Page 39 - Bulletin 18 2014

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have come of this as the land was sold. It was in the rapidly developing Gatesville Road that

the Delbridges really left their mark. In the two years 1911 and 1912 no fewer than five
properties were built or designed by them in the development boom starting in the area. (Figs.

1.33 – 1.37.) The beautifully worked stone on several of these houses was secured from the
Delbridge ‘surface quarry’ above Godfrey Road. (Attridge Building Survey, 1915, Card 2.)

At the corner of Gatesville and Belmont Roads Reid and Delbridge converted the three van

Blerk cottages in 1916. Along Main Road they designed the E K Green Building (now

Quagga Books) in 1910. (Fig. 1.38.) In 1912 W J Delbridge designed the balcony for
Kimberley House and in 1917 Reid and Delbridge did the extension of Kimberley Cottage.

(Figs. 1.39 & 1.40.)

In St. James Reid & Delbridge, in 1916, designed a large house off Ley Road for Mr

Fairbridge. (Fig. 1.41.) In 1924 Reid, Delbridge & Fallon designed the large semi-detached
house Sandown and Sandhurst off St. James Road for Mr Withinshaw. (Fig. 1.42.) Several

other houses were designed and built in Pentrich Road, at the corner of Westray and Moselle
Road, and in the area of Heytor Road.

William John Delbridge, the architect, and his uncle William, the builder, did considerable
work for William Pocock, the onetime Mayor of Kalk Bay – Muizenberg and a property

developer at St. James. Carisbrooke 2 Main Road, was redesigned by W J Delbridge in
1910/1911 and built by William Delbridge. (Fig. 1.43.) Devon Cottage (now Corriemar) was

also designed and built by them. (Fig. 1.44.) The plans were passed in 1920 and the work
included the demolition of an existing cottage in front of Corriemar. This house is a

Provincial Heritage site and was the home of the late Professor Paddy Harrison whose family

owned it from 1936.

In Muizenberg three Delbridge houses on Seaview Road are prominent landmarks:

Tredinnock (‘Place on the Hill’ in Cornish), Fairmount and Edgehill. (Fig. 1.45.) All were
designed by W J Delbridge in 1913 and built by his uncle William. Tredinnock was to be W

J’s home and the other two were for two of his uncle William’s daughters.

The Delbridges as a family were involved with many other Muizenberg buildings (Ocean
View Hotel, Marine Hotel and numerous houses large and small). A prominent one on Main