Port Elizabeth - history
On 12th of May 1488 the ship of Bartholomeus Diaz arrived as the first European vessel to enter the Bahia de Lagoa - todays Algoa Bay. The next Portuguese explorer, the famous Vasco da Gama sailed past it in 1497. A Dutch ship however did stop in 1690. But up until 1752 the small place was no more than a refuelling stop for fresh water.
Only in that year did the Dutch build a beacon with the insignia of the Dutch East India Company on it. The bay was as such under Dutch ownership.
In 1799 the English moved in with 350 men and one officer and built Fort Frederick, named after their commander, the Earl of York.
The town only came to life in 1820 when 4000 British settlers arrived to claim the holdings which the English Government had promised them. On 6th of June 1820 Sir Rufane Donkin named the town after his wife Elizabeth who had died in India two years prior at an age of only 28 - the picture above shows the Donkin Memorial.
1825 the port was officially opened for overseas trade. Up until the beginning of the 20th century wool washeries, leather factories and tinned food factories were the most important industries. Then came the motor industry - Ford and General Motors already by 1925 produced all vehicles sold in South Africa. By 1933 the town had 220 factories which employed a total of 6000 people.
Up until today the motor industry in Port Elizabeth and neighbouring Uitenhage remains of particular importance.
