My informant Allan Hannah has sent in some great pictures of Durban Bay from sometime in the 1960s. Putting up his pictures allows me the chance to give a new piece of technology (NextGen picture gallery for WordPress)- a trial.
How to use NextGen: Click a picture to enlarge it and use the arrow buttons to scroll through the other ones. Click an enlarged picture to shrink it.
Why not leave a comment telling me what you think of the gallery concept?
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Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Allan J,
Great addition to the site. I wonder how many interesting photos of Durban of the late 50s/ 60s/70s are not lying around in albums, tins and boxes. People can now add them to the site and share them with us on FAD. And Allan H, great pictures and so clear. They are an indication of the great 35mm colour films that were available at the time such as Kodachrome, AgfaChrome and Agfa CT18 slide film. The ship tied up in the distance is one of the 4 Ellerman Bucknall ships that plied between the UK and Durban at the time. They used to go up to Lourenco Marques (Maputo) as well taking a limited number of passengers. My late mother as well as my late in laws did the trip to LM and both remarked on the excellent standard of accommodation on board. The giveaway as to the shipping line is the funnel. Union Castle had the red funnel topped with black whereas Ellerman Bucknall had a buff funnel topped with a white striped and black top. The 4 Ellerman Bucknall ships operating at the time the photo was taken was the City of Port Elizabeth, City of Durban, City of Exeter and the City of York. Ellerman Bucknall pulled out of this route in 1971.
Allan Hannah
Whilst on the bayside maybe we should be going out to lunch?? What about the “Vic Bar” for a peri-peri “flattie” of note!! I remember, not so long ago, when it was really difficult to find a spot with a little elbow room in the long bar that fronted the Point Road pavement.
We enjoyed an ice cold beer and a flat peri-peri chicken on many occasions and met some wondeerful characters in the Vic Bar! I will send Allan J a pic of the Vic, taken at the time of the road splitting at the the old building being completed! regards Allan H
Allan Jackson
Thanks for the Vic Bar picture. I have uploaded it into the gallery at the top of the page; it’s fourth in the list.
My favourite dish at the Vic was the sliced (chorizo??) sausage fried in oil, with a hefty helping of garlic.
Allan Hannah
When I think 0f the Vic Bar and all the “goodies” on the menu the favourite that you mention (maybe Chourico??) sets the old taste buds going! I am sending you a “new pic” that you may, or may not, wish to put up with my other humble offerings! The significance of the photo is merely to highlight the fact that the birdlife on the Bluff side of town is still “alive and well”! regards Allan H
Allan Hannah
Hi Allan J
Whilst browsing old family albums I came across more old pics relative to the subject, “bayside”. The photos of the ships “crossing the bar” were taken by me and I am sorry to say that my photographic skills were possibly worse than they are today!!
However, there are two different vessels entering the harbour and someone like Gerald my care to elaborate on them! As I sit and write this note to you I have no idea why I was on the quayside to take these pictures! I t could well have been a family outing in which case it would probably been a Sunday!
May be the readers can help!
Photos under separate e-mail to you.
Regards AllanH
Arlene Moodley
Hi,Im looking for pics or old newspaper articles on a fishing village called Bayside in Durban.It used to be in the vacinity of the Bayhead area.It was occupied by Indian who were then moved to Chatsworth after the Group Areas Act.Please assist or refer
Jo Wallstrom-Walda
Hi, I remember when we lived on the Bluff from 1952 to 1962. My Dad used to stretch out on the verandah wall and watch the Bay for hours. Right across from us was where the Indians grew their vegetables and fruit. I think they must have been Hindus. Whenever someone died the husband or father or nearest relative would drag them in a sled with the hook in his back to the Hindu Temple which we could see clearly on the other side. Could it have been on the Umbilo River which fed into the bay? Every afternoon about 5.30 the flamingos would fly into the mangrove swamp to settle in for the night. That is if the flying boat didn’t land on the bay first. Sadly that’s all gone now being replaced by that ugly railway shunting yard. Durban has changed beyond recogniton and sadly not for the better. Regards Jo