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Well, we are the Craven family, 5th
generation on the homestead
Noorspoort. Danie Craven - yes, the
famous rugby guy - was married to
Beyera Hayward in 1938. Their eldest
son George now owns the family farm
Noorspoort and his son Danie is the
6th generation on the farm. The farm
was bought by GNJ Hayward in 1863,
but wait, here is more on the Hayward
side of the family, as narrated by
David Raymer, a family member.
NOORSPOORT - by David Raymer
The first recorded farmer at Noordse
Poort was a G C Strydom in 1820. In
1863 George Nathaniel John Hayward
(1826 - 1890), third son of the 1820
Settler, James Hayward (1799-1882),
bought the farms Noordse Poort of 994
morgen and de Poort from Marx for £1
000 (actual transfer took place in
1871 and T I Ferreira, F Gerds and J
Mosel were listed as co-owners).
John Hayward must have bought out his
partners, over a period. The farm
later became known as Noorspoort. The
original farmhouse was built on the
eastern side of the present homestead
and was later used as a shed, but was
demolished in about 1950.
Later he
bought De Poort, Oude Post and
Kranskop. John was instrumental in
making an attempt to provide
Steytlerville with water by
constructing a furrow from a site
where the Oudepost Loop enters the
Groot River. When £60 had been spent
(all the funds available), the
project was abandoned.
As late as
1911 traces of this venture were
still visible. Over the entrance of
one of the large outbuildings at
Noorspoort is a stone on which he had
inscribed; "1863 J Hayward". In about
1878 John went to England to visit
relatives. The painting that John had
done while overseas is still on
display at Noorspoort. John became a
wealthy farmer who left farms to all
his children and built houses for his
daughters in Steytlerville. He
subdivided the properties Kranskop
and de Poort into three sections of
900 morgen each for three of his
daughters and called the centre
property Chelmsford. John died in
1888 as a result of a kick from a
horse. His wife, Dina, died in 1892
and both are buried at Noorspoort.
After his death in 1888, Noorspoort
went to his only son, John James
Hayward (1859-1937). John James built
a stable for his horse and later
added on to the building which was
the start of the present homestead.
In 1885 John James moved to Aberdeen
district where he bought the farm,
Oorlogspoort, but continued farming
operations at Noorspoort. John James
became a very successful farmer and
established the Noorspoort irrigation
lands. This scheme included a weir on
the Groot River (constructed by a Mr.
I Ferreira in 1890), a 5 km long
furrow and 80 morgen of lands.
Part of the scheme was undertaken by
a neighbour, Mr. Walton. In 1907,
after his completion of his studies
at Victoria College (Stellenbosch
University), George Nathaniel Hayward
(1886 - 1977), eldest son of John
James, started farming at Noorspoort.
George recorded that he had to pay
£100 per year for the hire of 3 391
morgen and his father gave him 300
Angora goats. His father also
arranged to have a wagon made for
George on his homecoming. The wagon
was built by one Andries Somers of
Graaff-Reinet and made of stinkwood,
ordered from Oudtshoorn. It weighed
three tons and was railed from
Graaff-Reinet to Baroe. This wagon
was used for many years to cart wool
and mohair until tractors replaced
it. The wagon is now in the
Steytlerville museum.
In 1914 the
Noorspoort farmhouse was renovated
and enlarged for George’s bride,
Hannah. George’s father gave them a
very large teak dining table and
twelve matching chairs as a wedding
present. This suite is now in the
possession of George’s eldest
grandson, George Craven. George made
large improvements at Noorspoort,
such as the homestead, the lands (120
morgen), outbuildings, staff houses
and farming infrastructure.
In
October 1969 George, had the remains
of Mary Hayward, wife of the Settler
and buried at Orange Grove under the
Winterhoek mountains, re-interred in
the family graveyard on Noorspoort,
next to those of her son George
Nathaniel John. George farmed until
his death in 1977. George and his
wife Hannah are both buried at
Noorspoort. George’s eldest daughter,
Beyera Craven inherited Noorspoort
and her son, George Craven, commenced
farming in 1977. |
