Page 53 - KBHA Bulletin 16

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Windsor House seems to have been leased during this period, appearing in the records

as Windsor House Boarding House. As a 60-year-old Edward married Dorothy Maria
Langley who, at less than 21 years of age, promptly presented him with the first of

two daughters.

Arthur, Edward’s son from his first marriage, took over management of the shop in
Windsor Road which by repute sold everything from a pin to an anchor, although one

of its main lines was household hardware. (Figs. 2.21 & 2.22.) Edward and Arthur

also provided handyman services to households in Kalk Bay and neighbouring
suburbs. They were skilled in general maintenance and certainly had the tools to do

the jobs, which included plumbing, painting, roof repairs, plaster and woodwork. This

shop was operated for about 28 years.

In the 1920s Windsor Road would have had a lively feel to it. A little further up, on
the other side of the road, Suliman Essop ran his small general dealer’s shop. Further

up the road, Bahga Kalan had set up his cobblers shop next to Billy Williamson’s
garage and workshop. At what is now The Forge, Christian Adams had his blacksmith

and wagon business. After 1930, in the New King’s building, the well-known

fishermen’s bar opened on Windsor Road.

In 1950 Arthur Pratten and his half-sisters Maria and Olga inherited all the land and
buildings – Windsor House and Pratten’s Flats. Arthur sold his portion to Lottie Fish

in 1953, and in 1959 Lottie and the Pratten sisters sold their whole holding.

The 1904 Electricity map shows that beyond Pratten’s Flats there was a big piece of

land with only one building on it. This cottage is probably one of the oldest in Kalk
Bay and judging by the way it lies at an angle to Windsor Road – appears to have

been built before the road was laid out in 1848 – it was certainly there in 1851. In

1903 John Sullivan applied to the Supreme Court to take transfer of the cottage
portion in terms of the Title Registration and Derelict Lands Act of 1881. This Act

had been introduced to enable the sale of properties where no owner could be found,
and which were derelict or becoming derelict. As far as can be established Sullivan

did not pay for this land and building. In 1906 his estate sold the entire piece
(extending to St John’s road) to John Delbridge for £367.