Page 70 - Bulletin 15 2011

67

classroom at the south
end of the Mission School
in September 1921.

Although Glennie
regularly worked both
in Muizenberg and Kalk

Bay his rst large design
in St. James came in
April 1922 when a huge
mountain re raged over
the St. James mountains
and descended swiftly to
Main Road. Sparks from
the re lit the thatched
roof of Harry Orpen’s
home, Melrose, 30 Main
Road, and razed it to the

Melrose - c. 1940 ground. Harry Orpen
requested Glennie to redesign the house which he did most
successfully. The cantilevered front balcony was one of the many features.
The following year Glennie designed a double storey home on a difcult
triangular site on the south side of Melrose for Mr. J. Miller, No. 32 Main
Road. A lapse of near on four years followed until July 1926 when Glennie
designed the home Sandy Beach for Alfred Precious. It stood on the corner
of Main and Capri Roads. Extensions of the upstairs rooms and balcony on
the ground oor have enlarged the house considerably. Today it is the guest
house, Sonnekus.

In 1927 Glennie designed a scullery, kitchen, servants’ quarters,

bathroom, toilet and front verandah both up and downstairs for wealthy
mining magnate, J.B. Taylor’s original home Rodwell House, 48 Main
Road. In 1934 Taylor decided to demolish this original home and build the
sumptuous mansion, Lancelevy, which Glennie duly designed on the same
site. Today the home, a boutique hotel, has reverted back to the original
name, Rodwell House. Glennie’s reputation as an outstanding architect grew
steadily and one of his most prominent designs along this coastline was The
Fort (now Casa Labia) for Count Labia. Designed by Glennie in 1929 this
edice was declared a Provincial Heritage Site (11 May 1984). His main
work in Kalk Bay was the conversion of the home Hillside, 30 Gatesville
Road to the Charteld Boarding House for Mrs. Totman in 1918.