History of Wolesley

Province: Western Cape
Winelands
Coordinates: 33°24′47″S 19°12′06″E
Area: 5.0 km2
Municipality: Witzenberg

The town of Wolesley was founded in 1875 on the farm Goedgevonden (Well found) and named after Sir Garnet Wolesley who was governor of Natal and supreme commander of the British forces at the time.

The first wool washery in the country was built in Wolesley and the first fruit cannery was built in 1936

Fruit industry in Wolesley

The Cape Orchard Company was begun in Wolesley by Leicester Dicey in the 1890s. He and his cousin built up a large fruit-growing industry along with supporting industries such as wooden crate building in the area. Tree nurseries were also established in order to grow strong trees. Railway lines were extended to Wolesley in order to transport the fruit to Cape Town.

Anglo-Boer war blockhouses

Stone blockhouses in the area were built by the British during the Anglo-Boer war in 1901 in order to protect Railway bridges. Many of these are in need of repair but the blockhouses in Wolesley are remarkably intact

The postcode for Wolesley is 6830.

WEATHER IN WOLESLEY TODAY

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