Blog - Page 5 of 24 - KZN: A Photographic and Historical Record

18 Mar Gen. Louis Botha’s bridge hand – 1918

Posted at 14:51h in Uncategorized

[caption id="attachment_114971" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Bridge hand played aboard ship 1917.[/caption] The above hand was played aboard SS Ivomaru on December 1918, bound from Cape Town to London. A call of 7 hearts was made, the players being Gen. Louis Botha, Lt Col. J Mulroney, Mr WE Barker...

18 Mar Durban Law Courts history

Posted at 14:11h in Uncategorized

The present law Courts on Victoria Embankment has a rich history. The first Durban hospital was at Bayside and the Natal Government Hospital was on this site from 1861 to 1879, when a new Addington Hospital was built in 1879. It was immediately commandeered by...

18 Mar Reichenau Trappist Mission – the lost activities

Posted at 12:01h in Uncategorized

A recent walk around this Mission truly brought home the industriousness of the Trappist Monks and their successors. Aside from the centerpiece, St Andrews Church are the large derelict remains of the extensive workshops and agricultural buildings. There is evidence of a large dairy, piggery...

26 Feb Durban Addington Hospital Complex – Adornments

Posted at 15:33h in Uncategorized

These buildings in Princes Street form part of the greater Addington Hospital Complex which was built in 1932. For me these simple buildings are so significantly enhanced by simple architectural features and adornments. These simple but effective adornments are missing from modern buildings. [caption id="attachment_114661" align="aligncenter" width="300"]...

18 Feb Durban’s Lion Match Factory

Posted at 18:19h in Uncategorized

It's refreshing to see a property developer upgrading an old heritage building. This was the case when JT Ross redeveloped this old factory which are now upmarket offices and have Jonsson's Clothing as a key tenant. The factory was built in 1925 for Hunt Leuchers...

18 Feb Durban Glenwood – Artist, Dane Stops

Posted at 17:19h in Uncategorized

Artist Dane Stops, is a fine artist and also has artwork on the wall at the KZNSA Gallery in Glenwood. A lot of this work in graffiti form has little merit but Dane's work is superb and of really high standard....

22 Jan Durban – Beach views of new Promenade

Posted at 14:45h in Uncategorized

[caption id="attachment_114479" align="aligncenter" width="300"] New promenade between harbour mouth and Moya Pier[/caption] The new extension of the promenade between the Umgeni Mouth and Moya is a great boon to strollers. The extension is about 750 m but also links onto the harbour north pier where one...

29 Dec Himeville Museum

Posted at 18:41h in Uncategorized

Sir Albert Hime (1842 - 1919), after whom Himeville was named, was an engineer who arrived in Natal from Bermuda in 1875.He was responsible for many engineering advances in Natal. He was to become Natal's PM in 1899. [caption id="attachment_114421" align="aligncenter" width="205"] Sir Albert Hime[/caption] Peter Mckenzie...

21 Dec Kokstad – Royal Hotel 1881

Posted at 16:28h in Uncategorized

[caption id="attachment_114371" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Ornate arch of the entrance to the Royal Hotel[/caption] Kokstad was named after the Griqua Chief Adam Kok III who had trekked over the berg from west Griqualand. The Royal Hotel was built in 1881 by an African American, an illicit diamond dealer,...

21 Dec Durban Beaches at Dawn

Posted at 15:20h in Uncategorized

Instead of being slovenly, take an early wake up with the sun rising in the east and savor Durban's beaches. The air is fresh and especially at low tide the beachfront can be walked along the waters edge from Blue lagoon to Ushaka. This is...