By Jonathan Dreyer, Curator

Jimmy Steele, a retired official of the Museum’s section, Department of Nature Conservation, had nurtured for many years the dream of founding a museum in Hout Bay. In 1975, a Cultural Arts Festival was held in the Bay. Apart from exhibitions by local craftsmen, musical and drama presentations, exhibitions on the history of Hout Bay were held, the Strandlopers, early Hout Bay, and the shipwrecks along our coast. This festival proved that Hout Bay had a fascinating history and it was important that a permanent home be found where all this information and artifacts belonging to our past could be preserved for the future.

Jimmy Steele

Jimmy Steele was Chairman of the festival Committee and at the Report Back Meeting at the end of the festival, it was proposed that he goes ahead with negotiations to found a museum. With the backing of the Ratepayers Association he approached the Divisional Council of the Cape for financial assistance and leased part of Kronendal School for the nominal fee of R1.00 per annum. The following chronology of dates and events portray the development of the museum.

• 11 July 1977. A grant of R8500.00 per annum was finally agreed upon.
• In 1978, A report on how to renovate and develop the building suitable as a museum was drawn up by Mr. E Hayden, Chief Technician for Museums.
• The Hout Bay/Llandudno Round Table undertook to alter and repair the building, which incidentally, had originally been built as a house for the Headmaster of Kronendal School.
• August 1978. Pam Wormser was appointed as first the Curator of the museum, and a special committee was appointed consisting of Jimmy Steele as Chairman; Dr. R Borchers and Mrs. E Bisschop as members of the committee.
• 1 September 1978. The first meeting was held. The initial task was to aim for Provincial recognition, then a Board of Trustees of six members would be appointed two to represent CPA, two the Divisional Council and two the subscribers to the museum.
• 25 October 1978. A lecture by Townley Johnson on the Strandlopers launched the appeal to start this Society.
• The Museum’s application for membership to the South African Museum’s Association was approved.
• At the end of 1978 the museum had a furnished office, showcases and a host of artifacts and memoraribilia from the farms, wrecks of the immediate area and fishing paraphernalia.

James

• The early days of the museum were spent in furnishing the museum. Mr & Mrs Fuller Gee, qualified landscape architects, designed the layout of the garden, but work on the garden only commenced in 1979 after the formal opening of the museum on 5 April and now in 2007 it is sorely in need of maintenance, cleaning, pruning and an enthusiastic gardener’s touch! (Anyone out there who wishes to help? Pls. contact the museum)
• In November 1979 Provincial recognition was granted and the Museum was declared a Local History Museum.
• And now 29years later the Hout Bay Museum continues to play an important role in education in hosting schools from all over the Peninsula. It holds exhibitions and protects a wealth of information, records and photographs of local interest
• A bronze Statue was unveiled in the museum garden. The statue of a young boy holding a dove is the work of renowned sculptor Jean Doyle. A tribute to James (Jimmy) Steele, founder of the Hout Bay Museum, and his wife Eileen. Jean Doyle is Jimmy and Eileen’s niece and the model for the statue was their three-year-old grandchild, James.

Thank you James (Jimmy) and Eileen Steele.