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and Clovelly. Four years later (January 1901) he took a further mortgage this time of £1,800 and

bought the Harris Road lots from Henry Hamilton Jones. As security he put up his considerable
land holdings. There was a plot behind the King’s Hotel, the large piece of land towards

Clovelly, and a big section of what was then Pollsmoor farm.

The first four houses were clearly built to a standard design, but unfortunately no plans have
been found for any of the houses built from 1901 onwards, except James Harris’ own home (erf

89960) at 14 Harris Road. This attractive stone house with stable and coach house behind, which
he called Roseneath, was built in 1902. (Fig. 3.32.) This, and his other house, Gordon Cottage,

(erf 89959) behind and to the side of it, are the only dressed stone houses in the road. He bought

Gordon Cottage and Essex Cottage in 1911. (Figs. 3.33 – 3.35.)

James Harris had tenants in all his houses paying rent of around £5 5s 0d a month and these

people formed their own small community. He made further investments, buying up several lots

in Ladan Road in October and right up to 22 December 1911.

Things were rudely interrupted when James Harris died suddenly three days later aged 68 on

Christmas Day 1911 at his home Roseneath Villa. He had never married and, surprisingly for an
astute businessman, had left no Will. It was then that his twin brother John Black Harris came

into the picture with the Board of Executors as Executor Dative. Needless to say it was a

complex estate. Many outstanding debts and rents had to be accounted for and the estate was
liquidated by the sale of the houses and the land in Ladan Road.

In January 1912 John Harris, who was living in Kloof Street, applied to the Board of Executors

for a loan. This was granted so that he could install ‘certain conveniences’ and install sanitary
‘arrangements’ at Essex and Gordon Cottages. It seems that as late as this time these cottages

were not attached to the municipal sewer system. The logic of making improvements was sound
because it would increase the rental charges and the value of the houses when they were sold.

James’ estate was wound up in 1913 with sales of the houses. In some cases the sitting tenants

bought them and brother John bought one house too. As James had no immediate family,
settlement was delayed as most of the proceeds of the estate were distributed to family members