Page 33 - Bulletin 21

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farm – now Imhoff’s Gift were all granted by Baron von Imhoff on the same day - 27 May

1743.

The freehold granted to Wieser in 1743 was 30 Morgen in size, and so began the history of
Poespaskraal. (Fig. 2.1.) According to the Wildschutboek, in 1745 Wieser was granted a

hunting license and permit to erect a hunting lodge. He wasted no time in erecting a Cape
Dutch homestead for this purpose. (Fig. 2.2.) Roughly translated Poespaskraal means

hotchpotch place. The eventual size of Poespaskraal was substantial. By 1833 it was 730
Morgen and extended over the Roodeberg Mountain and down to the salt pan (now The

Lakes.)

The Cape Dutch homestead which Carel George Wieser erected on Poespaskraal was simple.
A T - shaped, thatched dwelling, built with clay and local sandstone rocks and painted with

lime wash. (Fig. 2.3.) The sandstone rocks, which were used for building, were excavated and
shaped on the mountain slope directly behind the house. There is much evidence of their

quarrying activities still visible to this day. Above the kitchen ceiling was the traditional fire

proofing – solidly packed stones, sand and clay. This brandsolder was removed in 1941.

The house was built in the traditional Dutch style with four gables. In the central part of the T

was a kitchen and Voorkamer, with sleeping quarters for the hunters on either side.

The Voorkamer, as the name suggests, was naturally in front and was used as a gathering area
for the hunters. Behind that was the kitchen with a large open fire place and a hanging room

for the recently hunted game. The kitchen floor was cobbled with smooth round stones and a

stream ran through them providing water. This cobbled floor was replaced with wood and the
stream diverted in the 1930s. Ermin de Stadler found the cobbles cold and hard on her feet

and was tired of standing on a box while cooking.

A stable with a kraal was built close to the house for the horses and animals. And there is a
bywoner’s cottage on the property too, although there is speculation that it originally could

have been a tannery.

The house was built at the foot of the Roodeberg Mountain next to two springs, and a sloping
stone and clay dam was constructed at the back of the house to collect water. There is still

evidence of the various water systems employed to harvest water. (Fig. 2.4.) The one under-