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Another family who experienced personal tragedy was the Molteno family whose son was

drowned while fishing on the rocks near Dalebrook Beach. An extract from the Wynberg Times

of 14 June 1899 describes the tragedy.

Accidental Drowning at Kalk Bay
On Monday a sad accident occurred at Kalk Bay by which the eight-year-old son of
Mr. Frank Molteno of Claremont lost his life. Mr. and Mrs. Molteno are presently staying
at Kalk Bay, and on Monday morning the lad, Edmund (the deceased), left home with his
fishing rod to fish from the rocks. He had not, however, been gone very long when word
was brought to his mother that he was drowning, but nobody saw the accident. It is,
however, thought that as he was jumping from one rock to another he must have slipped
into the water, and a scar on the head makes it probable that he was stunned in falling. The
body could not be located for some time, but was washed up by the incoming tide about an
hour and a half later. Two doctors were summoned but without avail, death having claimed
the lad for its own. Great sympathy is expressed on all hands for the bereaved parents, who
are held in great respect by all who know them.

Poisonings

The first recorded poisoning tragedy of great proportion among the Filipino fisherfolk occurred
in 1877 when 28 persons, many of them children, died after eating meat from two Southern

Bottlenosed Whales which had been stranded near Fishery Beach. The Reverend James Baker of
the Holy Trinity Church, who had trained in medicine managed, however, to save many more

from dying. (Fig. 4.3.)

Ship wrecks and fishing boat tragedies

One of the earliest disasters to occur in Kalk Bay was in May 1898 when a strong north-west

gale pounded the fishing fleet against the stone railway viaduct which crossed Fishery Beach.
(Fig. 4.4.) One half of the fleet (over 20 boats) was damaged or destroyed. There was no loss of

life, but it was as a result of this gale that strong deputations were made to the Cape Government

that a harbour and breakwater should be built. This finally did happen, albeit only twenty years

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