A timeline documenting Fish Hoek’s history, dating back 560 million years, was unveiled at Valyland Centre on Saturday.
The 2.4m x 1.4m wall-mounted display was designed by Richard Smith, owner of Gateway Guides and a member of the Historical Society of Cape Town.
Mr Smith worked with the Fish Hoek Valley Museum, the Historical Society of Cape Town, and the Valyland Centre, to bring the timeline to life.
The timeline starts when Fish Hoek was silt at the bottom of the ancient Adamastor Sea and winds its way through the 1600s mentioning the establishment of the Dutch East India Company as a refreshment station in the Cape in 1652 and Jan van Riebeeck referring to Fish Hoek for the first time in official documents in 1659.
It continues through the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s through to 2022 when a retaining wall, made from old railway sleepers, was exposed on Fish Hoek Beach.
The display was unveiled by Corinne Hudson (née Cronwright) whose father, Morthland Cronwright, owned Cron’s Dairy, now Valyland Centre.
The dairy was operated for a century by four generations of the Cronwright family and started with two cows.
Ms Hudson said her father had come up with the idea of a shopping centre on the land after completing a course on modern merchandise methods in America.
The name Valyland is derived from the three Cronwright siblings, Valery, Yvonne, and Morthland.
Mr Smith said the timeline was the second of its kind in the area – the first being the history of Simon’s Town – which can be seen at Harbour Bay Mall.
He said he came up with the idea to present history using a timeline after he had been commissioned, a few years ago, to redesign the South African Air Force museums.
“I used a timeline theme for most of the displays. Doing this made me fall in love with what one can do with a timeline and how they tell a story,” he said.
After months of work and research, he said, the timeline was presented to the former curator of the Fish Hoek Valley Museum, Sally Britten, and museum volunteer Margaret Gundry to fact-check.
He said they had spent many hours checking his work, provided guidance and added several events he had missed.
The next step, he said, had been to find a suitable venue, and Valyland Centre, formerly the historic Cron’s Dairy, had been happy to donate wall space and the Historical Society of Cape Town had sponsored the printing and making of the display.
“I hope this initiative enriches the people of Fish Hoek by showcasing the history of the area and the communities that have lived there,” he said.
Dave McNamara chairman of the Historical Society of Cape Town, said it was a “practical way” for people to enjoy history.
He said the society had decided to put timelines in various suburbs across the city and Kalk Bay would probably be next.
The Fish Hoek timeline was the first to be sponsored by the society, he said.
Fish Hoek Valley Museum curator Sue Maude said she was “delighted” that the timeline had come to Fish Hoek and she hoped that it would inspire residents to visit the museum
Ms Gundry said she and Ms Britten had worked on the timeline for several months and she was thrilled with the result.
Valyland centre manager Lynne Vincent said Valyland was the heart of Fish Hoek and the centre was “really happy to be associated with the unveiling of the timeline giving context to the Fish Hoek valley”.
She added: “Fish Hoek is a unique community that takes care of its own. We hope our shoppers will pop in and see the timeline, take some pics, and go through it when they have a moment. It is always good to know how you fit in in the bigger picture.”
