Tempted to discover a suburb with a London namesake? That’s Plumstead in Cape Town. It offers a unique blend of history and modern life. Plumstead’s story starts in 1762. The Dutch settlers Hendrick Jergens and Johan Barrens got a large land portion. It lay beyond Wynberg and Constantia Valley. They named it Rust and Werk. That means Rest and Work.
Time passed and the land was granted to Hendrick Bouman Brigeraad. The British then occupied the Cape after the Dutch East India Company declined. Enter Henry Batt in 1807. This Englishman bought Rust and Werk. He renamed it Plumstead after a district in London. Batt farmed here for 26 years. He died in 1833. The Plumstead farm was subdivided. Messrs Higgs, Loubscher, and Southey bought it.
Today Plumstead is a mix of old and new. You will see houses from the 1940s and 1950s. Modern residences also dot the landscape. Plumstead lies south of Wynberg. Main Road and the railway line split it in two. It has an English village feel. Some call it the Cinderella of Wynberg and Diep River.
Plumstead boasts several recreation areas. Lympleigh Road Park provides green space. Waterford Park offers another option. Burnham Road Park adds to the list. Churchill Road Park is also available. Sovereign Road Park provides even more space. Wicklow Road Park is yet another choice. Finally, Smith Road Park and Dan Pienaar Park complete the options.
Many schools serve the Plumstead community. John Graham Primary School is one. Timour Hall Primary School is another. Plumstead Preparatory School helps young learners. Plumstead High School educates older students. South Peninsula High School is also nearby. Norman Henshilwood High School rounds out the list. For fashion enthusiasts, there is the Cape Town College of Fashion Design. Plumstead also has many preschools.
Plumstead is easily accessible. The M5 expressway borders it to the east. Constantia lies to the west. The railway station provides convenient transport. It is close to the suburb’s heart. This contributes to its English village feel. Main Road has antique shops and second-hand furniture stores. Plumstead Fisheries is a local landmark. They serve excellent fish and chips. Plumstead offers easy access to the M3 and M5. False Bay beaches are a short trip away. Constantia, Kirstenbosch, and Maynardville Theatre are also nearby.
The suburb reflects a diverse population. In 2011, it counted 20178 residents. Approximately 10.4% were Black African. Around 28.8% were Coloured. About 2.5% were Indian or Asian. Roughly 54.5% were White. Other groups comprised 3.8%. English is the most spoken language at 83.2%. Afrikaans is spoken by 10.4%. Xhosa accounts for 1.3%. Other languages make up 5.1%.
Plumstead Public Library enriches the community. Plumstead falls within the City of Cape Town municipality. Wards 62, 63, and 73 divide it. Respective ward councilors are Eddie Andrews, Emile Langenhoven, and Carmen Siebritz. All are members of the Democratic Alliance. Plumstead hosts a City of Cape Town Municipal Office. A walk-in Motor Vehicle Registration Center is at Victoria and Main Roads. So, Plumstead offers history, convenience, and community. It is a unique Cape Town suburb.