Durbanville winery Groot Phesantekraal is commemorating one of the most intriguing, Cinderella-like personalities in South African history, Anna de Koning.
The famous high-society beauty, who was born to a slave, rose to Grande dame status in late 17th and early 18th Cape society and eventually became the owner of Groot Phesantekraal that dates its origins to 1698, making it one of the Cape’s oldest farms.
The Cape Town Heritage Foundation has officially unveiled a Blue Plaque to pay tribute to Anna de Koning. Blue Plaques are internationally recognised historical markers erected to highlight the relationship between specific locations and people or events of historical importance.
Fourth-generation owner André Brink says; “The farm enjoys an unusually long heritage. Whereas Durbanville as a town celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, our roots go back almost 330 years”.
Brink explains that Anna de Koning inherited the property in 1724 on the death of her husband, Olaf Bergh, along with several other farms, making her one of the wealthiest people of her day.
Thought to have been born around 1661, she was the daughter of the slave known as Angela of Bengal from the Ganges Delta in India and possibly François de Koninck of Ghent.
It has been deduced from some records that she, with her mother, Anna, formed part of the household of the Cape’s first Dutch East India commander, Jan van Riebeeck.
Although evidence from those 17th century times is scant, what can be confirmed is that in 1666, when her mother's owner at the time, Abraham Gabbema, was transferred to Batavia, he freed Angela, along with three of her children, including Anna.
She married Bergh, a Swedish explorer and Dutch East India Company (DEIC) official, in 1678. He went on to amass a significant fortune.
Bergh had arrived at the Cape in 1676 and became a favourite of Governor Simon van der Stel
When her husband was found guilty of theft and was banished to Robben Island, Anna accompanied him.
After three years, he was freed and given the choice of keeping his former rank but away from the Cape or remaining at the Cape without any rank at all. He chose to keep his rank and take his family to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), also under the rule of the DEIC.
In 1695, after five years in Ceylon, Bergh returned to the Cape with his family.
She bore 11 Bergh children, making her the progenitor of the now widespread Bergh family in South Africa.
While her beauty, wealth and status made her an extremely eligible marriage partner, she remained a widow from 1724 until her death in 1734.
Wine lovers can raise a toast to the steadfast Anna when the current vintage of the Anna de Koning Chenin Blanc is released on the farm on this year’s #DrinkChenin Day, Saturday, June 21.
IOL Travel