Book of the Month November 2010

Embracing Hout Bay : over a century of making things happen from Dorman & Son to Mariner's Wharf and Fisherman's World

Visitors to and residents of Hout Bay will welcome this magnificently illustrated book which describes how it developed from a source of timber to the beautiful village it is today, with its world-famous Mariner's Wharf - the first such harbourfront emporium in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere - and Fisherman's World, a themed olden-days fishing village in the making.
Covering the development of the farming and fishing industries in Hout Bay, from the early days of corn and cattle, of snoek salted for sugar plantations in Mauritius and unwanted lobsters reddening the bottom of the bay, to the cultivation of vines, vegetables, butter and cream, and the advent of lobster quotas and smoked snoek, Embracing Hout Bay also deals with the many and substantial contributions made by the Dorman family since the arrival of Simon Dorman in the 1890's and their struggle against a large conglomerate determined to oust them from the fishing industry.
It is a story of triumph against adversity set against the backdrop of a family's love for the village and a determination to preserve it and its unique ambience for the future.

The editor, Gwynne Schrire, has always been passionately concerned about the importance of recording local history before the facts and stories are lost ; and has written many articles, books and family histories on the subject
Her involvement with Hout Bay dates back to warm childhood memories of walking on the beach, sliding down its sand dunes on carefully-boarded cardboard, hiking to the manganese mine, picnicking on Chapman's Peak, and many of the other activities mentioned in this book
She has also participated in an archaeological dig at the ruins of the old fort near the harbour, uncovering desiccated bones and the hinge along which a gun carriage had swivelled
Considering Hout Bay to be a mine of historical interest Gwynne was as delighted to have the opportunity of being involved in producing Embracing Hout Bay as she was to discover the efforts documented in the book which have gone into the preservation of the village and its historic cottages.

Source : Embracing Hout Bay : over a century of making things happen from Dorman & Son to Mariner's Wharf and Fisherman's World / edited by Gwynne Schrire