Stempastorie

The house was built as a rectory in 1899 under the direction of the Dutch Reformed Church. The builder, Mr W Napier, built the double storey house of sandstone in Georgian - Victorian Style, but no longer looks exactly as it did in 1899. The congregations of Simon's Town and Kalk Bay amalgamated in 1940 and became known as the Fish Hoek congregation. Simon's Town's minister became the first minister of the united congregation and in 1940 settled in Fish Hoek. Since then the house has never again been used as a rectory. From 1940 the Church leased the house as a boarding house until it was sold to Mr S.J. De Beer in 1957. Mr De Beer and his family lived there but let certain rooms. 1n 1961 Rev, Louw bought the house and lived there until the State bought it from him in 1978.
The music for "Die Stem" was composed here in 1919 by the Rev M.L. De Villiers and still forms part of the National Anthem.

STHS