The article below on the life and achievements of John Thomas Cooper first appeared in a 1983 edition of Restorica, the old journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation (today the Heritage Association of South Africa). Thank you to the University of Pretoria (copyright holders) for giving us permission to publish.
During the period 1858 to 1861 a total of 3832 immigrants were recruited in England, Scotland and Ireland under the protection of the Cape Town Immigration Board and brought out to the Cape Colony to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers. One of these men was the stonemason, John Thomas Cooper, born 3rd December 1832 in Nottingham, England. He set foot in Cape Town on 17th of June 1859 where he practised his trade as stonemason for one year.
John Thomas Cooper
The Building of the New Dutch Reformed Church in Oudtshoorn
On 17th September 1860 the Building Committee of the Dutch Reformed Church in Oudtshoorn accepted the design plans of George Wallis (Snr.) for the erection of the new sandstone church in the neo-Gothic style. Mr Joseph Blake was appointed Clerk of Works and John Thomas Cooper as foreman of the stonemasons. Work at the Church was abandoned on 5th October 1863 consequent to an argument between the Building Committee and the Architect.
Supervision by Cooper
In 1865 the work at the church was resumed under the supervision of John T...
