In the late 1980s Dr Nic Woolff compiled the article 'Lessons Learned from Restoring the Donkin Row Houses'. It was published in Restorica, the journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation (today the Heritage Association of South Africa). If sentiment on the ground at the moment is anything to go on, the current developer has not learned any lessons and therefore this piece might make depressing reading for members of the heritage community. Thank you to the University of Pretoria (copyright holders) for giving us permission to publish the article.
The Group of Row Houses in Donkin Street is a very important and beautiful architectural feature of Port Elizabeth. As one of only a few remaining examples in this genre they are today much more valuable than when they were built originally. After meticulously restoring them, the author - a medical doctor by profession - was awarded the main prize (jointly) in the Herald Architecture Awards for 1988. In this article he describes the principles behind the policy he adopted for the restoration of these houses.
Donkin Row Houses after Restoration (wikicommons)
I am convinced from my experience in Donkin Street that no outstanding abilities are required for restoration. What is needed is time, interest and application. And this should not be surprising when one considers that those who...
