Page 63 - KBHA BULLETIN 4

60

Visitors and personalities

Many famous and interesting people visited and lived in the Kalk Bay – St. James area. It would

be wonderful to read the complete list. The most famous and influential visitor and one of the
world’s great leaders stayed in Leighton House on Leighton Road, refused to sleep in the best

bedroom and preferred the hard coir matting on the stoep outside. I am of course talking of the
visit to our area by Mahatma Gandhi. English author Francis Brett Young also lived in Leighton

House and also at the Majestic Hotel.

Lord Lamberry – chairman of Nuffield Motors – was a frequent visitor; George Formby stayed

at the Majestic and Anthony Quinn stayed with friends in Kalk Bay; Chief Justice Solomon and

Major General Buckley lived in St. James and the Admiral, South Atlantic Fleet, lived on Boyes
Drive; Tromp van Diggelen, world-renowned strongman, wrestler and fitness expert lived in

Kalk Bay.

Kalk Bay also produced two Springboks – Cyril Hammond (badminton) and one of rugby’s
greats, Doug (Hoppie) Hopwood.

The list is endless and one day someone will compile a who’s who of the visitors and residents of
the Kalk Bay – St. James area.

The Pharmacies

At the start of the 1950s the area had 4 pharmacies: Goldbergs, Seagers, Kalk Bay Pharmacy,

and St. James Pharmacy. I was fortunate to do my two years apprenticeship at the Kalk Bay

Pharmacy with the late Fred Thomson. I also worked there during my holidays when I attended
Pharmacy School and finally finished working there when I did a locum after qualifying.

It was a wonderful period of development in pharmacy. The great excitement of anti-biotics was

upon us. Penicillen was freely available and the combination of Sulphur with Penicillen a break-

through in treating serious infections. The arrival of Terramycin created even more excitement. It

60