I think most of the regular PE Daily Photo readers know by now that I am an addicted Geocacher. One of my own caches is situated close to a old footbridge over the narrow gauge railway line next to the South End Cemetery. Between the cemetery and the railway line used to be a residential area with only a few remains still visible today. After publishing the cache one of my fellow cachers sent me a link containing some information on the area which used to be called Stuart Township. The picture above was taken from just beyond the footbridge showing what used to be Poole Street which can be seen in the old picture below.
Stuart Township was established in 1938 and named after JH Stuart who became a municipal councillor in 1936. It was situated at the end of South End between the railway line and the Airport road. Two hundred semi-detached houses were built to house members of the Coloured community.
In the early 1950’s Coloured communities from nearby Forest Hill were moved to houses added east of Poole Street. After the proclamation of the 1961 group areas, members of the non-white population living in South End (and other parts of the city) were moved out of the area. By the beginning of the 1970’s the Coloured community of Stuart Township were completely removed and relocated to the northern areas of Port Elizabeth and in 1972 members of white population were moved into Stuart Township. In 1979, 127 houses of Stuart Township were demolished. Unfortunately I couldn’t get any more information on when people were finally moved out of Stuart Township for it all to be demolished.
The three historic photos as well as the information was taken from a document on the
My mother and her family lived here before being moved to Forest Hill. I have wandred around here a bit myself. There are also some graves scattered on this side of the railway line. Apparently someone hung himself in that cluster of bluegums on the bend of Allister Miller and Forest Hil Drive.
Yes he hung himself because he got a girl pregnant
I lived in harvard ave from 1968 but we were moved out after the big flood and rehoused in poole street,We moved out in 1971 to ferguson township,shaw road!!!Those were really the good old days!!!!