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Rhodes University, Schönland Building
Makhanda (Grahamstown), Eastern Cape
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| Rhodes University, Schönland Building | | ||||||
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Click to view map Coordinates: | "The historic building was once the military hospital for the Drostdy garrison that served the remote outpost of Grahamstown in the nineteenth century. Later, in 1864, the Cape House of Assembly sat here for a single session. This solid stone structure, one of the few former military buildings that remain on the Rhodes campus, almost from the outset became the home of the Botany Department ... Professor Selmar Schönland (1860–1940), the founder of botany at Rhodes, was a German immigrant, who came to the Eastern Cape in 1889 as curator of the Albany Museum ... In 1904 Schönland, as a member of the Rhodes Council, contributed to the founding of Rhodes University through the negotiation of an initial grant of £50 000 from the sale of De Beers shares, which made the establishment of the university possible. In 1905 he gave up his seat on council and became the first professor of botany. Schönland was curator of the Albany Museum from 1889, and later was appointed director until 1910. He remained curator of the herbarium, which was part of the museum, until his retirement in 1926." Ref: Extracted from Rhodes University Botany Department webpage 'One hundred years of botany at Rhodes University by Roy Lubke and Estelle Brink - see Rhodes E Repository (Information provided by Liz de Wet of the Cory Library, Rhodes University. Submitted by William MARTINSON) _____________________________________ Wording on the Historical Monuments plaque HISTORICAL MONUMENTS COMMISSION. ORIGINALLY A MILITARY HOSPITAL, THIS BUILDING WAS USED FOR THE SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY WHEN THE CAPE PARLIAMENT MET IN GRAHAMSTOWN IN 1864. HISTORIESE MONUMENTE-KOMMISSIE. HIERDIE GEBOU, WAT OORSPRONKLIK 'N MILITÊRE HOSPITAAL WAS, IS VIR DIE SITTINGS VAN DIE WETGEWENDE VERGADERING GEBRUIK TOE DIE KAAPSE PARLEMENT IN 1864 IN GRAHAMSTAD BYEENGEKOM HET. All truncated references not fully cited below are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. |