DISCOVER THE RICH HISTORY OF ANNA

📢 ANNABeleef – Part of Worcester’s Rich Heritage
ANNABeleef is not just a coffee shop but also a piece of Worcester’s profound history.

🌍 Here’s a fascinating piece of archival information that tells the story of the origins of the Old Gaol, the site where ANNA is located today.Read more below about how Worcester’s foundation began in 1818 – and discover the story of an old wine cellar that later became the ‘Old Gaol’, now transformed into something truly unique!

PART II: PREPARATIONS FOR THE FOUNDING OF WORCESTER 1818 – 1820📜
Excerpt: On 19 December 1818, Barend Johannes Burger sold the farm “De Langerug, located on the Breede River,” to the Cape government.

On 10 January 1819, Governor Lord Charles Somerset and his party visited the farm to assess its suitability for the new town, Worcester. It is likely that they inspected all the buildings on the farm that day – including the old wine cellar, which would later become known as the ‘Old Gaol’.In 1819, the Deputy Landdros of Worcester, Jacob Frederik van de Graaff, took up residence in the old main homestead of ‘De-Langerug-gelegen-aan-het-Breede-Rivier’, and in 1820, he began making the necessary arrangements to set up the Old Wine Cellar as a gaol.

On 5 March 1821, the gaol was fully established.
3 November 1820: Jacob van de Graaff Requests Permission to Establish a Gaol. On 3 November 1820, Jacob van de Graaff requested permission for “the immediate construction of a prison with the necessary apartments for the schout and judicial officers,” as the lack of such a building caused “justice to suffer greatly.”

5 March 1821: ‘Old Gaol’ is Fully Established
On 5 March 1821, at the first meeting of Landdros Charles Trappes with the first heemrade, Pieter de Vos of ‘Buffelskraal’ in the Hex Valley and Carel Stephanus Erasmus of ‘Nonna’ at Overhex, it was recorded in the minutes that the prison was “visiteur” (i.e., ‘visitable,’ meaning ‘already established’).
The gaol was set up in the original main section of the old wine cellar as follows: • One large hall section that could also serve as a hospital; • A kitchen area in the middle; • Three small detention cells. The rear wing, extended in 1820/1821, contained the following: • A living room for the ‘schout’ (i.e., ‘guard’ or ‘overseer’); • A living room at the very end for the ‘judicial officers’ (i.e., the ‘bailiff’).

12 June 1821:Benches Installed in the ‘Old Gaol’
On 12 June 1821, it was recorded that “a British (‘plank bench’) has been installed in the prison here, on which the prisoners can lie – as the prisoners cannot endure the cold from lying on the ground.”
From 5 March 1821 until 26 November 1861, the ‘Old Gaol’ was used as a prison, after which the ‘New Gaol’ was commissioned on 26 November 1861 at the top of Russell Street (at the Russell and Somerset Street intersection).
From 1821 to 1893, the Landdros of Worcester, in his dual capacity as Landdros and Civil Commissioner, was responsible for the maintenance of the ‘Old Gaol.’

It is unknown exactly what the ‘Old Gaol’ was used for from 26 November 1861 until 1910, but it can possibly be assumed that it was still used for ‘prison purposes,’ such as housing for a prison warden, prison overseer, or other prison personnel, and so forth. Today, this site is home to ANNABeleef, a space full of culture, coffee, and history that writes new stories while honoring the old ones.
☕Come visit and experience it for yourself!

Compiled by:
Councillor Dr Dr JULIAN KRITZINGER