In Simon’s Town there is a building, once known as Bay View House, with a most unusual way of decorating internal walls. It was proclaimed a national monument in 1982. Its age, allowing for later additions, can be judged from a for sale advert placed in the Cape Town Gazette and African Advertiser stating that on 16 June 1806 a “new built house and packhouse, consisting of five upper and three lower rooms and other necessary apartments” was to be sold by public auction. Its later history reveals that d wine was sold there – much to the annoyance of the staff of the Hospital not far from this establishment. Certain of the patients were evidently enthusiastic patrons. At another time it was used as a Post Office then was bought by the Keeper of the Roman Rock Lighthouse. In 1884 it became the property of Richard Charles Thomas and it was during his ownership that makes it so unusual. He created wall paper from postage stamps. We gained permission from the then owner of the business to view the walls and a ceiling. The covering of the ceiling was truly remarkable. One has to admire the artistry, patience and sheer perserverance of the individual who decorated a large area with thousands upon thousands of postage stamps. He must have been somewhat compulsive and obsessive in what he did. He was also very specific about the decorating. He did not simply paste the stamps one after another on a wall or ceiling. Oh no! nothing as mundane as that. He drew the designs he wanted onto paper, then he cut, trimmed the stamps into the shapes he wanted and finally varnished the finished work. It is possible that age and wear have darkened what one saw but despite this the wall paper and the designs were visible.
The design style is European and given the time, Victorian. It took more than a decade to collect the stamps and then to complete the work. The incentive to do what he did came about when RC Thomas, while in Britain, saw a house decorated with stamps. He encouraged people to bring him these tiny pieces of official paper which he would then exchange for various items. The designs are of bouquets of flowers, flowers in urns, birds, etc.
A truly unusual way of brightening inside walls.