Category: History

The Railway Line The Railway Line In the reminiscences of Mr. Charles Beviss, who came to Pinetown in about 1872, as a child he remembers “the wagons going up-country followed the present road to Kloof but coming back, if empty, the wagons took the short cut down the face of Fields Hill.”  The “face of Field’s… Continue reading The Railway Line

THE HEART OF KLOOF THE HEART OF KLOOF As some of you will know, Kloof & the Field name are synonymous.  Field’s Hill was named after John Coote Field who arrived in Natal from the Cape by sea aboard the Pilot with his wife Elisabeth Catharina Field (born Swart) and their baby daughter Susara in March 1845. … Continue reading THE HEART OF KLOOF

MEMORIAL PARK MEMORIAL PARK THE ORIGINS OF THE PROPERTY ON WHICH IS SITUATED MEMORIAL PARK, KLOOF   In February 1947, the land on which Memorial park is situated, was given to the local Town board as a memorial to those Kloof residents who died in World War 11.   Originally part of a large farm, Farm… Continue reading MEMORIAL PARK

MAKARANGA GARDENS MAKARANGA GARDENS FERN VALLEY today is known as MAKARANGA GARDENS, and was the brainchild of Billionaire financier LeslieRiggall and his wife Gladys.  Escaping the communist uprising in Portugal in 1976 they sought to find a spot in South Africa to create a botanical garden.  They were looking for the perfect climate and after… Continue reading MAKARANGA GARDENS

HUMPY BRIDGE HUMPY BRIDGE The little “humpy” bridge, which crosses the old railway line from Old Main Road to Willingdon Ave opposite Platt Road in Kloof, was built out of re-inforced concrete in the early 1920s.   Benjamin Field, the youngest son of John and Elisabeth Field built a house soon after his marriage to… Continue reading HUMPY BRIDGE