The community press gets its own museum

PICTURE: Students from North-West University delight in the treasures of the OH Frewin Museum

A proposal in 1982 by business magnate Dr Anton Rupert for a museum for the community press to be established, finally came true 40 years later.

The historic OH Frewin building in Kerk Street, Middelburg, where the ‘father of the community press’, Oscar Henry Frewin, worked, was to be demolished to establish a supermarket that year. Rupert suggested that the building rather be preserved as a museum.

Unfortunately, the building was demolished, and Rupert’s dream did not come true.

The Middelburg Observer editor in 1982 was Tobie van den Bergh, and he resuscitated the dream in September 1991 when he proposed the Middelburg municipality set up a museum in an old printing building at Botshabelo. The total costs would amount to R98 000.

Plans had already been drawn up for the restoration when, soon after, a land claim against Botshabelo succeeded, and the dream was dashed once again.

It was only 40 years later, in April 2022, that a museum for the printing and community press was finally established in the OH Frewin Printing Works, the building to which staff from the Middelburg Observer moved from Kerk Street. When Caxton took over the Middelburg Observer and Witbank News, the printing and newspapers were separated, and OH Frewin Printers continued to exist with the Middelburg Observer right next door in another building.

It is the only museum in the world where the printing and editorial history of community newspapers are brought together

The museum was made possible by a donation of R40 000 by the Forum for Community Journalists (FCJ) – a constituent member of the Press Council – and the community of Middelburg.

It is a working museum with several historic printing machines, some dating as far back as the 18th-Century, which were restored to the point where visitors can do actual printing from them on site.

Students from North West University were amazed when they visited the museum and could see the printing machines in action.

Among the printing machines are:

• The 1856 Albion Printing Press, which has been restored to its original format and working condition
• The 1900 Arab Printing Press took three years to be fully restored and is fully operational with 100% original parts. The printing press can be driven manually or by motor and was one of the first printing presses driven electrically
• An antique foot pedal C.M.C. Letterpress manufactured by Hunter-Penrose London & Wellingborough. The press has been restored to show status, but is not in working order

There is also a photography darkroom where black and white photos can be printed.

The history of the Forum for Community Journalists, founded in 1990, is also told in the museum.

There is a COVID-19 room about that dark time in history, photos of previous winners in the FCJ competition, the MDT (Mini Data Terminal) forerunner of the computer, which is still in working order, and numerous typewriters and cameras.

• To visit the museum, call Tobie van den Bergh on 072 220 1568
• Read more here.