Eastern Cape Provincial Article - South African Vacations

John Gately House: This house was once the home of John Gately, an Irish
Settler who became mayor of East London in 1875. The house is an historical
museum and was declared a national monument in 1973.
Lock Street Gaol: The first prison for women in South Africa, Lock Street Gaol,
was built in 1880. It is one of East London’s oldest buildings. The building was
recently put to a more positive use when it was turned into a shopping
complex where crafts and curios can be bought. The original gallows and the
cells on death row are still on view. The infamous Daisy de Melker, who
poisoned three of her husbands, was hanged here. Winnie Madikizela-
Mandela (former wife of Nelson Mandela) was also jailed here during the
Apartheid years.
Pier at Orient Beach: The Russian ship, Orient, sank off the coast in 1907.
The pier at Orient Beach was built over the wreck of the Orient.
St Peters Church: This is the oldest church in the city and was completed in
1857.
Signal Hill Memorial: The memorial marks the spot where the Union Jack was
hoisted in 1836 to proclaim the town British territory.
Steve Biko Statue: The statue was only recently unveiled and pays tribute to
one of the great heroes of the Black Consciousness Movement in South
Africa. Steve Biko was born in Ginsberg on the outskirts of town. He inspired
black people to throw off the mental shackles of Apartheid and to start
believing in themselves and their right to control their own destinies. Sadly, he
died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody, before he could
see his dreams come to fruition. His tiny house and his grave are open to the
public and is part of an accompanied tour that will take visitors to many other
related places of interest.
War Memorial: The memorial was built to honour the memory of the brave
soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War.
FORT BEAUFORT (including Hertzog and the rural area of Mpofu)
Fort Beaufort, in the Kat River Valley, is set in the horseshoe formed by the
Kat River on the one side and the Brak River, on the other side. It was the site
of one of the most effective forts set up to serve as a buffer between the
Settlers and the Xhosa people during the Frontier Wars and was often used
as a place of refuge. The fort was established in 1823 and named after the
Duke of Beaufort, father of Lord Charles Somerset, the Governor of the Cape
at that time. In 1842 a military road, known as the Queen’s Road, was built by
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