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Steenbras. He designed water and drainage schemes throughout South Africa, and died
in 1942.

Then there was Thomas Bennett, born in England in 1842, full of good ideas but not so

good at putting them into effect. He considered he had a double responsibility: to look

after the interests of the Municipality, as well as to protect the interests of his Contractor
(who he handled so gently, that questions were asked about possible collusion and

fraud). Biographical notes portray him as a popular and genial person, Church Warden
of Holy Trinity Church, and Chairman of the Muizenberg Public Library. His wife was

Miss Matilda Klyne. One of the last records of him is a note that his membership of the
Institution of Civil Engineers was “Erased” in November 1909, which means that his

annual registration fee had not been paid. After his ignominious resignation from the

Kalk Bay Municipality in 1907, he settled in Cleveland, Transvaal, and died in Malvern,
Johannesburg, on 6 August 1911 aged 70, survived by his wife and three daughters.

The next was Thomas Olive. Officially he was William Thomas Olive, but went under
the forename of Thomas. He was born in Cheltenham in 1852 where he completed his

schooling, studying engineering science at Glasgow University. He had already
obtained wide practical experience in civil engineering by the time he came to Cape

Town in 1895 to construct the sewerage system still successfully in use in central Cape
Town now. After a relatively short career as City Engineer (and the impression is that

they were mutually relieved to part company in 1898) he set up as a private consultant,

and in that capacity was hired to stand in for Bennett in 1904-1905. He was extremely
exacting, and drove the Kalk Bay drainage contractor into bankruptcy. He refused to

give evidence before a Commission of Inquiry unless he was paid 50 gns. a day (his
usual consulting fee was ₤15 a day). He appears to have been a stubborn man. In his

later years he lived in Plumstead, but died in 1935 at an advanced age in Port Elizabeth
where his son was Harbour Engineer.

About Thomas Stainthorpe little has come to light. He was born in Yorkshire in 1852
and trained as a surveyor and architect during 1868-1873. He was employed on several