Photos of Cape Town’s past…
I’ve lived in Cape Town since a small boy, and some of these photos really bring back some memories.
Others are from farther back than I can remember, showing scenes from the city’s past that remind one of just how empty South Africa was in the old days.
Picture 1: Cape Town station
Picture 2: The old cable car. Spot how undeveloped Lion’s head is!
Picture 3: Cape Town foreshore… No pepperpots against the mountain! Also notice the traffic circles at the bottom end of Adderly street, with no buildings around them!!
Picture 4: Cape De Waal Drive… Wow!!
Picture 5: Adderly Street, Cape Town central.
Picture 6: Newlands Cricket Grounds
Picture 7: The N1 national road from Cape Town! If you know Cape Town, you’ll know how amazingly unbelievable this photo looks!
Picture 8: Kalk Bay Harbour (I think… Could also be Simonstown)
Picture 9: If you know where this cinema is, let us know in the comments!
Picture 10: Hout Bay… Where are all the buildings?!
Picture 11: A petrol station in Sea Point, with NO buildings on signal hill or running along the base of Lion’s Head!
Picture 12: Beach Road, Sea Point
Picture 13: Beach Road, Sea Point
Picture 14: Muizenberg Beach.
Picture 15: People at the beach in full suits, ties and hats. South Africa isn’t exactly a cool climate. These guys must have been almost melting!
Picture 16: Adderly Street, Cape Town central.
Picture 17: Another art-deco cinema. (Know where? Tell us in the comments!)
Picture 18: Cape Town International Airport!!
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July 30th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Wow….just wow… Any indication of which years this photos depict?
July 30th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
In fact…what would be REALLY cool is if you went out, as a little project, and took comparison photos of how it looks today.
Anyhow…linked to this page in my blog: http://utterinsanity.wordpress.com/2008/07/30/old-photos-of-cape-town/
July 30th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Nope, but it’s got to be at least the fifties… I think they’re from a range of years though. I might start this as a regular, if I can find more photies, coz it’s kinda cool.
July 30th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
That’s actually a GREAT idea. Stay tuned…
July 30th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Picture 9 Camps Bay?
Picture 17 The Metro in St George’s/Long Street?
sorry I’m vague but I left CT in 1965!
Thanks for sharing these excellent pictures.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
This is really awesome. How *cute* is CT international?
July 31st, 2008 at 10:00 am
Where can i find the originals? I would love have them in print.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Photo 1 - “Meet me under the Clock on the Station” Used to catch the 5.13PM train to Simonstown from there! As a child, I was also amazed at the little train in the glass case under the Clock.
Photo 3 - The Union Castle “Mailship”
Photo 5 - Adderley Street, showing the balcony of the Grand Hotel. Check out the cars.
Photo 6 - Newlands Cricket ground from Castle Corner.
Photo 7 - The N1 from around about Plattekloof off ramp. The car is a Hudson. My Grandfather had one. The whole family used to go for a picnic in it!
Photo 8 - Kalk Bay harbour when the snoek boats had arrived!
Photo 9 - The Old Savoy in Rosebank, changed to the Cinerama. The section on the left was the Tea room attached.
Photo 15 is the section next to the Sea Point Pavilion.
Photo 17 - The Van Riebeeck Cinema. Cnr Riebeeck and Long Streets.
Photo 18 - The old Airport building. My friend John Hall and I used to ride our bikes out from Rondebosch to see the NEW Boeing 707 (pictured right)coming in. We could stand and wave friends off from the top of the building.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Wow, that’s awesome. Thanks Chris!
August 1st, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Hey Tim, I got a couple of these from a friend too via email and another friend has posted some “comparison” photos of “old and new”. Take a look at this blog post for more info and links.