Historians disagree over 1827 house museum

TWO Port Elizabeth historians are at loggerheads regarding apparent water damage to the oldest standing house in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Number 7 Castle Hill Museum, or Parsonage House.

Grant Christison, a former antiquarian bookseller for 12 years, said he was "shocked and embarrassed" when he visited the museum recently.

"I was asked to take a German visitor to some historical sites in the city centre. I decided, among other places, to show her number 7, Castle Hill.

"How shocked and embarrassed I was when I witnessed the water damage. I was even more horrified to see valuable and perishable materials had not been taken out of harm's way until the damage could be repaired," Christison said.

However, the museum's curator for the past nine years, Grizel Hart, said the museum had just finished with maintenance in June.

"The doors and windows have been replaced, a new wall was built for the outbuilding and we redid the guttering. The water stains and damp walls he is referring too have been like that since before I started as curator here.

"All of the paintings are purposely hung with a gap between the artwork and the wall to avoid damage," Hart said.

Reverend Francis McCleland, an 1820 settler, bought the land and built the four-bedroom double storey Georgian style home.

The museum is this year celebrating its 50th anniversary since opening its doors to the public, which Christison believes is all the more reason for more money being invested to maintain it.

"Number 7 is the icon of old Port Elizabeth. If we can't even get this one right, then let us just wash our hands of attempts to preserve our material culture," Christison said.

"Why can't some money be diverted to preserve and care properly for a building that has stood for 180 years?"

Hart said the museum received funding for ongoing maintenance from Bayworld.

"Plans are already under way to have the roof redone."

Despite several attempts to contact the Mandela Bay Development Agency, which oversees the city's historical landmarks, planning and development head Dorelle Sapere could not be reached for comment. - Tremaine van Aardt