HISTORY OF MELKBOSSTRAND

HISTORICAL RESUME.

NEAR to Melkbosch Strand, rises the mountain Blaauwberg a name which is recorded two centuries ago. The name arose from the colour of the hill when seen from the ships appraching. It has an historical association, for on the other side-the land side-the wen-known battle between the Dutch and the English was fought in 1806. When the fleet with troops on board, sailed to the north of Robben Island in January, 1806, the Commander, Sir David Baird, intended to land at Blaauwberg, but found the surf running very high, so had to abandon his plan. He sent a couple of ships on to Saldanha Bay, intending to follow with the others next day, and so march the troops from there. On the following day the waters were luckily calm; so he ran one of the smaller craft ashore at a spot then known as Losperds Bay, slightly to the north of Melkbosch Point where Melkbosstrand was established. Men were landed, but unfortunately one boatload with Highland troops was swamped and the men drowned. The Dutch had snipers along the mountain-side, and they were potting at the landing soldiers, but without bloodshed. It was the intention of General Janssens, the Dutch Governor and Commander of the Force, to hurry his men up to the summit of Blaauwberg, and so impede the landing and advance of the British. He was too late in carrying this out, for at dawn of the 8th January, the British had already crossed over the hill and were forming up in line on the other side, ready to advance. Sir David Baird kept his men in line for some distances, when he divided them into two and sent the left wing on first, which began to advance in echelon. Janssens' army was a composite one; it contained Dutch troops, burgher militia, a regiment of Waldekers and some French soldiers, and his artillery was in the hands of the Javanese or Malays-excellent men they was. Amongst the troops was also the Hottentot Corps, which Janssens had trained to a state of efficiency. In those days fighting took place at what we would consider fairly close quarters. When the artillery of the attackers opened fire, the first shots fell amongst the Waldekers who became restive and broke the line. Janssens did all he could to reconstruct the line, but the attackers were in larger force and he eventually retreated to Hottentot's Holland. It was not a bloodless battle, for lives were lost on both sides, although not in great numbers and many were wounded. Baird estimated the losses at 700 killed and wounded. The British marched on towards Cape Town over sandy and dry country, encamping at Rietvalley that night, tired and worn out with the morning’s fighting, and the advance over ground which was new to men from Europe and under a blistering hot sun. A few days afterwards Cape Town capitulated.

DEVELOPMENT OF MELKBOSSTRAND

The Cape Lands Development Company LTD developed Melkbosstrand, then known as Melkbosch Strand, in 1924 at which stage the Damhuis, a lovely Cape Dutch homestead  and a few other holiday houses, a Post Office and a cafee was already build. 600 plots were laid out.

There was a natural spring situated at the Damhuis with a large dam almost were the current parking area is situated next to Beach Road.

They supplied a cement building block plant and building costs was greatly reduced compared to any other area.

An Estate Agent Office, managed by J Commaile, has been erected at the entrance to the township and has been constructed of cement blocks which illustrated the types of blocks being manufactured at the plant.

They completed a new water scheme which, together with the two natural springs, provided water for the residence and supplied  crystal clear water.

The develpment consisted of Mostert street and Commaile street with no formal road where the current Beach Road is and was mainly a holiday village.

Provision for only two "hard roads" were made being the current Mostert Street and 11th Avenue.

Already at this stage, boeresport was held every year on the 2nd of January and was famous for it's horse events under the patronage of influential famers, mainly from the Malmesbury area.

Although safe open-sea bathing faculities existed along the whole beach of Melkbos, nature provided a natural swimming bath in the shape of a miniture lagoon at the southern end of the township, almost where the Fire Brigade is situated now. Into this, one could dive at high tide and have a brisk swim.

Practically every street have been planted with gum, pine, cypress and oak trees to greate a parklike township. Tree planting has also been carried out on the fringe of the turf on the foreshore.

Tennis courts were build on Beach Road together with a big beachfront recreational hall where picnic dances became very popular.

Only after the development of Koeberg Nuclear station and the building of the West Coast Road(R27), Melkbos developed rapidly into a residential township, when Kapteinbaai was developed and thereafter Duynefontein.

Kreef was nog volop in die sestiger jare toe die kreeffabrief wat geleë was waar die brandweer tans is, baie florend besigheid gedoen het.

So onlangs soos 1970 het Melkbos slegs gestrek vanaf 1 ste laan tot 19 de laan en was 'n rustige stranddorpie met die huidige twee kafees in sesde laan en een kafee(Kreef kafee) in Kusweg waar Sharkbay Sentrum tans is.

Die laerskool was geleë langs Otto Du Plessis waar die Pre Primêre skool nou is met ongeveer 27 kinders en drie onderwysers, die hoof wat vir jare Mnr Louw was ingesluit, wat die hele laerskool moes behartig uit drie klaskamers.

Desembermaande was die strand gepak met vakansiegangers wat veral in die karavaanpark langs Kusweg, waar die park langs die parkeerterrein tans is, geleë was.

Die erwe in Harold Ashwell Boulevard was beskikbaar gestel vir slegs R 18 000.00 in 1982 en Kusweg eiendomme kon nog gekoop word vir R 60 000.00.

Die goeie ou dae is nou eers verby as mens kyk wat Eiendomme nou kos in ons ou dorpie.

This site is still under construction

Enige kommemtaar van ou inwoners sal waardeer word en ingesluit word met verwysing na die bron