Page 8 - Bulletin 5 2001
P. 8

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               Two of the main streams from which Muizenberg obtained its water ran through his property, but

               he would not allow anyone within his boundary. A lesser stream ran through the military camp
               (still  there  at  the  corner  of  Camp  Road)  and  the  public  had  access  to  this  until  the  military

               prohibited this. Thereafter Professor Gill very reluctantly allowed the Council to pipe water from
               his property to tanks on the Main Road.


               He  was  always  quarrelling  and  complaining  and  was  a  real  thorn  in  the  flesh  of  the  young

               Municipality. He had his other persona, however, as a renowned public speaker. He belonged to

               many erudite societies and was the editor of the Cape Illustrated Magazine. He took part in local
               affairs  and  donated  the  stone  for  the  building  of  All  Saints  Church  from  the  quarry  on  his

               property. He died in 1904.


               Dr Bolger


               One of my favourite stories is about a certain Dr. Bolger who applied in January 1896 for the

               post of Medial  Officer  of Health to  the new Municipality  at  a salary of £25 per annum.  The
               Mayor was incensed by his cupidity, and is reported in the Wynberg Times to have proclaimed

               in  Council,  “I  think  the  amount  is  extravagant.  Rondebosch  only  pays  that  amount  to  their

               officer and for a small place like this it is too much.” Dr. Bolger was offered 10 guineas for his
               services  as  Medical  Officer  to  the  Municipality,  and  one  of  the  main  duties  was  to  report

               immediately any contagious disease as a matter of urgency. Nothing further was reported until an
               item in the minutes of September of that year recorded that “Dr. Bolger was appointed M.O.H. at

               a salary of £25 per annum!”


               Grace Tozer


               Another interesting character was Grace Agnes Blanche Tozer who was born in Cape Town circa

               1870. In 1890 she married a Mr. King who was a magistrate in Kimberley. In the following few

               years  she  established  a  flourishing  market-garden  from  which  she  amassed  a  considerable
               amount of money. She would drive in a mule cart to the various diamond diggings in the area to

               sell vegetables to the miners.




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