History & Heritage

We’re part of a legacy that goes back over 160 years. Our heritage & history is almost as old as Durban itself. We trace our roots back to the 1850’s, to a time when the Durban settlement was barely 30 years old. Looking back at our history, here are some of our highlights:

1855

Formation of The Durban Benevolent Society & The Victoria Street Home

The Society established a Home for Aged Women in Victoria Street. The purpose of the Home was to care specifically for elderly ladies.

1921

Move to Essenwood Road

The history and development of Durban is bound with the philanthropy of the Greenacre family. Walter Greenacre donated land and a bequest from his father, Sir Benjamin Greenacre for building a new, larger home. The land, formerly part of the Caister House estate of the Greenacre family, was formerly a paddock for cows.

1936

The Rutherford Wing

Another family that shares a proud history of philanthropy is the Rutherford family. The Rutherford Wing of the home was built in memory of JF Rutherford’s mother. The new wing was built through the generous legacy from his deceased mother's estate.

1950

Autonomy

In 1950 Essenwood acquired autonomy from the Durban Benevolent Society. The new entity was registered under the Companies Act of 1926. Its purpose was listed as 'A Utility Company formed for the purpose of providing a Home for Indigent Gentlewomen.

1973

Frail Care

The Rutherford Wing was converted to a frail-aged home. We also built a fully-equipped clinic and employed full-time nursing staff. This gave our residents a sense of security & well-being that would last a lifetime.

1973

Frail Care

Today & Tomorrow

The vision of the founders and early members of the Durban Benevolent Society lives on today. Our home builds on the history & heritage of our founders. We have come a long way from the home for 10 women in Victoria Street. Today, we care for almost 100+ women at our current residence. We continue to grow further with the support of our well-wishers and sponsors. We have built a warm and caring environment, where dignity and respect are our key values.

Today, we also focus on personalised care. Our attention to detail and unmatched standard of nursing and caring excellence is evident. Above all, the smiles on the faces of our ladies is a visible testimony to how we work. In short, we work to create a happy home for all the ladies who live with us.

History & Heritage

Today & Tomorrow

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