Constantia Estate – Divisions & Registered / Legal Owners

by Mansell Upham ©   (Tokyo, Japan March 2017)

Constantia – Constantia

“Constantia, consisting of two farms, called Great and Little Constantia, which are situated below the east-side of Table Mountain, is celebrated for its highly delicious wine, known by the name of Constantia win or Vin de Cap which is sold in Europe at so high a price. This wine is rather sweet, agreeable and luscious, and only fit for the dessert, as, on account of its sweetness, if drunk in abundance, it lies heavy on the stomach. Of the red wine, about 60 leaguers are made, and of the white about 90; yet the vintage here, as in other places, is different in different years. These two farms were for a long time the only spots which, by reason of their situation, could produce this delicate wine; but lately some other farms in this district, and in a few other places, have been able to bring their wines to the same degree of excellence. But as the Company has reserved to itself the exclusive sale of the Constantia wine, which consequently is considered as contraband, and is not to be bought or transported to Holland under that name by individuals, they have hit upon the expedient of giving their wine, which in point of goodness does not yield to Constantia, the name Maag (stomach) wine which is in general is sold to the ship’s officers of foreign nations cheaper than the Constantia wine itself.”

• Carl Peter Thunberg, Travels at the Cape of Good Hope 1772-1775

Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828)

1685 (original grant) 

Simon van der Stel (1639-1712) – commander (later governor) of Cape of Good Hope 
1712

Estate divided into 3:

• Bergvliet
• Klein Constantia [later De Hoop op Constantia] &
• Groot Constantia

Bergvliet – Constantia

1714

sold as subdivision of Constantia to Pieter de Meijer 

sold immediately to J. Brommert

next owner Elbert Diemer

1761

J. Rohland

1764-1678

Johan Nicolaas Schott (married to Catharina van Laar)

1769

P.[etrus]M.[ichiel] Eksteen 

1783

Hendrik Oostwald Eksteen

1812

Hendrik Ooswald Eksteen Jnr. 

sold to J.[ohannes]P.[aulus] Eksteen [Jr. ?]

1841

portion Firgrove sold

1863:

W.F. Hertzog

1902

“left to” M. Hiddingh (in fake will)

1904

inherited jointly by Purcell & Jeffcoat

1919

subdivided into Bergvliet homestead plus half farm (Jeffcoat) & Kreupelbosch cottage plus remaining half of land (Purcell)

next owner: Sayles

1962

J. Newman

Nova Constantia

Originally part of Constantia estate – house probably dates from 1st quarter of 19th century. Homestead is U-shaped.

1793:

sold to C. Brink by brother-in-law J. Eksteen (subdivision of farm Bergvliet)

1794:

portion of land (Buitenverwachting) sold to A. Brink

1801

sold to H.C. Carinus

1805

transferred to L.J. Colyn

1836

inherited by L.J. Colyn Jr.

1859

sold to J.W. Louw

1900

sold to A. Lategan

1931

inherited by Robert & Kitto Lategan – estate divided in half (portion including homestead going to Kitto)

Buitenverwachting, Constantia

1794

transferred to A. Brink (as portion of farm Nova Constantia) who probably gives place its name

1796

U-shaped homestead likely completed at this date even though gable date shows 1769

1797

sold to Ryk Arnoldus Mauritius Cloete

P.L. Cloete (nephew) who changes name to Plumstead

1827

sold to son

1832

sold to J.G. Cloete (brother)

1852

sold to A. de Smidt

1853

sold to J.W. Brunt

1866

sold to J.W. Louw

1882

inherited by S.P. Lategan

later inherited by D. Lategan

later inherited by O. Louw

De Hoop op Constantia [Klein Constantia]

Constantia is auctioned & subdivided (1716) into separate farms:

• Bergvliet
• Klein Constantia or Petite Constance (later De Hoop op Constantia – not to be confused with another later subdivision of Groot Constantia also & still known as Klein Constantia)
• Groot Constantia (reduced portion)
  
  Wittebomen – previously incorporated into Groot Constantia but granted in terms of a separate deed to Jan Groff, stamvader of the Visser family – reverts to its original separate state & acquired (1714) by J.J. Stoots who transfers it to J.H. van Helsdingen – related by marriage to 1st owner (Pierre Meyer) of De Hoop op Constantia. Meyer a likely smallpox victim (1713), however, his farm De Hoop op Constantia sold from his deceseased estate (1713) to Johann Jürgen Kotze, husband to Johannes Coenraedsz: Visser aka Grof’s castiço granddaughter (Elzabe Barzenius van Hoff) – daughter of Grof’s illegitimate slave-born  halfslag daughter (Margarita Jans: Vissers: van de Caep) by Jan van Riebeeck`s private slave (Maria van Bengale). Grof’s granddaughter remarries (1718) free-born halfslag Johannes Colijn who after her death, not only remarries (1724) a white Cape-born woman (Johanna Appel), but either co-purchases (1734) Groot Constantia or goes into business with his sister & brother-in-law thereby amalgamating Groote Constantia once again with De Hoop op Constantia & as the Cape’s most distinguished winemaker at the time ensuring a place for Constantia wine on the world map.
  
  Original name: Klein Constantia or Petite Constance

1712

subdivided from original farm Constantia – bought by Pieter de Meijer & sold immediately to J.J. Kotze; Kotze’s widow, Elsabe marries Johannes Colyn

1776

transfered to J.N. Colyn

1799

sold to L.J. Colyn

1825

drawing showing homestead with 3 gables on front facade & 1 in middle of a side wing (only central gable in front facade now remains)

1840

inherited by J.N. Colyn & subdivision [of Bergvliet] Nova Constantia by other brother L.J. Colyn

1881

sold to D.G. Malan

1942

sold to S. Hirshfield

Groot Constantia

1716-1734
Olof Bergh (c. 1643-1724) from Gothenburg [Göteborg, Sweden]

Olof Bergh (c. 1643-1724)

Marries Cape-born halfslag Anna de Coningh (c. 1661-1734) [voordocher of manumitted private slave Maaij Ansela van Bengale] buys main portion with original homestead called Groot Constantia.

Anna de Coningh (c. 1661-1734)

He also owns the farm De Cuijlen at Kuils River 

1734 -1778
Carl George Wieser (from Heidelberg [in the Palatinate, Germany])

marries Johanna Jacoba Colijn sister to Johannes Colijn – owner of Klein Constantia [De Hoop op Constantia] – he later married (1740) Maria van der Poel, wid. Melt van der Spuy

1750
Jacobus van der Spuy 
1773
Jan Serrurier (from Hanau)

marries (1) (1747) to Catharina Kretzschmar, widow of Jan van der Swyn who owns neighbouring Alphen

marries (2) Geertruyda van Reenen – daughter of Jacob van Reenen (died 1764), owner of neighbouring Witteboomen

1778-1799
Hendrik Cloete Sr. buys Groot Constantia from Jan Surrurier

Hendrik Cloete Sr. (1725-1799)   

1799 
inherited by Hendrik Cloete Jr. 

Hendrik Cloete Jr. (1758- 1818)

1824 
inherited by J.P. Cloete
1867 
inherited by Hendrik Cloete (last private owner)
1885-1993
sold by auction to Colonial Government 
1993-present
Groot Constantia Trust (1993 till present)

Klein Constantia

Current Klein Constantia part of Groot Constantia (until 1823)

Following Simon van der Stel’s death, Constantia originally split into 3 parts:

• Groot Constantia purchased by Oloff Bergh, Swedish captain with VOC retiring (1701)
  auctioneer, Pieter de Meijer, takes possession of :
• Bergvliet &
• Klein Constantia (later De Hoop op Constantia – not to be confused with current Klein Constantia (forming part of Groot Constantia until 1823)

Witteboomen – Constantia

Purchased (c. 1678) by Johannes Coenraedsz: Visser (from Ommen [Overijssel]) who relocates (after 1688) to valley near Constantia Kloof with its 2 forests De Hel & Het Paradijs

Erf nos. 895 (Homestead, Off Pear Lane, Constantia) & 896 (Outbuildings: Constantia Main Road, Constantia). Homestead is now home to estate agent Pam Golding. No record of original grant or purchase has been traced. Originally small farm & homestead owned by J.C. Visser; 1697: L. Symonsz: (son-in-law) is granted adjoining land; 1697: Simon van der Stel buys out Simonsz: (Witteboomen becomes part of Constantia) 

Wittebomen incorporated into Constantia but granted in terms of a separate deed

1714

reverts to original separate state & acquired by J.G. Stoots

1716

smaller portion sold to J. Franke becoming known as Frankes Gift, New Constantia & Silverhurst

1724

sold to Jan Hendrik van Helsdingen

1778

inherited by Johannes Guilliam van Helsdingen

Aan Jan Guilliam word ook die plaats Witte Boomen bemaak op voorwaarde dat hy 6000 “Caabse guldens” in die boedel inbetaal. Indien dit nie gebeur nie, moet die plaas op ‘n openbare veiling verkoop word.

1800

wife enlarges & runs property

1824

sold to W.F. van Rheede van Oudtshoorn 

1833

sold to J.A. Dreyer

sold to J.W. Brunt

sold to W. Crozier van Rheede van Oudtshoorn

sold to D.J. de Kock

1875

sold to W.A. van der Byl

Original U-shaped homestead ravaged by fire & altered / renovated & one wing given 2nd storey & woodwork replaced; house is difficult to date but thickness of walls & what is still visible of original ground floor plan suggest not later than 1824; house probably built by elder Van Helsdingen, possibly even Stoots; present front facade was originally one of side wings.”

Silverhurst [New Constantia, Frankes Gift / Frankengift] – off Constantia Main Road, Constantia

Formerly New Constantia, Frankes Gift / Frankengift & smaller portion of Witteboomen [originally granted to Johannes Coenraedsz: Visser (from Ommen [Overijssel])

1716

bought by J. Franke (smaller half of original farm Witteboomen);

1752

inherited by his 3 unmarried children – house probably built by one of the  Franke brothers during 2nd half of 18th century;

1811

passed to J. Van Reenen of High Constantia

transfered by widow to son J.G. Franke van Reenen

1812

sold to J.M. Storer

1815

sold to P.W. van Druten – renamed New Constantia

1824

sold to J.J. Van Rheede Van Oudtshoorn – along with Nova Constantia

1833

sold to J.C.A. Dunbar

1835

sold to C.G. Blankenberg – changes made to facade & gable

1857

sold to J.V. Gotobed

1872

sold to W.G. Gilmour – renamed Silverhurst

inherited by H.G. Gilmour (son)

inherited by A.W. Garcia Gilmour (step-son)

inherited by C.J. Gilmour (son)

Constantia Glen [Glen Alpine / Klein Benydendal / Benydendal]

1813

originally known as Benydendal & later Klein Benydendal,
1st registered to original owner, Johannes Gregorius van
Helsdingen

1832

Johannes Frederick van Helsdingen – nephew
inherits property – productive farm under 15 000 vines.

1843

Sebastiaan Valentyn van Reenen – grandson of Hendrik Cloete – renames it Glen Alpine