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The Hester Rupert Art Museum
Magistrate Andries Stockenström donated a piece of land and six windows for a Dutch Reformed missionary church. The corner stone was laid on 24 April 1821 and the church was finished later that year. In 1965 Dr Rupert prevented the tearing down of this building. He brought the property and restored it to its former glory. Once completed it was handed over to the Graaff-Reinet town council and it's now used as an Art Museum and named in honour of Dr Rupert's mother.
State president Mr C.R. Swart opened the building on 26 July 1966. This art museum boasts with over a hundred art works from leading South African artists, such as Maggie Laubser, Johannes Meintjies and Ernst de Jong. The artists donated these art pieces.
Victoria Town Hall
The building of the town hall commenced on 30 April 1910 and was completed on 1 May 1911. This red brick Renaissance style building makes a direct contrast with the Gothic style of the fourth Dutch Reformed Church that stands immediately in front of it.
The main hall measures 25,6m by 17,3m with stage facilities. It was opened by Henry Burton, the minister of native affairs, on 5 September 1911 at a grand gala evening where Handel's Hallelujah Chorus was preformed.
It was built to commemorate the "great and glorious reign of Queen Victoria". Before electricity was available, the hall was lit by a gas plant capable of providing 400 lights, the installation was the largest of its type in South Africa. John Rupert Theatre
The John Rupert Theatre was founded when Dr Rupert purchased and restored the old Coloured Missions Church in Parsonage Street, referred to as the "Groot London". This Congregational Mission Church was responsible for the founding of the first private school for the coloured community in 1801. This was Dr Rupert's second property that he purchased, restored and handed over to the town council. The building is named after his father.
The theatre was inaugurated in January 1980. And performances still occur here today.
Graaff-Reinet Kraft
This non-profit industry based on spinning, knitting and weaving of locally grown wool and mohair was open till recently. Moira & Rowland Kingwill established this cottage industry and employed coloured and black workers. The project was successful in producing excellent handspun wool and helped to address poverty in the region.
The original building was the second church that was built by the London Missionary Society in 1880. It was nicknamed the "Klein Londen". It was established to serve the needs of the South Sotho refugees who had fled to Graaff-Reinet to escape tribal battles. Since their language differed from that of the local inhabitants the London Missionary Society decided to minister to this group as a separate congregation. When the mission was closed the building deteriorated.
Old Library Building
This restored building once housed the local library. It was opened on 4 August 1847. By 1880 the library was solely English orientated. The public library was in operation on this premises from 1847 to 1982.
Today it houses the Lex Bremner fossil collection, the Rykie Pretorius costume collection and the Townley Johnson reproductions of Bushman art.
St James's Church
Reverend William Long founded the St. James church in 1845. On Sunday, 5 October 1873, Graaff-Reinet's first pipe organ was inaugurated in the St James Church. Although it was enlarged in 1883, the instrument remained in use until 1945.
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Magistrate Andries Stockenström donated a piece of land and six windows for a Dutch Reformed missionary church. The corner stone was laid on 24 April 1821 and the church was finished later that year. In 1965 Dr Rupert prevented the tearing down of this building. He brought the property and restored it to its former glory. Once completed it was handed over to the Graaff-Reinet town council and it's now used as an Art Museum and named in honour of Dr Rupert's mother.
State president Mr C.R. Swart opened the building on 26 July 1966. This art museum boasts with over a hundred art works from leading South African artists, such as Maggie Laubser, Johannes Meintjies and Ernst de Jong. The artists donated these art pieces.
Victoria Town Hall
The building of the town hall commenced on 30 April 1910 and was completed on 1 May 1911. This red brick Renaissance style building makes a direct contrast with the Gothic style of the fourth Dutch Reformed Church that stands immediately in front of it.
The main hall measures 25,6m by 17,3m with stage facilities. It was opened by Henry Burton, the minister of native affairs, on 5 September 1911 at a grand gala evening where Handel's Hallelujah Chorus was preformed.
It was built to commemorate the "great and glorious reign of Queen Victoria". Before electricity was available, the hall was lit by a gas plant capable of providing 400 lights, the installation was the largest of its type in South Africa. John Rupert Theatre
The John Rupert Theatre was founded when Dr Rupert purchased and restored the old Coloured Missions Church in Parsonage Street, referred to as the "Groot London". This Congregational Mission Church was responsible for the founding of the first private school for the coloured community in 1801. This was Dr Rupert's second property that he purchased, restored and handed over to the town council. The building is named after his father.
The theatre was inaugurated in January 1980. And performances still occur here today.
Graaff-Reinet Kraft
This non-profit industry based on spinning, knitting and weaving of locally grown wool and mohair was open till recently. Moira & Rowland Kingwill established this cottage industry and employed coloured and black workers. The project was successful in producing excellent handspun wool and helped to address poverty in the region.
The original building was the second church that was built by the London Missionary Society in 1880. It was nicknamed the "Klein Londen". It was established to serve the needs of the South Sotho refugees who had fled to Graaff-Reinet to escape tribal battles. Since their language differed from that of the local inhabitants the London Missionary Society decided to minister to this group as a separate congregation. When the mission was closed the building deteriorated.
Old Library Building
This restored building once housed the local library. It was opened on 4 August 1847. By 1880 the library was solely English orientated. The public library was in operation on this premises from 1847 to 1982.
Today it houses the Lex Bremner fossil collection, the Rykie Pretorius costume collection and the Townley Johnson reproductions of Bushman art.
St James's Church
Reverend William Long founded the St. James church in 1845. On Sunday, 5 October 1873, Graaff-Reinet's first pipe organ was inaugurated in the St James Church. Although it was enlarged in 1883, the instrument remained in use until 1945.
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