Muizenberg has
its third air mail delivery in 1986.
This extract from the Muizenberg
News January 1987 (supplied by Dave and Cynthia Privett).
Author unknown.
Pictures of the Bleriot
and postcard
from The Cape Odyssey
newspaper No 32,
Nov - Dec 2003 Volume 3 issue 11.
Sunrise Beach became an airport for a
special airmail delivery on the 27th December 1986. The occasion was the 75th
anniversary of the first airmail delivery on the continent of Africa which
strangely enough was between Kenilworth and Muizenberg. The story of the
pioneer event was interesting.
In Britain in September 1911 a pioneer aerial mail was organised in conjunction
with the coronation of King George V. The flight was between London and Windsor
and a South African Mr Evelyn (Bok) Driver was one of the pilots. He, Captain
Guy Livingstone and Compton Paterson formed the African Aviation
Syndicate and 2 aircraft were shipped to Cape Town, a Farman-type
bi-plane and a Bleriot monoplane. These planes were assembled at
Kenilworth. Paterson flew the Farman on a test flight to Green Point Common and
he landed perfectly. On take off the next morning a gust of wind caught the
small plane and it crashed. This was a sad setback for the African Aviation
Syndicate. The Cape Town Publicity Association had planned a fortnight for the
second half of December 1911 and the Minister of Posts and Telegraphs had
sanction the conveyance of mail by air. Special postcards were printed by
Messes Whitehead / Morris and these were being sold for 1/- (10c). A special
hand stamp for franking the postcards had been provided by the Post Office and
like the design of the postcard had been patterned on those used in the pioneer
airmail in Britain. They were date stamped in Muizenberg and Kenilworth and then
circulated by ordinary mail. The total number of cards was 2597.
photograph from the Telkom Exploratorium
In the remaining aircraft Evelyn Driver took off from the Kenilworth Race Course
in the remaining aircraft on 19h15 on the 27th December 1911and piloted the
machine for a safe touch down 7 1/2 minutes later at Oldhams Field on the verges
of Zandvlei in Muizenberg. Oldham was a chemist and his field was used as a
dairy farm and sports ground. At the field Mr P.J Hutchings the Post Master at
Muizenberg, received the post and gave the pilot a return post. The aircraft was
safely back at Kenilworth at 20h10.
photograph from the Telkom Exploratorium
Beriot monoplane, inset of it flying
The birds eye view of Muizenberg then called "The Brighton of South
Africa" shows what this intrepid pilot must have seen of the place.( See
picture above)
A second flight from Kenilworth to Muizenberg and back was flown by the same
pilot and plane on the 3rd January 1912.
Now the third flight has taken place and very nearly ended in a serious mishap
when SKYPUP 25 VKZ micro-light aircraft piloted by Peter Westerman
suffered an engine failure as he was coming in to land at the Sunrise Beach car
park. Fortunately the pilot managed a bumpy landing damaging the plane but
delivering the mailbag containing 1000 Commemorative Covers specially
printed by the Aerophilatelic Society and also 50 copies of the Muizenberg
News as a special certified airmail delivery.
The Post Master of Muizenberg, Mr John Matthee took them to the post office
where they were stamped and the pilot hand signed them. Meanwhile a reception
was held in the committee room at the Pavilion. Mr Rudi Jeidel of the
Aerophilatelic Society gave the history of the occasion and the Stellenbosch
Farmers Winery made a generous donation of sparkling wine which was used to
toast the birth of the airmail of South Africa.
The pilot could not attend the ceremony as he was busy signing the 1000
envelopes. The real hero of the flight was perhaps forgotten with his aircraft
in need of some repair. A bottle of sparkling wine provided some solace for the
injured aviator. The 1000 signed envelopes were sold for R5.00 and are
expected to appreciate in value. The injured aircraft had to be trailered home
by road and is expected to be in the air again quite soon.
