Page 96 - Bulletin 23- 2020

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heard of this church although simple research shows it was founded by black Methodists in
America in 1804 and today has about 3 million members worldwide.

Bishop Levi Jenkins Coppin and his wife (Fanny Williams) were in South Africa from 1900 to

1904 and travelled as far as Bulawayo in Rhodesia on their missionary work – an extraordinary
couple. (Figs. 3. 29 & 3.30).

At the National Library I found a book by the Bishop entitled ‘Observation of people and things

in South Africa 1900 – 1904’. Coppin had published this book after his missionary visit to the

country. He also published ‘A Day in Kalk Bay’ - unfortunately not at the Library.

In his ‘Observations’ there is a chapter ‘A Day at Kalk Bay and an evening at Ronderbusch’

(sic). There is much of interest in this chapter but in the context of the plot in Ladan Road it
details how the Church has been fortunate to secure a building site and that they ‘have a

flourishing mission in Kalk Bay of more than one hundred members’. He specifically mentions

support from Christian Isaac (actually May) Adams who has ‘quite a hold upon the town.
Besides his home and several other housrs he has a green grocery store and owns the only

blacksmith and wheelwright in the town’.

We know that Christian Adams and his cousin John were long term residents and their extensive
property holdings were explored in KBHA Bulletin 16 – The Story of Windsor Road.

The Bishop also visited ‘the Salt Pan’ presumably at Noordhoek, where some Church members

lived in difficult conditions.

The Bishop’s visit ended with a reception at ‘the Hall’. It is not clear where this hall was –
certainly not one attached to any of the established churches in Kalk Bay. The most likely site is

the building at the top of Belmont Road used over many years for meetings, dances and as a
billiard club. To quote the Bishop:

‘The Reverend J C Adriaanse is our pastor at this point and here, as at other points on

his circuit he is meeting with signal success. The reception was largely attended. Music
and addresses were plentiful. Miss Adams, a young lady, made her debut on the platform,

and after reading a paper on behalf of the Committee, made an address that fairly

carried the house by storm.’