Durbanville resident Jean Winstanley arrived in South Africa by boat from Kenya in December 1965, a long way from her hometown Manchester, England.
Ms Winstanley left England in 1956 to follow her heart and three months later she married her husband, Arthur Winstanley, who was working for the Kenyan police at the time.
The couple had two daughters, Christene and Caryn in Kenya, before making their way to South Africa.
After docking in Durban, they came down to Cape Town, where they rented an apartment in Three Anchor Bay in Sea Point for R32.50 at the time.
The Winstanleys, however, grew tired of living in a flat and wanted to move into their own home.
They started looking in the southern suburbs but didn’t find anything that suited their needs or budget.
They stumbled upon an ad for a house in Kenridge, Durbanville, which was selling for R11 500. Kenridge was originally a farm and when they moved in, in 1967, they had pears and apples in bloom on their trees.
“When we moved here, there was nothing but trees and vineyards. Durbanville was a little “dorp” which only had two hotels at the time and a few shops,” she said.
She remembers the big reservoir in Reservoir Road, where someone would ride up every day with their bicycle to turn on the water for residents.
Ms Winstanley said there was a time when Kenridge didn’t fall under Bellville or Durbanville and rates were paid to a private individual who lived in Hout Bay.
Eventually it was agreed that Kenridge would fall under the Durbanville municipality.
Her children stayed on at the convent in Sea Point and as there were no English schools in the area. Eventually, Fairmont High School was established in 1977 and her daughter, Caryn, was part of the first Grade 8 pupils to attend the school.
Fairmont was originally known as the Eversdal English Medium School and principal Clive Wigg was at the helm from 1977 to 2002.
Ms Winstanley said her husband was an avid footballer and when approached by some parents in the area, he decided to put together a football team.
He founded the Durbanville Football Club in 1974, their base was officially named the Arthur Winstanley Clubhouse in 2011.
With very few places to shop, the Winstanleys would travel to Cape Town by train to do their shopping and for a day out. Ms Winstanley said they would often go to the Garlick’s Department Store in Adderley Street, where they would meet up with friends and enjoy a delicious breakfast for only R3.
Ms Winstanley moved from her home of 50 years in Salisbury Avenue to a retirement village in Pinehurst last April.
Her neighbour of 28 years, Tina Schilling, said she had a mother- daughter relationship with Ms Winstanley and that it was a real treat to have such neighbours.
“We became family and would have each other over for a braai or on special occasions. I have stood by my fence and called her and we would have long chats, over the fence. We would look out for each other. These days people build their walls so high and they don’t communicate with their neighbours.”
On Kenridge today, Ms Schilling said there has been an influx of young couples and families.
Mr Winstanley passed away in 2010 and the Winstanleys’ daughter Caryn has since moved to England.