The Resident Archive
Mildred Savage
56 Searle Street
69 years of stewardship. Lived on Searle Street her entire life since her parents moved to No. 54 in 1957. Mildred has leased 56 Searle Street since 1993.
Mark Hutton
62 Searle Street
Lease taken over in 1993. His grandmother moved in in 1938; his mother took the lease in 1977. 87 years of family history.
Sean Savage
64 Searle Street
Grandson of founding Parish members. Invested R45,000 of his own savings into maintaining the property’s integrity in 2005.
Vanessa Collison
58 Searle Street
Born at 54 Searle Street in 1969. Resided at 58 Searle Street since 1972 (54 years). A life defined by community resilience.
Janet Bowers
54 Searle Street
Resident for 48 years. Janet moved into 54 Searle with her mother in 1978 and took over the lease in 1988.
Ita Haricombe
60 Searle Street
A parish church member and sister of a nun. Moved into 60 Searle in 2009, reinforcing the Parish trust legacy.
In Brief: The Searle Street Story
1923: Faith & Home
Roman Catholic Church acquires the land for £1695 to house parishioners.
1974: Saving District 6
Cardinal McCann prevents expropriation, saving the cottages from Apartheid bulldozers.
1985: The Moral Trust
Land is transferred on the understanding it stay a trust for parishioners.
2014: Private Dispossession
The property is sold to a private developer, disregarding generations of care.
2026: The Final Order
A magistrate rules in favor of a hotel developer; families face removal.