Durban - HAVE you wondered about the history of Chatsworth and how each unit got its name?
That was what intrigued one resident, Jerald Danasekera Vedan, and during the lockdown he decided to find out more about the township, south of Durban.
In the process, Vedan realised that he was not the only curious one. “Learning about the history of Chatsworth intrigued me,” said Vedan.
“I started asking others about the origins of the unit system and I soon realised that there were others who were just as curious as I was.”
In July, the Shallcross Historical, Environmental and Library Friends (Shelf) was formed.
The organisation, which is led by Vedan, researches the history of various areas, indentured labour and general history in an attempt to educate the community. Shelf also promotes the use of libraries, reading and environmental awareness.
For Vedan, an attorney, Shelf is not just a historical organisation. He hopes that other residents start similar research projects on the history and heritage of the areas they live in.
The 64-year-old said getting the information was easy but sifting through the paperwork was tedious.
“We use a lot of documents, articles and university work, like published research and thesis. A lot of work has been done on indenture in South Africa and the history of the areas.
“Chatsworth, for example, was built sort of as a buffer zone between the white and black communities. It was always looked down upon.
“But over the years, there has been so much history in this area alone that it could be turned into a tourist site.
“We have the Hare Krishna Centre and the Bangladesh Market. We have also had movies shot here, Keeping up with the Kandasamys, Kandasamys: The Wedding and The Curse of Highway Sheila. Chatsworth even has its own ghost,” said Vedan, with reference to Highway Sheila.
He said other than the township being a vibrant place, it was the largest settlement of Indians, with over 200000 people living there.
“Everyone needs to have an understanding of the area where they live and where they come from. It gives us an idea of our roots.
“They say as you get older, you pass on your knowledge to the younger generation and they pass it on to their children. They also say that once an elder passes on, the whole library (their mind and their history) is lost.
“So I decided it would be great to research these topics, put it together and share it so it is never lost. As Shelf, we want to use the knowledge of the past to improve the present.”
He said Chatsworth was named after a civil parish in Derbyshire, England.
“It was bought in the 16th century by William Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire. Originally, Indians in the area settled in a place called Cavendish that was named after him.
“Thereafter, in 1848, Samuel Bennington, an immigrant who also owned farms in the area, named it Chatsworth after an area near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, England.”
He said Higginson Highway was named after councillor Jim Higginson, who was in charge of the Durban City Co-operation Housing Committee.
“At the time, Higginson said that Chatsworth would become a model modern township with amenities and facilities from established (Indian) areas.
“Higginson was a religious man and something of an actor, a producer and member of the Catholic Players Guild. His wife Betty was one of the first yoga teachers in Manor Gardens.”
He said Higginson died in 1995 and his wife in 2014.
Vedan said Higginson Highway could be compared to the River Thames in London or the Yangtze River in China.
“It moves freely through all the units and one could reach every unit as there are off-ramps to each unit.”
He said the names for the different areas in the township were agreed upon by councillors and officials in the old Durban City Council.
“They had strong links to Great Britain and they used British terms relating to land and features to name these areas.”
Unit 1 (Havenside): It faces the Durban harbour and haven means a small harbour in old English.
Unit 2 (Bayview): It offers a view of the Durban bay.
Unit 3 (Westcliff): Refers to the direction and it is situated on a slope or a cliff. Westcliff is in the western part of Chatsworth, west of Durban.
Unit 4 (Mobeni): This is an isiZulu word. It means “to the sugar cane”, as the area was once used for growing sugar cane.
Unit 5 (Croftdene): It describes an enclosed piece of arable land within a deep, narrow wooded valley.
Unit 6 (Arena Park): It means a level area or place, or a scene of activity, debate or conflict. However, the correct definition seems to be that it was originally a level, park-like place.
Unit 7 (Montford): The word is derived from French and it refers to a hill that is strong.
Unit 9 (Moorton): This means a village situated in an open, uncultivated upland.
Unit 10 (Woodhurst): Refers to a wooded hill.
Unit 11 (Crossmoor): It refers to crossing a tract of uncultivated, hilly land, typically covered with heather. Cross referred to places where horses and carts crossed, thus churning up mud caused by tramping feet and churning wheels.
Silverglen is named after the Silver Oak tree that grows there, and a glen is a narrow valley.
Kharwastan is named after Mr Kharwa and “stan” means country in Persian, so this name means the country of the Kharwas.
Umhlatuzana is a reference to a river, and the name means shrubs in isiZulu.
Research is still being conducted into why there is no Unit 8.
Vedan, who lives in nearby Shallcross, said: “The myth was that the first settlers arrived at a river and someone said ‘we shall cross’, and that’s how the area got the name Shallcross.
“In fact, Shallcross is named after Annie Shallcross. She was married to a man named George North. They were a family of colonialists and Mr North owned the land upon which Shallcross is situated. And hence, the area is named after her.”
He said North, one of the earliest importers of agricultural machinery to southern Africa, also had land in Northdene, an area that was named after him.
According to Vedan, North and other members of his family are buried at North Park, Northdene, adjoining Shallcross.
To know more or to join Shelf, call Jerald Danasekera Vedan or Aishvarya Singh at 0314091397/8.
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