Page 191 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

Wordon and Pegram (later Schweppes) and in 1916 was a founder subscriber, and later

director, of the Kalk Bay Hotel Co. which built and owned the Majestic Hotel in Kalk Bay.

Pegram sold the property to Anne Ball in April 1904 and she subsequently sold it in May

1905 to Harry Orpen for £1400. Harry Orpen was a prominent member of the St. James
community and his name appears many times in the promotion and welfare of St. James.

He was the leader in many petitions. He changed the name of the house to "Melrose" and
remained the owner for nearly 50 years. (Fig. 4.5). In April 1922 "Melrose" was gutted by

a mountain fire and the architectural skills of Fred Glennie were employed to rebuild it. He

did a fine job and the cantilevered front balcony was one of the many features.

Rodwell House

In the vicinity of the beach is Rodwell Road and "Rodwell House" (No. 52 Main Road). At

the turn of the century this damp hollow area with a small stream running through it was
occupied by a cluster of milkwood trees and was known as the "Picnic Bush". Here many

"daytrippers", who enjoyed special excursion tickets on the railway, picnicked under the
milkwood trees. So popular did it become that it appeared regularly in the early minutes of

the Kalk Bay – Muizenberg Municipality as a recognised picnic area which had to be

attended to and cleaned. The trees ran parallel to the Main Road and extended
approximately from today’s 40 Main Road to 52 Main Road. When the properties were

developed along this section of Main Road, the famous "Picnic Bush" was removed, much
to the displeasure of the many day-trippers and holiday makers.

The first owners of these Main Road properties were Messrs. Farmer, Hopley and W. G.

Anderson Jnr. Farmer’s property became "Blencathra", No. 40 Main Road, Hopley's

became "Coolarty", No. 42 Main Road, (Fig. 4.6) (built by Rachel Kerr in 1913), and
Anderson’s became lot 8 of Rodwell Estate which was subsequently subdivided into three

properties.

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