Page 190 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

Bickersteth was a famous doctor in Cape Town in the mid-1800s and for many years St.

James Beach was called Bickersteth's Beach.

Arderne's Cottage

On the St. James side of G. S. Withinshaw’s properties stood "Arderne’s Cottage" which

was built by the successful timber merchant R. H. Arderne, circa 1875. The property
consisted of one large erf – the coachhouse and stables set slightly back from the Main

Road (today No. 26), and the main house (today No. 28) set on the Kalk Bay side of the

coachhouse and stables. The property was bought by Alan Chase Taylor in July 1896 from
Arderne’s deceased estate for £4200. He subdivided the plot into two erven and on his

death his executors sold the property, with coachhouse and stables, to William Searle of

"Devon Cottage" on 30 November 1901 for £1320.

Searle went insolvent and the Norwich Union Life Assurance bought the property with the
supposed intention of renovating the premises as a seaside resort for their employees. This

did not happen and eventually they sold the property to Frank Rhodes, nephew of Cecil
Rhodes, in February 1913 for £1300. Frank Rhodes then built the well-known home

"Irisville" which he named after his eldest daughter. On the plot behind "Irisville" he built

"Esme Cottage" (No. 24 Main Road), which he named after his younger daughter. "Esme
Cottage", apart from modern day alterations, is more or less as it was when Frank Rhodes

built it circa 1918, but "Irisville" underwent major alterations and additions by Caroline
Mendelsohn in 1942. It is now called "Twee Gevels" (No. 26 Main Road).

Taylor's Cottage

The executors of Allan Chase Taylor's estate sold the main house, now known as "Taylor’s
Cottage", to Thomas Herbert Pegram on 20 May 1901 for £1375. Pegram was a director of

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