MEH FAMILY HOLDINGS
This website is a tribute to our very interesting and diverse family history. Edward Bibbey chased the South African gold rush and ended up farming its lands. Bibbey's Hoek, where he sold mining equipment, is named after him. Bernard Hallick received the top engineering scholarship in South Africa and was the chief engineer for building of many of its iconic bridges. Harold Madderson was captured by the Japanese in World War II. The movie Bridge On The River Kwa tells the story of his regiment's ordeals as prisonors of war.
The investments held by the family aim to uphold the family values and ideals and establish a legacy for family members of future generations to carry forward.
The Bibbeys
The Bibbey Family originate from Cheshire where some of the family still farm the land to this day
Great grandad Bibbey, Edward Bibbey, set off from the shores of Great Britian with the dream of adventuring into the wilderness of the most southern part of Africa. He finally settled in Knysna in the Garden route.
A gold rush had started in the indigenous forests of Millwood directly inland from Knysna. Gold had been found in a narrow stream that ran through the mountains. Instead of joining the gold hungry miners Edward Bibbey set up a supply store and supplied picks,shovels and sorting pans to the prospectors. This was far more lucritive than mining which started with a boom and ended in a wimper.
Eventually they named the area near his store, Bibbey's Hoek ("corner") in his honour
He used the money from the business venture to buy lands along the Knysna river.
A gold rush had started in the indigenous forests of Millwood directly inland from Knysna. Gold had been found in a narrow stream that ran through the mountains. Instead of joining the gold hungry miners Edward Bibbey set up a supply store and supplied picks,shovels and sorting pans to the prospectors. This was far more lucritive than mining which started with a boom and ended in a wimper.
Eventually they named the area near his store, Bibbey's Hoek ("corner") in his honour
He used the money from the business venture to buy lands along the Knysna river.
At one stage the Family farm in Knysna, known as Westford farm extended from the banks of the river all the way to Millwood.
