Ivor Markman

Ivor Markman
 
While exploring the quiet leafy suburbs of Graaff-Reinet recently, I was struck by the beautiful wooden fretwork on many of the old buildings. 
After hearing locals refer to the woodwork as “broekie-lace,” it seemed appropriate to establish the correct technical name as the direct English translation, “panty-lace,” didn’t quite sound right. 
It was surprising to discover South Africa is the only country where the term "broekie lace" is used to describe the ornate, metal moldings seen on so many Victorian and Edwardian verandas and interestingly does not include wooden fretwork. 
After much investigation it was finally established the correct technical term for the wooden decorative mouldings is "Victorian gingerbread". 
When the old Graaff-Reinet Anglican manse, a National Monument, needed restoration work, retired mechanical engineer Zorb Caryer offered to do the work. 
“We had a quote to repair the damage but the church didn't have the finances. (The quote) was astronomical.

Being a member of the congregation, I said 'Listen, I think I have the skills if you’ll allow me to do it.”
“I offered to do the woodwork on an upstairs balcony and to repair the woodwork in the front.

"Most of it was damaged by rain and lack of maintenance,” he said. 
“I ended up doing the whole Manse, the outside, the roof and everything,” he said. 
After completing the job Caryer was approached by a man and asked to repair the veranda around his house.

He wanted it done exactly the same as the church manse. 
Caryer was not keen because of the expense and the amount of work and time involved. 
But the man was persistent and Caryer did not really expect to get the work, so he reluctantly submitted a quote. 
“He then informed me he would like me to do the work, so I undertook to do it,” he said.

“If I hadn't started, it would have fallen down quite shortly - it was that bad.” 
When repairing a structure older than 60 years, the original design must be kept because the buildings are protected by the National Heritage Resources Act. 
“We have a heritage society and should you start to make a stainless steel structure instead of a wooden one they’ll ask you to take it down,” he said. 
The first job was the dismantling of the woodwork, which was quite difficult. 
“I pre-constructed all the struts and installed it piecemeal, and then prepared the (wooden) panels and spindles. 
“There are close on 400 hours involved in creating a (Victorian gingerbread) house like this one. It’s very labour-intensive. 
“First of all one has to make the framework and make it aesthetically as close to the original as possible. 
"A decision must be taken as to the design, ideally to replace it exactly as it was,” he said. 
 In this case this was not done because it was believed the original Victorian gingerbread was replaced at some stage with a diamond-type wooden mesh. 
Most the original wood designs were fretwork, while the cheaper, easier and quicker diamond-mesh verandas, came much later, after the house was built. 
“The frame itself is made of meranti, and (is constructed so) the cutouts actually slip in and are held in place with (wooden) strips, top and bottom, and on both sides,” he said. 
One of the advantages of using strips is water can seep out and not remain in the groove. 
Most the cutouts rotted because the water did not drain, especially at the bottom. 
The meranti spindles made by Caryer are turned on a lathe using the profile copied from the Manse. 
“I turned them out on a copy lathe. Each one takes about 40 minutes and we had to make 100 for this house,” he said. 
Everything is painted before being assembled to seal the wood top and bottom. 
They are not glued or nailed but are held in place by the strips, thus allowing for a little expansion. 
“Basically, what one should do to maintain the woodwork is to always maintain the quality of the coating.

"If you painted it every three years with a good quality paint, you would be fine provided water doesn't lodge in anywhere,” said Caryer. 
Older people have come up to Caryer in the street and said "Oh gosh, this is what my house used to look like when I grew up." 
Unfortunately much of the original woodwork had since been removed. 
It’s not surprising why the Graaff-Reinet property market has remained strong while the rest of the country’s prices drop. 
“It's (the) serenity and the oldness of the buildings.

"We have more National Monuments than Stellenbosch, and people take a pride in their houses.

"There’s been an enormous amount of restoration here over the last 10 or 15 years,” said Caryer.” 
Originally from Zimbabwe, Caryer trained in Cape Town and worked in the steel industry in Johannesburg. 
In the 1980s he went farming in the Karoo, and then retired to Graaff-Reinet 15 years ago.

 

All Text and Photography: Copyright 2013, Ivor Markman.