Victoria West

FROM BIOSCOPE TO APOLLO THEATER AND BEYOND

 

Apollo History 1910 - 1981

Hearsay has it that the first bioscope shows in Victoria- West were hosted by a car salesman, Phillip Vos, around the 1910’s in the synagogue (pictured here) - the audience sat in used motorcar seats. Vos was a pioneer who introduced the first motor car to Victoria-West and owned one of the leading garages in town.​​​​

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In those days, going to the bioscope was a new

experience for the public and soon became very

popular. After the completion of the Victoria West

Town Hall in 1911, Vos rented the townhall to use

as a bioscope for seven shows per month. During this era of new developments in Victoria West, the Good Hope Café was situated where the Apollo Theatre is today. Willie Kempen, mayor of Victoria-West, hired a Greek man, Gavouras, to manage the Café. Unfortunately Gauvouras died tragically after a short stay in Victoria West.

 

                                                                            Thereafter, Andrew Bassil, who came from Greece                                                                              to South Africa and found himself in Upington,                                                                                      arrived in Victoria West with the task to manage                                                                                  the Good Hope Café (shown here in the photo).                                                                                      Bassil could not speak or understand a word of                                                                                    English and taught himself English by reading                                                                                      newspapers.

 

Bassil extended the Good Hope Café and furnished part of the building as a bioscope. He became a flourishing business man, owning the café, bioscope and hotels. In 1956, Bassil demolished the outdated Good Hope Café, and a new modern café, shop and bioscope arose on the site of the old Good Hope Café. New equipment, durable curtains and comfortable chairs were installed. When Phillip Vos saw the new building he remarked that “the old rubbish café was transformed into a place of glass and marble.” The Apollo Theatre Complex was established.

 

A lifestyle created by Bassil came to an end when the Apollo Theatre closed its doors in 1981. The Apollo Theatre was declared a heritage site by the National Monuments Council.

 

Victoria-Wes geskiedenis en besienswaardighede

- geskryf deur Theo Olivier

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Meeste dorpe begin met 'n kerk en Victoria-Wes is geen uitsondering nie. In 1843 word die NG gemeente gestig en in 1850 word die eerste kerk (met'n

rietdak) gebou. Dit is later met die huidige kerkgebou vervang. ln 1859 word die eerste munisipalitelt gestig en word die dorp amptelik Victoria-Wes genoem - vernoem na koningin Victoria. Die “-Wes” is bygevoeg om verwarring te vermy omdat Queenstown in die Ooskaap toe Victoria-Oos genoem was.

Die naam teen die berg. Toe die inwoners in 1870 een oggend wakker word, staan daar teen die berg, in groot, witgekalkte letters, JAMES EASTON GENERAL DEALER VICTORIA WEST. Mnr James Easton was op daardie stadium 'n joodse besigheidsman op die dorp. Die ander besighede was hoogs ontevrede en hulle kom toe ooreen om net die "Victoria West" te behou, wat vandag nog teen die berg bestaan en gereeld opgeknap word.

 

Vloede in Victoria-Wes. Op ‘n Vrydagaand, 21 Februarie 1871, was daar 'n wolkbreuk ongeveer 10 km buite die dorp op die plaas Patrysfontein. Die water het afgestroom in die dorp in - 34 huise is vernietig en 62 mense het verdrink. Al die oorledenes is in'n massagraf in die ou begraafplaas begrawe. Na nog 'n vloed in 1909 word besluit om 'n dam in die rivier te bou, wat wel eers in 1921, voltooi is. Volgens kenners was die vloed groter as die een van Laingsburg in 1981.

Die historiese kruithuisie in Helpmekaarstraat. In 1850 word die kruithuis gebou en word die dorp se los wapens, kruit en ammunusie daarin gestoor. ln Julie 1882 , toe die pokke die dorp tref, is die kruithuis gebruik om ‘n groepie siek mense in isolasie te hou. Mettertyd het die kruithuisie vervalle geraak en in 1905 word besluit om dit te stroop. Met die uitbreek van die plafon, val ‘n klomp wapens, en ammunisie uit, wat daar versteek is tydens die Boere oorlog van l899. Die sloping is gestaak en daar is besluit om die geboutjie eerder te herstel.

 

Die Anglikaanse kerkie is regtig'n besoek werd, Dit is piepklein -

akkommodeer dalk 70 mense en het nog 'n orreltjie ook.

Dienste word nog gehou wanneer die prediker uit Beaufort-Wes

die dienste kom lei.

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Die museum is volgens kenners, een van die mees informatiewe en volledigste in die Noord Kaap. Die uitstallings en interaktiewe tonele is die moeite werd. Wat hierdie museum uniek maak, is die visfossiel wat met die bou van die dam, ontdek is.

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Recollections of the life of Andrew Bassil, written by Bernie Kempen:

                                                 “I’m not sure how much of this story is fiction, fact or                                                                          embellishment but it’s a story worth telling: I’ve heard that                                                                Andrew Aristides Bassil thought he was immigrating to the USA                                                      from a Greek Island, but got a ship destined to the Union of South                                                    Africa (USA) instead. He realized this after the ship sailed.

 

                                                  So he ends up in Victoria West, where my father (a local lawyer)                                                        helps him finance the construction of the Apollo Theatre and Cafe.                                                    As a swarthy, charming, exotic and good looking man, he and                                                            Aunt Mollie (a local music teacher and free spirit) soon fall in love. Problem is, Mollie is married to a local farmer. What ensued was a Karoo scandal, divorce and subsequent marriage. They had a fairy tale love story but the local townsfolk never really embraced them as part of the community.

 

The Bassils lived next to my relatives, the Cloetes, on Brinkmanstraat. In the evenings we would hear her play the piano rapturously. Then she would appear in the front yard in a see-through chiffon robe and serenade the roses. We would hear Mr Bassil say in his deep sonorous Greek accent ‘come to bed Molly!’

We were, of course, pernicious and mischievous as kids. When we bought our movie tickets, knowing well it was open seating, we would say ‘where can we sit, Oom Bassil?’ Then he would say ‘you can sheet ver you laaik’ and we’d crack up laughing!

 

They had two children. The last I checked their son became a London banker. Their daughter died as a child and there is a beautiful white marble tombstone in the VW cemetery. According to folklore, the local Broederbond was very upset when Mr Bassil allocated the balcony of the Apollo Theatre to people of colour. Their daughter got deathly ill and when they called for an ambulance, the driver refused to help and the child died.

 

My dad and Mr Bassil also got into trouble with the Security Police who drove up from Oudtshoorn to prevent them from screening the Muhammad Ali movie ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ to a mixed audience in the Town Hall (the Apollo didn’t have enough room). They arrived at my dad’s office at 84 Church Street and he would not see them, because they did not have an appointment. They refused to leave. Eventually Mr Bassil came over and he and my dad went out to the lobby and told the police: ‘We live in a tight-knit community, and even though many of us have different views, we all get along and we make our own rules, thank you very much! Now please leave and never come back, or else I’ll make some phone calls.’

They left and never came back.”