Why is St.Georges Square called St, Georges Square...?

[Michael Alexander]

Well, as we sit here this fine evening in Oranjemund........ we got discussing, why is St Georges square called St Georges Square....

[SandyB]

And ???

[Michael Alexander]

@Sandy , we await with much anticipation!

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Probably 'cos it sounded grand....just saying....

[Clint Ebstein]

They should change the name to union square

[Alfred Boehme]

In 1963 St George visited O-Mund................... he arrived via helicopter and landed there so there you go they named it St Georges Square.

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Ok Brother...who the hell was St George?    The saint of what?    Squares?

[Robert Bruce]

St George is the patron saint of England. The English flag is his flag - I think it is the Knights Templar emblem - a red cross on the white background.

Anyway - it is a popular name for a square. Just like Greenmarket Sq is not and is particular to Cape Town. But why? Why is it called Greenmarket and why is a crooked letter and you cannot make it straight.

[Bob Molloy]

Greenmarket Square derives from the early 19th century just after the Brit takeover of the Cape from the Dutch when it was fashionable to rename everything that didn't move and shoot everything that did.

The "Square" was then a formless open space where wagons of farming produce outspanned almost daily, creating a "green market" where citizens gathered to stock up. When it was built over in the late 1800s produce sales moved to the Parade where I understand the market still goes on to some extent today. 

St George's Square in Oranjemund is a whole nother game plan. The most likely explanation is that it was a tongue in cheek sobriquet that stuck, having gained the name around about the time that larger than life personality George Lovett retired as Rec Club manager.