From District Six to Athlone
Part II

Move to Athlone

In 1926 my parents, Peter and Sophia with me the second youngest, moved to Athlone. During the Depression of the 1930's which lasted a whole nine years. The part that we moved to was called Jamestown. The "magnanimous" Councillor James had fought this segregated area as an appropriate home ownership plan. On the barren windswept Cape Flats, about seven miles (10 kilometres), home ownership was the plan for people of the mixed race.

Siblings

Strangely enough our next-door neighbour's at 11 Louisvale Road were poor whites. In 1927 my sister Blanche was born. We were Herbert, Ella, Jim, George and Blanche. At the time men were the breadwinners and practically everyone worked either in Cape Town, Woodstock, Salt River or quite a distance from their new abodes.

State of Houses

Houses were constructed with Galvanised iron, covering slab-lined walls, Two bedrooms with a kitchen and a lounge. Some houses were galvanized iron and wood. Others built of cement blocks and cement plastered. Each abode had an outhouse, which had to be cleansed with water and Jeyes Fluid to prevent both stench and disease. Once a week a new bucket replaced the old one, which was removed by the council. Some houses had 3 bedrooms, terms were 2 pounds and 10 shillings a month for twelve and a half years, brick houses soon considered themselves superior to those in the galvanized houses.

Transport

The bicycle was the most economic way to travel to work, rain or shine. Transportation at the time consisted of steam engine, a locomotive driven train. Class distinction which is first class, second and third class. The latter called "harde bankies" - Hard Benches, situated right behind the locomotive. There was an open fare for smoke fumes and coal dust. Second and first class had upholstered seats. Those who had low earnings usually travelled third class. Athlone Station only had one platform. Stations en route to Cape Town were Raapenberg, Pinelands, Ndabeni, Maitland, Koeberg Road, Salt River, Woodstock and then Cape Town. The train journey lasted almost an hour into town.

Later the lines were electrified and travelling became much faster. Two stations were added Hazendal, between Athlone and Raapenberg, Oude Moulen between Pinelands and Ndabeni. A new line was built between Raapenberg to Langa, Langa ironically means sunrise. South of Athlone, the line extended from Crawford, Lansdowne, Ottery, Southfield, and Heathfield where the Flats line joined the suburban line, which extended to Simonstown.

Shops and Shopping

Athlone had one shop, a general dealer store, Myers and Fenhalls. All assistants were white and it had a British Atmosphere. Groceries were delivered by a horse drawn wagon, by a man whom everyone called George. He was of mixed race. We children looked forward to the 12x12cm packet of flat sweets with messages printed on it which was given as a freebie or parcel with groceries delivered. Later Indian owned grocery stores shops were opened. Mrs. Bogman opened a store in Lawrence Road. Here one could purchase groceries and vegetables.

Roads and Rivers

The principle roads consisted of Klipfontein Road, from Mowbray, through to Black River, Athlone, it was tarred thus far, then onto Duinefontein, Faure, The Strand where it was a white clay (limestone) road. Lawrence road was a red gravel road from Klipfontein Road to Kromboom Road as it ran west to Rondebosch. Thornton Road from Klipfontein Road running south to Kromboom Road, two blocks east to Belgravia Road running parallel to Thornton Road and then to Kromboom Road. What later became Church Street and Grassmere Street were thigh high deep rivers in winter. In winter the Cape Flats were covered with lakes and vleis.

Natural Inhabitants

In Spring the orchestra of croaking frogs and humming insects were evident. Wild deer, snakes, hares, hairy spiders, tortoise, turtles, mosquitoes, fleas, wild birds, all were as ubiquitous as ever in the Cape.