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Resident Magistrate of Simon’s Town 1904 - 16

As Resident Magistrate he had many duties and he became familiar with most aspects of life in

this large magisterial district. In his own words, his duties were:

“Duties of the representative of the Union Government at Simon’s Town are manifold and very
various. He is Magistrate, Receiver of Revenue, Collector of Customs, Port Officer, Official

Visitor of Lighthouses, visiting Magistrate to two convict stations, officer responsible in case of

wrecks along this dangerous coast from Hout Bay to Cape Agulhas. The clerical and office work
which the various appointments entail is very considerable, and the staff only consists of a chief

clerk and A.R.M. and a junior clerk who have ably and willingly assisted me in carrying out the
various duties and responsibilities.”

(Extract from the Annual Report of the Resident Magistrate, Simon’s Town Magisterial District,

1913, to the Minister of Justice).

He was therefore in an influential position being the representative of the Union Government at

Simon’s Town – and Simon’s Town itself was important in being the Royal Navy’s main base on
the African continent and in the southern hemisphere. There is no doubt that he came to know the

area well and that he developed a passion for it and an interest in its future.

His 25-page typed report of 1913 provides a wealth of information about events in the southern

part of the Peninsula. In it he devoted two pages to a motivation, description, and progress report
on the All Round Cape Peninsula Road which he said he had been promoting since 1907. His

intention was that this road, some 99 miles long, should reveal the beauties and amenities of the
Peninsula to residents and visitors.

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