Witzenberg, Ceres, Nooitgedacht

Abstract

The domain Nooitgedacht, a bit North of Ceres, is owned by the Du Toit Company that specializes in fruits. In an attractive structure on its premises hangs a large bell that has its own history. On the crown we find two pairs of moulding wires. There are two more on the sound bow and three a little bit above the lip. The remarkable feature of the bell however figures on a side flank. There we read in large capitals: TANTALLON CASTLE. The text is engraved in a semi-circular shape as is often the case with the names of ships. Underneath figures a decorative set of branches. The ship TANTALLON CASTLE was a British steel hulled 3 masted schooner rigged Passenger/Cargo steamer. Vessel of 5,636 tons built in 1894 by Farfield, Govan for James B. Smith, London. In 1896 she was purchased by Castle Mail Packets Company and in 1900 by Union-Castle Mail SS Co., London. On the 7th May 1901 she ran aground in fog on Robben Island on route from Southampton for Cape Town carrying cargo. Reported to have $200 000 in silver ingots and specie on board. 120 passengers were taken off by lifeboat. The wreck caused the government to install fog horns on Robben Island, Dassen Island and Mouille Point. Since bells make up an essential item on a ship we can safely assume that the bell has been forged around 1894. One expects that the bell has been sold and might have travelled a lot in South Africa before settling down in Ceres. The current owners of Nooitgedacht informed us that the bell was imported in the late 1970’s by a Mr Murray. The lip of the bell shows some defects and there is a small but long crack above the sound bow. Apart from that the bell is still in good condition.