Hessequa, Stilbaai Baptist Church

Abstract

The Baptist Church building was previously the home of the Stilbaai NGK. After the latter built a new church building, located in Stilbaai Oos, the old building was let to other denominations and was bought in approximately 2019 by the Baptist Church as its church building. The origin of the bell in the Baptist Church is unknown. The church itself dates from 1942 but the date on the bell is 1931 which indicates that the bell might have come from the older church in Stilbaai. In a circular band just below the shoulder is written: ˑ JES. 62.10-11 ˑ UW HEIL KOMT ˑ 25. XII. 1931 ˑ C.H ˑ. And on the flank is written in two successive lines: N.G. KERK, STILBAAI. Apart from the text there are no further decorations. While the name of the founder is not mentioned on the bell, we are convinced that the bell has been cast by the German firm Weule. This firm was started in 1836 in Bockenem am Harz by J.F. Weule (1811-1897) as a clock factory. His son Friedrich (1855-1952) added bell casting from 1880 onwards. The firm was closed in 1966. Up to now we have encountered close to two dozen bells from this company in the Western Cape.