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Maeder of the Lutheran Church at Simon’s Town and Morgenrood assisted this church in
acquiring a property in Kalk Bay.
Other business people saw an opportunity to extend their interests, notably at the new fishing
harbour. This took place at all levels of society. The “free Black” Philip Ryklief, who owned ‘de
Ou Plaas’ on Main Road, Wynberg, developed substantial fishing interests at Kalk Bay and also
brought fish for sale in Wynberg. He was a prominent member of the Muslim community and
had extensive business interests. He and his sons had a market for fish and other goods on their
Wynberg property, which survived until the 1920s when the land was sold to the Withinshaw
family for their shop and timber yard. (Figs. 2.2 & 2.3.) The laundresses of Wynberg were also
well known to Kalk Bay hoteliers for whom they delivered large quantities of freshly starched
napery. This was sent daily with young children by train until similar facilities were provided by
the Kalk Bay washhouse in 1901. Thus the interests and preferences of people also played a
major role in promoting the connection.
The Municipal connection
Some Wynberg residents moved permanently to the False Bay coast and among those who
settled at Kalk Bay were members of the Calder, Delbridge and Brooke-Smith families. All these
people had played a crucial role in the formative years of the Wynberg Municipality, which
provided the third important connection with Kalk Bay.
Alexander Calder was a successful businessman who ran a large forage store in the Wynberg
Main Road. He served as a councillor in the Wynberg municipality from 1898 to 1907 and was
Mayor from 1903 to 1905. He initiated many improvements to the roads and drainage system in
a vigorous style, which sometime brought him into conflict with more cautious councillors.
When his wife suddenly died in 1907, he moved with his family to Kalk Bay, buying the popular
King’s Hotel and making it even more successful. Members of this family remained in the area,
although the well-known name was transferred to another hotel at Fish Hoek, when the original
building was taken over by Lifecare Special Health Services (Pty) Ltd. as a home for the
handicapped.
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