Great Brak River Museum is a historic gem and a 'must see'

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GREAT BRAK RIVER NEWS - The multiple award-winning Great Brak River Museum is truly a treasure trove and a "must see".

The head and chairman of the board of the Great Brak River Museum, René de Kock, always performed his role voluntarily and was involved with the museum for about 23 years.

He passed away on 10 June and his memorial service was held last week.

René was extraordinary, using his skills and knowledge selflessly, in different ways, to benefit society.

He gave his all to develop the museum, with the result that he and the museum achieved a number awards.

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René was head of the society, Heritage Mossel Bay, for a number of years and was highly involved in the conservation of historic architecture in the Great Brak area.

Good brain

Respected for his good brain, René, a qualified mechanical engineer, had his own business, consulting to Australian companies on ventilation in mines.

On his trips to Australia, he would visit museums and glean valuable information which he applied to the Great Brak Museum. He worked right until the time he passed away.

René wrote a book on mining ventilation systems and designed a computer programme on ventilation systems.

Mossel Bay Advertiser interviewed his daughter, Colleen Chatt.

For many years the Great Brak Museum was run by volunteers.

Colleen, who has been employed at the museum for four and a half years, after also volunteering for many years, explains that René set up processes and systems and structure at the museum, including basics, such as labelling of objects and a digitised, comprehensive database of all artifacts.

Colleen says: "He got involved because there was no structure in place. Our lovely team of volunteers helped get the museum up and going, into what it is today."

In 2012, René published a book, Moving To Greener Pastures, about the coloured community in Great Brak. It can be purchased at the museum.

Colleen notes: "He was my stepdad from when I was 14 years old, but I have always thought of him as my dad."

Hope

René left behind his wife Hope, who is Colleen’s mother, a son, David, from a previous marriage, and his granddaughter, Scarlett, David's daughter.

René’s younger son, Mallory, passed away in 2019.

René and Hope celebrated their wedding anniversary on 16 May. René turned 86 on 1 April.

Hope, like her husband, has been involved with the museum for about 23 years, and is on the board of the museum.

René studied in Johannesburg. His love for Great Brak was inherited from his mother, who was born and raised in the town. René's parents left Johannesburg and retired to Glentana, where they had a farm.

In about 1994 René opened his own business on the farm, which had a bed and breakfast facility.

Strong ties

His family had always had strong ties with Great Brak and had family homes on Great Brak Island.

Colleen said: "One of my dad’s major interests was the hydropower station in Great Brak River. He wrote a document on it, on how it operated. That was his passion as well, being an engineer."

The Great Brak Museum has seven different rooms. The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) presented it an award for its room dedicated to the Khoi people in 2013 and 2014.

In 2015 René won the Citizen of the Year Merit Award for Outstanding Service: Local History, from Rotary International.

Architectural heritage

Then, in 2019, he was presented with a Certificate of Excellence by DCAS for "dedication, passion and hard work". Recognition The Simon van der Stel Foundation Southern Cape gave René a Certificate of Recognition for conservation of architectural heritage in April 2018.

He achieved two Museum Director's awards in 2014, for the lowest entry cost per visitor for a local museum and the most visitors to a small museum. René and the museum won more awards besides these.

He and Hope lived in Bergsig, Great Brak. René loved dogs and walked his beloved dog Aimee often. The two were a regular, familiar sight in Bergsig.

He loved reading, but owing to poor eyesight he read less towards the end of his life. Another interest was watching the news and keeping up to date with South African and world events. He also enjoyed gardening. "But the museum was his greatest passion and hobby," Colleen says.
Above: René de Kock outside the museum.
Below: Colleen Chatt with a display of vintage mining equipment. Photo: Jannie du Plessis