Mossel Bay, Friemersheim, Uniting Reformed Church

Abstract

Friemersheim, Uniting Reformed Church. Friemersheim is situated near Great Brak River in the Eden Province of the Western Cape. Reverend Johann Kretzen of the Berliner Missionsgesellschaft in George bought the farm Gonnakraal for his sister. He visited the farm once a month and held church services there. In 1869, through his efforts, a school and church were built. He bequeathed the farm to the Dutch Reformed Missionary Society under certain conditions after the death of his sister in 1872. As the Mossel Bay Dutch Reformed church had no other missionary congregation, the Gonnakraal has been a separate congregation since 1889. However, owing to it being small and relatively poor, they relied on support from outside the congregation. A new church was built in 1878 and Kretzen still worked in the community, by visiting the outskirts of the congregation on horseback. In 1878 the church provided him with £10 to buy more horses for this purpose. It was later renamed Friemersheim, after Kretzen´s town of birth in Germany. Reverend Kretzen retired in 1895 at the age of 86 and was replaced by Reverend F Gever. Friemersheim was later reserved for occupation by coloureds, in terms of applicable legislation, a Board Area by Proclamation No 25 of 1970. The village has been developed in line with its municipal status. The church is now part of the Uniting Reformed Church. It has a bell in a decorative horseshoe construction at the rear of the church. Above the sound bow are two moulding wires. In between two pairs of moulding wires below the shoulder is a text band. On the lip of the bell one reads John Warner & Sons London 1880. The bell is in good condition.