Page 41 - KBHA BULLETIN 3

38

Schweppes). The deed of sale was signed on 8 October 1914 on behalf of the purchasers by

Thomas Herbert Pegram Esq.

Pegrams were creditors in the insolvent estate of Mrs M. A. Chapman and they had no

intention of holding the hotel for any length of time. On 22 July 1915, after less than a year’s
ownership, they sold the St. James Hotel to Mr Spencer Stansfield. He was the brother of the

late Mr Frank Stansfield, (died 1910) who had originally held the position of manager of the

hotel in 1903 under Mrs Chapman’s proprietorship. Frank Stansfield had acquired the Bay
View Hotel from Henry Magor’s insolvent estate in 1905 and he and his wife had

subsequently moved over to operate this hotel.

Spencer Stansfield paid £10,388-11-1d for the premises. A bond of £8,000 was granted with

the balance paid in cash. The deed of sale had three very clear conditions:

1) That Pegrams was to supply all non-alcoholic drinks ie. soda water, lemonade, ginger beer,

ginger ale etc. other than van Riebeeck natural mineral water.

2) That E. K. Green & Co. were to supply all wine and spirits.
3) That Ohlssons Brewery was to supply all beers.

The suppliers of these products were, however, obliged to sell them at “a fair and reasonable

price”. Such were the days of fair competition.

Mr Spencer Stansfield remained the owner of the St. James Hotel for nearly ten years. He

employed the services of Captain John Joseph Gentry who joined him from the Seahurst
Hotel in 1915. Captain Gentry had been the proprietor of the Seahurst for six years (1909 –

1915) prior to which he had been Chief Steward to the Officers’ Mess of the 9th Queen’s

Royal Lancers, a position he had held for 15 years. He was a renowned authority as culinary,
and a great character. He was a councillor on the Kalk Bay-Muizenberg Municipality (1911-

13) and his association with the St. James Hotel was legendary. It lasted nearly 25 years until
his death at St. James on 27 July 1938.

On the 16 May 1925 Mr Spencer Stansfield sold the St. James Hotel to Captain Gentry for
£20,000. Gentry immediately set about preparing plans for the extension of the building

which included a new dining room. (Fig. 4.4.) These extensions were completed in 1928 and