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In 1945 Southolme at 173 Main Road Kalk Bay, was sold to John Winchester Anderson shown below at age 45 with his son John. John snr. was known by his family as Jack and I will use that name from now on.
Jack Anderson with son John 1926 (Roddy Sparks)
He was the son of Captain James Anderson, a Scot who had captained trading ships for years. His mother was Mary Murison – related to the well-known Murison shipping company owners. Captain Anderson was descended from a line of Scottish sea captains and had salt in his veins having been born near Cape Aghulas on his father’s ship The Olive Branch. The family settled at the Cape and there was a period when James Anderson went to the Johannesburg gold rush.
At some point he bought extensive land opposite Green Point lighthouse and the couple lived at their large home Alexander Place near the Moulle Point lighthouse.
Green Point Lighthouse (SJ de Klerk)
Their son, John (Jack) Winchester Anderson was born on the 31st December 1881 in Cape Town. He was a great athlete and rugby player. Aged 21 he was selected to play in the last, crucial test against the 1903 Great Britain touring team. South Africa won this game and with it the series. Jack also played in the winning Western Province and Western Province Town teams both of which beat Great Britain. He played for Western Province for many years.
Jack Anderson, Springbok no 89
He had joined Hamiltons in 1901 and had then left for the Transvaal in 1906 where we are told he was involved in gold mining at Sabie and at Pilgrims rest. He captained Pirates Rugby Club when he was in Johannesburg.
To quote a family account “He was asked to go on the 1906 Springbok tour (to the UK) but his wife to be, Albania Phillips wouldn’t let him.”
Here we see Jack and his wife Albania (b Phillips) – the couple had married in the then Transvaal. They were in the liquor and hotel business and owned the Standard Hotel in Napier Street. (Ronnie Sparks)
He was back at Hamiltons by 1913 and was a lifelong member. He went into the hotel business and there is a belief that Winchester Mansions (now Winchester Mansions Hotel) at Sea Point - originally a block of flats, was built by Jack – hence the name (see main image).
In the image below Jack is seen outside Southolme which he bought in 1945. The couple loved living on the sea and there are happy snaps of him fishing with his children and grandchildren on the rocks in front of Southolme.
Southolme, Kalk Bay
Their neighbours (next door at Disodi) were the Dunn family who had a beautiful young daughter named Delis. In about 1953 Jack and Albania had seen her walking on the rocks in front of their house and thought she would be a great match for their grandson, Robert Sparks. They introduced Robert and Delis to each other – one thing led to another – they were married in 1956.
It was during this time that “South Africa’s Charles Atlas” Tromp van Diggelen was living in Anderson Road. Tromp’s wife was part of the Ayris family who lived next door to Southolme. An Anderson family anecdote describes how Kalk Bay was hardly big enough for these two very large, very proud men:
On many occasions Jack and Tromp would come upon each other as they walked along the pavement in Kalk Bay, and were too big to pass each other, requiring one of them to step off the pavement and yield to the other. Jack never yielded to Tromp!
Postcard of Tromp Van Diggelen
Jack and Albania lived in Kalk Bay until tragedy struck in 1953. In May that year Albania died aged 68 at Southolme. I am told by the family that Jack literally died of a broken heart. Six months later he had a heart attack and died aged 71 also at Southolme. Their death notices describe both of them as hotel proprietors. The couple had three adult children.
In terms of Albania’s estate her assets included Southolme valued at £4 350 (£152K/R3.5m) and the contents of the Standard Hotel in Napier Street among other things. Jack’s estate included a half share in Southolme and other assets for a value of £15 002.(£524K/R12.3m)
Note : Sterling amounts were converted to present pounds with a web based inflation calculator with the sterling then converted at the prevailing rate of £1 = R23.50
About the author: Steve Herbert is secreatary of the Kalk Bay Historical Association
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