleiland plaas. Die Weilbachs het probeer om die vleilande te dreineer, diep slote is van die een pannetjie na die ander gemaak maar ten einde laaste het hulle die stryd teen die natuur verloor.
1989
In 1989 koop die Steinbergs die plaas.
1997
In 1997 het die gastehuis begin.
2012
In 2012 is die opening van die Trou Venue aangekondig.
September 2012 open ons die nuwe kamers genaamd Die Stalle
2013
2013 Opening van die bruid en haar meisies se aantrek plek “Mooi Nooi”
2014
2014 Open ons die 14 nuwe tente met hul ablusie geriewe en Lucky Strike hul kombuis/sit en kuier plek.
2015
2015 bou ons die pragtige Kapel en open dit in November 2015.
2016
In 2016, bou ons die Ramkamp en die ou verfstoor word die pragtige Heuningmaan Kamer, en Jana kry ’n hawe bo op ons hoofhuis se dak.
Op 10 Desember 2016 het ’n tornado ons feëtjie boskerk verwoes, ons was verpletter maar dankbaar dat ons nog ‘n woud gehad het om nog ’n boskerk te kon ontwikkel. Die nuwe jong bos het ‘n bekoring van sy eie en met die pragtige uitsig oor die meer is dit nog mooier.
2017
Op Nuwejaarsdag 2017 word die eerste balletjies op ons Mashy Gholfbaan afgeslaan.
Ons restureer die ou kamers Helene nr 8, Jana nr 9, en Wilhelm nr 10 daarmee saam het ons n lekker afdak vir die gaste se motors gemaak. Ane kry ook nuwe nessie. Die melkstal kry n nuwe baadjie en Judas is baie bly oor sy nuwe melk plek.
Die personeel kry ook n lekker sonkamer om in te kuier.
Die grootste vir 2017 is die feit dat ons nog n plasie kon koop, genaamd Smitsfield waarop ons beplan om nog n trou Venue te ontwikkel.
2018
Ond droom word waar, ons kry n lening en ons begin bou aan ons nuwe Venue, Smitsfield.
My dogter Heléne, haar man Marius en baba Lena het alles in Nelspruit opgeoffer en is volluit saam met ons in die besigheid. Ons bou kliphard vir die hele jaar.
Maart 2019 maak ons oop op Smitsfield, die Venue is pragtig en n groot sukses, twee weke voor ons oopmaak is klein Bastiaan gebore.
2020
COVID
Ons was vir altesaam 10 Maande heeltemal toe, dit was genade dat ons dit oorleef het, veral met n splinternuwe Venue wat nog net vir n jaar aan die gang was.
Nico se beeste help ons om besig te bly, so tussen hulle elektriese draadjies.
2021
Op Florence bou ek twee pragtige kaggels in die klipkraal en ons sit later n Marque tent bo-oor. Die area verander in die heerlikste Canapé area en ek is verlos van hardloop met kos en stoele
2022
Al die tente word vervang met groot tente.
Nico droom weer van plant en ploeg en sit sy eerste mielei en soya oes in na baie jare.
2023
Ons bou vir Nico nog n skuur en die Sonplaas word gebore.
Die loadshedding word ondraaglik.
2024
Ons beplan om die ingang by die ontvangs bietjie op te gradeer.
