The tale of two Willies

How did it come about that the village of Great Brak River had electricity long before the citizens of George and Mossel Bay could pack away their candles and paraffin lamps for the pleasure of reading their newspapers in the evening? No, not thanks to Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), or Eskom, but to the ingenuity of two intrepid engineers, both named William, who had the foresight and enterprise to recognise and harness the potential of hydroelectric power generation.

Willie #1

The world’s first hydroelectrical power scheme was developed in 1878 at the country house of Baron William George Armstrong (1810-1900) at Cragside, Northumberland. Baron Willie was an engineer and industrialist who founded the Armstrong Whitworth manufacturing concern. He was knighted for various inventions, and built the first house to be lit by hydroelectricity. Interestingly, this first hydroelectrical scheme was used to power a single arc lamp in Willie Armstrong’s art gallery.

Willie #2  

The Garden Route’s first hydroelectrical power scheme originated in 1902 with William Searle (1861-1923) as a suggested “unique water scheme to provide electrical power to all the factories of Brak River”. Willie Searle was a “home-grown” engineer of the second generation of the Searle dynasty. Not only were the Searles the founders of Great Brak River village, they were the founding fathers of one of the foremost footwear manufacturers in Southern Africa – Grasshoppers.

The first power generated by this scheme was used for the Searle Company’s tannery. The second part of the scheme, to provide electricity to the village, was delayed because of World War I.  The “Old” Hydro Power station’s generator (360kVa AEG and linked to a 24-bucket Pelton wheel), only started to light up the life of Great Brak villagers by April 1924.

Enough electricy was generated to prompt the (probably envious) editors of The George and Knysna Herald to acknowledge the fruition of engineer Willie Searle’s hydro power dream by the comment :” This must prove a general boon and we congratulate the owners on their energy, both electric and otherwise.”

The station’s historical significance was also acknowledged by the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) as one of their official ‘Electrical Engineering Milestones’.

The Great Brak River Museum houses one of the original 14-bucket Pelton wheels and many other fascinating artifacts related to Willie Searle’s dream project and its history.

The Hydro Station can be visited and celebrated during the upcoming Muse Festival. For more information, visit www.musefees.co.za.

Sources: Various brochures of Great Brak River Museum Association, Margaret Franklin “The Story of Great Brak River”, 2009 reprint.