Page 132 - Bulletin 17 2013

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Behind Slamdien was a small house and stable called ‘Rosmead’ owned by Daniel Avontuur

who had plans passed for a stable – this building is much altered and is just before the steps on
Rosmead Road (behind 16 Rosmead Road.)

At the very top of Rosmead Road (now on MacRobert Steps) is the house of a family truly part

of the history of Die Dam and of Kalk Bay to this day. (Fig. 10 topmost house.) The plot was
owned by Robert Fish and was bought by Mohammed (Mogamat) Cozyn, patriarch of the Kalk

Bay family, in 1908. His family say that he was a fisherman originally from Java. The family

name was in fact Hussein and was probably recorded as Cozyn by a clerk who did not
understand the pronunciation.

Mogamat built his house, like many others, from mountain stone and clay. It was known as the
‘big house’ because he married twice and had about 20 children. He was prominent in the fishing

community: a 1912 list of boat owners records Mohammed Hossain as the owner of the 24 ft
boat Victory – having sails and a crew of 6 oarsmen. His boat, the Saafie, was the first to be

fitted with an engine when the breakwater was commenced in 1913.

There were many Muslim families living in Rosmead Road and in the area up to MacRobert

Steps. Next to the Cozyn house, Salie Cozyn and his wife Fatima Saliem built a semi-detached
house with the other half owned by Imam Hassiem Fisher. Below this property on Quarterdeck

Road was a semi-detached house owned by Fatima’s father, Dawood Saliem, and Imam Damon
Salie.

One of the best known and respected members of the Cozyn family was Jaynodien (Janodien)
Cozyn - known as Bebbies, one of the many children of Mogamat. (Fig. 3.14.) Bebbies, like his

Javanese ancestors, was an expert fisherman, owner of the boat he had built – the White Rose –
and a front rank rugby player with the Kalk Bay Marines. He lived in the house ‘Monica’ behind

the mosque for many years.