Page 73 - Bulletin 21

70

really old and gnarled and still bears fruit in abundance, much to the delight of the birds and

the baboons. (Figs. 2.55 – 2.58.)

Guavas were one of the most popular fruits which were grown in these parts in the 1700s.
This way the sailors got their dose of Vitamin C. We are fortunate that the remaining two

guava trees still bear fruit in winter.

One seldom sees quince trees today, but we have a real survivor on the land and although

really neglected, this over two hundred year old tree still gives us a plentiful crop each year.

However, of all the trees, the oak is synonymous with old Cape Dutch homesteads and

farmsteads and they were planted at Poespaskraal in abundance. We are fortunate that we still
have a large number of them left. Their hollow trunks make perfect bee hives, so there are

always a few swarms at The Old Homestead.

Tinus de Jongh painting of Poespaskraal

In c. 1939 our old family home was painted by Tinus de Jongh. My grandmother used to tell

of how he sat under the trees quietly painting the farm scene. Often painters did this in the
hopes of selling the painting to the home owners. At that stage my family were in no position

buy the painting and for years thereafter wondered what had become of it. Over the years
numerous articles for magazines and newspapers were written about this old home and

almost without fail the painting was mentioned. Each author put out word that the family

would love to trace the painting and that it should be hung in its rightful place above the fire
place.

My aunt in particular, searched far and wide in an attempt to find the painting. She

discovered that in 1947 it was hung in King’s House in Durban for the pleasure of the royal
family. The story went that King George admired it! Then in 2016, through a series of events,

we traced the painting. It is in the possession of a family who now live in St Francis Bay. The
owner, Jill, filled us in: It was bought in 1946, by Jill’s family, from Sir Charles Smith of

Durban who was a patron of de Jongh and it was one of a number of South African paintings,

including Pierneefs, that were gathered from private collections in 1947 to show to the Royal
Family in Durban. So that part of the story was true.