The Lerena Archive
6 places · all of them in Cape Town

Photograph these

Everything this archive would like a picture of, and cannot take itself. Each says what the photograph would settle, and what to capture — because a photograph of the wrong part of a thing is a wasted trip.

All six are within half an hour of each other. Someone with a morning and a camera could close the first two.

1 · Maitland, Woltemade Cemetery, Cape Town - album "Le", image 85 of 127 in the eGGSA collection, photographed 2021 by Heather MacAlister

*** The LERENA grave kerb ***

The only physical trace of this family found anywhere. The kerb carries the surname and NOTHING else - no forename, no dates. Both Mary Septima (grave 7719A, Nov 1935) and Pablo Armando (Maitland Cemetery no 1, Mar 1950) are buried in this cemetery.

What to capture: The WHOLE plot, not just the kerb: any plate or slab, the section and row markers, the neighbouring graves, and a wide shot showing where it sits. Then ask the municipal cemetery office for the Woltemade register entry - a grave number would tie the kerb to a person.

2 · Cape Town, Wynberg district

7 Forth Road, Newlands

Where he died on 19 March 1950, and where his executrix Rose Lilian Theys - "no relation" - also lived. The house is very likely still standing.

What to capture: The street frontage, the number, and enough of the street to place it.

3 · Cape Town, near Milnerton

The stables site, Koeberg Road, Rugby

Plans were lodged in 1931 for stables here - KAB 3/CT 4/2/1/3/474 B796. The direct documentary corroboration of the horse tradition, and the yard where Alan Higgins and Peter Kannemeyer were apprenticed to "Bob Lerena".

What to capture: Whatever is on the site now, and the road. Even a negative - a warehouse, a car park - is worth recording.

4 · Cape Town

34 Florence Road, Observatory

Where Mary Septima died in November 1935.

What to capture: The frontage and the number.

5 · Cape Town

St Dominic's, Wynberg

Where they married on 3 September 1911, after banns.

What to capture: The exterior, and the interior if it is open.

6 · Cape Town

Corpus Christi, Wynberg

Where Roque was baptised on 12 June 1911, three months before his parents' wedding.

What to capture: The exterior.

The first one already has a photograph, and it is not enough. A stranger photographed that kerb in 2021 and published it through eGGSA; it shows the surname and no more. What the cemetery records say →