Woodstock, Cape Town

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Woodstock, Cape Town – a short overview

Woodstock is one of the oldest suburbs of Cape Town. It sits between the docks of Table Bay and the lower slopes of Devil’s Peak, about 1 kilometer east of Cape Town’s city center. It’s served by Woodstock and Esplanade railway stations. The street postal code is 7925 and post boxes use 7915.

A quick look at history
- Before Europeans arrived, Khoikhoi lived here. The Dutch first settled in the 1600s.
- Three farms—Zonnebloem, Leliebloem and Roodebloem—were set up on Devil’s Peak slopes in 1692.
- The area was first called Papendorp after an early settler, Pieter van Papendorp.
- By the mid-1800s Woodstock was a fashionable seaside suburb with a long beach and a harbor area. The coast saw several shipwrecks.
- It was briefly known as New Brighton, then renamed Woodstock in 1867 at the Woodstock Hotel.
- In the 1870s it grew quickly, and in 1884, after becoming a separate municipality, it became one of the country’s largest towns.
- The harbor, better transport and growing industry spurred development. South Africa’s first glass factory opened in Woodstock in 1879.

Twentieth-century changes
- In the 1950s, land reclamation around Table Bay created the Cape Town foreshore and Woodstock’s beach faded. The area became more industrial.
- Woodstock remained a mixed community during apartheid, avoiding some of the removals that hit nearby areas.
- In the 1970s and 1980s many coloured and Black residents moved in, setting the stage for renewal from the late 1990s.
- The suburb also became home to a Portuguese community. Many Madeirans settled in Woodstock from 1940 to 1980, giving Woodstock the nickname “Little Madeira.”

Today’s Woodstock
- Parts of Woodstock improved a lot in recent years. Young professionals are moving in and restoring many Victorian-style homes.
- Reused warehouses now house restaurants, offices, shops and showrooms. The old Castle Brewery is part of this revived scene.

Heritage note
- In 1892 Woodstock adopted a heraldic coat of arms featuring a sinking ship, a rider, a dolphin around an anchor, two lions, and the motto Per mare per terras, reflecting local sea stories.

Quick facts
- Area: about 3.1 square kilometers. Population (2011): around 9,300. Population density: about 3,000 people per square kilometer.
- Languages (2011): English most common, followed by Afrikaans, Xhosa, and others.
- Racial makeup (2011): majority Coloured, with Black African, White, Indian/Asian and Other communities represented.