Durban streets Memory lane

In 1863 the Durban Council bought 70 oil lamps and 40 Iron lamp-posts to provide lighting to the main thoroughfares. These operated at a cost of 400 pounds a year until electric lamps replaced them.

West Street, looking west towards the Berea, Durban, Natal,b

1899. The ‘Blue Jackets’ (Naval Brigade) being cheered on by Durbanites as they march in front of the Town Hall, Anglo-Boer War years.

The 'Blue Jackets' Naval Brigade, marching in front of the Durban Townhall, cheered on by Durbanites, 1899

The Durban Light Infantry marching down West Street, 1899 – 1901.

Durban Light Infantry marching in Durban, Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902
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The Durban Volunteers marching in West Street, Durban 1899.

Durban Volunteers marching in West Street, Durban 1899

The business premises of ‘Ward and Salmonds’, with ‘Greenacres’ beyond. West Street, post 1903.

West Street with shops, Durban

West Street, Durban, showing the Point electric tram passing the departmental store ‘Harvey Greenacres’.

West Street, Durban, showing the Point electric tram

Trams in Durban (Andre Hoffman)

The Trams in Durban - remember them?

1946 Durban

Durban | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Original bridge crossing the Umgeni River, Durban

Durban in 1890 – Tollgate in Berea road

DURBAN Toll Gate top of Berea Road 1890

A photograph of an ox-drawn wagon, with the Railway Shed and Durban Railway Station in the background. Where the man stands with arms akimbo, is the present corner of Gardiner and West streets, later the location of the Natal Bank. Note the rutted nature of the road surface.
Photograph of ox-drawn wagon and oxen, with Railway Shed, Station behind. Where the man stands is on the present corner of Gardiner and West street, later location of the Natal Bank

The somewhat tatty nature of early West Street is evident in these images. Ruts, sand drifts, animal dung and discarded debris give early Durban the look of a frontier town. It did not take long for the town councillors to establish a health board that oversaw these issues.

Durban, probably West Street, to be reviewed, Natal

A photograph of the Town Hall and West Street during Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Celebrations.

Town Hall decked out for Victoria's Jubilee, Circa 1887

Illustration of West Street with the Town Hall in the background, and a single-decker horse-drawn tram, 1889.

West Street, 1889, Durban

A photograph of a busy West Street before the days of the electric trams. Note the horse-drawn trams and the rickshas plying their trade along this important street

1900, West Street, durban

West Street, Looking west, Durban vv

Photographs recording the southern side of West Street, looking west towards St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in the distance, and recorded before the tram lines were laid. The image (below) was photographed in 1895 after the horse-drawn trams began operating. A comparison reveals substantial upgrading of commercial buildings

Durban, West Street, 1895