Despatch is a small town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa situated between Gqeberha and Kariegawith an estimated population of 40,000. It forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which includes Gqeberha and Uitenhage, and has collectively a population of over 1.3 million.
The town of Despatch is situated on rich clay soil and was the site of a thriving brick industry in the late 1800s. Despatch’s name comes from this brick industry, as bricks were dispatched from the original railway siding. Many older buildings in Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth were constructed using these bricks, which can be identified by the word ‘Despatch’ imprinted on the top and bottom. The town’s only remaining reminder of its brick industry past is a chimney built in 1882, which was part of the Brick Works. This chimney, located in a field on the northern outskirts of town next to the railway lines, has recently been restored to its former glory, now featuring supports that give it the appearance of a space rocket.
In 1903 the remains of an ”Algoasaurus” were discovered near … Read the full article here: NMB Wiki
Submit your Nelson Mandela Bay Address/Business/Church/Association/Sport/Notable Person to the NMB Wiki here: NMB Wiki.
