Then&Now: Ferguson building

THE pictures of old and new Durban focus on old West Street, today Dr Pixley KaSeme Street, viewed from the intersection on Field (Joe Slovo) Street and looking towards the sea.

The picture was posted in the Facebook group Durban Down Memory Lane recently and comes from the book Sketches of Durban

and its Harbour in 1891 by Durban artist and chief engineer of the Durban Harbour Works, Cathcart W Methven. The picture shows three horse-drawn trams which had recently been introduced to the city, but was taken before the advent of electric street lights which came to the city in 1897 and were turned on for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee.

In the middle ground and located on the corner of West and Field streets was the grand building of Ferguson’s Jewellers. On the opposite corner is the Tattersall’s Bar followed by the Caney’s Building (jewellers and photographers). At this stage the pavements to the northern side of West Street were raised with ramps to allow goods to be delivered. The tower of the original city hall, today the central post office building, can be seen in the background.

The second picture of Ferguson & Company comes from an 1897 advert.

In the pictures taken this week by Bongani Mbatha, the tall modern buildings along Dr Pixley kaSeme Road all but obliterate any views of the post office tower. The ornate Ferguson & Co building has been replaced by a squat modern one.

The Independent on Saturday appeals to readers who have old pictures of Durban and other parts of the province to send them to us do our best to recreate the scene with them in it again. Readers sending pictures digitally – images should be about 1MB – can address are in hard copy format, they can be posted to The Editor, Old Pictures, The Independent on Saturday, PO Box 47549, Greyville, 4023.