Agtergrond| Background

AGTERGROND TOT DIE ALIWAL-NOORD KERKPLEINMUSEUM EN BETROKKENHEID VAN DIE HENNING FAMILIE

Die Henning-uitstalling in die Kerkpleinmuseum sal in die volgende dele vertoon word:

a. Die bou en aanwending van die gebou, asook die betrokkenheid van Hennings;

b. Die bou van die Henning-uitstalling;

c.Die inwyding van die Henning uitstalling;

d. Treinrit tydens die inwyding naweek;

e. Foto’s van die museum as geheel en die Henning uitstalling.

1. Die eerste kerkgebou wat die ou Kaapse kerk (NG Kerk) vanaf 1857 tot 1860 in Aliwal-Noord oprig het, het gedurende 1925 in besit van die munisipaliteit gekom, toe die kerk ‘n nuwe kerkgebou opgerig het. Die gebou is daarna agtereenvolgens as danssaal, bioskoopsaal en marksaal tot 1987 gebruik. Gedurende November1987 besluit die stadsraad dat die gebou as ‘n museum ingerig moet word, waarin die geskiedenis van die dorp uitgebeeld word. Die breë gedagte was dat ‘n tipiese 19de eeuse straattoneel van die oudste winkels en huise van die eerste pionier families voorberei moes word. Die Bondsekretaris van die Henning Familiebond onderhandel hierna met die burgemeester en munisipale amptenare oor die familie se betrokkenheid. Die munisipaliteit het die drie pionier families – De Wet, Joubert en Henning –  genooi om uitstallings voor te berei en uiteindelik was slegs die De Wet en Henning families in staat om uitstallings voor te berei.
2. a2.b1.c3. Jan Hendrik Henning *17-5-1805 was vanaf die stigting van die Aliwal-Noord gemeente ‘n ouderling en dien op die boukommissie vir die bou van die kerkgebou. Hy en sy vrou Elizabeth foto links bo.
3. a2.b7.c8. Olivier Johannes Gerhardus Cornelis Henning *1-12-1834 ry al die  boumateriaal met sy wa aan en is voorsanger gedurende 1860’s. Foto, regsbo, van hom en sy vrou Cornelia Susanna (gebore Kotzé) en hul kleindogter Cornelia Schoombie

Deur oorlewering het die volgende anekdote ten opsigte van Olivier Johannes Gerhardus Cornelis Henning en hierdie kerkgebou behoue gebly.

Gedurende 1868 het daar ‘n dispuut tussen Olivier en die plaaslike predikant ontstaan, waar Olivier van mening was dat die predikant hom beledig het. Hulle kon nie hulle dispuut opgelos kry nie en Olivier het daarna ‘n eed geneem dat hy nooit weer in ‘n kerkbank sou sit nie. ‘n Verwysing na hierdie dispuut word gevind in ‘n brief van 1 Julie1868 wat Olivier se broer aan hom geskryf het. Die brief word verderaan in die museum vertoon.

Jare later het die nuwe predikant ‘n daadwerklike poging aangewend om vrede te bewerkstellig. Olivier het die nuwe predikant van sy dilemma met sy eed vertel en daarna aangedui dat die enigste wyse waarop hy by sy eed verby kan kom, sal wees as hy sy eie stoel saambring kerktoe.

Vir jare daarna het hy dus elke Sondag op sy eie stoel in die kerk gesit en bewaar enigiemand anders se siel as dié dit durf sou waag om op sy stoel te gaan sit!

BACKGROUND TO THE KERKPLEIN (CHURCH SQUARE) MUSEUM ALIWAL NORTH AND INVOLVEMENT OF THE HENNING FAMILY

The Henning exhibition in the Church Square Museum will be shown in the following sections:

a. The erection and use of the building, as well as the involvement of Henning’s;

b. The erection of the Henning-exhibition;

c. The inauguration of the Henning exhibition;

d. Train journey during the inauguration weekend;

e. Photo’s of the museum and the Henning exhibition.

1. The first church-building of the Dutch Reformed Church which was erected from 1857 until 1860 in Aliwal North, came into the possesion of the municipality of Aliwal North during 1925, when the church erected a new church-building. There-after the building was used consecutively as a dance-hall, bioscope-hall and market-hall until 1987. During November 1987 the town council decided that the building must be used as a museum to depict the history of the town. The broad idea was that a typical 19th century street-scene with some of the oldest shops and houses of the first pioneer families must be prepared. First church building in Aliwal North was erected between 1857 and 1860. The League Secretary of the Henning Family League here-after negotiated with the mayor and municipal employees on the involvement of the family. The municipality invited the three pioneer families – De Wet, Joubert and Henning – to prepare exhibitions. Only the De Wet and Henning families were able to comply with this request.
2. a2.b1.c3.Jan Hendrik Henning *17-5-1805 was since the foundation of the congregation an elder and served on the building commission for the erection of the church building. The photo on the left above shows him and his wife Elizabeth.
3. a2.b7.c8. Olivier Johannes Gerhardus Cornelis Henning *1-12-1834 conveyed all the building material with his ox wagon and was cantor during the 1860’s. Photo of him, his wife Cornelia Susanna (born Kotzé) and their granddaughter Cornelia Schoombie on the right above.

Through legend the following anecdote in respect of Olivier Johannes Gerhardus Cornelis and this church building was preserved.

During  1868 a dispute developed between Olivier and the local Minister of Religion, where Olivier was of the opinion that the minister treated him badly. They could not solve this dispute, where-after Olivier took an oath that he would not sit in a church bench again. Reference to this dispute can be found in a letter dated 1 July 1868 which Olivier’s brother wrote to him. This letter is displayed further on in the museum.

Years later the new minister applied an actual effort to bring about peace. Olivier told the new minister of his dilemma with the oath he has taken and that the only way he could get past this oath is by bringing his own chair to church.

For years afterwards he sat every Sunday on his own chair and beware the soul of anybody who try to sit on his chair!

Vanaf 1987 tot 1994 was daar die hartlikste samewerking tussen die Henning Familiebond en die stadsraad en munisipaliteit van Aliwal-Noord.  Met die oorname van die stadsraad in 1994 deur ‘n vyandiggesinde politieke party en die aanstelling van (skynbaar) onbevoegde amptenare, het hierdie hartlike samewerking tot ‘n einde gekom. Die munisipaliteit het gestaak om enige instandhoudingswerk aan die gebou van die Kerkplein Museum (waar die Henning -uitstalling besigtig kon word) te doen en het allerlei struikelblokke in die weg van die museumkomitee gerol. Dit het duidelik geword dat ons uitstalling in groot gevaar verkeer en verwyder sal moet word. Vandaar hierdie virtuele museum.

From 1987 to 1994 there was the most sincere cooperation between the Henning Family League and the city council and municipality of Aliwal North. With the takeover of the city council in 1994 by a hostile political party and the appointment of (apparently) incompetent officials, this cordial co-operation came to an end. The municipality stopped doing any maintenance work on the building of the Church Square Museum (where the Henning exhibition could be viewed) and rolled all kinds of obstacles in the way of the museum committee. It has become clear that our exhibition will be in great danger and must be removed. Hence this virtual museum.