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From: "Becky Horne" <>
Subject: [ZA] The origin of some early Street names.
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2003 16:44:14 +0200


Hello everyone

In Cape Town there is a street called HENWICK Street. I need to know how this street got it's name. Is there anybody that is willing to assist me? This is what I found on East London that just might help someone.

SOURCE: Pioneer Port - The Illustrated History of East London by Joseph DENFIELD

East London's building come and go, but the streets stay on. Many of their names have been changed. This is a pity, for the events which they have commemorated have no longer any memorial.

East London received its name on January 14, 1848, when Sir Harry SMITH proclaimed the Buffalo Mouth area the "Port of East London". By the end of 1849, its first streets had already been named. They were Strand Street, Smith , Toby and Jetty Streets. Strand and Smith Streets have retained their names, the former obviously named on account of its position and the latter after the Governor of the Cape at that time. East London's first jetty, built in 1847, was a rough stone affair, at which were first landed from the Barque "Fredrik Huth", whose Master was J. TOBY. This important event was preserved in the naming of "Toby Street", but somewhere along the line it was changed to "High Street", and so this historic link has been destroyed.

"Jetty Street", which gave access to the wharves, ran parallel to the west bank of the river. In later years it became "Victoria Street" and is now "Dale Street".

The Eastern side of the river was originally planned by Lieut. G. P. COLLEY, in May 1857, but apart from Panmure, named after Lord PANMURE, the Secretary for War at the time of the German Legion, hardly any new names came into force until 1877. However, "Prince Alfred Square" on the West Bank followed the Prince's visit to British Kaffraria in 1860 and a favourite picnic spot at the bottom of Fitzpatrick Road took on the name of "Quanza Terrace" shortly after the wreck of the "Quanza" in 1872.

East London's first bank, the Standard Bank, took over John GATELY's residence in September 1873, and "Bank Street" resulted. The junction of East London East and Panmure became "Union Street", and "Hanover" and "Berlin" Streets received their names because of the German settlers living there. During WWI these name were changed to Gladstone and Buxton Streets. "Waterloo Square", the site of the present City Hall, was named "because of the numbers of English and Germans living in the locality, whose forefathers fought side by side at Waterloo". "Argyle Street" accommodated the first Scottish immigrants, and "Caxton Street" housed the first printing press on the east side of the river.

In 1882, further streets appeared and represented poets, saints and statesmen, "Inverleith Terrace" was named on account of its first resident, James GEORGESON, who had lived in a street of similar name in Leith, Scotland. The origin of some street names are not obvious at first, but by patient inquiry and diligent search their source can be uncovered.

Any leads to finding out the reason how HENWICK Street, Cape Town, got its name in the first place would be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes
Becky
Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Researching: HENWICK; HILL; HORN(E); MEREDITH; DEYZEL; LARSEN; WILSON;
LYNAR; HENNING; STERLEY; THECK; BEST; BRAUN, GREENER; GLANVILLE.

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