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 ighteen
terraced houses line Donkin Street in
Port Elizabeth, a city
situated in the south eastern part of South
Africa. These remarkable houses, known as the Donkin
Street Houses, are styled in Victorian
architecture and form part of the historical
heritage of Port Elizabeth – a city affectionately known as the Friendly
City.
 The
Donkin Houses have a history dating back to the 1850’s when
the local authority started a land fill programme, resulting in
the terraced Donkin Street. The Donkin Houses themselves have
changed very little in the 144 years, needing only a face-lift
in the mid 1960’s. It was also then that the efforts of
various pressure groups ensured that these historic houses were
declared National Monuments. All but one of the 18 Donkin Houses
carry the badge of the National Monument Council.
"Any
alterations rather than restoration, of this row of houses would
be a great loss to the City of Port Elizabeth."
Extract from a letter
supporting Monument status
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