Lambertsbaai Traditional Cache
SKATTIE@1: Visit the cache this weekend and realized I have to find a better spot where the waves can't reach
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The cache is placed at the back of the Lamberts Bay Factory.
Before the year 1800 Gerrit Erasmus Smit established himself on the farm, Bobergvlei which he hired from the Govt. The area he demarcated for his cattle farming operations he named "Otterdam". At the end of 1831 Smit paid an annual rental of 2-5-0 Pd (+ R30.00) for the Otterdam comprising an area of 5486 morgen. The name "Otterdam" was derived from an earlier established dam east of the Jakkals River beyond Rooiberg on the road to Clanwilliam. The area was known throughout as Otterdam till Lambert's Bay was proclaimed in 1913 when the first plots were sold. Lambert's Bay was named after a former British admiral who charted the coastline between 1826 en 1940. Robert Grissold, the first owner of Otterdam, bought the ground in 1858 from the Government. The ground changed hands a few times till Stephan bought in 1887 from Van Zyl. In 1888 he built the Marine Hotel. He was then using the bay for his trading fleet: the Stella, Oarana and Borelis. Onderbergvlei, Kookfontein and Yzerfontein now called Zuurfontein formed the cultural centre of the farming community. During this time James William van Putten, born in Stratford, England in 1849 of a Dutch father and a French mother, arrived in South Africa. In 1882 he married Gesina (Gesie) Maria Engelbregt the daughter of Josias Andreas, the owner of Onderbergvlei. Van Putten received a portion of ground from this father-in-law. He erected a hotel, bar and shop on the site, which served as a post office, courtroom and as a dance hall. Here at Van Puttensvlei Boer and "Brit" met each other often during the Anglo-Boer War (1900 – 1902). It was on such occasions that the "Lancers" was danced. British ships often visited the Bay and that was how the Sybille, a British gunboat ran aground on the rocks at Steenboksfontein, 8 km south of Lambert's Bay in January 1901. Salvaged items are to be found in the Museum. On the 20th August 1903 Stephan Bros. Sold 24 morgen of ground at the mouth of the Jakkals River to the State for an outspan. On the 13th December 1909 Henry John Stephan sold the rest of Otterdam to the State for 9500 Pd (+ R142 500). That was the start of Lambert's Bay. The first residents were Grissold, Stigling and the family Spence. When the first school was started in 1915 there were only 5 families. Housing was a problem as the water was brak and fresh water had to be carted from Kookfontein and Groendam. In 1918 when Axel Lindstrom & Co erected the first crayfish canning factory, it sparked a boom in trading in the village. Numerous whites as well as coloureds came into Lambert's Bay. In 1929 there were only 10 buildings of stone and clay. Slowly more buildings were erected and the town expanded. In 1929 Lambert's Bay was declared a local authority. In 1934 the town was elevated to Village Management Board status, with Mr Burrel as first chairman. Up till 1936 the Lambert's Bay area was patrolled by the police stationed at Van Puttenslvei which was the Police Headquarters for this area. In 1910 the rail link was lengthened from Eendekuil to Graafwater. Up to that time all trade was conducted by sea. In 1935 J.A.W. (Johnny) Spence started a transport service by sea with the MV Mae West. He confined himself to the carting of petrol and paraffin and supplied virtually the whole North Western Cape. This enterprise brought in thousands of Rands.
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