Lowvelder celebrates 130 years
To celebrate the first 130 years since its inception as a newspaper in Barberton in 1886, Lowvelder/Laevelder will this year regularly share flashbacks from its past with its readers.
We are currently also in the process of putting together a comprehensive history and timeline to depict our illustrious past as one of the oldest continuous publications, which includes some predecessors under various titles still in print in South Africa.
The most up-to-date overview of the development of Lowveld Media and its current flagship publication, Lowvelder/Laevelder available today, appears in two books by local historian Hans Bornman, Nelspruit 75 in 80 (1979) and the revised edition of Pioneers of the Lowveld (2006).
Lowvelder as it is currently known, was originally started as The Barberton Herald & Transvaal Mining Mail. Since May 4, 1886 when the first issue appeared, the newspaper has never stopped publication – apart from three years during the Anglo-Boer War – although tremendous difficulties had to be overcome at times. Run by one Gordon Cameron it was taken over in that same year by AW Baily and John Dashwood, who arrived from Natal. A new plant was installed early in 1887 and larger sheets were printed.
In its heyday Barberton boasted a selection of weekly and biweekly sheets, as well as a comic known as The Jester. The most dangerous rival to the Herald was the Gold Field News. The early writings of Percy Fitzpatric were published during this time. During the lean times that followed after the boom, The Barberton Herald survived by giving prominence to the local mining industry and news from the De Kaap Valley.
After many years of rivalry The Herald and Goldfield News finally amalgamated in September 1892. Athur William Bayly, one of the original owners, stepped in again as editor of the Gold Field News & Barberton Herald. George Adamson edited the paper during the last year before the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War. On October 12, 1899 the News received an intimation from the Tranvaal Republican Government that the paper was an undisirable publication and that all British members on the staff had to remove themselves across the border. The next day, after a final issue, the paper closed, only to reappear after the war in 1902.
Prior to World War I the newspaper took a Unionist stance. During the war of 1914-1919 a scarcity of paper compelled the publishers to issue the News in smaller format. In 1931 the title was changed to The Gold Field News, Barberton & Nelspruit Herald. During World War II extensive news regarding the progress of the war was given and the newspaper supported the United Party of Genl Smuts.
Until 1946 A Phillips remained the soul printer and publisher of the paper. He also printed and published a new Nelspruit paper, The Lowveld Chronicles. In 1946 a new company, The Lowveld Leader (Pty) Ltd was founded. Between 1949 and 1959
AI de Villiers was appointed as editor of a new amalgamated paper aimed at the whole of the Lowveld called the Lowveld Leader.
This was later changed to Lowvelder/Laevelder and a truly bilingual newspaper was born.
At this stage Nelspruit had become a hustling and bustling little metropolis. Two prominent citizens of Nelspruit, Rob Ferreira and Bob Aling joined the board of directors. In January 1958 Lowvelder and its printing works was moved to Nelspruit. Shortly afterwards a Pretoria printing concern, Minerva (Pty) Ltd took over.
In the issue of September 19, 1969 it was announced that a farmer of Karino, Jan de Kock, had succeeded in obtaining all the shares in Lowveld Leader (Pty) Ltd, publishers of Lowvelder/Laevelder. Jan Cilliers was appointed as editor in 1975 and later as managing director. Laeveld Trust bought the newspaper in 1980 and had the present building erected in 1984 at 12 Stinkhout Crescent. Editors to follow were Neels Bezuidenhout in 1991 followed by Neville Beeton followed by Irma Green, first appointed in 1998. She handed the reigns over recently to Vivian Attwood.
Lowveld Media was taken over by the publishing giant Caxton in 1994. Since then it has been the recipient of many national and company awards. Buks Esterhuizen, the current general manager of Lowveld Media, was appointed in 2003. In 2004 Lowveld media was honoured by the Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism as the best large enterprise with an turnover exceeding R20 million. The installation of a state-of-the-art Goss press in 2005 enables Lowveld Media to print a 32-page full-colour section at up to 35 thousand copies per hour.
This is also a request to our readers to give us access to any old copies of past editions of Lowvelder/Laevelder and its former titles, should any still be available somewhere. Please contact Marius on 082-852-7289.
