This blog is based upon an article in the Port Elizabeth Historical Society’s Journal, “Looking Back”, June 1978. Additions have been made whenever additional information is received.

Main picture: North End of Yore

ADCOCKVALE
* Named after Walter Clement Adcock, City Councillor from 1928 and Mayor, 1936/7

ALGOA BAY
* The name of the settlement before it became Port Elizabeth in 1820. It still retained this name in shipping circles until quite recently, and for most of the 19th century it was referred to by local people simply as “The Bay”.

Per page 27 of the Dictionary of Southern African Place Names, Jonathan Ball, Johannesburg, 1987, Algoa Bay is a large inlet on the Indian Ocean, between Cape Padrone and Cape Recife, on which Port Elizabeth is situated. Named Angra da Roca by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, subsequently renamed Bahia da Lagoa, which was corrupted to Algoa Bay. The Portuguese word ‘Lagoa’ means ‘lagoon or small lake’.

ALGOA PARK
* From Algoa Bay. Formerly known as “Northdowns” and used as a military camp in World War 2. It was developed to provide housing for returned servicemen

AMSTERDAM HOEK
* After the Dutch man-of-war “Amsterdam” which was wrecked just north of the Swartkops River mouth in 1817

ARCADIA
* Arcadia South and Arcadia North are Extensions 12 and 13 of Bethelsdorp. A popular name for suburbs in South Africa, deriving from the traditionally peaceful region of ancient Greece.

BENKAMMA
* A portmanteau word from Bendor Properties Ltd., the developers, and Kragga Kamma where the township is situated

BETHELSDORP
* Founded by Dr. Johannes Theodorus van der Kemp as a London Missionary Society station on land granted to him in 1803. BETHEL the house of God, DORP, a village.

BEVERLEY GROVE
* Named by Bendor Properties Ltd. Beverley is a town in Yorkshire.

BLOEMENDAL
* Named after the farm on which the Coloured township is being developed.

BLUEWATER BAY
* The name was chosen by Mr. H. Weinronk, the developer. Over­looks the Bay

BOASTVILLE
* After Charles Trevor Boast, a former Bantu Administration Manager.

BOOYSEN’S PARK

*According to Retief Odendaal, Booysen’s Park, was named after Mr Abraham Booysen, the first Postmaster at the then very popular Schauderville Post Office and served as councilor on the Management Board of the Northern Areas.

BRAMHOPE
* The name of the farm on which the township was developed.

BROADWOOD
* The name of Charlo Extension No. 7. Chosen merely as an attractive name.

CADLES
* After William Charles Cadle (1892-1943) who owned a butcher shop and property in the area.

CHARLO
* After Charles Lovemore. The Lovemore family owned most of the ground on which this township was laid out.

CHATTY
* After the Chatty River. The origin of the river’s name is uncertain.

CLEARY ESTATE
* (Bethelsdorp Ext. No. 10). Named after Mr. D.J. Cleary, Director of Housing in Port Elizabeth.

COTSWOLD
* After the picturesque hill region in England. Named by Surveyor H.B. Smith.

DAN JOOSTE PARK
* After Rev. Dan Jooste, minister, teacher and member of the Coloured Vigilance Committee

DASSIE KRAAL
* Name of a farm. Dassie – rock rabbit; kraal – cattle pen.

DEAL PARTY ESTATE
* After a party of 1820 settlers from Deal, Kent, who established a fishery there.

DOWERVILLE
* After the Rev. William J. Dower (1837- 1919) who served the Coloured Community.

DRIFTSANDS
* A belt of driftsands once threatened the southern part of the city and the harbour but was stopped by the work of Joseph Storr Lister.

DUINEN
* An area between Walmer boundary and the sea. Old Dutch name for “dunes”.

EASTBOURNE TOWNSHIP
* Named by the developer Mr. A.W. Pudney who lived in Eastbourne Road.

ELUNDINI
* From a Xhosa word meaning “looming on the horizon” signifying a new beginning.

EMERALD HILL
* From a farm granted to John O’Neal, an Irishman, in 1815, who named it in honour of the “Emerald Isle”.

FAIRVIEW

* From the fact that there was a good view from this higher area of the region. Developed by the Fairview Suburban Estate Co. Formerly included in Newton Park.

FERNGLEN
* Named from a kloof behind Parkin’s farmhouse on the site of the estate.

FERGUSON TOWNSHIP
* After Dr. Duncan Ferguson former Medical Officer of Health for Port Elizabeth.

FOREST HILL
* Perhaps named from its proximity to the government forestry reserve.

FOWLER TOWNSHIP
* From the maiden name of the wife of Mrs. A.W. Pudney, property developer.

FRAMESBY
* The Suburb of Framesby was named after William Brooksby Frames as well. The adjacent suburb, Theescombe,  was named by Frames after his ancestral home in Gloucester.

FRANCIS EVATT PARK
* After Captain Francis Evatt, (1817-1847) Commandant at Fort Frederick,  who was largely responsible for the town’s early development.

GELVANDALE
* After Mrs. C.M.S. Gelvan who has been a City Councillor since 1947.

GELVAN PARK
* Extension No. 11 of Gelvandale

GELVAN SQUARE
* Extension No. 9 of Gelvandale

GILLETS
* Lorraine Ext. No. 28. Named by Mr. Strydom of Strydom, Basson & Tait after the name of a house of a friend in Natal, a Mr. Blaikie. Perhaps from the Scottish word meaning a woody glen.

GIPSONVILLE
* After Mrs. C.F. Gipson, a City Councillor elected in 1929.

GLEN HURD
* After Herbert Hurd, property developer, Town Councillor of Walmer and its Mayor 1922-1925.

GLENDINNINGVALE
* After Mr. John James Glendinning, a City Councillor for many years and Mayor in 1944/5

GOLDWATER
* Chosen by a member of a firm of attorneys who developed this township and who was an admirer of the unsuccessful candidate for the Presidency of the U.S.A. in 1964.

GREENSHIELDS PARK
* After Mr. William Greenshields Paterson, Mayor of Walmer 1950/51.

HART TOWNSHIP
* After George Thomas Hart, City Councillor, harbour official and a Captain in the Town Guard 1900-1902.

HELENVALE
Helenvale was named after David Sweetnam’s aunt, Helen Galloway who worked for many years in the housing department. He does not believe that she would have been too happy about the state of the township today although it had already deteriorated into “Little Katanga” in her lifetime.

HILLSKRAAL
* A man named Hill once owned grazing land here about 1910.

HOLLAND PARK
* Mr. F.J. Holland a prominent public figure and businessman.

HOY TOWNSHIP
* After Thomas Hoy, a Walmer Councillor in 1922.

HUMEWOOD
* After William Hume, M.L.A., who was Chairman of the Harbour Board at the time the land was transferred from the Harbour · Board for development as a seaside resort.

IDYLWYLDE
* Named by Mr. C. Carter Jones who bought the land and named it after a residence owned by his wife’s uncle on Lake Ontario.

JARMAN TOWNSHIP
* After Wally Jarman, former Housing Manager in the City Health Department in the 1950s and 1960s

JUTLAND TOWNSHIP
* It is believed the township was thus named because of the shape of the property, jutting out like a promontory into the Baakens valley.

KABEGA PARK
* Kabega is the name of one of the two streams which unite to form the Baakens. Possibly from the Hottentot KA – abundance, and BEGA – red clay

KAKKERLAKSVLEI
* Named after Cupido Kakkerlak, a Bethelsdorp missionary who later went to Klaarwater (later Griquatown). Not from Afrikaans “Kakkerlak” – a cockroach.

KEMSLEY PARK
* After Mr. John Chambers Kemsley, M.B.E., Mayor , 1901-4 and 1916-18.

KENSINGTON
* After the London district of that name.

KLEINSKOOL

* A small school building was established here.

KORSTEN

* After Frederick Korsten, owner of Cradock Place estate and founder of a large commercial empire in this area, arriving here in 1810.

KRAGGA KAMMA
* A Hottentot name meaning “pebbly water“.

KUNENE PARK
* Named after the South West African river.

KWA FORD
* Xhosa for “Ford Place”, from the fact that an emergency hous­ing scheme was started, using wood from packing cases in which motor parts were imported

KWAZAKELE
* Xhosa for “place you build yourself ‘. This was started as a “site and service” scheme.

LEA PLACE
* After Mr. J.W. Lea, a Town Councillor from 1865 who helped the Coloured community.

LINGA LONGA
* Now named Woodlands. There was a tea garden here named after an old music-hall song.

LINKSIDE
* Adjoins the P.E. Golf Course.

LINTON GRANGE
* After Archibald Linton, M.P.C., City Councillor and Mayor in 1923/4.

LISTERWOOD
* Named in memory of Joseph Storr Lister. who arrested the drift­ sands.

LORRAINE
* Said to have been suggested by Mrs. Kyle, wife of a surveyor. The streets in this area are named after French towns and famous French persons.

LOVEMORE HEIGHTS
* Once part of the property of the Lovemore family.

MALABAR
* Previously called Woolhope. An Indian township named after the Malabar coast in India.

MALATSKY VALLEY
* A Coloured housing scheme named after S. Malatsky, a grocer and draper in Durban Road.

MANGOLD PARK
* Named after James Mangold, a director of the Fairview Suburban Estate Co

MARAIS TOWNSHIP
* Named after Mr. Albertus B.G. Marais, Regional Representative of the National Housing and Planning Commission

MARCHANTDALE
* After Marchant Starr Davies, City Councillor, property developer and well-known sportsman.

MARKMAN TOWNSHIP
* After Alfred Markman, City Councillor and Mayor, 1958-60. An industrial township.

McLEANVILLE
* After James McLean , M.P., City Councillor from 1917 and Mayor 1938/9.

McNAMEE VILLAGE
* After J.P. McNamee , father of A.P. McNamee , Municipal Director of Bantu Affairs .

MILL PARK
* So called because a Mr. T.W. Gubb owned a mill there. It was formerly a native location known as Gubb’s Location.

MILLARD GRANGE
* After Henry John Millard, Mayor of Port Elizabeth in 1931.

MILNER TOWNSHIP
* Commemorates Lord Alfred Milner, British High Commissioner and Governor of the Cape Colony.

MIRAMAR
* From the Italian for “sea view”.

MISSIONVALE
* A township in which streets are named after missionaries.

MOREGROVE
* A name given by Mr. W. Sprowson to his part of Willowby Farm. Previously Mount Road Township.

MOUNT CROIX
* There is a good view of St.Croix Island in the bay from here.

MOUNT PLEASANT
* A popular name for areas and residences. This property was the first developed by I.W. Schlesinger in Port Elizabeth. A farm of this name stood on the site.

NEAVE INDUSTRIAL TOWNSHIP
* After Mr. John S. Neave, M.B.E. J.P., Mayor of Walmer 1914-19 and of Port Elizabeth 1939 and 1946/7.

NEW BRIGHTON
* In 1877 the then Town Clerk of Port Elizabeth named it to honour the Mayor of Brighton in England.

NEWTON PARK
* First named Fairview but on objections from the Post Office it was changed to Newton Park. The most likely explanation is that the Chairman of The Fairview Suburban Estate Co.,  owner of the the land was a Mr. George Newton..

Two possibilities have been mooted – one, that it was a “new town” and, two, after the Newton brothers who had a large general dealer’s business in Walmer Road and were noted for their charitable work’ but both of these alternatives can be discounted.

NORTH END
* Obviously because it was the northern part of the town.

OVERBAAKEN
* “Across the Baakens (River)”. The new name for the former Coloured area of Fairview.

PARI PARK
* Named by the manager of the developing company , Mr . A. Augoustatos, after his pet name for his wife.

PARK SIDE
* Gelvandale Ext. No. 10. Situated alongside a park.

PARSONS HILL
* After Mr. M.G. Parson, Municipal Land Surveyor, 1932-1950.

PARSONS VLEI
* Originally a glebe farm for the Anglican Church, hence its name. Initially it was granted to the Rev Francis McCleland in order that he could generate additional income. Instead he forever bemoaned the fact that the land was useless for agricultural purposes due to it being too damp

PERRIDGEVALE
* After Major Frank Perridge, City Councillor from 1938 and Adjutant to Prince Alfred’s Guard. Developed 1945/6 as an ex­ soldiers’ housing scheme.

PRINCE NIKIWE TOWNSHIP
* Named after Philip Nikiwe, leading educationalist, member of the Bantu Advisory Board and a lay preacher.

REDHOUSE
* In the early days a Fisherman named Cook had a reed and mud cottage painted with red ochre. It was intended to call the village Henley Reach but the popular name prevailed.

RED LOCATION
* Now part of New Brighton. Probably so called because some of the Xhosa people wore red blankets as clothing. It is more likely and more generally accepted that it was derived from the rusty colour of what used to be the original structures of the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital at Deelfontein and Uitenhage concentration camp.

RETIEFVILLE
* Named by the National Housing Board in honour of Piet Retief.

ROWALLAN PARK
* Named by Mr. Marchant Davies, probably after Lord Rowallan who was Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth from 1945 to 1959.

RUFANE VALE
* Named after Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin who named Port Elizabeth.

RUPERT’S HOPE
* The name given by Mr. Rupert G. Darlow to his part of Kabega Farm.

SALISBURY PARK
* Named in honour of Lord Salisbury, Victorian Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister.

SALSONEVILLE
* Bethelsdorp Ext. No. 15. Named after a Roman Catholic priest, Father Maxwell Salsone.

SALT LAKE
* Bethelsdorp Ext. No. 8. So called from its proximity to the salt pan.

SANCTOR
* Bethelsdorp Ext. No. 14. Probably a corruption of “sanctuary” from its proximity to a wild bird Sanctuary formerly called Varsvlei.

SANTA
* A health centre for the Coloured community. Derives its name from the S.A. Tuberculosis Association.

SCHAUDER TOWNSHIP
* Also known as SCHAUDERVILLE. Named after Adolph Schauder, City Councillor for 43 years, Mayor in 1940-41 and famous promoter of housing schemes for the underprivileged.

SCHOENMAKER’S KOP
* According to Harold Baydon Smith this was named after a vagrant who lived in a cave in this region.

SCOTSTOUN
* Named after James Scott, Mayor of Port Elizabeth 1929/30.

SIDWELL

* Named after Sidney Wells, an eminent property dealer. He left much of his property to the municipality after his death.

SOUTH END
* Obviously because this was the south end of the town. It was commonly referred to as “over the river”.

SOUTHDENE
* Part of the Driftsands area, site of 42 Air School during World War II, and a sub-economic housing scheme after the war. “Dene”** in English placenames implies “dune”.

** My Penguin Concise English Dictionary (1965) defines ‘dene’ as a ‘deep wooded valley of a small stream near the sea’. I think this needs to be checked. The English word ‘dune’ is translated as ‘duin’ in Afrikaans.  RT

SPRINGDALE
* Gelvandale Ext. No. 5. There was a natural spring in this area.

SPRINGFIELD
* Township developed by a company on Bog Farm which belonged to Mr. Adam Guthrie, Mayor of P.E. 1912/15. Probably the name refers to the good supply of water on the farm.

GEORGE’S STRAND
* Named by Mr. Sidney Wells, property developer.

STEYTLER TOWNSHIP
* From the maiden name of Winifred Adcock the wife of W.C. Adcock, City Councillor from 1928 and Mayor 1936/7

STRUANVILLE
* After Mr. I.E. Struan Robertson, City Councillor from 1948 and Meyer 1956/7

STUART TOWNSHIP
* After Mr. A.F. Stuart, a City Councillor from 1936.

SUMMERSTRAND
* Named by Mr. H.B. Smith, Surveyor. It had the reputation of being the calmest spot in the Bay.

SUNRIDGE PARK
* Named by Mr. W.E. Londt, owner of the property, after a place in Croydon, England.

SUTTON VALLANCE
* Named by Mr. Sidney Wells after the village in Kent from which he came. It is, however, misspelt. The English village is Sutton Valence.

SYDENHAM
* After a district in London. It was already known by this name in 1860 and may have been inspired by the Great Exhibition in Crystal Palace at Sydenham in 1851.

SWARTKOPS
* Village taking its name from the river. No satisfactory explanation of the origin of Swartkops has yet been found.

[Per page 523 of the Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Jonathan Ball, Johannesburg, 1987), Swartkops is a village on the Swartkops River, 11 km north of Port Elizabeth and 1.6 km from the Indian Ocean. Afrikaans for ‘black hills’, the name is said to refer to surrounding hillocks crested with dark shadows.  DM]

TAYBANK
* From the name of the farm on which the township was laid out.

THEESCOMBE
* The farm “Nooitgedacht” was officially granted to Gerrit Holtshausen, who appears in the 1813 census. In 1840, William Brooksby Frames purchased half of the farm and named it “Theescombe” after his family’s home in Gloucestershire. A “combe” is a moorland valley, a name used chiefly in south-west England. By 1849, the other half belonged to J.S. Reed. Frame’s Drift is on this property.

THEMBALETU
* A Xhosa word meaning “our hope” and is the name of a housing scheme in New Brighton.

TREVOLEN TOWNSHIP
* Named by Mr. Louis John Poulter, owner of the land, after his three sons Leonard, Vernon and Trevor. [Info supplied by Dale Poulter]

VAN DER STEL TOWNSHIP
* Named after two Governors of the Cape, Simon and Willem Adriaan van der Stel.

VEEPLAAS
* Cattle farm. Possibly owned by Frederick Korsten.

VIKING VALE
* Named by Karl Gustaf Olsson who owned and developed the land. He came from Sweden. Streets named after his children include Karlene, Jill [Info supplied by Karlene Sherman]

WALMER
* Named by D. Macdonald, Government Surveyor, when the town ship was laid out on the farm Welgedacht in 1853. After Walmer Castle, seat of the Duke of Wellington as Warden of the Cinque Ports, who had recently died.

WELLS ESTATE
* Part of the land left to the municipality by Mr. Sidney Wells.

WEST END
* Extension No. 11 of Bethelsdorp.

WESTERING
* Named by Mr. Altman, Surveyor, because of its position in relation to the city,

WESTVIEW
* When the area was developed it had a clear unbroken view towards the west.

WEYBRIDGE PARK
* Named after the farm on which it was laid out. Weybridge is a town in Surrey, England.

WHITE LOCATION
* Now part of New Brighton. So called from the fact that the houses were painted white.

WILLOWDENE
* Named from the Port Jackson willows which grew there, combined with the old English word for dune.

WOODLANDS
* Refers to its sylvan setting. Formerly LINGA-LONGA.

WOOLHOPE
* Now Malabar. The land was once owned by Carl Schady who had a woolwashery there. In old English place-names “hope” signifies a small enclosed valley.

YOUNG TOWNSHIP
* Named after John S. Young, longest-serving councillor, five times Mayor and Freeman of the city.

ZWIDE
* Named after Fairbridge Hansen Manchinger Zwide, former Principal of Bethelsdorp Coloured Primary School, where he taught for 41 years.

Additional comments on Richmond Hill by Catherine James

In the book Port Elizabeth in Bygone Days by J.J. Redgrave, on page 109 he writes “On the site of the present Richmond Hill ….” indicating that the suburb of Richmond Hill is at least 55 years old as the book was published in 1947.

The Historical Society of Port Elizabeth, compiled a booklet and put together two walking trails in the Historical central area, namely The Donkin Heritage Trail and the Richmond Hill Trail. The section on Richmond Hill is based on the article ‘A Richmond Hill Trail’ by Margaret Harradine, which was published in November 2001 in Volume 40 of ‘Looking back’, the journal of the Historical Society of Port Elizabeth.

During the middle of the 19th century the addresses of the houses on the hill were simply given as “Hospital Hill”, “Richmond Hill” or “St Paul’s Hill”. Street names came much later and according to Harradine, Richmond Hill was only officially named in 1991. But, on page 130 J.J. Redgrave writes “… when the hospital moved into its own premises on Richmond Hill in 1859 …” this would indicate that Richmond Hill has existed for at least 155 years.

The Richmond Hill Trail starts at the Westbourne Oval, originally a dam, where an athletics ground and cycling track were laid out for the Port Elizabeth Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club. A leisurely walk will take you past many beautiful Victorian and Edwardian houses amongst tree lined streets. Many interesting sights and buildings are on this route, like St Cuthbert’s Anglican Church, Newington Road, Erica School for girls, Lodge Caledonia at 22 Lansdown place, Raleigh Street Synagogue and ends at the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Children’s Home on the corner of Glen and Stanley Streets.

Source

Original source: Looking Back, June 1978
https://www.facebook.com/notes/106453442729264/Port%20Elizabeth%20Suburbs%20and%20History%20/1491998150841446/
PE Raper, Dictionary of Southern African Place Names, Jonathan Ball, Johannesburg, 1987