Greytown Museum.
The Museum is situated in Scott
Street between Durban and Voortrekker Streets in a building erected by
Dr Birtwell in 1879 and sold to the Colonial Government as "The
Residency" or "Drostdy" for the local magistrate.
It remained as such until 1971 when the then Magistrate found it
unacceptable and persuaded the authorities to build a new residence on
adjoining land. The then Borough Council acquired the property and the
Museum was officially opened on 17 August 1973 by the Administrator of
Natal, Ben Havemann. It is now a National Monument and considered to
be one of the best small museums in the country
Open Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:00
and some Sundays
The Museum has a large collection of memorabilia from the Umvoti
Mounted Rifles involvement in the Bambatha Rebellion of 1906, the
Zulu, the First Anglo Boer , the South African and the two World Wars.
It houses a Victorian Children's Room, Hindu and Muslim Room, Zulu
Culture Room and a Blacksmith's forge in the Coach House with a
good selection of farming equipment.
Outside exhibits include:
steam engines, a hearse, a restored Cape Cart, and a Spider.
A prime exhibit is a 1750's cannon brought to Greytown in 1852, all
the way from Port St. Johns, through countryside inhabited with wild
animals, by an eighteen year old orphaned girl accompanied by ten
shipwrecked Zulus .
A 115 year old fig tree (Ficus Natalensis) was planted by Annie
Botha (sister of General Louis Botha), while married to Dr.
Birtwell who built this house.
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