Page 13 - Bulletin 18 2014

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“In every civilized community, where there is an established water-supply,

provision is made for people and cattle. But in Wynberg – rich, enlightened
Wynberg – see the dribble opposite the rail-station and weep!”

The brothers didn’t confine their work to the Wynberg Municipality. In 1888 John had signed

a contract with the Cape Town & District Waterworks Company for a substantial £25 000 for
pipeline laying. The CTDWC was headed by the well known brewer Anders Ohlsson. To

explain its purpose simply: it built and managed water projects on behalf of Claremont,

Rondebosch, Mowbray and Woodstock Municipalities. The Delbridges were awarded an
1889 contract for building offices, staff houses and a pump station tapping into water from

the Albion Spring.

It is remarkable to see how these two young men used their skill and initiative. Within 15

years of arriving at Mossel Bay, John and William were major property owners in Wynberg.
Figure 1.6 shows John’s large property off Ebenezer Road bought in 1892 with Duncan

Taylor. Brother William bought the Sunninghill Estate off Remington Road the following
year.

Meanwhile the water supply problems in Wynberg were reaching a crisis point. In November
1891 the Water Supply Council advertised for tenders for the building of a masonry dam.

This was to become the first of the Wynberg dams – the Alexandra Reservoir built on the
Back Table roughly above Kirstenbosch. In late December John was told his quote had been

accepted and the dam was built to the design of the famous engineer Thomas Stewart, who
was to work closely with the Delbridges over many years. Complications led to a delay in

completion and, under intense pressure from residents and ratepayers, in September the

Mayor announced his disappointment that the dam was not finished. It was finally completed
in time for the winter rains in June of 1893 at a cost of £8 708 2s 4d. More work was done on

this dam over the years, including the raising of the wall before it was finally completed in

1903.

The Victoria reservoir was also built by the Delbridges and from family records it seems it
was completed by William. Neither of these kept pace with Wynberg’s water demands and

finally John was contracted to build the De Villiers reservoir at a substantial £42 960. (Fig.
1.7.)