Did you know?
Frontier History
- Lord Chelmsford of Isandlwana fame had his base at the foot of the Pirie forest that our guesthouse looks onto in the latter stages of the 9th Frontier War.
- Darcy who was awarded the VC following the Zulu war came to live at St. Matthews near Keiskammahoek. After going missing for months his body was found in a cave in the Pirie forest. (Photo of grave).
- The first VC award in South Africa was two a certain HG Moore. A memorial can be seen between Kei Road and Komga close to where he was injured in action.
- More VC’s where awarded to students who went through Dale College in King Williams Town then any other college or school in South Africa.
- Col. Evelyn Wood who led the 3rd Col in the Anglo Zulu War has an earth works above the Pirie Forest named after him, as is the Evelyn Valley section of the Pirie forest and the forest station itself.
Pirie Forest
- Johannes van der Kemp began the first missionary work among the South East Banto, at the foot of the Pirie forest in 1799, close to Perie mission. (Photo of statue)
- The peak above Perie Mission is called mount HoHo named after the wife of a Khoikhoi chief who ruled the area and was killed in battle with the Rharhabe on the banks of the Kei River.
- Steve Biko loved going for braai at Madden Dam in front of the Pirie Forest.
- Pirie Forest is the habitat of both the endangered giant golden mole and the cape parrot. The cape Parrot can often be seeing flying over Qonce, with its screeching noise or feasting of the seeds of the wild plum tree. Plum tree are planted on many of our pavements.
- The giant earthworms that occur from Piere mission and towards Ntaba ka Ndoda. Are the biggest in the world and form the hollows one can see in the veld.
And anyways, as Rob Speirs reasoned, “His Quote?” Perhaps. We need to comment on the quote too.
Sports
- Lukhanyo Am comes from King Williams Town , Makazole Mapimi comes from a small village nearer the coast. Both played in the 2019 Rugby world Cup, Makazole Mapimi scoring the first try for the springboks in a Rugby world cup final.
- Makhaya Ntini the former cricketer comes from a village outside Qonce (King Williams Town) and attend Dale College in Qonce.
Struggle History
- Steve Biko grew up in Ginsberg just across the buffalo river in King Williams Town.
- Victory Griffith’s Henge are buried at Rye towards the Buluembu airport.
