Originally published in the Illustrated London News dated 9th July 1881, this article contrasts the original buildings in Main Street with that of the Standard Bank which they use as the marker for the latest buildings. This a verbatim copy of that article.

Port Elizabeth, Algoa Bay is distant about five hundred miles from Cape Town along the south coast of Africa, and is nearly halfway from Cape Town to Port Natal. It is the chief maritime outlet of trade from the Eastern Districts of the Cape Colony and of the Orange River Free State, which is an independent Dutch Republic. The Eastern Districts of the Cape Colony, or those of which Grahamstown is the capital, were first settled in 1820 by some thousands of British emigrants, small farmers , retired tradesmen, half-pay officers, and other middle-class folk, to whom grants of land, with pecuniary assistance were given by the British Government. The Dutch settlements were at that time limited to the western districts of the Cape Colony.

Port Elizabeth has since thriven with the increasing population and wealth of the Eastern Districts, and has being the terminus of the Midland and North Eastern Railways, despite the exposed situation of their harbour, which is the only one in that part of the coast, now became a place of great commercial importance. The amount of its trade and shipping places it far above any other port in the Cape Colony for the value of its imports and exports. The population of the town is nearly 20,000 and the two contrasted street views show the progress of building improvements. The upper illustration gives an idea of the old style of houses, which have lately been replaced by the fine warehouses represented in the lower part of the engraving. The aspect of this new building speaks well for the abilities of the colonial architect, (1) Mr. John Dix-Peek, who designed it. The ground upon which it stands has a frontage of 77 ft and was sold by auction for £10,000,which price was much commentated upon in colonial papers at the time, being the highest figure ever paid for land in Port Elizabeth or in any other town in the Cape Colony to become a site for buildings. These premises were built for Messrs. Atkinson & Smith, colonial merchants. (2)

Errata:
1. The name of the architect, my great great grandfather, should have read: George Dix-Peek
2. Tenant of the building should have read Standard Bank