removed and one of the rooms was set up as a bathroom with a cement floor. The Old Parsonage was often threatened with demolition. When a new parsonage was planned in 1959, many wanted it built on the old one's grounds. After the new parsonage opened elsewhere, the church council indeed decided to tear down the old building, but there were fortunately willing tenants. Restoration In 1974, planning began for the "restoration" of the Old Parsonage. This would entail, among other things, the outfitting of several rooms with yellow wood floors, the replacement of several windows with ones of different dimensions, and the building of a Cape Dutch arbor over the front porch. The building's rescue from such alteration was only secured in November 1974, when the Museum Committee secured permission of other local organizations (since 1978, a Museum Union has taken the place of the committee). The committee was able to stop the ill-advised "restoration plan" of the church council and began building a town museum. For four years, the committee struggled to raise money, obtain exhibits, and secure recognition from the provincial government. Unable to gain such recognition, they decided at the end of 1978 to begin construction and get recognition afterwards. A renowned Cape Town architect raised in Fraserburg kindly drew up a blueprint. Since the Museum Union's funds were scanty, at first only urgent needs could be addressed. Later additions were removed by the local Rotary Club, plaster was replaced on the exterior and in three rooms, swinging tails in the old style replaced the steel windows, the kitchen hearth was rebuilt, square-cut stone was restored to the porch, and the garden gate was rebuilt according to the residents' memories. The work began in April 1979. There was just enough money to pay for the above work, and instead of donating money, well-wishers were asked to donate building materials. Luckily, a Cape Couloured builder with much knowledge of old construction methods and materials strove to make all the new work authentic. Without his expertise, the kitchen hearth would have been impossible to restore. Shortly after work began, the municipal government invested R5,000. With that, the roof could be replaced. To save money, a pair of farmers volunteered to truck in beams from Great Brak River and thatch from Stilbaai. Over four weeks, a great many volunteers under the direction of the pastor, Dr. Adelbert Scholtz (a