Pam Wormser (center front)

Pam was born in Pretoria and lived there with her parents, Ruben and Clara Turnball and her two brothers, James and John until her marriage to Jens Wormser in 1956. Her home in Boom Street in Pretoria was across the road from the Boer War Museum and the Pretoria Zoo. These both played an important role throughout her childhood and in her future choice of career.

While she was in high school, she was twice chosen to represent her school at the Durban Cultural Festival. These Festivals were the brainchild of Edward Dunn, the leader of the Durban Symphony Orchestra. Selected participants came from cities and towns throughout South Africa and for two weeks they attended cultural activities, such as theatre, art and music. Pam matriculated in 1953 in History, Art, English, Afrikaans, Maths and Science In 1974 she joined the staff of the Trigonometrical Survey, where she trained and then worked as a cartographer.

Pam married Jens Wormser in 1956, moved to Cape Town and began a new life as a wife and then mother to her three daughters; Karen, born in 1957, Theresa in 1959 and Pamela in 1964. They moved to Llandudno in July 1963, into an old house, the third house in Llandudno, but the first brick built house. It was called ‘ The Homestead ‘- the history of the house is on record in the Museum. Pam and Jens soon became involved in the life of Hout Bay and Llandudno. Pam is a good artist and she and Jens joined the Sentinel Players and acted and helped with scenery in a number of productions in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

In 1975, the chairman of Hout Bay Library Committee, Jimmy Steele, set up a committee to organise a Cultural Festival in Hout Bay and Pam was asked to represent Llandudno. Her portfolio on the committee was to set up exhibitions on ‘The History of Llandudno’, ‘Early man in Hout Bay’ and ‘Shipwrecks along our coast line’. The Festival was to run for one week and at the end of the week, all loaned items were returned to their owners.

The Festival was a great success and had proved that the people of Hout Bay and Llandudno had much to be proud of and to preserve. Jimmy Steele called a meeting to put forward the idea of creating a museum for Hout Bay and then a committee was formed of those interested. Pam was on that committee.

By 1978 the present building, which had been standing empty, was cleaned and painted by the Lions Club and rented from the Kronendal School Board for a peppercorn rent of R1 per annum. A Board of Trustees was formed and Pam was appointed Curator in September 1978: she began work in an empty house without even a table or a chair.

The Cape Times Centenary Medal 1986

DISA Garden Centre Environmental Award 22 April 1990

Pam and Jimmy were able to attend a museum conference in Calvinia, which gave them invaluable information on accession and administration skills. Then began the work of collection and display of the many items from the original festival and the other items donated by local people. A child from Marais Road came in and gave Pam an old coin and that was her first exhibit.

There was need to organise a deadline for an opening date, to prove to the Divisional Council that the museum was a project worth supporting. The display cases were built by the Museum Workshop and Pam and the many volunteers and friends dedicated themselves to having Hout Bay Museum ready for the Official Opening on 5 April 1979.

For 19 years Pam dedicated her life to the growth of the Museum, with the Special Exhibitions, Open Days, Festivals, Celebrations, Camps, Guided Walks, Fireside Chats, Museum Conferences and Workshops becoming part of her family’s life. Pam retired in 1997 and moved to Noordhoek but, was asked to remain on the Board of Trustee and persuaded to work part time until the next Curator was appointed.

Pam has now moved to Pringle Bay, but we still draw on her expertise from time to time and are honoured to have inherited a Museum to which she dedicated so much of her life.

Thank you Pam!