Page 102 - KBHA Bulletin 14

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Assuming that milestone installation was a concomitant of road construction, it is probable that
the last seven Main Road milestones (XVII Fish Hoek – XXIV Simon’s Town) date from this

time. It is assumed that there were altogether 24 milestones as the Simon’ Town road had long
been described as being 24 miles long. (Cape of Good Hope Almanac, 1856.) A record of

decision in the DivCo Minutes of 1878 refers to the erection of mileposts along this section of the

route, and this was presumably implemented, although there is no statement in the subsequent
DivCo Minutes confirming this.

7 May 1878: The Secretary having reported that the Chief Inspector of Public Works had
suggested the erection of mile posts between Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town, on the motion of Mr.
Hugo this was agreed to.

DivCo Minutes, p. 442.

Only one milestone, No. XIX, still stands – set into the retaining wall at Sunnycove. It is similar

in size and mass to the Maitland Road stones, but differs from them in being made either of

sandstone or a cement composite (a new material being experimented with at the time) which
gives it a light grey colour, and has a simple inscription in smaller Times Roman font. It is easily

overlooked.

A later reference to milestones, in 1900, shows how thinking about them had changed. The
Public Works Department was proposing to erect them along Duinefontein, Lansdowne and

Wetton roads leading out onto the Cape Flats. The recommendation was to order inscribed

concrete blocks 5 ft. x 1 ft. x ½ ft. from the Salt River Cement Works company. These
dimensions are similar to the Maitland Road stones. This was reckoned to be a cheaper option

than trucking in Beaufort stone. They would cost 19/- each and ten were needed. The distances

indicated on them would be measured from the Town House in the case of Duinefontein Road,
but from the Wynberg Municipal Offices in the case of Wetton and Lansdowne roads. (PWD

2/5/95.) No description of one has been found, nor do any appear to have survived.