Page 38 - KBHA BULLETIN 5

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So, in less than four months, between September - December 1923, the groundwork had been

completed. But Boyes’ ideas and interest did not end here. On 5 January 1924 he wrote a letter to
the Town Clerk setting out the financial advantages that could accrue from the road’s

construction. He thought 500 – 600 building plots on Council land might be opened up to
development, provided that Council laid on water, sanitation, electricity, and initially three

electric lifts to link the rail stations at Muizenberg, St. James and Kalk Bay to High Level Road.
If the plots sold at £100 each he calculated that Council could reap a profit of £20,000 as well as

rates of £10,000 / annum. (Fig. 3.9.) The ideas were received with interest by Council but held in

abeyance pending completion of the road.

st
This is the last letter on file from George Boyes. On 15 January he celebrated his 61 birthday
but soon after this he began feeling unwell and sought medical advice. His doctors could not
diagnose his complaint. Then on Wednesday 23 January “serious internal troubles developed

which defied the skills of his doctors” and he died peacefully around 6.00 p.m. on Thursday 24

January. He was buried on the following day in the Muizenberg Cemetery.

In appreciation of his efforts and commitment to the area the Executive Committee of the Kalk
Bay – Muizenberg Ratepayers Association on 8 March 1924 requested of the Council that High

Level Road should be named ‘George Boyes Drive’. On 27 March 1924 Council agreed that it
would be known simply as ‘Boyes Drive’. (Fig. 3.10.)

Era 3: Construction of Boyes Drive 1924 – 29

Boyes had been successful partly because of a long-standing City Council interest in the road and
some initial construction that had already been undertaken. Mr D. E. Lloyd-Davies, the City

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