Durban Area

The Addington Hospital precinct includes the Children's Hospital, the old Nurses Home , Addington main block and the oncology block. The original Addington hospital replaced the Bayview hospital on the Esplanade in 1879. This was in turn replaced in 1967. The Children's Hospital was opened in 1930 but closed in 1984. The Children's Hospital is in the process of being restored as is the Nurses' Home.

33 Photos

This album is a consolidation of many of the numerous Art Deco buildings in Durban, both old and new. Although not covering all of the Art Deco it will assist those interested in easily locating much of the buildings. The Art Deco movement spread throughout the world between 1925 and 1940 and this style is still being used in buildings such as the Suncoast Casino and adjacent hotel. Art Deco broke from the popular colonial buildings of the time that dominated Durban. Even small homes like in Clairwood incorporated the motifs and geometric shapes of Art Deco.

230 Photos

Durban\'s Golden beaches provide a paradise for bathers, surfers, jet skis , walking, and many more activities catered for along the eight kilometres of beachfront from the harbour mouth to Blue Lagoon. This album has photos along this beach area with a range of varying moods from sunrise to sunset along with aerial views of the beaches.

92 Photos

This album celebrates Durban's greatest asset, which is best experienced at dawn. So the album has images of the rising sun, wide open beaches, the beachfront skyline and the Art Deco styled Sun Coast complex. The remnants of the Shembe baptisms are also seen being devoured by the gulls.

36 Photos

This album has a wide ranges of images from sites in the immediate vicinity of the beachfront all the way from the new developments on the Point to the flats in Sol Harris Crescent. Some of the more interesting images are street views of Gillespie Street, Hunter Street, Milne street with its St Michaels Lutheran Church, Morrison Street with the old City Breweries, the Old Fort Road Jewish Club & Holocaust Centre, the Somtseu Road Baptist Church (1909) and the beautiful Somtseu Road Hindu Temple.

359 Photos

This album has images of the Blackburn Bridge over the N2 , connecting Blackburn image to Umhlanga Ridge. It also has images of the burnt out UPL factory that was destroyed in the Insurrection in KZN in July 2021

7 Photos

Caister Lodge belonged to Benjamin Greenacre and was built on the Berea circa 1895 at 264 Musgrave Road. Benjamin was the main shareholder in the company Harvey Greenacre & Co. Upon his death is 1911, the business was taken over by his sons Walter & Edwin. The home was used as a convalescent home in WWI and in 1937 became the Caister Hotel and in 1987, a retirement home named Caister Lodge

68 Photos

The Mary Stainbank Memorial Gallery in Kenneth Stainbank nature Reserve has the works of both Mary and her life long friend, Wilgeford Vann hall. The "Castle" now belongs to the State under the care of the Department of Works. This album has images of the surroundings, artifacts in the museum and of the causeway over the Umhlatuzana River that was washed away in April 2022 and has yet to be repaired. (Feb 2023). Sadly the neglect by the Department is clearly evident in the Castle and outbuildings and the Wilderness Leadership School has departed from their premises.

74 Photos

Durban Marine Parade (O.R.Tambo Parade) is a feast of images covering the impressive beach front flats, hotels , Finlayson Pools, Promenade, Ushaka Marine World, Amphitheatre, Natal Command, Suncoast Casino, Art Deco buildings and aerial views of the beach front among many other images.

191 Photos

This second album on Durban's Marine Parade features more images of Durban's Beaches, piers and city skyline as well as some images of the Shembe baptisms which takes place on a regular basis.

37 Photos

This album gives a contemporary sense of some of the major routes in KZN and the type of vehicles using the routes. Included are images of the main arterial route inland,the N2 freeway and various routes used in and around Durban.

236 Photos

The Sarnia - Bellair - Sea View - Rossburgh gallery has many images of the area but features the Monument Road War Memorial, Rossburgh High School, Sea View Congregational Church (old & newer), Sea View Afrikaans Protestant Church, Bellair Church 1899 , Weslyan Methodist Church 1918 and Sarnia Station. Also included are some of the older residences and shops strung along the road.

140 Photos

This Gallery has images of the flats and churches adjacent to Berea Road like the Presbyterian Church, Art Deco Berea Court, Tollgate and freeway views .

41 Photos

Berea - This part of Berea has a mixture of old & new. Many of the older early 19th Century buildings are being torn down and replaced with glass & columns. The Berea is home to many old schools like DHS,Maris Stella and Durban Girls College.

192 Photos

This area of the Berea incorporates DHS, the Berea Methodist Church dating from 1893, and other interesting buildings of architectural interest.

118 Photos

The Caister, in Musgrave road has taken many forms over the years but its origins were that of the stately home of Sir Benjamin and Lady Greenacre, early merchants and City office bearers. The Caister, subsequently became a well known residential hotel, and more recently, a home for the retired and aged. Much of the front facade has been altered and obscured by development, but the main entrance from Musgrave road is still largely unchanged. The interior of the core area gives some idea of the grandeur of the home, with imposing wooden stairs, wood panelled rooms, stain glass windows and generous sized rooms. Sir Benjamin Greenacre was a town councillor (1871 - 1876 and 1889 - 97 and Mayor of Durban (1875-76, 1889-1892, 1897 - 1898, and Knighted when the future King George visited Natal in 1901. His first house was a thatched house in town.

65 Photos

The Elephant House on Durban's Berea is the oldest surviving house in Durban, which was restored in 1972 by Brian and Elaine Agar who bought it from the Murchie family who had owned the house for the previous 100 years. The original owner of the house was Thomas Milner who built it in 1850 and used it as a week end retreat. The house gets its name from the Elephants who used to make their way up what is now Florida Road from the coast to their feeding grounds in the Umgeni Springfield area. They apparently used to pass close by to the house and occasionally attempted to remove the veranda posts.

45 Photos

This gallery of the Berea main roads features the residences and flats in the area. Many of these old homes are being demolished and redeveloped or converted into commercial establishments. This album also has images of Lucas Gardens, a home for women established by Margaret Lucas to commemorate her two sons who were killed in WWi. Included also are images of 109 Riley Road, one of the older remaining homes in the area, constructed of wood and iron.

163 Photos

In 1908, two Norwegians, Jacob Egeland and Johan Bride formed the South African Whaling Company and commenced whaling on 3 July 1908. The original whaling station was close to the harbour entrance, but moved due to complaints about the smell around the Bluff and later still even further south to its ultimate position. The whaling of the Blue, Southern Right and Humpback wales continued until 1975 when whaling was banned due to the depletion of the resource. The original Company became the Union Whaling Company which was ultimately sold to the Japanese in 1956/7. Whaling peaked in 1954 with the Company catch of 2438 whales and the company employed 830 personnel but the record overall catch by Whalers peaked in 1965 with a total catch of 3860 whales within 150 miles of Durban. (Ref: Captain Tony Pearse - "African Keyport" - 1995). Today, all that remains are the decaying structures about 2 kilometres south of the harbour entrance, but these remaining buildings in this album still give some idea of the magnitude of the former operations. The images are captioned in almost equal blocks named Southern Block, Central Block and Northern Block. There are also images of military "Pill Boxes" that remain on the beach and served to protect the Military Base positioned on the top of the Bluff. The Navy for a short time used some of the structures after its closure, however the site is now abandoned and returning to nature.

179 Photos

The Bluff is primarly a residential area bounded by the harbour in the north, industrial areas to the west and the Indian Ocean on its east. The main Ansteys Beach is a popular bathing area and fishing spot. The area has many churches, commercial zones and historical sites such as Lt King\'s Park, the old whaling station and military base at the end of the Bluff and the Cooper Lighthouse.

87 Photos

This Gallery shows a selection of images pertaining to these smaller Municipalities to the west of Durban. It covers some of the main features of interest and some street scenes to give a contempory picture of these areas.

365 Photos

Cato Manor was granted to George C. Cato (Durban\'s first Mayor) in 1865 and later subdivided and utilised by Indian market gardeners in the early 1900\'s. After the 1949 riots much of the area was settled by black inhabitants and as many as 30000 people were living in the area.The Group Areas Act was implemented in the 1950\'s and there was a dispute over who had rights to brew beer, which resulted in further riots in June 1959.Eventually by 1964 the area had been cleared of people, and remained this way until the early 1990\'s when it started to be resettled again. This gallery shows the area as it stands with a mixture of shack dwellers and low cost housing. Some of the shells and remains of the old trading stores remain.The area has a Mosque and the 1st & 2nd Umbilo River Hindu Temples.Also in the area (not covered) are the sports fields, Albert Luthuli Hospital and interpretative centre illustrating the areas history.

80 Photos

The Umkumbane Heritage Centre in Cato Manor commemorates the Black communities who were forcefully removed from this area in the 1960's under apartheid. The centre records the process and struggle by the community with written accounts and photographic images that appeared in the media at the time. The Centre is off Francois Road in the heart of the effected area which has been re-occupied, mostly with shack dwellers. This album also has landscape images over the area and towards the Ridge Road skyline to the east of Cato Manor. The Centre kindly permitted me to take these images for my heritage site, and is acknowledged with thanks. The centre is well worth a visit by persons interested in the politics of the day and to understand the trauma effecting those living in this area.)

52 Photos

Chatsworth & Shallcross were founded in the early 1960\'s as part of the apartheid Governments policies of segregating the race groups and also to act as a buffer between the white areas and the black areas like Umlazi. Although these barriers have been scrapped these areas remain predominantly Indian. The township has many Temples, churches and Mosques built by the culturally mixed society and today has a large Commercial Centre. Many of the original inhabitants had been relocated from areas such as Cato Manor, Maville ,Block AK in Durban CBD,Riverside, Clairwood and the Bluff.

93 Photos

This album has images of the small church in Chesterville, images of the CBD of Claremont and aerial photos of the new bridge over the Umgeni River connecting Claremont with Ntuzuma.. Aerial images also show malindela road in Kwa Mashu and Bridge City in Inanda.

29 Photos

This album features some of the new development areas to the north of Durban. Many of the images show the vacant land, formerly sugar cane that was owned by the Tongaat Hulett Group and is now earmarked for development. This area will be developed and will be known as Cornubia which will have a mix of industrial, residential and commercial components, Blackburn Estates (residential) and to the east of the N2 highway the Izinga Ridge residential development. This area is currently undergoing massive transformation and most of the cane lands will disappear,

51 Photos

Clairwood or South Coast Junction was settled in the 1880\'s by formerly indentured labourers who had completed their contracts. Clairwood contains many Temples,churches and old homes of the era, many National Monuments & listed. The area has been under threat for many years by industrialization and more recently by the plans for a dug out port.

146 Photos

The Coedmore story starts with Dering Lee Warner Stainbank (1841-1907) and his wife Ethel Lyne (1869-1942). Dering had come out to South Africa in 1857, on ‘The Lady of the Lake’ with his brother Ellerton and settled on 2000 acres on the south bank of the Umhlatuzana River on the site of Shaka’s old Kraal, ‘Ndaba Nkulu’. In 1856, half the house was built in Scottish Baronial Style comprising two large bedrooms, a bathroom, library, dressing room, hall and cloakroom. “The kitchen was on the lower level and was reached from the back verandah. There were huge cellars on the same level of the kitchen that reached partially underground. A spiral staircase led from one of the cellars up to the billiards room, later used as a nursery. Above the billiards room was the leaded roof and castellated octagonal tower. The whole building was meant to be duplicated on the bedroom side but never completed.” Two stonemasons were brought out from Aberdeen and they quarried the local sandstone to create the mansion that has become known as Coedmore Castle, completed in 1885. Dering had bought his brothers farm by that name and renamed the estate Coedmore. Ethel Lyne was from Pietermaritzburg and had met Dering on one of her family visits to Coedmore in early 1880, and they were married. Born to the couple were William, Arthur, Kenneth, Christopher, Mary, Edith, and Edward. Dering died in 1907 having left the land to his sons and providing an income to his daughters. William was first to join the farm being run by Ethel and was later joined by Arthur, after Dering’s death in due to pneumonia. William and Arthur were later, to become casualties of WWI, William in 1916 and Arthur at Passchendaele in 1917. A stone church, ‘All Saints’, had been built at Coedmore out of stone quarried at Coedmore but a fire destroyed the thatched church, and it was decided to build the new All Saints Church at Bellair, for use by the wider community. The baptismal font, east window frame and other window frames were used in the new church. The adjoining land at Coedmore was set aside as the family cemetery. One of the main farming operations was the large Coedmore dairy, with two cowsheds, granary above and a large citrus orchard. The fruit was exported, and the milk sold in Durban. As with most of the country the herd was decimated by Rinderpest and a disease killed the nartjie trees, the last box of nartjie’s were sent to troops in 1916. The citrus orchards were never re-established. Coedmore had a large Indian work force and a frequent visitor to Coedmore was Mahatma Ghandi, a friend of Dering. With the start of WWI, William and Arthur volunteered for service and died on active service. Kenneth was also to join up and serve in German East Africa. He survived the war and came back, first to farm at Eston and later, Coedmore, where Christopher was helping out. Kenneth Lyne Stainbank (1895-1982), inherited Coedmore after the death of Ethel, being next in line after his older brothers, William, and Arthur. After WWI the South African Railways decided to re-route the inland rail line along the Umhlatuzana River, cutting through a corner of the farm. In this process a large deposit of lime was discovered, and the land was leased for quarrying and the royalties derived were used to re-establish the farm the dairy. Kenneth married Gwen Norton and they had two daughters, Elizabeth, and Ruth. Ruth died aged eighteen in 1947 and Elizabeth married James Keith, who in turn had four daughters. Two daughters, Jenny and Alison, still live on the estate, part of the original farm, that have separate title. For many years the Durban Municipality had threatened building a road through the estate to link Chatsworth with Durban, a move that was fiercely resisted by Kenneth, arguing that the estate was now the owned by the Nation and only the Government could give consent. (See Below). A portion of the estate amounting to 300 acres was turned into the township of Yellowwood Park and Kenneth donated the 253-hectare reserve to the people of Natal and South Africa, in 1946, as a nature reserve, now known as the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, run by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Formerly, Natal Parks Board). This reserve was opened to the public in 1967. Today, the reserve of 253 hectares of coastal forest and grasslands has a braille trail, nature walks, mountain bike trails and public picnic spots. The Wilderness Leadership School, founded in 1957, by Dr Ian Player has its home in some of the original outbuildings adjoining the Castle. Kenneth’s sister Mary (1899-1996), was also to distinguish herself, having qualified at the Royal College of Arts and Durban Art School, as a sculptor and artist. She was joined at Coedmore, in 1926, by her English friend, Wilgeford Vann Hall (1894-1981), after completing their studies the two of them set up the Ezayo Studio where they spent the rest of their lives. Mary specialized in sculpting, mainly in stone and Wilgeford specializing in stained glass, dress design and art. Between the two of them they were commissioned to do work all around the country. Coedmore has the Mary Stainbank Memorial Gallery, where some of their work is on display. This is housed in, what was, the old granary located over the cowshed, the site of her original studio. The Mary Stainbank Memorial Gallery was opened in 2013. Another interesting feature of Coedmore is the enormous mural in the passage, completed by Wilgie in 1939. The mural depicting the history of the Stainbank family had been started in 1926 and took all these years as the passage was 50 feet long and 14 feet high. Wilgie, whilst doing this work also had to earn money through other paying commissions. The rooms also have intricate pressed steel ceilings, carved paneling and there is an ornate steel staircase leading to the tower. Until recently the home was furnished with the original house-hold contents and Mary Stainbank’s sculptures. The castle could be visited by appointment and booked as a function’s venue. The hallway leading into the passage. Mary and Wilgie were to join the WAAFS during WWII, in the military drawing office and after discharge Mary and Wilgie taught at the Durban School of Art until 1957, when she retired. It was only in 1961, that Mary married Alfred Frederick Cox a widower and long-standing friend of the family. After Alfred’s death in 1965 Mary and Wilgie moved into a little cottage built onto their Ezayo Studio. Wilgie died aged 86 in 1981, Kenneth in 1982 and Mary in 1996. During the riots that erupted in 1949 between the Indians and Africans in Durban, Kenneth was to provide refuge for nearly 2800 Indian families and prevent a massacre. In terms of Kenneth’s will, except for personal effects and household items, Coedmore Castle reverts to the state, upon the death of Elizabeth Keith, his daughter. Elizabeth died in 2019 and discussions are under way for a joint trust comprising the family and the Wilderness Leadership School to lease Coedmore from the State. Investors will then be sought to utilize the property more effectively and “preserve the heritage and natural environment”.

235 Photos

Colinton House on Durban’s Berea was built by Sir David Hunter KCMG in 1898 on a piece of land described as Bock Z of Townlands which at the time was on the outskirts of the Borough. The land was built sold by the Borough to Woolston Dickens in 1856 and belonged to the family until 1896. The much smaller sub-divided erf of .4 hectares was then sold to David Hunter for 560 pounds sterling. The building was thought to have been designed by William Street-Wilson, however the original plans are missing apart from some alteration drawings done in 1907. Street-Wilson and his partners designed many residences like Monaltrie and Merrick Bennet House.

77 Photos

DHS opened its doors in Smith Street in 1866. It had a few homes in the CBD but eventually moved onto the Berea in 1895. The all boys school has had an illustrious past and has produced people such as Barry Richards (sport), Edwin Swales V.C.(Military), Prof Philip Tobias (academic), Stephen Saad (business), and Roy Campbell (arts). This gallery has images of the grounds, buildings, memorials, honours boards and many other features of the school.

214 Photos

Escombe , to the south west of Durban on the main west bound rail line was named after Sir Harry Escombe (1838 - 1899), a former Prime, Minister in 1911. The gallery features street and railway scenes, and the St Augustines Catholic Church, and the Del Mein Shellhole.

44 Photos

Located on Glenwood Drive, Berea, House Biermann was the home of the architect Barrie Biermann, built with love, imagination and style. He forged a sense of the regional vernacular in the early 1960s, the house was started in 1961 and completed in 1962. There were two earlier structures on the site. Barrie Biermann adapted and redesigned the older property to create a unique and rather wonderful home. It is a property that misses the general protection of the National Heritage Resources Act by two years . An urgent KZN Provincial Heritage declaration is needed to protect this home. Barrie spent his career teaching architecture at the University of Natal and died in his home in 1991. Rodney Harber (2020/07/26) informs The Heritage Portal: Illegal demolition has started on House Biermann in Glenwood Drive. The new owners wish to redevelop the site as a medical centre. It is a piece of Durban heritage that needs to be saved and celebrated afresh. There is an early mention of the Biermann house in an article in Lantern (September 1972) - Houses of the Sixties - Architect Designed homes in South Africa, 1960-1970 by Danie Theron. In the opinion of Theron it was a house that had a strong influence on local domestic architecture, especially on the work of architects such as Hans Hallen, Paul Mikula and Brian Lee. Biermann found and incorporated old building materials in his home. Economic necessity and a small budget made Biermann an early recycler. It all added up to “a romantic and personal statement with bagged walls, concrete roofs, discarded ironwork and shutters, undulating brick paving and exotic plants into a total unity of architectural experience”. Indoor and outdoor living spaces combined. Theron added, “It is an exuberant rediscovery of the decorative value of throw-away materials such as broken slabs of stone, bottles, asbestos, cast iron and timber fretwork.” Information is an extract from the Heritage Portal article by Kathy Munro.

62 Photos

Bartle House was opened by the Mayor, Reverend A. Lamont in September 1929 to commemorate the Centenary of Durban in 1924. The home for men is built of red brick and has many interesting features which include stain glass windows and porticos.

45 Photos

Durban High School for boys was founded in 1910 and known as the Day Continuation School, then Durban Technical High School(1916) and then Glenwood High School in 1934 when it was located in Glenwood. The school has a rich heritage in sporting, military, arts and commercial spheres. The school lost 25 former pupils in WWI and 120 during WWII and as such these losses have had a significant influence on the ethos of the school. The school with about 1300 pupils has a boarding establishment (Gibson House) today is still today considered a leading school in KZN and continues to turn out well rounded sporting,and academic scholars. This album features images of the grounds, facilities, museum memorabilia, historical items and the honours boards relating to former pupils and staff.

97 Photos

This gallery has images of homes and buildings in the upper Glenwood area like Howard College Road , Nazareth House, Manning Road Methodist Church, St Augustines and St Henry\'s Marist College.

105 Photos

Meyrick Bennett house at 191 Chelmsford Road, is now an assessment centre, but was originally the house built by Meyrick Bennett in 1891. Bennett had arrived in Durban in 1875 and built this verandah house, which was designed by W Street Wilson, Architect. Bennett worked for Randles Brothers and Hudson, merchants. The house had veranda's on three sides, high up in Glenwood with views over the city. A billiard room was added in 1892 and the entrance gates onto Chelmsford Road in 1895. (Information from "The Street Wilson Drawing Collection" - Jacobs and Kearney 2016) The park and house has for many years been made over for public use, and is a popular meeting place for young families. The building is now used as an assessment and therapy centre for children. This album has images of the extensive gardens, exterior elevations, stain glass windows and interior, including the billard room.

51 Photos

This Gallery features many of the homes situated in Glenwood and also of the schools and churches. Homes in the following roads are featured : Frere, Bartle, Evans, Nicholson, Davenport, Syringa, Clarke, Moore Road & Crart Avenue.

189 Photos

The Phansi Museum houses some of the largest collections of traditional arts, crafts and artefacts in South Africa. Life size dolls showing ceremonial wear from different regions and cultures of South Africa are on display as are examples of beadwork dating back to the 19th century. The museum was started in 2000 as a small private museum, and has since expanded to host one of the biggest and most spectacular collections of African arts and crafts in the world. The collection is held in Roberts House, a fully restored Victorian national monument, in Esther Roberts Road, Glenwood, Durban, South Africa.

102 Photos

This site includes images of St Mary's Church, Greyville Methodist Churches,Queens Tavern, Bowling Club, and a taste of some of the old buildings,many now used for commercial purposes. Also included are images of the Greyville Turf Club and some of the buidings in its surrounds like the Kendra Hall. The Turf Club is the home of the annual (Rothmans ) July and Gold Cup normally held in July.

147 Photos

Greyville & Forida Road have many old homes dating back to the late 1800 and early part of 20 th century. Many of the homes are well preserved but most in this area have been converted to commercial use. Florida Road is now a popular eating and night life destination.

237 Photos

Jack George Hollis. Richard was born in Scotland and arrived in Durban in the late 19th century from Australia. He and Cornelius were awarded the contract to build the City Hall and work began in 1905. At much the same time Hollis built a home for his family [which still exists] at 174 Florida Road. Jack Hollis founded the Clairwood Racecourse and was a keen racegoer. George later became mayor of Durban. This album has images of Hollis House in Morningside which was being restored at the time of the visit. The house had been severely burnt at one stage, restored and used recently as a restaurant. Hollis House was declared a Provincial Heritage site in 1996.

26 Photos

Immediately to the west of Durban North and to the west of the N2 lies the enormous sprawling township of Inanda. This album features an old sugar farmhouse on the top of Entafeleni which dominates the Inanda skyline on the western section of Inanda. This wrap around verandah homestead stands alone atop the mountain with panoramic views over Inanda and the distant city CBD. This area is also adjacent to Matikwe with the St Josephs Church and Mission school. Also included are images of some of the old dwellings on the northern slopes of Entafeleni.

70 Photos

The settlement was founded in 1904 by Gandhi and it was here that the "Indian Opinion" was printed until 1961. The settlement was always at the forefront for the struggle for justice, peace and equality. During the 1985 Inanda Riots most of the settlement was destroyed, but then reconstructed. Gandhi's house (Sarvodya), the printing press building (1903) and the Museum and Interpretative centre are featured here.

67 Photos

Inanda, to the North West of the Durban CBD was established during apartheid and was settled by the Indian and Black Communities. This album has images of the new development at Bridge City, some of the numerous churches scattered over the large township, images of the derelict original farm house and views giving some idea of Inanda's size.

129 Photos

This gallery has images of several of the churches scattered around Inanda, Amatikwe & Umzinyathi. The churches include Afrika Congregational Church (1951), Africa Gospel Church (Amatikwe), Shembe Church Headquarters, and Inanda Congregational Church (1849), formerly the Inanda American Board Mission. The Umzinyathi falls, a tributary of the Umgeni River is featured, as this is a revered place of the Rastafarian community.

59 Photos

Ohlange (the origin of new growth) Institute or formerly The Zulu Christain Industrial School was founden by Dr John L Dube in 1900. It opened on 26 July 1901 and is also the first home of the founder. The album has images of John Dubes home, the John Dube Hall, the new amphitheatre under construction, the present school and the graves and memorials of John Dube's wife and son. Nelson Mandela cast his first vote here in 1994 to commemorate and recognize the fact that John Dube was the first President of the ANC. There are also images of the nearby second house of J Dube.

65 Photos

Merebank to the South of Durban is a residential area surrounded by heavy industry like the refineries and also until recently by the closed Durban International (Louis Botha ) airport. It also has access to the sea & beaches.

82 Photos

Durban International Airport (formerly Louis Botha)was opened in 1951 to replace the Stamford Hill Aerodrome. The airport was originally named after Louis Botha, Boer General and then first Prime Minister of the Union. The name was changed in 1994. With the completion of King Shaka International airport in 2010, D.I. was closed to commercial air traffic. The airport at 29.58.07 S and 030.56.52 E at an elevation of 9m ASL was 2439m long. D.I. has also been home to the S.A.A.F. No 15 Squadron but there are now plans to redevelop this old airport into a dug out port. Virginia airport was opened in 1959 after moving from Stamford hill Aerodrome (control tower now home of Natal Mounted Rifles).The airport was named after the adjacent suburb of Virginia. The airport was opened by Mayor Shaw and has been used by training companies , aircraft maintenance operations and light aircraft operators servicing commuters. The airport 29.46.14S 031.03.30E at elevation 6m is 925m long running 05/23 with an asphalt runway.

60 Photos

Isipingo and Reunion are to the south of Durban. The larger area is commercial in nature and lies to the west of the N2. Of significance though is the burial site of Dick King who lived in this area (1813 - 1871). There is a memorial for the Isipingo Concentration Camp victims on the same burial site. To the East of the N2 is the industrial area and the residential ares bordering the Isipingo River. Reunion to the north of Isipingo is a trading zone serving mainly Umlazi.

117 Photos

This album features the Isipingo Beach and bathing pools and also the Isipingo Island Hotel which has recently been refurbished and is on an island amongst the mangroves. There are also views of Tiger Rock pools and Ocean Terrace views.

103 Photos

This old neglected Cemetery situated behind the Dick King Cemetery has graves dating from as far back as the 1860\'s onwards. Families such as the Mack\'s , Platts, Nivens, Hillary, Burchill and Dennills are buried here.There is also the grave of Lt Dennis A Platt who died of wounds received at El Alemein on 23 October 1942. Sadly the cemetery is not looked after and some of the graves appear to have been raided.

177 Photos

Durban Light Infantry , a mechanised volunteer unit was formed in 1854. It has seen service In the Anglo Zulu & Boer Wars , SWA, Namibia,East Africa, WW1 & 2 , Bambatha and Burundi.The H.Q. in Durban\'s Marriot Road has a Drill Hall, Chapel of St Michael & St George, Officers Mess Clock Tower and other Memorabilia. The Regiment has affiliations with The Rifle Brigade (UK) and The Royal Green Jackets (UK)

105 Photos

Durban Marine Life Saving Club was founded in 1963 and is located on Addington Beach. Over the years it has provided an essential service to the bathing community and has been credited with saving many bathers. The Club has a proud record of competing in lifesaving events and continues to train and promote beach safety. The new club house and surf ski racks were opened in November 2010 The clubhouse which acts as a meeting place also has a coffee shop and houses much of the club memorabilia and honours boards.

40 Photos

Queensburgh & Malvern form part of the older south western part of Durban on the Old Main Road & railway. The gallery features the Queensburgh CBD and Station, the Weslyan Methodist Church (1909), Malvern Congregational Church ( 1911), Queensburgh Sports Club,and Malvern Shellhole. The Malvern Shellhole has a VC recipient in Lord Cheshire. Also in this gallery is Flame Lilly Park which is also site of the Rhodesian SAS Memorial and the Vernon Corbishley Centre.

85 Photos

Memorial Park gallery has images of graves in the local private cemetery, the Hillary family graves in Coronation Road (desecrated), residences, commercial area and sports facilities in the area.

53 Photos

Montclair (Mowat Park) to the south of Durban was originally farmland and developed as Durban expanded. The area is residential and home to many schools , Churches and sports clubs, most notably Durban Wanderers Club. Merebank West is also residential surrounded by industry but featuring temples and mosques.

150 Photos

This gallery of Morningside features the stately Manor House that belonged to Sir Liege Hulett and the well maintained Jameson Park on the corner of Innes Road and Florida road.

105 Photos

James Liege Hulett, born in Sheffield, 17 May 1838, emigrated to South Africa in 1857, on the ‘Lady Shelbourne’, initially to practice as an assistant to chemist, Mr Burgess. It was not long however before Hulett’s entrepreneurial spirit took hold and he started farming and acquiring property. His first farming endeavours in 1858 were at Mount Moreland, near Verulam, which were unsuccessful, so he moved on and bought 600 acres of land to the north east of Stanger, called Kearsney. Kearsney in England was a small village near Dover. His first successful crop introduced into Natal in 1850, was tea and this new wealth enabled him to build Kearsney Manor, which much later became Kearsney College. His first tea was harvested in 1887. Liege’s family took on the farming reigns and Liege became active in politics, a lay preacher, magistrate and was knighted by King Edward VII, in October 1902, after the death of Queen Victoria. The business was transferred into the Company, ‘J Hulett & Sons Ltd’ in 1892. This company was to become the listed entity, ‘Tongaat Hulett Ltd’. Further tracts of land in Tinley Manor were acquired. It was in early 1904’s that Sir Liege decided to retire to Durban, and it was at that point, that the stately manor house in Mentone road was built. The mansion was designed by Stott & Kirby Architects, and in 1906 the mansions was occupied by the Hulett family. Lady Mary Hulett, died in 1915 and Sir Liege, died aged 90, in 1928. Both Liege and Mary are buried in the family cemetery at Kearsney Manor graveyard. For many years, the Manor House stood vacant until 1932 when it was acquired by LM Loumeau and operated as a hotel under the name Manor House Hotel, was vacant between 1933 & 1934, and the run as the Kew Hotel, Nuttal Gardens until 1945. The owner J Vaughan Greene then converted it into a private residence until 1949, when it was sold to GH Langeler and reverted to the Kew Hotel until the 1960’s. Between 1965 & 1989 the property became the Morewag Men’s Hostel owned by the Nederduitse Kerk. In 1990, the property was sold to David Strachan & Taylor (Auditors) and then sold to De Leuw Cather Inc. and converted to offices.

134 Photos

This Gallery features many of the old homes, flats, churches and city views of this area which overlooks the City. The area is rapidly changing and many of the old homes are being torn down and replaced with modern glass and chrome structures.

192 Photos

303 Florida Road was one of three adjacent houses, 303-309 Florida Road, one of the three being the well-known ‘Atherton’, now a restaurant. Their plans date back to the 1900’s and 303-309 were built for George Browne and Sir Abe Bailey in 1903. The one home above 303, is now a block of flats. Sir Abe Bailey was a wealthy ‘Randlord’ and politician, having made his fortune on the goldfields of the Witwatersrand. After WWII, these three Edwardian houses were joined and converted into a private hotel, the Dorchester Hotel and later in 1972, they became a retirement home, Cottam Grove. The homes proved costly to maintain and in 1988, 303 and 309 Florida Road, were acquired by I.G.I Assurance Company (Pty) Limited for R1.m. and a long battle by several heritage societies to save them from demolition. Neighbouring house, Atherton, was also acquired and in 1989 an amount of R900000 was spent on restoration. 303 and 309 Florida Road were proclaimed National Monuments in February 1989, with John Frost BArch 1961 receiving a conservation award for the restoration of Cottam Grove in 1991. The buildings were extensively renovated to their original condition, bringing to life their colonial majesty. All doors, windows skirtings and rails were removed and restored to their original condition and the pressed metal ceilings renovated, where rust had taken its toll. These Edwardian villas have gabled façades and upper and lower verandas, the lower being wider and corner verandas with intricate timber detail. The verandas have encaustic tiles, and the extensive use of stained-glass windows and doors give the house a tranquil interior ambience. 303 Florida Road (Erf 784) was bought by law firm John Hudson & Company, Attorneys, one of Durban’s oldest Law firms, in 1996, for R1230000, and thus saving this historic home, in this instance as offices. Extract from Hugh Bland's book' New Beginnings' , published in 2021.

67 Photos

this album has images of the St James Anglican Church in Venice road , the foundation stones of which were laid in 1902 by Sir Henry McCallum (Governor). The images include the exterior, interior, Garden of Remembrance, Rolls of Honour for WWI and WWII. The other feature of this album is the Audacia Manor lodge across the road from St James. This Mansion was built by the Chapman family in 1928 but is now an upmarket boutique hotel.

106 Photos

This large suburb of Durban has many iconic homes, and Schools. This gallery features the Kensington flats in Burman Drive, Mitchell Park, Goble, Nimmo, Trematon and North Ridge Roads. Featured also is Durban Preparatory High School, views of Springfield-Umgeni and the local athletic watering point of \"Fika Puza\".

261 Photos

The school was started in 1896 by the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in a house, with Rev. T Tonkin as the Headmaster. In 1906 the school was transferred to the N.E.D. and in 1910 the present building replaced the original house. In the 1930's the school became the dual medium Stamford Hill School. During WWII a Cellar and bomb shelter was built (see images - now a classroom) and the school cadets were inspected by Prime Minister Jan Smuts, In the 1960's the school became Natalia Premiere School bit it was closed in 1981. During 1981/2 the Hunt Road remedial school was moved and renamed Livingstone Primary School, a school for short term remedial pupils. The Durban City Council awarded the school their Conservation Award in 1989 to recognise the school's conservation efforts relating to the buildings. The school has expanded over the years and is held in high regard by Educationalists and former pupils.

49 Photos

Mt Edgecombe to the north of Durban was a sugar growing area centred around the mill. It is now a residential area and there is no trace of the old mill. Phoenix was in the past an Indian residential area and has a vibrant commercial area. There are also many religious sites, the most prominent being the Hari Krishna Temple that dominates the skyline.

76 Photos

The Campbell family are synonymous with the development of Natal and like many other early families, they were brought out as part of the Byrne Settler Scheme. William J Campbell (1821-1865) and his wife Agnes set sail on the Conquering Hero from the Clyde, on 27 March 1850. On board was his son, Marshall Campbell (1848-1917), who was to continue his father’s legacy, that of pioneering Natal’s sugar industry. He acquired his first farm in 1857 on the banks of the Umhloti River called Muckleneuk, or ‘Great Bend’, in Scottish parlance. In 1895 Marshall founded Natal Estates Limited and started his own sugar refinery. Marshall married Ellen Blamey and lived in Mount Edgecombe. He was a member of the Natal Legislative Council and was knighted in 1916. The large township of Kwa-Mashu (Zulu meaning ‘the place of Marshall’), is named after him. Muckleneuk, in Essenwood Road, named after his father’s original farm at Umhloti was completed in 1914 in Cape Dutch Revival style. It was designed by Baker and Kendall of Cape Town with Cape Dutch gables on the corners and above the side entrance. Herbert Baker had designed the Union Buildings in Pretoria and many sandstone dwellings and churches. View of Muckleneuk from the terraced gardens. Two of his children, Margaret (Killie 1881- 1965) and William (1880-1962) were responsible for establishing the Campbell Collections on Durban’s Berea in their home Muckleneuk, where ‘Killie’ lived until 1965. In 1949 and 1952, bequests were made by Killie Campbell to the University of Natal for the purpose of establishing an Africana library. William eventually had taken over the reins on Natal Estates Limited from his father as Managing Director, in 1906. Further donations were made by her brother William and in 1954 he donated the Campbell’s Muckleneuk home to the Durban City Council, in memory of his parents Sir Marshall and Lady Campbell, in honour of the Pioneer families of Natal and to those who gave their lives in the two World Wars. Transfer took place in 1955 and eventually Killie’s earlier bequests were used for the benefit of Muckleneuk collections, which were to remain under the jurisdiction of the University. In 1965 the University negotiated a fifty-year lease from the Durban City Council over the property. The home now falls under the University of KwaZulu-Natal and comprises the Museum with the Campbell furniture, extensive valuable Africana books, art, furniture, and manuscript collections. Included are the artworks of renowned artists such as Barbara Tyrrell, Thomas Baines, Nils Anderson, CW Methven and Gerard Bhengu. There are also the magistrate James Stuart’s papers that record the oral history and traditions of early Natal. The Jo Thorpe Collection has examples of the culture of the indigenous peoples of South Africa, in particular the Nguni people. Another important collection is that of the Natal Land and Colonization Company that dealt in land for nearly a century. In the 1980’s the collections were enhanced with the purchase of Field Marshall Evelyn Wood’s papers. The Killie Campbell Collections Library was built onto the north of the building in 1968, designed by architects Lewcock, Templar and Claude. The two-and-a-half acre gardens designed by ‘Killie’ were constructed of stone walls and steps. The gardens are a haven for visitors, where both exotic and indigenous tree species co-exist and are visible from all the front rooms of the house. Many of the original species have gone or been replaced, however the basic garden layout has survived. The lower section of the garden is reminiscent of the extensive areas of indigenous bush that covered large parts of the Berea, prior to development. Extract from Hugh Bland's book, New Beginnings, published 2021

130 Photos

Natal Command, now only the facade remaining, was an important Military Base in WW2 and later during the \"Border War \". Many conscripts were dispatched from here to various military bases for National Service prior to 1994.

30 Photos

Durban North to the north of the Umgeni River is a large sprawling residential & Commercial area. This album amongst others features the Beachwood Golf Course,Varsity College,Kensington ,Mackeurtan , Umhlanga Rocks Drive and La Lucia Mall Commercial zones. The album also has images of the Blackburn Road Catholic & Methodist Churches,Crusaders Club, DHS Old Boys, old Haig Road School (closed),Lady Fatima Convent and aerial photos of parts of Durban North.

400 Photos

The Japanese Gardens in Durban North were opened on 27 June 1963 and are managed by the Durban Parks and Gardens. These gardens with their Japanese garden theme are a popular picnic spot and the gardens have many Japanese shrubs and the paths wind around a series of pagodas and water features.

43 Photos

This area of Durban North to the West has featured, a church & cemetery in Effingham on Mhlangana Road, the Shree Ranganathal Temple, Kenville suburb houses and trading stores, Sea Cow Lake Temple & the Kenville Road Soofie Saheb Mosque. There are also some images of Avoca Road with some of the original wood & iron homes dating back to the 1800's.

103 Photos

Redhill Cemetery in Durban North covers a huge area just off North Coast Road. Contained herein are images of Military Monuments and Graves dating from WWII, SADF & Police Memorials, Chinese Merchant Navy graves, the Jewish Cemetery and monument and general views over this Municipal burial ground. There are also images of some pages from the Cemetery register which give one some idea of the causes of death. These important Journals are not cared for and should be digitized.

97 Photos

This album of Durban North features images of interesting views of the Umgeni River Mouth, Kingfisher Canoe Club, Chapel House & Riverside hotel on Northway and the prominent Soofie Saheb Riverside Mosque (one of twelve Soofie Saheb Mosques).

172 Photos

North Coast Road was the original route out of Durban to the north but is now the link road to the northern suburbs and townships west of Durban. The road is flanked by a mixture of commercial premises and factories.

88 Photos

Northdene & North Park Nature Reserve derive their names from George and Elizebeth North who settled the area in the 1860\'s. North Park Nature Reserve which contains the North family graves was donated to the nation in 1969.The gallery also has images of the Northdene Station, Grace Baptist Church, Firwood Sports Club and some of the strip shops on the main road.

97 Photos

Durban's North Pier to the harbour was completed in February 2010 at a cost of R2.85 billion. The reason for the widening of the channel from 125m to 225m wide, (average width), was to allow for 9200 TEU vessels to enter the harbour. At the same time the channel was deepened from (on average) 12.8 m to 16m, and the new north groyn or pier extended by 550m. In order to absorb the sea energy, several methods were used, but the use of 20 ton Dolosse was extensively used. Dolosse are a South African invention. The credit for the design has always been given to the East London harbor engineer, Eric Merrifields, but the design was in fact that of draughtsman Aubrey Kruger, working in his office.

46 Photos

The Durban Old Fort was set up when British forces and Durban inhabitants were beseiged by the Boers in 1842. The Fort commemorates the ride to Grahamstown by Dick King (26 May 1842) to raise relief, has the St Peter in Chains Chapel, formerly the magazine, the Moths Museum and many other historical displays. Regrettably the site is being neglected by the Ethekweni Municipality and some of the exhibits in danger of dissapearing.

129 Photos

Old St Thomas Church in Ridge Road (Peter Mokaba) was started in 1864. The current church on site was built in May 1928 but a new Church which is currently used opened in 1899 in Musgrave Road. The church and Mission was started by Captain Allen Gardener R.N. who also named the area Berea. His daughter Julia lived close by and is buried here along with many original residents of the Berea area.

81 Photos

This album is the second album related to the old St Thomas Church in Ridge Road (Peter Mokaba) on the Berea. The first album features the Church and some of the graves, whilst this album covers the graves representing almost all the graves in this heritage cemetery. The graves include those of the Acutt family, Butchers, Vause, Tyrrell, Gardener, Innes, Currie and many other families all of whom featured in the development of early Durban.

387 Photos

This album has images of some of the structures in Newlands West, Parlock, Fosa Park and Ntuzuma. Featured is the new bridge over the Umgeni River inland of the N2 freeway.

56 Photos

Reservoir Hills was previously reserved for the Indian community and consequently has several mosques and temples. The gallery has images of Mountbatten Drive, the Papwa Sewgolum Golf Course, views of the University of Westville and the iconic water reservoirs supplying Durban.

65 Photos

Sherwood is a suburb on to the west of Durban astride the 45th cutting. The 45th cutting is so named as the cutting was constructed with pick and shovel by the Sherwood Foresters or 45th Regiment of Foot based there in the mid 1800'2. Also featured is the Jungle Nursery, Soofie Bhaijaan Dharbar Mosque and the St Theresa's Church.

34 Photos

Durban South Coast Road south of Edwin Swales was the main link to the south coats but is now a vibrant strip shopping area lining many industrial and factory areas.

53 Photos

This area of Durban consists of a mixed residential and business area with many of the old houses in Alpine and Quarry road now accommodating businesses. Much of the commercial land in Springfield is land reclaimed from the canalised banks of the Umgeni River. Alpine Road is a major arterial route linking up with Sydenham,Morningside and the Berea flanked by flats , houses and business outlets.There are also mosques and Temples in the area such as the Siva Subramanial Temple.

51 Photos

The Stamford Hill area, named after Stamford Hill in London features residences and businesses in Percy- Osborne, Adrain, Steel, Livingstone and Stamford Hill Road. There are also images of the Stamford Hill Cemetery where many old Durban families are buried.

154 Photos

Stainbank Nature Reserve, in extent 253ha was formed in the 1940's by Kenneth Stainbank, a descendant of Derring Stainbank, who settled there in 1882. The reserve has walking trails, biking trails, a wide diversity of flora and picnic sites. Coedmore Castle and the Wilderness Leadership School buildings were part of the extensive structures built by the Stainbank family in 1885 ,and are well preserved. These buildings can be visited by appointment. The castle buildings also house sculptures of Mary Stainbank (Dering,s daughter) and some more contemporary works of art. The Castle was built by Scottish Stonemasons from Aberdeen from locally quarried stone.

92 Photos

This Gallery has named graves of the West Africa Frontier Force and graves of the Imperial Forces who died during WWI in Durban or in the hospitals whilst awaiting repatriation. The graves in Stellawood Military Cemetary are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

144 Photos

This gallery shows the named graves of servicemen buried it the Stellawood Cemetary who died during WWII. It is looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission .

231 Photos

This Gallery has the graves and names of members of the merchant navy who lost their lives in the war. The cemetery is adjacent to the Military cemetery in Stellawood cemetery.

317 Photos

This Gallery has a mixture of \"East\" meets West\" with for example the Randles Road Mohammedeya Musjid , the Bethal Congregational Church in Stanley Copley Drive, the St Johns & St Raphael\'s Church and Churchyard, Moslem Cemetery in Kennelworth Road and St Annes Catholic Prestbury. Added to the mix are the many Asian shops & businesses in Sparks, Randles & Brickfields roads.

129 Photos

The Howard Davis University College took its name from the commemoration of Howard Davis who was killed at the battle of the Somme in WWII.The foundation stone was laid by his mother, Mrs T.B.Davis in 1930. This Gallery has photos of the Howard College and other buildings, statue of King George V, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre and the Silver Jubilee Gardens (1935) overlooking Durbans Glenwood and the harbour.

197 Photos

Durban - Umbilo, Resistance Park Monument was opened in 2002 by former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela. The monument commemorates, with plaques and friezes, the 1913 Passive Resistance movement, 1956 Women\'s anti pass march, 1963 Rivonia trial, Robben Island, 1990 Mandela release and 1990 negotiations. Sadly this recent heritage site is already neglected with trees growing out of the structure.

37 Photos

Umgeni Road broadly follows the course of where the Umgeni River used to flow into the Durban Bay. Now however it is a busy access road into the CBD flanked by ribbon shops, and landmarks like the Britannia hotel, Lion Match factory, Kings Park Stadium, and the stunning Svea Alayam Hindu Temple all of which are featured in this gallery.

94 Photos

The Lion Match Factory was designed by Architects Ing and Jackson in 1925 and extended in 1926 and 1927. The factory was built for Hunt Leuchars and Hepburn to make the iconic Lion Match Brand. The factory was moved to Johannesburg and was then used for commercial purposes. Around 2015 the property owned by JT Ross, a local property developer, undertook a major makeover of the premises into mainly offices, with tenants like Ogilvy and long time tenants Jonssons Clothing.

24 Photos

Umbilo, to the south of the Durban CBD is a mixture of small residences,churches and commercial businesses. There are many churches such as the St Cyprians Anglican Church, Hellenic Church, Umbilo D.R.C. and hotel establishments like the Willowvale Hotel. Also included are images of the derelict Congella Sports Club.This gallery gives a taste of the local Umbilo community.

214 Photos

This Gallery has mainly images of Sydney and Gale street views, which illustrates the mixed business use along these busy streets.

62 Photos

St Cyprians Anglican Church founded in 1867 is presently in Umbilo Road. The church has majestic arches and many stain glass windows adding to its beauty. The interior has plaques commemorating the Soldiers who died in the Boer War from the Natal Naval Corps and commemorations to its past serving clergy. The Church was originally established in 1867 based in Pine Terrace which was to become Commercial Road. In 1877 the Foundation Stone was laid for the new Smith Street Church (410 - 416 Smith Street)on the site of the present day Hub. In 1939 the church moved to Congella and in 1940 the present Church was opened and the Parish Hall in 1954. The Garden of Remembrance was established in 1960.

64 Photos

This album features the Bergthiel Museum, the oldest house in Westville that dates back to the mid 1800's. It is named after a German settler Jonas Bergthiel who brought out the original settlers to New Germany. The museum features memorabilia, information displays and rooms and equipment dating back to this era. This album also features some of the more modern Westville with images of St Elizabeth's Church, Winston Churchill Shellhole, Westville Catholic Church, CBD buildings, Country Club and Westville Hotel.

125 Photos

This Gallery in Windemere has images of the homes in the area and also includes images of places like the Greyville Presbyterian Church, Sutton Park Pool & Gordon Road School. Many of the homes in the area have been converted to commercial use and many have been torn down for structures like the Windemere centre.

97 Photos