The History of Bishopscourt Village

The name Bishopscourt Village was coined by residents in 2002 in order to differentiate the area from the suburb of Bishopscourt proper, which is characterised by significantly larger properties. Bishopscourt Village is situated in part of an area previously known as Vineyard Estate. Development in Bishopscourt Village started in the 1930s and it is thought that the first houses were built in 1934 in Robinson Avenue.

Historically, Vineyard Estate stretched from Bishopscourt to Sans Souci. It was made up of Edinburgh Township; Grayville Township, Newlands; Vineyard Estate, Bishopscourt; and Vineyard Estate Township. Today’s Bishopscourt Village encompasses part of Vineyard Estate, Bishopscourt (the area between Princess Avenue and Bishopscourt) and part of Edinburgh Township (the area between Princess Avenue, the Liesbeek River and the M3). 

On 26 March 1822 the widow of Colonel G Graham was granted the area of land now called Bishopscourt Village. From 1827 this land changed hands several times until in 1838 it became the property of James Maynard. During the 1840’s Maynard sold many plots of land to random individuals and following his death in 1876, the balance of the plots were acquired by JM Hiddingh.

In 1929 the land east of Princess Avenue was bought by two companies (Saxteno & Naruna) owned by Isaac Ochberg, who named this area Edinburgh Township. Two of his other townships were Paradise and Southfield Townships.

Isaac Ochberg was a remarkable man. Having arrived at the Cape from Ukraine at the age of 15 in 1895 with his father, he worked in the timber trade and built up a vast business empire. If he was offered a tract of land which other investors deemed to be useless, he would proceed to make it a habitable township and sell the plots. He would even assist with finance for people to erect their own homes. One of his philanthropic interests was helping underprivileged children, and he was instrumental in bringing many Jewish orphans from eastern Europe to South Africa where they were taken into orphanages in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Ochberg named the streets of Edinburgh Township after members of his family: Angelina, Bertha, Isabel, Noreen and Princess Avenues. Robinson Avenue was named after Julius Robinson who married one of Ochberg’s daughters. After the dual carriageway of Edinburgh Drive bisected Edinburgh Township in 1966, some of these names gained the prefix ‘Upper’. It is presumed that Edinburgh Drive is named after Edinburgh Township.

The source of other street names in the area is varied. Balfour Avenue was named after Arthur Balfour, the British Prime Minister (1902-05) and Foreign Secretary (1916-19) who was responsible for the Balfour Declaration of 1917 which promised Zionists a national home in Palestine. Colenso Road was named after Bishop John Colenso, the first Anglican bishop of (kwaZulu-) Natal. In 1939 and 1943, Mr & Mrs Hilda and Alan Abrahamse bought land on Bishopscourt Drive and built a house which they named ‘Hildalan’; two streets were subsequently named Hildalan Road and Hildalan Lane. The fact that Maclear’s Beacon is not visible from Maclear Road suggests that the name might have been chosen by a surveyor.

Much more history of Bishopscourt Village needs to be documented – the gravel quarry, the Liesbeek in the early days, interesting people who have lived here, etc. If anyone can provide more information, please contact the BVRA Committee.