Chairman S Chatter

HIGHWAY HERITAGE SOCIETY P.O. Box 50541 MUSGRAVE ROAD 4062 Tel/Fax 031 7644721 [email protected] AUGUST 2012 NEWSLETTER

CHAIRMAN’S CHATTER

It has been an exciting 2 weeks watching the Olympic Games in London, the organization of which has been mind-boggling. We can be very proud of the six South African Gold, Silver & Bronze medalists and all our other athletes, some of whom came very close to winning medals.

I would like to thank those ladies who have volunteered to assist with the preparation of our sandwiches and scones for future meetings at Pomona Gardens. If there is anyone else who is willing to assist, will you please contact Margret Kirsten at 031-7658052, so that the work can be shared out equitably in future.

If anyone has any articles, of general historical interest, which they would be happy to have published in our Newsletter please will you let me know on [email protected].

I would like to place on record the Society’s thanks to Arthur Fregona, the webmaster of www.historybuffs.co.za, for the continued publicity given to our Society. Those of you who have access to a computer will find interesting historical information on this website and also some articles penned by members of our Society.

OUTING ON 25 AUGUST 2012

Visit to New Germany Nature Reserve, Aviaries & snake tanks.

Speaker: Nick Liebenberg. Nick will give us a brief talk on the history of the Nature Reserve and tell us about the birds and snakes under his care. He will also inform us of the flora & fauna in the Reserve. After the talk we will be able to walk through the bird aviaries and those who are feeling energetic may go for a walk/hike in the Nature Reserve. (Wear suitable footwear!) Some seating will be available.

Date & time: Saturday 25 August 2012 at 14h00 (2 p.m.) Please ensure that you arrive at least 10 minutes before this time to allow for the collection of meeting fees.

Venue: New Germany Nature Reserve, Gilbert Drive, top of Cowies Hill. One can either approach from Pinetown down Stapleton Road, into Mountain Ridge Road, or from Methven Road from Westville North. If unsure, phone Adrian a/h on 031 7644721 or Chris on 031 7651824. Please drive carefully when entering the Reserve as there are potholes and drains across the road.

Meeting Fees: Members R10; Visitors R15; Entrance to the Reserve is free, but the fee will be given as a donation to Nick towards the cost of bird food. Please try to bring the correct change. If you know of any friends who may be interested in joining us, please invite them to come along. Tea is not included but we would suggest that you bring a picnic tea which you can enjoy afterwards.

NEW MEMBERS

We would like to welcome the following new members to our Society: Jean Lindsay, Nevil Walmsley and Marie Gurr. We look forward to seeing you at future meetings.

HUMPY BRIDGE KLOOF

“Humpy” bridge, Kloof Copyright: Adrian M. Rowe

The little “humpy” bridge, which crosses the old railway line from (old) Main Road (opposite Kloof Animal Hospital) to Willingdon Ave. opposite Platt Road in Kloof, was built out of re-enforced concrete in the early 1920s, but so far the writer has been unable to find the official records to confirm the date. This has been complicated as the line was originally owned by the Natal Government Railway (NGR) and at Union in 1910 was amalgamated with other private companies to become the South African Railways. Their archive records are housed at various locations.

This section of line was opened to Bothas Hill on 24 March 1879 and in those days after leaving Pine Town station, the next station up the line was Gilletts (as it was then spelt).

Krantzkloof Station (now Kloof) was built and opened in 1890 and was a wood & iron building. Krantzkloof station c. 1905 Copyright: Natal Archives, Pietermaritzburg

In about 1905 the first motor car arrived in Kloof, which presented a problem for some homeowners on the “wrong” side of the railway line. Level-crossings had already been built next to the station and also adjacent to today’s position of Field’s Hill Garage, to allow the Field family and other local farmers, to cross with their ox-wagons.

The old house, which was built by Benjamin Cromwell Colenso Field, the youngest child of John Coote & Elisabeth Catrina Field, soon after his marriage to Minnie Hoffman in 1897, on his father’s farm, Richmond no. 999, today stands at 7 Platt Road, and was accessed by a farm road.

On the death of his mother in 1901, in terms of the Will of his Father, John Coote Field, Benjamin was to inherit 500 acres (Lot R) which included his house and his father’s homestead in what is today Hilldray Rd. Unfortunately he died on 29 January 1903 and his wife immediately began to sell subdivisions of his inheritance. In November 1903 retired judge Alfred Millar purchased 55 acres including Benjamin’s house. He in turn sold 24 acres, including the house, to Dr. Samuel Campbell. At a date which has not yet been confirmed, but prior to 1926, Mr Edward Clothier purchased the land and house, and he approached the SAR to have the “humpy” bridge built so that he could drive his car over the railway to his home. The writer has in his possession a photograph of the Clothier family on the verandah in front of the house taken in 1926.

Owing to width of the bridge (3.1 metres) it became too narrow for modern cars and was closed in the early 1960s when Willingdon Avenue was extended and the Elizabeth Bridge was built over the line next to Kloof station. At the same time another bridge was built at the other end of Willingdon Avenue linking it to Wyebank Road (now Pioneer Road). Mike Illing of Waterfall remembers crossing the bridge with his mother in her MG Magnette on their way to his music lesson, in Willingdon Avenue.

Written by: Adrian M. Rowe (July 2012)