History category
Churches & institutions
Historic churches, schools and civic buildings.
Listings
13 listed07 · 10 Sep 1855 — Graaff-Reinet church council considers a new congregation
The NG congregation of Graaff-Reinet, the oldest in the Eastern Cape, considered a request to form a new congregation in this area.
08 · 16 Oct 1855 — Congregation separated at Cradock; Brakkefontein bought
The Presbytery of Graaff-Reinet, sitting at Cradock, formally separated the congregation.
11 · 1858 — Village board, then municipality
A village management board was formed in 1858 and developed into a municipality.
14 · c. 1882–1899 — Wesleyan / Methodist church
A Wesleyan (Methodist) church was built on the town plan (heritage listings often use 1882 or 1899).
15 · Late 19th century — NG tower and Victorian town
The NG church tower is widely described as about 50 m and the tallest congregation tower in South Africa.
25 · 1905–1908 — NG church enlarged; tower finished
Artefacts dates the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk to 1864 and 1908.
26 · 1912 — Public school building
Artefacts dates the public school building to 1912.
29 · 1935 — High school opens
Viviers, quoted by the Free State study, dates the high school (grades 9 to 12) to 1935, with 132 pupils.
30 · 1949 — Church council cedes town-land rights
Almost a century after founding, the NG church council transferred remaining town-land rights to the town council, as also happened in Steytlerville.
34 · 1983 — Luxolo Intermediate opens
The Aberdeen community history says Luxolo’s pupils first used church halls and other community rooms while families raised a building fund, before the education authorities took the project on.
35 · 1993 — Former white high school closes
The Free State study follows the school from 123 pupils in 1976 to 72 in 1986, 15 six years later, and five children in 1993, when it closed.
39 · 3 Aug 2016 — Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality
Aberdeen moved under EC101 after Camdeboo, Ikwezi and Baviaans merged.
42 · Schools & hospital — Public schools and the provincial hospital
Wikipedia lists Aberdeen Senior Secondary School, Luxolo Intermediate School, Camdeboo Primary and Aberdeen Primary School, and notes the Aberdeen Provincial Hospital in town.