Page 51 - KBHA BULLETIN 2

48

Eventually it was obvious that an extension to the Convent was necessary and in 1919 Father

Duignam approached Fred Glennie, later architect of Natale Labia’s palatial home, ‘The Fort’ on
Main Road, Muizenberg, for plans. The double storey building was to run at right angles from

the balcony at the south end of the Convent. Fred Glennie’s plans, made without the approval of

the Dominican Sisters who were to “pass the bill”, were rejected as too expensive. The estimate
was £4000 and a revised plan for the stone-faced quarry block building was submitted by a local

coloured builder whose daughter, who was studying at UCT, drew the drawings and acted as

architect. The budget was £2000. Fred Glennie’s fee of £40 had to be paid, and difficulty was
also encountered with the Municipality, who were reluctant to allow an extension of a private

school at the expense of attracting pupil away from the public municipal schools. This was

resolved when it was agreed that the building was to be constructed only to house existing pupils
and it was not the intention to extend the school.

The building budget of £2000 was exceeded by £533-16-00 and would have been even higher

had not a large proportion of the faced stone, which was lying at the back of the convent and was
an over-supply from the original building, been used. Difficulties which increased costs were the

unbudgeted expense of an underground perennial spring which affected foundations, and the

services of the City Engineer had to be called upon; another problem was a large boulder which
could not be removed. This meant raising the floor slab.

Springfield helped with the bill and functions such as fetes and dances were held at Star to assist

with payments. Father Duignam contributed £3000. The building, which consisted of six
additional classrooms, was completed at the end of 1920 and greatly alleviated the classroom

crisis in the Convent.

Father Duignam Retires

In 1924 Father Duignam celebrated his Golden Jubilee - 50 years at St. James. He was a legend

in his own lifetime and, to celebrate, the parishioners commissioned a stained glass window, at a

48