Claremont

History of Claremont

Before the Dutch colonists arrived in 1652, the Cape Peninsula was largely inhabited by the Khoisan people, who were nomadic. The Dutch established an outpost in Table Bay, and after 165,7 they ventured further south to establish farms. Two of these farms, Louwvliet and Questenburg, were in the areas now called Claremont and Newlands. The area remained agricultural for at least 150 years. Some of the farms in the area produced grapes, others, grain and vegetables.
In the 1800s, British settlers bought up properties here, and the village began to grow. The area was named after the Claremont house estate in the area.

One of the most influential families in the early development of the area was the Arderne family, who began planting the gardens that would later become Arderne Gardens in 1845. This garden remains a Provincial Heritage Site today.

A few cottages were built in lower Claremont for working-class people, referred to by the government of the time as “non-Europeans. The area grew more when the railway line was extended to Wynberg in 1864. By 1883, the area was incorporated into the Liesbeek municipality, which included Upper Claremont, Rondebosch, Wynberg, Mowbray and Newlands.

In 1883, Lower and Upper Claremont were incorporated into the Liesbeeck municipality. By 1890, the area had grown enough to be granted separate municipal status. However, in 1913, Claremont was officially absorbed into the Cape Town municipality.

The end of the Anglo-Boer War saw a housing boom when there was a further subdivision of the larger estates during the 1900s.

After the advent of the British takeover in 1814, the area became more residential than agricultural.
As the suburb grew, the main road developed into a commercial hub. Claremont was granted municipal status and became a suburb of Cape Town in 1913.

However, the suburb was identified as a “black spot” in 1953 due to African families squatting in “informal housing” in the suburb. A visiting official reported that the government had to ”get rid” of black and coloured residents. The Group Areas Act of 1913 sealed their fate, and blacks were no longer allowed to own or rent land outside their designated areas, which were in locations on the outskirts of the city. In 1969, Lower Claremont was declared a white area. All owners of colour had to sell to white people.
After this rezoning, it was renamed Harfield Village.

Vintage photo of Main Road

Post 1994, Coloured people started moving back into the area. It is now cosmopolitan with people of all colours and cultures making their homes and conducting business locally