Page 60 - KBHA Bulletin 16

57

In the end the permit was granted for 12 months at a time and despite all the hot air

generated by the proposal, there were no complaints about its operation. When the
dust had settled a municipal inspection found the fish-curing plant had closed after

two years and became a small shop, builders’ storeroom and later, the Marine Billiard
Club. This picture was taken in the late 1930s and shows the street little changed from

the 20s or indeed today – more than 80 years later. (Fig. 2.25.)

Schechter’s premises were rented by Billie Williamson – the famous English airman.

His wife Dinks (Ladan) said that he built an aeroplane here from scratch. It was taken
out in sections and assembled at Youngsfield. Dinks flew it from there, buzzed Kalk

Bay and flew on to land at the Strand. Dinks and Billie lived in one of Pratten’s Flats

for some years. In 1935 the garage building was occupied by Edwards Motor
Transport and The Kalk Bay Car Hire Service.

After Harris Schechter’s death in 1940 the property was divided and the warehouse -

like building sold to Calder Bros. It was at about this time that Leon Klein rented the
building and ran a business with his wife, providing parking and storage for

customers’ cars. In 1947 Tommy Fall bought the building. Petrol pumps were put in

and the outer wall in the photograph was demolished so petrol tankers could get in to
off-load their fuel. (Fig. 2.26.).

This property at No 17 is one of the oldest houses in the street, if not in Kalk Bay.

Along with the land and building of Bay Motors, it had passed through the hands of

John Delbridge and Harris Schechter and for years the two houses were known as
Schechter’s Cottages. It was subsequently sub-divided from the Bay Motors property.

The Goles Family

The next house up Windsor Road was built by Arthur Goles who was born in Tripolis
in the Greek Peloponnes. (Fig. 2.27.) He came to Windsor Road in about 1907 and

lived first at Windsor House before moving into one of the Schechter cottages. He
leased a tearoom from the Lazarus Brothers and after the fire opened the Olympia

Café in the newly built Harbour Mansions in 1919.