The Heritage and History of Ngqushwa
The book, edited by Tony Westby-Nunn from information supplied by Thembela Ngcayi, is the first of its kind on the history of the Ngqushwa region, part of the Amathole district of the Eastern Cape. It covers the history of the Xhosa from pre-colonial days up to 1994 and has many photos, paintings and images of the people, the Xhosa and the towns of Peddie and Hamburg.
In addition, there are the stories of the forts and military posts in the area during the Frontier Wars, and the German Legion and settlers that were located in the region.
A chapter on a few of the wrecks found on the coast by historian Tracy Mace of Hamburg who has lived in the area for many years and operates a ‘Treasure Hunt’ of old artifacts each year.
Finally, a chapter on the famous Keiskamma Tapestry hand produced by the Xhosa women of the Hamburg local district which is the South African equivalent of the Bayeux Tapestry in France, and can be viewed in the Cape Town Parliament Building.
Forts of the Eastern Cape – 2024
The2024 edition of this reprint includes 80 pages of ‘Sir Harry Smith’s Fortified Military Villages’ and 18 pages of a rare document titled ‘The Tyumie Valley Massacres Christmas Day 1850’. In addition, there are a number of articles and images not shown in previous editions; all relating to the era of the Frontier Wars.
There are paintings by Thomas Baines, Frederick I’Ons, William Jervois, Captain King, Illustrated London News, The Graphic Magazine, and Andy May.
The 800+ page book is now professionally printed in hardcover and stitched.
A map showing the position of the Forts and Posts is included, as well as a map of the 1820 Settler properties.
The cost for the 2024 edition is SA Rands R1,150.00 which includes PostNet or PEP Stores PAXI postage in RSA.
Email Tony Westby-Nunn to request a copy: tony@tonywestbynunn.com
Western Cape Military History Society
Newsletter Issue April 2024
The Western Cape Military History Society is based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Each monthly issue of the newsletter is full of military, South African and articles of other countries, stories and humour.
The first monthly newsletter is free to download at ’no charge’ in pdf format so that members of military history and RSA history can enjoy the past and heritage.
As a example: the April Issue covered stories on ‘The day the Prince dodged a bullet‘ (the story in 1900 of an anarchist who tried to assassinate the Prince of Wales); ‘Si vis pacem, para bellum‘ (a humourous look at the Parabellum cartidge by Pat Rundgren); ‘The sort of President we need‘ (the story of President Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso); ‘The Alphen and the Cloetes‘ (during the Anglo-Boer War the Cloete family was divided in their allegience); ‘The Stellenbosch Rebels‘ (Stellenbosch supporters of the Boer cause during the 1899-1902 Anglo-Boer War); and a few small anecdotes to whet the appetite.
If you wish to join the Society and receive regular newsletters – and attend the monthly talks in Cape Town on military subjects from all countries – the talks are given by accredited speakers with visuals – the annual membership is only a mere SA Rands 75,00.
For membership contact the Treasurer: Ronnie Glass ronnie@chartac.co.za
Published Works
A TUG AT OUR HEART
The story behind South Africa’s two Super Tugs – the world’s largest and most powerful tugs in the world from the 1970s to 2000.
THEY CAME WITH CROMWELL
Produced by Eddie Jordan, this marvelous book is about the Nunn family of Wexford, Ireland. It covers the Nunn family history from their arrival in Ireland in 1647 as part of Cromwell’s army, their involvement with the Guinness family and company, and their trials and tribulations up to present day.
FORTS OF THE EASTERN CAPE
The Forts of the Eastern Cape by Prof. Colin Coetzee has been reproduced and updated in 2024 with additional information.
(See above for information on 2024 edition.)
WALTER DOUGLAS ROUGHTON
The biography of a young man from a wealthy middle-class family in England, who fought in the Anglo-Boer War, and then settled in South Africa.
FREDERICK I’ONS
An informative and relaxed reading account of Frederick I’Ons, his life in South Africa, his paintings of the Xhosa people of the Eastern Cape during the turmoil years of the Frontier Wars, and his controversial Stockenström cartoons.
THOMAS DAVENPORT
The book covers the struggle Thomas Rodney Hope Davenport in presenting the concept of equality of all peoples to the apartheid regime.
FORD AND MESSINA FAMILIES
A book on the family history of the Ford family, the descendants of James Edward Ford, an 1820 British Settler to South Africa; and the family of Guiseppe Antonio Messina from Corfu, who also arrived in South Africa in the early 1800s.
WILLOWMORE
The book covers its inception as a trading stage and stop-over for wagons travelling north and east from the coast – to present day.
SIMON’S TOWN
An illustrated Historical Perspective – co-authored by Boet Dommisse is the second publication by Westby Nunn Publishers.
PIERNEEF
The 32 Pierneef Johannesburg Railway Station panels commissioned in 1929 and completed in 1932 covering the tourist attractions of South Africa and the former territory of South-West Africa (Namibia).
UNFORTIFIED MILITARY VILLAGES
Prof. Colin Coetzee describes the circumstances which led to the beginning of the 7th Frontier War of 1850.
(A complete copy of the book is included in the Forts of the Eastern Cape book of 2024.)
1820 MATTHEWS SETTLER FAMILY
The history of the 1820 Matthews Settler family in South Africa
JANSENVILLE
Produced on behalf of the Ikwezi Municipality, Jansenville the book covers the brief history of Waterford and the railway junction town of Klipplaat.
HOUT BAY
The history of Hout Bay is covered with special emphasis on the fishing industry from which Hout Bay existed in the formative years.
GRAAFF-REINET
An illustrated historical guide published following public interest. It is of interest to tourists from South Africa and overseas.
GAME AND HUNTING
This brief book covers an extract from the time when Tony was a Field Guide for Wilderness Leadership School in the then Transvaal (now Mpumalanga), it includes a number of interesting and unusual game encounters throughout the world.
FRANK BRADLOW’S WAR
Frank Bradlow’s War is an example of commissioned work on a family history that Tony Westby-Nunn is qualified and adept at producing.
ATLATECH
The First 40 Years – 1978-2018. The book covers the company ALTALTECH from its inception in 1978 to present day 2018.
ANGLO BOER WAR TOURIST GUIDE
A Tourist Guide to the Anglo-Boer War includes information on the war, the Boer POW camps on St Helena Island and tourist attractions.
HERE COMES THE ALABAMA
The famous Confederate ship visited South African ports on a number of occasions; and it is from these visits that the song “Daar kom die Alabama” derived.
‘BOMBSIGHT’ SCOTT DFC
Commissioned by the family on the life of James Henry Scott during the Second World War – whilst serving with 12 Squadron SAAF, in North Africa, Malta, Sicily, Italy and Yugoslavia.2
FORTS OF THE EASTERN CAPE
The 2020 edition of this reprint has a new cover design in keeping with present trends. There are a number of additional articles, all relating to the era of the Frontier Wars.
(This edition was a limited run of 25 copies)