Page 12 - Bulletin 18 2014

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exclusion of outsiders. Thus one’s network of business and social contacts was as important,

perhaps more important, than the skills and service you could offer. If Methodists, and
perhaps Freemasons, were in positions to influence the awarding of tenders, it is obvious that

fitting into this circle was vital. In a small community like this, integrity and personal
reputation were the keys to continued success.

The Wynberg Water Schemes

Probably THE major issue of the time was an adequate water supply – it was a matter that
was to occupy the time and resources of the Wynberg community for many years to come.

The Delbridge brothers had gained considerable expertise with water schemes, both at

Mossel Bay and at Uniondale. These skills were to be fully and profitably exploited over the
years that followed.

They laid the first water pipes in Wynberg, starting in April 1888, when they won the tender

for an amount of £4 052. With water supplies always trying to keep pace with population
growth and many wells contaminated, water was a desperately needed resource. By August

the Wynberg Water Commission reported that 12 767 ft. (nearly 4 kms) of pipe had been laid

and that the regulating tank and valve pit were complete. These were the first water supply
pipes Wynberg had. With the hydrants and public stand pipes that were part of the contract,

they provided connections to private homes and businesses. There were some tremendous
ructions in the Wynberg community with accusations that the Councillors had made sure

their streets were serviced first, that the public stand pipes offered only a trickle of water, and
so on.

It’s not clear where the water would come from to fill these new laid pipes – the well known
Wynberg dams were still some years away. It is likely that the pipelaying was integrated with

the building of a 200 000 gallon storage tank at the Hen and Chicken Rocks on Wynberg Hill

(it is still there, just below the M3.) Wynberg had called for tenders for this small dam in
September 1888 and it is quite likely that the Delbridges built this too – it was estimated that

it would cost £13 000. In January 1890 the new water supply finally came into general use.

The Wynberg Times was certainly not satisfied: