Searching for abandoned South African photographs is a passion of mine in that many photographs contain valuable historical provenance which then becomes useful in reconstructing historical narratives.

The provenance can relate to the individuals posing for the photographs, the photographers or a broad spectrum of themes. These themes may include war-related imagery, trains, planes, cars, toys, clothing, hats or animals. One of my personal abstract favourites is black and white photographs showing up the photographer’s lack of skill in the use of the camera.

Social media activity confirms that both the concepts of “abandoned” and “found” photographs have become accepted words amongst photographic historians and enthusiasts alike.

Photographs become abandoned when a family can no longer relate to the people or subject matter, resulting in the photograph albums containing these images being discarded.

I appreciate family members who donate family photograph albums to charity organisations, selling them online or at car boot sales.

On a negative note, unbeknown to the donators of photographs to charity organisations in South Africa is that the photographs end up being destroyed because many of these organisations believe that by selling the images they may be transgressing the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). They are sadly ill-guided and in doing so actively destroying possible historical-significant objects. This sensitive issue will be addressed in a future article.

I cringe at the thought of how much valuable imagery has been destroyed or is still being destroyed by simply tossing it in the rubbish/recycling bin or burning it – This is sinful.

Fortunately, one such image has survived destruction – a school tour photograph from more than 100 years ago.

Here is the partly reconstructed story.

The story behind the abandoned Groot-Spelonken School Photograph

The single larger format photograph (30cm x 25cm), more than 100 years old, was bought for a few Rands from a Johannesburg-based dealer. I have seen the photograph before, but it did not talk to me initially. The photograph was found amongst a pile of other paperwork and was destined for further damage in that it was not stored with care.

Only by studying the detail recorded on the back of the photograph the second time around did I realise the uniqueness and historical significance thereof.

It turns out that the unusual photograph, an early school photograph, which generally is an unattractive theme for me, contained a report on a Groot-Spelonken school tour to the then Portuguese East Africa which was submitted by the school principal to the Director of Education based in Pretoria, using the back of the large format photograph.

Groot Spelonken, meaning large cavern/cave, was a rugged rural area, northeast of Pietersburg (Polokwane), centred around a little hamlet called Zoekmekaar (now called Morebeng in the Limpopo Province of South Africa). This hamlet came about as a rural buffer for the ZAR where loan farms were awarded to Boer farmers to populate the area in the 1880s.

The school would have been a small rural school attracting the children of farmers from the immediate surroundings.

School Tour of Portuguese East Africa

On the back of the photograph, the school principal, in fairly neat handwriting records the Groot-Spelonken School Journey to Lourenço Marques which was undertaken between the 4 and 18 July 1916. The tour group travelled to Lourenço Marques via train, a roundtrip of just over 400 km.

 

The full school tour report recorded on the back of the large format photograph (30 cm x 25 cm)

The party consisted of 38 boys, 6 girls and 4 adults, namely Mr. Gwilym Einon Davies (Principal and Organiser), Mr. FN Joubert (assistant), Miss Rowe (Matron) and last but not least Dr. C Louis Leipoldt, Head Medical Inspector of Schools to the head of Union of South Africa.

Davies continues by stating that the boys visited soap, tobacco (cigarette making) and oil factories, the railway engineering works, electric power stations, the wharf with its coal loading installation, the head of the inner Bay to see the mouths of the rivers Tembe, Umbeluzi and Matolla (via steam launch), also the Island of Xefina and land reclaiming dredger as well as the Portuguese man-of-war “Adamasfor”.

In addition, they also visited the Portuguese Bank, Post Office and Central Telephone Exchange, Municipal Buildings, Chinese and Hindu Temples, early morning market, Zoological and Botanical gardens and various Portuguese schools (where singing and football competitions were indulged in), the Observatory, Hospital and the Government Experimental farm at Umbeluzi. To reach the Umbeluzi Government Experimental farm, Davies states that their Portuguese friends kindly placed a coach at their disposal.

Their spare time was devoted to swimming in the enclosure at Polana Beach where free use was granted to the use of the Bathing machines.

Although no school girls or adult females (other than the female host) are seen in the photograph, Davies reports that 4 ladies in the tour group, were unfortunately not ready to accompany them on the day this photo was captured at the Governor General’s residence. Three boys were also on the sick list for the day.

Imagine this, the cost per child for the train fare, board and lodging at Lourenco Marques, Spelonken navy blue jersey, knickers, bathing costume and cap with monogram was “only” £2.20.

Davies then continues to list two school songs that were sung, one being:

Spelonken Boys

We are the boys who know the world
They call us Spelonken Boys
We do not care if the world be fair
Which way the wind doth blow
By the river or the rail
The luggage or the mail
Time flies merrily with Spelonken Boys

Chorus
Spelonken Boys Spelonken Boys
Onwards thro’ this world they go
By the river or the rail
The luggage or the mail
Time flies merrily with Spelonken Boys
We’ve travelled England over and over
Scotland hills and dales
By bright moonlight on Ireland’s heights
And we’ve slept in the woods of Wales
But of all places we have ever seen
Whilst travelling to and fro
Spelonken, still go where you will
Is the place for Spelonken Boys

Chorus

 

One of two school songs captured by the principal Gwylim Einon Davies on the back of the photograph

People of significance in the photograph

Three people of particular significance appear in the photograph.

The fourth person of significance is the photographer, who in his earlier career was based in Barberton as a photographer.

In the photograph (see below), the Portuguese East Africa Governor (in white) stands to the right of his wife (also in white). Dr. Louis Leipoldt stands to the right of the Governor, the principal, Davies, to the left of Her Excellency and Mr. Joubert to the left of the principal. Mr. Munro, the elderly gentleman in white, stands on the far right. No information could be sourced around Joubert and Munro.

 

Standing from left to right are Mr. FN Joubert (assistant tour organiser), the Groot-Spelonken school principal, Gwilym Einon Davies, Her Excellency Maria de Mereles Garrido, The Portuguese East Africa Governor Alvaro Xavier de Castro, who was later to become the Portuguese president. The man standing behind the couple is thought to be an interpreter. To the right of de Castro is Dr. Louis Leipoldt. Mr. Munro (the older gentleman) stands on Leipoldt's right. Munro's role during the tour remains unknown.

 

1) Gwilym Einon Davies (1877 – 1954) – Headmaster and Tour organiser

One of 9 children, Davies was born in Wales in 1877. When he arrived in South Africa is unknown.

On 5 June 1909 Davies married Emily Deacon in Zoutpansberg. The couple had three children, two of which were still minors when Emily passed away on 12 October 1936.
 
The Groot-Spelonken School seems to have been located in Daviesville. At this point, it is not known whether there is any connection between Davies and the name Daviesville.

An interesting snippet, relating to Davies’s role as a teacher, states:

…the 'famous' Welsh-born teacher at the Afrikaans-medium Daviesville School, who taught the children to sing the Welsh National Anthem in Afrikaans. Many years later, this would save South African Rugby from being expelled from the IRB.

A Spelonken student of Davies, the late Prof. Fritz Eloff, is said to have won the support of the Welsh Rugby Union when he sang the Welsh National Anthem in Afrikaans in full cry at the start of a Wales-England rugby test match. The International Rugby Board was due to meet in Wales the following week...

Eloff would have attended the school in the late 1920s into the 1930s, confirming that Davies was a long-standing teacher at the school. 

Davies passed away in Zoutpansberg at the age of 77 in 1954. His death certificate states that he was a farmer at the time of his death.

2) Christian Frederik Louis Leipoldt (1880 – 1947) – Medical Inspector

Dr. Louis Leipoldt, who was the head Medical Inspector to the Schools of the Union of South Africa, clearly joined the tour as a medical practitioner.

Leipoldt, who was born in Worcester in the Cape Colony, was the son of a preacher, Christian Friedrich Leipoldt, who was attached to the NG Kerk in Clanwilliam and the grandson of the Rhenish missionary, Johann Gottlieb Leipoldt, who founded Wupperthal in the Cederberg.

His mother was Anna Meta Christiana Esselen, daughter of Louis Franz Esselen (1817–1893), another Rhenish missionary at Worcester.

Leipoldt largely obtained fame as a South African poet. Together with Jan F. E. Celliers and J. D. du Toit, he was one of the leading figures in the poetry of the second Afrikaans Movement. He was also a dramatist, medical doctor, reporter, and food expert.

Leipoldt’s early education largely took place at home. During the Second Anglo-Boer War, he was a reporter for a brief period.

Between 1902 and 1907, with funding from the botanist Harry Bolus, he studied medicine at Guy's Hospital in London and travelled in Europe, America and the East Indies. For a period of some six months in 1908, he was the personal physician of the American newspaper magnate, Joseph Pulitzer, aboard Pulitzer's yacht.

Later Leipoldt's career became even more varied. For a while he was a school medical doctor in London before becoming the Medical Inspector of Schools in the Transvaal and then in the Cape Province. In 1923 he again briefly returned to journalism but finally settled down as a paediatrician in Cape Town in 1925.

It is reported that at times his own health was poor. Leipoldt, a bachelor, died in Cape Town in 1947.

3) Alvaro Xavier de Castro (1878 – 1927) – The Governor

Although only described as The Governor or His Excellency in the photograph, the Governor of Portuguese East Africa at the time (October 1915 – April 1918) was Alvaro Xavier de Castro.

Alongside de Castro, in the photograph, is his wife Maria de Mereles Garrido.

Of significance is that de Castro became the Portuguese president for 10 days between 20 November and 30 November 1920 and again between December 1923 and July 1924.

4) Wilberforce Bayly (1865 – 1944) - Photographer

One of two brothers, Wilberforce was born in Hampshire, England during 1865 and arrived in Barberton during 1886.

In Barberton’s early years, Bayly was a leading figure in the town’s affairs. He was also one of the first, if not the first Masters of the Free Masons Nederland’s Constitutions’ Jubilee Lodge, which did not survive the Anglo-Boer War.

Wilberforce was an ardent musician, and a member of the old Barberton Orchestral Society, which played a significant role in the edification of the town’s people. He also took part in several dramas produced by the Barberton Dramatic Society and having a good eye and taste for scenic effect, acted as Scene Master for this establishment.

In every effort of assistance for the needy, and every enterprise destined for the cultural amusement of Barbertonians, Bayly is recorded as having been a very willing worker. It is also recorded that he was a Justice of Peace.

Wilberforce married Ruby Noel on 27 January 1894. He was predeceased by Ruby who died in Barberton during April 1939 (at the age just short of 70). They had four children namely Brian, Noel, Esme Lownds, and Beryle. All four children had their mother’s maiden name as a second name, namely Noel.

Wilberforce had to leave Barberton at the time of the Anglo-Boer War (during October 1899). During his one-year absence from Barberton, he was seemingly based in Lourenço Marques and Durban.

During 1910 Wilberforce was granted a mining lease (mijnpacht). It seems that he had the intent of applying suction dredging on the alluvial soil. It is however not clear whether he ever attempted his hand at mining as Wilberforce left Barberton around the mid-1910s to commence business interests in Lourenço Marques.

Wilberforce remained in Lourenço Marques until illness compelled him to retire. He returned to Barberton for a short while before residing with his daughter, Esme Lownds in Toulon (France). His condition however did not improve and for two years before his death, he was cared for in Johannesburg.

Wilberforce died at the age of 79 in Johannesburg on 12 June 1944.

 

The photograph was captured by the British-born photographer Wilberforce Bayly who was  based in Barberton during the goldrush, whereafter he settled down in Lourenço Marques (Maputo today)

Conclusion

The article reflected on four adults of significance. Four of the other adults in the photograph remain unknown. It could be that they were staff to the Governor. The man standing behind the couple in white could have been an interpreter.

The photograph shows 36 boys. Given that 3 were recorded as being sick at the time the photograph was captured suggests that there should have been 35 boys. Could it be that the boy in white (seated in the middle of the group of boys), was the son of the Governor de Castro and his wife?

Whilst none of the boys are named in the photograph, there is no doubt in my mind that some of them may have become individuals of significance in their own right.

What would some of their stories be?

Main image: Photograph of the South African school group (Groot-Spelonken) tour to Portuguese East Africa -Lourenço Marques (Maputo today). The principal, Gwilym Einon Davies, wrote the school tour report on the back of the photograph, which he then submitted to the Director of Education based in Pretoria. Of particular interest are the adults of significance that appear in the photograph. Unfortunately, none of the boys have been identified. The boy in white, seated in the centre of the photograph, is thought to be the son of the Governor and his wife (couple in white). 

About the author: Carol is passionate about South African Photographica – anything and everything to do with the history of photography. He not only collects anything relating to photography, but also extensively conducts research in this field. He has published a variety of articles on this topic and assisted a publisher and fellow researchers in the field. Of particular interest to Carol are historical South African photographs. He is conducting research on South African based photographers from before 1910. Carol has one of the largest private photographic collections in South Africa.

Sources

1. Hardijzer, C.H. (2020). Where there was gold there were photographers: Barberton goldrush (www.theheritageportal.co.za)
2. Unknown (extracted 26 August 2024). Families-and-History-of-Groot-Spelonken-Zoekmekaar-1880-1920 (https://www.geni.com).
3. Unknown (extracted 26 August 2024). C Louis Leipoldt. (wikipedia.org)