  ugging
the coastline of Algoa Bay lies the modern industrial city of
Port Elizabeth. Its history stretches as far back as the 1700’s.
Early Dutch farmers, keen
to escape the clutches of colonialism, trekked passed the Bay in
search of better grazing during the mid 1700’s.
 Then, to
protect her land interests, Britain established a fort
overlooking the bay and Baakens River in 1799. Together with the
influx of soldiers and the 1820 Settlers from Britain, Port
Elizabeth began to take shape. Sir Rufane Donkin, the Acting
Governor, named the city after his late wife, Lady Elizabeth.
He
also then declared an open piece of ground atop a strategic hill
to be a reserve – The Donkin Reserve, and erected a
pyramid-shaped monument to Lady Elizabeth. It is directly
opposite this reserve that the terraced Donkin Street Houses can
be found.
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