Page 96 - KBHA BULLETIN 5

98

A HISTORY OF THE NEW KINGS AND MAJESTIC HOTELS

A talk by M. J. Walker to the Kalk Bay - St. James Residents & Ratepayers Association

17th October 2000

The New Kings Hotel

Introduction

Erven 89823/30/40/42 (Note D.T. = Deed of Transfer)

The property on which the New Kings Hotel stands was first registered in 1818 by a Deed of

Grant (Cape Freehold Volume 13 Folio 16) to the Cape of Good Hope Fishing, Whaling and
Sealing Company.

Lot 3 of this property (which formed the bulk of the grounds of the future Kings Hotel) was sold

on 26 August 1851 to Johan Coenraad Wicht, son of the director of the Cape of Good Hope

Fishing, Whaling and Sealing Company.

It seems most likely that during the ownership of John McLachlan, a thatched building of fair
proportions (probably his home) was constructed. This assumption is based on the fact that on

transfer to his children C. M. and E. McLachlan on 5 December 1873 (D.T. 96) reference is
made for the first time to a building.

Charles King

Charles King, the next owner of note, was born in London in 1838 and was caterer to the

officer’s mess on a British battleship before he settled in the Cape Colony. When he bought the
property (D.T. 146) from Alexander Maderose in February 1882, a building definitely did exist.

King named this building ‘Kings Hotel and General Store’ and within months of this purchase a

98