Page 189 - KBHA Bulletin 10

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ADMIRALTY HOUSE, SIMON’S TOWN

Talk presented to the AGM of the Kalk Bay Historical Association
Tuesday 4 April 2006.

Boet Dommisse

Introduction

While researching for my book “Admiralty House” in the SA Public Library, I came

across the following letter dated September 2, 1818. The letter was from Sir Jahleel

Brenton, Naval Commissioner-Simon’s Bay, to his good friend Sir William Warre who
was Deputy Quartermaster at the Cape and resided at Sans Souci, Claremont.

“My dear Warre,
I will send carriage two hours before to Muizenberg, so that horses are
fresh - 3 o'clock best time to cross the beach as it will be low water
nearly at that time”

This illustrates the very real difficulty in getting to Simon’s Town, or Simon’s Vlek as it

was known earlier. Kalk Bay played an important role as goods were ferried across
from there to Simon’s Bay. The most important duty of the Naval Commissioner was to

send provisions to St Helena, where Napoleon was exiled. No doubt these included a
fair amount of Constantia wine!

Why then did the Royal Navy move its headquarters and Admiralty House to Simon’s

Bay in 1814? The reasons are not clear. It had been established by the VOC that this

was a much safer winter harbour than Table Bay. They may also have noted how easily
they had attacked the Cape from Simon’s Bay in 1795, and would not have liked a

similar defeat! Finally, Cape Town was known as a fairly rough town and perhaps it
was better to isolate their ratings away from this town’s temptations!