Page 72 - Bulletin 23- 2020

68

was another terrace which flattened out, leading to steps and a door to the back road
which was used as a short cut to buy goods from Woolfson’s grocery shop. On the
lefthand side was the shed which was used by Mr. Ladan. I think most of the terracing
work was done by Mr. Ladan but am not sure.

There was no doubt Ladan could be very difficult and there are many examples of his letters and

arguments with Council. He was a shrewd developer, despite the later insolvency, and by 1920
had bought several plots in what was then called Essex Road. (Figs. 3.4 & 3.5). This was his

ambitious, and for Kalk Bay, major property development submitted to Council in 1920. The
proposed cost was a substantial £7,500.

A dispute with Council resolved

The houses Courthope and Erinville in Harris Road were built but there were problems with the
remainder – not least was that there was no sewer in Harbour Road, although drainage is shown

to go that way. More of a problem was that he proposed building a house on the land he owned

at the end of Harbour Road effectively blocking that end of the street.

There were some harsh words exchanged with Council over his proposed development. Mrs.
Rose Russell, a war widow who had bought The Croft on the other side of the road (5 Ladan

Road) from Ladan, complained that the only access was along the un-made Harris Road. Having
sold her a house he had filled the site opposite her with building materials. As a result of this she

couldn’t find a tenant for the house. When Council raised this Ladan’s answer was to fence off
the lot altogether, denying everyone access.

After more complaints from widow Russell and others about the state of the road and access

problems Council had to take action. Behind the scenes Frank Rhodes, MLC and long-time St
James resident, wrote an off-the-record personal letter to the Mayor of Cape Town in April 1923.

Ladan had wanted £300 but Rhodes had beaten him down to a more reasonable £150 for the plot

at the end of Harbour Road. The sweetener was that the street would be named Ladan Road by
Council. On this basis Council sent out a delegation to negotiate with Louis. He took his time

and drove a hard bargain. Council wanted to buy the strip allowing access through to then-Essex
Road. In the end after much to-ing and fro-ing an offer was made and accepted: Council paid