A Brief History Of Malgas

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The settlement of Malagas took its name from a local Khoikhoi Chief who once ruled the area. By 1850, the entrepreneurial firm Barry & Nephews had purchased the farm from horse breeder HJ Denysson, setting in motion a transformation that would briefly make this riverside location one of the most important trading posts in the region.

Thomas Barry's son-in-law, Tobias Herholdt, arrived in 1858 to serve as postmaster before advancing to Justice of the Peace and Sheriff. The town's name was soon shortened from Malagas to Malgas—a practical change to prevent mail from being mistakenly sent to Málaga, Spain.

Barry & Nephews recognized Malgas's strategic potential as an inland port, positioned closer to their Swellendam headquarters than the established Port Beaufort. They commissioned naval architect Archibald Denny to construct a revolutionary vessel on Scotland's River Clyde: the SS Kadie, a 158-ton screw steamer equipped with auxiliary sails. Under Captain James Fowler's command, the ship departed Scotland on July 18, 1859, and reached Port Beaufort on September 26 to a triumphant welcome of cannon fire and cheering crowds.

Among the Kadie's inaugural passengers were Reverend John Samuel, destined to become the first principal of Dale College after serving as rector of Swellendam Grammar School, along with his wife, the Barry children's tutor Mr. Watson, and several other settlers who would help shape the community's future.

The Kadie's design specifically accommodated the Breede River's conditions, enabling her to navigate upstream to Malgas in just two and a half hours—a remarkable feat that astonished local residents accustomed to wind-dependent transport. While bulk wool shipments continued through Port Beaufort for direct export to London, the versatile steamer carried diverse cargo including grain, brandy, aloe juice, livestock, and the increasingly valuable ostrich feathers between Malgas and Cape Town, while also servicing coastal routes to Mossel Bay, Knysna, and Algoa Bay. Her most ambitious voyage took live ostriches to Mauritius for eventual transport to Australia. The vessel quickly proved her worth, recovering her substantial £5,000 construction cost through profitable operations.

The community's spiritual needs were addressed in 1855 when Reverend Keet established the local school and began planning the church, which was completed in 1856 under the skilled craftsmanship of architect-builder Jacob Taljaard. A dedicated building commission, with Hendrik Geldenhuys leading fundraising efforts, worked alongside the generous Thomas Barry, who agreed to forgive half of the £800 debt upon the church's completion.

Malgas's prosperity ended abruptly with the tragic loss of the SS Kadie in November 1865, effectively severing the town's commercial lifeline. The community faced another severe test during the devastating 1906 flood, when two meters of water inundated the church, destroying the pulpit Bible, ceremonial cloths, and precious historical artifacts.

Today, visitors to Malgas can still experience a piece of this maritime heritage through South Africa's last operational hand-pulled ferry, a direct descendant of the transport systems that once made this riverside settlement a bustling center of commerce.