Page 139 - Bulletin 7 2003

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THE STORY OF KALK BAY POLICE STATION

Michael Walker

Before the Lock-up

As early as January 1855 a request had been sent by the residents of Kalk Bay to
the Resident Magistrate of Simon’s Town, Mr. Francis B. Pinney, for

establishing an “out station” and the appointment of a constable at Kalk Bay.
This request was never granted, but the Resident Magistrate agreed that a

constable be sent from Simon’s Town once a week to check that no fish offal or

refuse was accumulating on the beach or Landing Place. He was to report back to
the Resident Magistrate on any problems in this respect as well as of any other

offences he observed. This measure was totally inadequate in a village of some

four hundred persons.

In June 1861 a memorandum was sent by the residents of Kalk Bay to Sir George
Grey, Governor of the Cape Colony, for “the want of a proper police for the

maintenance of peace at Kalk Bay”. The memorandum further stated that there
was at times “great disorder which ended in fighting among the Manillas, the

Malays and the Europeans”. It added that a serious situation had developed in

January of that year when fighting and stabbing had broken out and the situation
had only been saved by the Justice of Peace who, by chance, was there on

holiday.

Intemperance among the fishermen has been a problem from the very earliest
days. The first rector of the Holy Trinity Church, the Reverend James Baker,

attributed a great deal of this intemperance to the availability of cheap spirits,

particularly brandy, and suggested rather that a cheap beer be available and that
the price of spirits be increased. He also suggested that second offenders of