Currently this hotel may not possess the cachet of certain of Port Elizabeth’s more popular beach front hotels, but historically it amongst one of the few remaining original hotels. Unfortunately not all of the revamps and upgrades have retained all of the original features. Nonetheless, it remains an important link to Port Elizabeth’s illustrious past. With the recent upsurge in historical tourism, it might well be able to soldier on until the 22nd century.
Main picture: Scenes during the visit of Lord Loch, 27 January, 1890. Procession nearing the top of White’s Road. Men of the P.A.G. Regiment in procession. Decorative archway at the top of the road. Grand Hotel with spectators lining the balconies
For most of these details I am indebted to the website of the Grand Hotel. As such I owe them a debt of gratitude.
In the Grand Hotel’s long history, the nobility and the elite have walked through the foyer that was once decorated with heads and horns. Elaborate dining room table settings were the order of the day, and in the drawing room, there were floor length lace curtains and a stuffed leopard in full snarl on the hearth rug.
Scenes from Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Port Elizabeth, June 1897. A facsimile of the Jubilee Luncheon menu held at the Grand Hotel on the occasion of Queen Victorian’s Golden Jubilee, 21st June 1887.
The original house was built for Robert Dunlop Buchanan in 1867, by Port Elizabeth architect F M Pfeil. It became known as “Dunlop House”. After Dunlop, Skelton Wimble, William Septimus Jones and Kames Brister followed as owners or occupants. Brister renamed it “Park House”.
Foyer of the Grand Hotel
In June 1885 Brister advertised the house as to let with 24 rooms. It is presumably after he extended it to White’s Road. On 15 October 1885 Arnold Lipman opened the Grand Hotel. In March 1889 Walter Bunton took over and called it Bunton’s Grand Hotel. He died in 1903, but his wife carried on with the hotel.
The rear of Bunton’s Grand Hotel taken from the hotel grounds with guests standing on the balcony.
In 1911 to 1912 she extended the hotel in brick and under a reinforced concrete roof. The cost was £3 984. This is part of the building that is being renovated now. In September 1921 the hotel was transferred to William Henry Head. Head built the reinforced concrete extensions with lock-up garages in Whites Road completed on 1 September 1924 for £2 550 by Murray and Stewart. The dining room was extended in October 1924 for £900. In August 1922 Smith and Dewar called for tenders for an extra story to the east wing of the hotel, but this did not materialise.
Bunton’s Grand Hotel seen from the Donkin Reserve, circa 1890
From 1933 the hotel was leased by North Wells and bought by him in 1945. In 1980 the Wells family sold to Mr Christodoulou. The original house was destroyed by fire on 30 December 1996. The owner stated that it would be restored, but this never happened, although some rebuilding took place.
Post card showing top of White’s Road Dated 1907.Show’s Grand Hotel and old grammar school building.
Recently the ownership of the hotel changed again. Now as the Grand is under construction it is with every intention to put the grandeur back into the Grand and as you walk through the doors of the Grand Hotel you will add to that history.
Front of the Grand Hotel
Article on the Grand Hotel by Margaret Harradine
In 1863 a strip of land alongside White’s Road was sold for houses. Robert Dunlop Buchanan, a merchant with the firm Maynards, Buchanan & Co, built a home on the lots at the top of the strip surrounded by Prospect Hill, Belmont Terrace and White’s Road. His architect was the engineer FM Pfeil and the house was named “Dunlop House.”
The landward end of the north jetty and Jetty Street beyond. Rowing boat slung out on davits on either side. Buildings shown – railway station. Criterion Hotel, Criterion Chambers, Palmerston Hotel, Post office building with telephone exchange tower, St. Mary’s Church. On the skyline are Grand Hotel [top left], lighthouse, Donkin memorial. Grey Institute, Donkin Street houses. Hill Presbyterian Church. c. 1885.
Grand Hotel formerly known as Bunton’s Grand Hotel
It had a wonderful view towards the sea and verandas from which to enjoy it. The family did not remain here very long and the house had a number of owners and occupants after that, including Shelton Wimble, William Septimus Jones and James Brister. Brister re-named his house “Park House” and it is presumably he who built the extension to White’s Road with the pretty oriel window because, when he offered it to let in June 1885, it had twenty rooms.
Grand Hotel in the early 1900’s
On 15 October 1885 Arnold Lipman opened the Grand Hotel, and in March 1889 Walter Bunton, originally from King’s Lynn in Norfolk, took over and the hotel became “Bunton’s Grand Hotel”, the town’s most favoured place to stay while visiting. Photographs of the interior of the Grand are impressive indeed. In 1893 Bunton brought a group of Indian waiters here, and dressed in their uniforms and turbans, they were certainly very smart.
Valuation of the Grand Hotel in 1932
Some very interesting and important people were guests over the years, such as Mark Twain on a lecture tour (1896), the Governor, Sir Alfred Milner, on an official visit (1897) as also Cecil Rhodes (1898) and Field Marshal Lord Roberts (1900). Port Elizabeth never had a Residency, the Magistrates being given a housing allowance instead, so the Grand was found very suitable as was the Port Elizabeth Club.
Grand Hotel-Drawing room
Walter Bunton died in 1903 and his widow carried on running the hotel and in 1911/12 a large extension under a reinforced concrete roof was built in Prospect Hill. In September 1921, the hotel was transferred to William Henry Head. He built extensions with garages in White’s Road in 1924 with Murray and Steward being the builders. During the same year, he extended the dining room as well. In 1922 Smith & Dewar had drawn up plans for another storey to the east wing, but this was abandoned. It should be mentioned that, at its busiest, the hotel was not big enough and annexures were used; the house on the corner of Bird Street and Belmont Terrace, “Mavis Bank” being one.
From 1933, the Grand was leased by North Wells and bought by him in 1945. In 1956 further extensions were made, designed by Simpson and Heugh. In 1980, the Wells family sold the hotel to Mr Christodoulou and then, to everybody’s regret, the old house burnt down on 30 December 1996. At the time, the owner spoke of restoring it, but this did not happen. Some re-building did take place and various plans have been said to be in progress from time to time but now, after a long period of general inactivity, the hotel is back in business under new ownership.
Grand Hotel in 1906 with tram descending White’s Road
Recent photographs
A letter written in 1898 by Cecil John Rhodes to the Grand Hotel after his stay.
Date on which the Client sat at the Grand, then Buntons and drew the sketch.
Related articles
Sources:
Website of the Grand Hotel: http://www.greenhotelspe.co.za/history.htm
Recent photographs: Jonker Fourie