That’s the Main Road of Knysna before there was an N2. Definitely no talk of a by-pass then 🙂 The FNB building is on the left. Where the tree is is where Knysna Mall is in modern times. On the other side of the road is is what grew taller, more than a century later, into “Harry B’s Restaurant.”

This building was built in about 1860 as a private residence. The Thesen family bought it in 1876, who lived here. Later used as a private home and shop by Sarah Atkinson around 1882.

Barclay’s Bank DCO (later FNB) opened their first branch here in 1919, renting the building until purchasing the property in 1950. The small entrance door in Main Street led to the manager’s residence upstairs. It has been altered over the years with the upper floor converted into banking offices. The corner gable was added around 1951.

When the Main Street was widened in 1986, elephant bones were found under the front steps.

Acknowledgements to Margaret Parkes for providing this information to the Knysna Historical Society.

Information provided courtesy of the Knysna Historical Society.
Let’s preserve the history of Knysna
whilst living in the joy of the present.