Buxton Street
(formerly Berlin Street)
Buxton Street is in the Central Business District of East London, or
what was once known as Panmure. The street was first constructed
in 1877, and was given the German name "Berlin Street" in honour of the
German settlers (both the Anglo-German Legion and the German peasant
immigrants) who had arrived at East London in 1857 and 1858, many
of whom had settled in that part of the town. In 1914, however, when
anti-German sentiment became strong in East London because of
the outbreak of the Great War, Berlin Street was renamed Buxton
Street (after Lord Buxton who had become Governor General of
South Africa in that year).
Dr Keith Tankard
