Page 53 - Bulletin 7 2003

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Mayor H. H. Scowen 1901 - 1902, 1903 - 1905 (Fig. 2.4)

Harry Hurell Scowen followed Hansen with two terms of office (April 1901 -
August 1902, and August 1903 - August 1905). He was the owner of Scowen’s

Hotel and his wife was an excellent cook. Cecil Rhodes regularly ate with

friends at Scowen’s Hotel, ordering the meal, usually fish, before he left Cape
Town on his way to his cottage at Muizenberg.

How good a mayor Harry Scowen was is difficult to assess, especially as the

Auditor-General in 1906 castigated the Kalk Bay - Muizenberg Municipality for
financial chaos, which appeared to have started in Scowen’s time. One thing was

certain: Scowen loved to party. He was a great entertainer and organized

functions on the least provocation. He was the most colourful of all the mayors
and held many functions at his hotel, which included his election as mayor, his

completion of his first year as mayor, as well as functions to celebrate the

various openings, extensions and improvements to his hotel. Hansen had
initiated the building of the Kalk Bay wash-house to improve the hygiene of the

Municipality, but drowned before its opening, and Harry Scowen performed the
task with pomp and ceremony on 1 July 1901.

An amusing incident was always told in those days against Harry Scowen. The

Duke and Duchess of Cornwall were visiting Simon's Town by train and Harry

had arranged, through some connection, to have the train stop at Muizenberg,
where a function would be held briefly at the station. The Duke and Duchess

would alight from the train and Harry would present them with a painting from
the people of Muizenberg and Kalk Bay. The celebrations started well in

advance of the arrival of the train, and on arrival the Duke and Duchess duly
alighted. Harry presented the painting and quickly arranged for a photograph of

himself with the Duke and Duchess. The Municipal photographer was prepared

and immediately sprang into action, but, regrettably, after taking the photographs
and waving the train farewell, he damaged the camera, whether or not as a result

of the prior celebrations and the many toasts is unknown, but all that came out of