Diary

In 1938, the Richmond Women’s Institute leased a property in Richmond called Oak Cottage and this was converted into a holiday home for women and children who could not afford a getaway holiday at a resort. In 1941, Oak Cottage was converted into a home for convalescent soldiers sent there from the Oribi Military Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. In 1943 Oak Cottage was sold and a bigger property was purchased. This property was called Evelyn House in honour of Mrs Evelyn Dent who was President of the Federation of Women’s Institutes in 1938 when the idea of the holiday home was proposed. After World War II, the use of Evelyn House as a convalescent and holiday home fell away. The property was then used for adult education and courses were offered for W.I. members with live in accommodation. In the late 50s Evelyn House converted to becoming a haven for elderly retired women predominantly those who were Women’s Institute members. Over the years, cottages and other accommodation have been added and it continues to this day as an old age home, totally administered and run by the Women’s Institute.

In September 2012, I arranged to meet with some of the older residents who live in Evelyn House.  The informal meeting was to ascertain whether there were any residents who previously had lived in Durban and perhaps had memories which should be recorded. I had a fairly good turn out and they were most interested to listen to what I had to say about my interest in Durban. I informed them about the Facts about Durban website but it was quite obvious that they were of the generation where the internet did not mean much to them. A lot of incidental memories were related and quite a few anecdotes. The lady with whom I liaised with, whose family were the Sparks ( of Sparks Estate), was willing to help me to get the ladies to write down their memories in their own time and she is seeing to this side of the project. It is to be seen what comes if this.

One of the residents, a Mrs, Doreen Nicholson, now in her 90s,  handed me a typed copy of notes written by her mother, Mrs E. T. Robb sometime around 1979. I have retyped the notes and added some comment of my own for clarification which is shown in italics. I have also indicated dates to present a sort of time line as none is given. However the record is of the time and I present it here as it was given me:

My Memories of old Durban by Elizabeth Robb.

(nee McKay Born 26/6/1894 Died ?)

    I am sitting at my window in a hotel high up on the Berea, looking out at the lush green trees and shrubs, to the lighthouse on the Bluff in the distance. The sky line is partly obscured by the large concrete buildings, and my thoughts wander down through the years to the old Durban, the town where I grew up and feel where I belong and partly belongs to me.   What a change has taken place in this lovely city, in the march of progress, and I feel it has lost something , just the nostalgic feeling of the past and growing old. Read More