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Essex Road was paved with cobbles in 1929 after years of complaints that every winter a ‘torrent’

running down from Ladan and Harris Roads washed away the whole road surface and people’s
walls. The costs of making good were £293 16 4d of which property owners paid the legislated

share.

Harris Road

This lovely little ‘road’ or walkway is largely unchanged from the early 1890s when James Harris

bought up many of the lots and renovated or built from new. Most of the cottages still stand –

externally little altered. (Fig. 3.8). Harris was a Scottish property speculator and a well-respected
member of the growing Kalk Bay community. He was only 68 when he died suddenly of a heart

attack on Christmas Day 1911.

Ladan Road

Of all the streets in Kalk Bay this is one of only three streets where I found how the naming

decision was made. The 1900 map shows it as Essex Road but I was told that this was because

someone uprooted an Essex Road sign that stood on the Main Road and planted it here. (Fig. 3.9).

Louis Ladan was a Dutch immigrant and long-time resident. He built many houses here and also
his own big house Schoonzicht at the bottom of Quarry Road. I have seen many letters to Council

from Louis and there’s no doubt he could be very difficult.

A particular problem cropped us because he owned a lot right at the end of Harbour Road. Why

Council had not created a road reserve as an extension of Harbour Road is a mystery. But Louis

Ladan had bought the erf and used it to store building material. He built and then sold a house (The
Croft) to a war widow who complained several times that she couldn’t get to Harbour Road

because of Ladan’s building materials. Her only route to the Main Road was along the rough and

unmade Harris Road. When Council raised this with Louis his answer was to fence off his vacant
lot and fill it with building materials.

In 1923 a Council delegation arrived by train to negotiate a way through this impasse. Louis could
be difficult and he drove a hard bargain. Council wanted to buy the strip allowing access through

to what was still an un-named road. In the end, after much to-ing and fro-ing, an offer was made

and accepted: Council paid £350 and offered to call this street Ladan Road. With this Louis was