Hermanus, or Hermanuspietersfontein as it was known before the postmaster shortened the name to make it more practical, is of course an exceptionally popular South African coastal town that is a must for whale watchers, beach lovers, and people who want to escape to the sea. It used to also be quite the fishing town, and if you head over to the Fisherman’s Village complex belonging to the Old Harbour Museum, you’ll come across a small house marked as the De Wet’s Huis Photo Museum.
(Incidentally, this house, which is right next to the Whale Museum, is actually the old Dutch Reform Sunday School house, which was broken up into numbered stones, moved across to the current site, and then rebuilt by the museum curator and his team.)
The small museum houses a nice collection of photographs detailing old Hermanus, with some of the pictures dating as far back as the beginning of the last century. A number of photos in the exhibit are printed from the glass negatives taken by famed photographer T.D. Ravenscroft. The antique furniture displayed in the cottage belong to Will Paterson, son of Scotty Paterson (one of the founders of Hermanus), and a leading figure in Hermanus at the turn of the last century.
Now granted there are hardly enough photos here to label this post as one of my normal photo gallery outings, but that is only because the museum made if very clear that the taking of photos was not particularly welcome.
Still, a quick and interesting historic distraction then.
Related Link: Old Harbour Museum | Hermanus