Yudelman’s Store (Plumstead)

Opposite the Plumstead Methodist Church was Yudelman’s Store (circa 1905) one of the areas oldest two businesses (The other being Osman’s). This store stocked everything one could imagine – materials, groceries, animal feed, …. Everything was there. Today Yudelman’s Store has become The Village Square, from which the library operates; and where two of the areas respected businesses, Asher’s Pharmacy and PRO-PROP Property Consultants, trade today. PRO-PROP’s office stands were bags of grain and seed, and bales of lucerne and hay stood in Mr. Yudelmans one stop store for all the residents and farmers of the area. The lane that leads from Main Road to the library was known as Yudelman’s Lane.

In 1924 Plumstead Railway Station was the center of things at that time. There were only two railway lines and two platforms with a heavy footbridge, more or less where the subway is today, to cross from one to the other. The station was a wood and iron structure and had a books store , one of the few shops in Plumstead, which stocked newspapers, magazines, sweets, toys, pencils, and school exercise books.

The large property on the right, traveling up Southfield Road to Main Road, was known as Culmwood. (Bounded by Southfield, Culm, Thornbury, and Exeter Roads). This land is now occupied by blocks of flats. The Plumstead Methodist Church extended right down to Gabriel Road and along to Brenda Road. Of interest was the wooden bridge over Main Road to reach the church.

The steam trains were few and far between as most trains turned at Wynberg. The coaches had separate compartments, each with its own doors. The return fare for the train to Wynberg was 4 pence for adults and 2 pence for children; and to Cape Town a shilling and three pence for adults and nine pence for children.

There was a level crossing at Southfield Road. Booms operated from the signal box nearby. Victoria Road had black wooden gates that were always open. On the corner of Main Road was a building with a green grocer, and later a shoemaker, which is now demolished. A stream ran through Plumstead on to Diep River.