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Their business, known as Calderco, prospered and both Alex Calder and Henry Daniel built

comfortable villas on Wynberg hill alongside their customers. Alex’s home was called
‘Calderwood’ and was in Alexander Road, which was named after him. (Later the name was

changed to Alexandra Road). Alex took a keen interest in local politics and in 1898 was elected
to the Wynberg Municipal Council. He was elected Mayor in August 1903, his term of office

lasting two years until August 1905. He stayed on the Council until August 1908, whereafter he
resigned.

Tragedy, however, struck when Ellen died suddenly at their Wynberg home on 23 February 1900
and Alex’s life was badly affected. In 1902 he experienced some financial trouble when he had

prepaid for a large consignment of forage from the Argentine for the British troops in the Anglo-

Boer War, and they refused to pay for it as the war had ended by the time the forage had arrived.

Alex sold his house ‘Calderwood’ in 1909 and his name ceased to appear in the Local
Residential Directory. He moved down to Kalk Bay shortly thereafter and took over the

management of the Kings Hotel in 1909 from F. Adlem Esq. The Kings Hotel was then on lease
to Ohlsson’s Cape Breweries from owner Michiel Hiddingh. Regrettably Alex died at the Kings

Hotel at the young age of 54 on 17 March 1917. He was survived by four daughters and two

sons, Alexander Donald and George William, who was still a minor at the time of his father’s
death. Both sons were to follow in their father’s footsteps as proprietors of the Kings Hotel until

1960. A cousin of Alex, David Calder, also assisted in the management of the Kings Hotel until
his untimely passing in 1925, aged 47.

In his will Alex left his hotel business, known as Kings Hotel, which included the contents of the

hotel and the bar stock to his daughter Florence and his two sons Alex and George. This, as well

as a piece of vacant ground adjoining ‘Castle Hill’ and a property in Wetton, was to be shared in
equal portions between the three of them. It is of note that in the inventory of his assets compiled

on 30 November 1917 it was stated: “The property known as ‘Kings Hotel’ does not form an
asset in the estate as same was hired by S. A. Breweries to the late A. Calder on a monthly
tenancy and has, since date of deceased, been carried on under similar conditions in so far as

tenancy is concerned.”

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