Oscar Norwich

In the article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, explores the life of Johannesburg pioneer, Theodore Reunert. He also unpacks the history of Windybrow, the mansion Reunert built in Doornfontein. The piece first appeared in the 1989 edition of the old Johannesburg Historical Foundation's journal 'Between the Chains'. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article.

Windybrow is the last remaining example of the stately mansions built in Doornfontein during the last decade of the previous century. Although it is not actually situated in Doornfontein, Windybrow is nevertheless closely associated with this suburb’s early history. Doornfontein became the city of gold’s first millionaires’ row for it was here that the mining magnates built their first houses on spacious erven set in a rural atmosphere. However when Parktown was laid out the Randlords, as the magnates were called, moved to the new suburb and after 1910 Doornfontein and its early environs gradually deteriorated.

View over Doornfontein with Windybrow at the base of Pullingers Kop (Barnett's Views of Johannesburg and Suburbs)

Theodore Reunert was one of the early Johannesburg pioneers who built his home in...

In the article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, explores a few early gaols in Johannesburg and then reveals the history behind the Johannesburg Fort. The piece first appeared in the 1983 edition of the old Johannesburg Historical Foundation's journal 'Between the Chains'. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article. The Old Fort forms part of the Constitution Hill complex today.

Johannesburg's first gaol was situated opposite the early Height Hotel in Commissioner Street. It was hastily and primitively constructed, consisting of a three-roomed prison supported by wooden and mud poles with walls of brick and a thatched roof. In the beginning it served as a hospital as well and the prisoners looked after the sick.

Dr. Hans Sauer, Johannesburg's earliest District Surgeon, in his book Ex Africa, 1937, describes a major surgical operation performed by himself with Colonel Ignatius Ferreira (of Ferreira's Camp fame) administering a chloroform anaesthetic under Sauer's supervision. The patient was involved in a wagon accident, having sustained severe injuries to his shoulder. Dr. Sauer reports that because it was a long-standing injury, mortification had set in and he had to amputate the whole arm including the scapula (shoulder blade). Apparently the operation was entirely successful and the patient was discharged from the hospital six weeks later minus an arm and a shoulder blade but otherwise well.

Another interesting reference to this first Johannesburg gaol is an artistically executed drawing of its demolition dated 11th January 1888, by...

In the article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, reveals the history behind Barnato Park, a grand home transformed into one of Johannesburg's historic schools. The piece first appeared in the old Johannesburg Historical Foundation's journal 'Between the Chains'. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article.

The Johannesburg Historical Society was inaugurated in 1969 by an exhibition in the Main Hall of the Johannesburg Public Library, displaying many facets of early Johannesburg. To coincide with this exhibition a number of the more photographically minded members of the Executive Committee embarked on the production of a recorded slide programme entitled "Glimpses of Old Johannesburg". To obtain information and pictorial records of the first and early schools of our City I undertook to research this aspect. This led me particularly to the early history of Miss Fanny Buckland, the development of Cleveland High School to become later the Barnato Park School for Girls and finally The Johannesburg High School for Girls.

It is reported that Miss Buckland arrived in Johannesburg in 1887, a few months after it had celebrated its first birthday. She was advised to call on a Mrs. A. D. Alexander with a view to making arrangements to teach her daughter, later Mrs. Isobel Levy. Her second daughter, the now well known Muriel Alexander, was far too young at that stage to attend school. Mrs. Alexander generously offered her one of her living rooms and also gave her permission to bring as...

Below is the transcript of a talk delivered by Oscar Norwich, Founder and Chairman of the Johannesburg Historical Foundation. It was broadcast over the English Programme of the SABC in October 1971. Thank you to the Norwich Family for giving us permission to publish.

As this is the first of a series of talks on the Johannesburg Historical Society, I felt that as Chairman I would attempt to indicate how the Society came into being, what it is, what are its aim and objects, its future research and lecture programme. Some two years ago a letter appeared in the Johannesburg “Star” inviting members of the Johannesburg Public to assist the writer of this letter to reconstitute an Historical Society of Johannesburg which had been defunct.

A public meeting was eventually held at which a number of interested people and representatives of various Businesses, Trades and Professions attended.

This renewed interest after a number of previous attempts to form such a Society had failed, suggested a series of preliminary meetings until eventually a Steering Committee was appointed to formulate a Constitution, outlining its main aims and objects. A properly constituted Executive Committee was eventually appointed and to launch the inauguration of this newly established Society, now officially named the Johannesburg Historical Society, the then Mayor of Johannesburg, Councillor Sam Moss, on the 23rd May 1969, opened an exhibition on old Johannesburg in the foyer of the Johannesburg Public Library illustrated by a series of interesting and historical photographs and objects.

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In the article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, tells the story of the rise and fall of Barney Barnato, mining magnate of Kimberley and Johannesburg. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article. 

In the mid-1890s, when the share boom had reached its feverish climax, Barney Barnato was probably the richest and without doubt the most powerful financier in South Africa. His property and mine holdings had a market value of over £20 million and it was estimated that in the summer months of 1895 he earned five pounds for every minute of his working day.

Barney Barnato (Wikipedia)

Who was this flamboyant character who showed such sparks of financial genius? He was born Barnett Isaacs in the heart of London’s poor East End Jewish quarter at a corner of Middlesex Street, long known as “Petticoat Lane,” on the 5th of July 1852, a year to the day before Cecil Rhodes’ birth.

Barney’s brother Harry and sister Kate were raised in a slum area. Their father owned a shop and they had their schooling in the Jews Free School in nearby Bell Lane. Barney’s arithmetic was exceptionally good, and he left school soon after the age of 13.

Their father was essentially a practical, pious individual who closed his shop on the Sabbath, but frequently during the week, he...

In the article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, tells the story of Henry Charles Hull, the original owner of the historic stately mansion Emoyeni, situated at the top of Jubilee Road, Parktown. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article. 

Henry Charles Hull was a distinguished colonial, born at Caledon, Cape Colony, on November 20, 1860. In 1879 he received a Civil Service appointment at Kimberley. He did not, however, stay long in this position but continued to qualify for the Cape Bar and, on being admitted, practised at Kimberley for several years. In 1889 he moved to Johannesburg where he continued to practise law until the troublesome time that preceded the ill-fated Jameson Raid. He threw in his lot with the Reform Committee and the result of his participation was a sentence of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of £1,000 or, in default, an additional 12 months in jail, to be followed by three years’ banishment. He served a short term of imprisonment and then, with his co-members of the Committee, had his sentence remitted except for the fine, on his undertaking not to interfere with the internal politics of the country.

Henry Charles Hull

This pledge he kept although in 1899 he was present at the Bloemfontein Conference, where he rendered valuable service to His Excellency the High Commissioner.

At...

In the article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, reveals the history behind Hohenheim, one of the grand mansions of old Johannesburg. The piece first appeared in the old Johannesburg Historical Foundation's journal 'Between the Chains'. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article.

The original Hohenheim was a tin house on the site of 27 Noord Street of early Johannesburg, nostalgically names as such by an early Randlord Hermann Eckstein, having come from the Kimberley Diamond Fields in 1888. He was soon followed in 1889 by a mining colleague Lionel Phillips with wife Florrie and two small children. Eckstein accommodated the Phillips family in this somewhat crude four roomed house situated on a stretch of undeveloped sandy road with very little else around. This was certainly not a very suitable dwelling for this growing Phillips family especially as in 1890 a third child was born to them.

Resolute and determined as she was, Florrie Phillips decided that she must have a larger and better home which husband Lionel agreed. The area that was to become Parktown at that stage was developing into a more fashionable suburb. In his book Reminisces, Lionel Phillips describes that "while in the course of her explorations on horseback she lighted upon a charming site about two miles to the North of the Noord Street Hohenheim". He was taken to inspect this grand discovery and was enraptured with it, especially the magnificent view on the edge of the high plateau...

In the short article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, looks at the lives and mansions of a few of the Randlords. These were the men who shaped the history of early Johannesburg following the discovery of the largest goldfield on earth. The piece first appeared in the old Johannesburg Historical Foundation's journal 'Between the Chains'. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article.

The Diamond Rush of the early 1870s and the Gold Rush of the 1880s changed South Africa in a few years from a somewhat backward and unattractive country to a vast land of opportunity and fortune. The Randlords refer to those many colourful and dynamic personalities who seized these golden opportunities. Among them were many of the outstanding builders who fought, struggled, intrigued, lied, won and lost until South Africa became what it is today.

Johannesburg was officially proclaimed in 1886, developing and thriving since then in the atmosphere of the Randlords who established their homes in Johannesburg, pursuing their cultural and sporting activities.

One of the most colourful of these Randlords was Barney Barnato. He was born Barnett Isaacs in the poor East End Jewish quarter of London. Several sources suggest that he came to Cape Town with a mere £30 and some doubtful cigars to sell in partnership with his brother-in-law Joel. In a short time he became famous in Kimberley as a senior director of the wealthy De Beers Group and was later appointed a Life Governor. With news of a...

In the letter below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, provides fascinating insights into a rare lithograph of Cape Town from 1818 by Russian artist Ludwig Choris. Norwich's detective work in tracing the provenance of this artwork reveals connections to the historic Kotzebue expedition and adds valuable context to the early visual documentation of the Cape. The piece is a response to an article written by Eric Rosenthal for the June 1982 edition of the Quarterly Bulletin. Thank you to the Norwich family for permission to publish this letter.

I was particularly interested in the article "The Cape in 1818" by Eric Rosenthal.

I wish to indicate, in answer to the author's question in the first paragraph, that this important visitor to the Cape, Chamisso, has been known to me as such for the past two years. My knowledge of his visit and his stay at the Cape originated with an unusual and finely coloured lithograph of the Cape of Good Hope which I acquired from an Amsterdam book and print dealer on a visit to Holland over two years ago.

This lithograph is entitled Vue de la Ville du Cap de Bonne Espérance and has the name of an artist L. Choris in the left hand lower border and the name of the publisher on the right lower border. The vendor was unable to provide any information concerning its provenance or any details concerning the artist.

Since acquiring this fine view of the Cape I have researched the artist. I was rewarded...

In the article below, Oscar Norwich, Johannesburg historian and collector, charts the historic sites of early Johannesburg. It is a wonderful resource for researchers, enthusiasts and anyone interested in Johannesburg's built environment history. The piece first appeared in the September 1984 edition of the old Johannesburg Historical Foundation's journal 'Between the Chains'. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article.

With the rapidly changing face of Johannesburg, the Foundation felt it necessary to compile a list of historically important houses, buildings, schools, churches, institutions, parks, etc., before they had all disappeared; by which time no one would remember where they had been.

The list published below, compiled by Dr. I. Norwich, is not claimed to be complete, but it does attempt to record some of the more important aspects of Johannesburg's early history.

A. Early Mining
B. Early Residences
C. Early Places of Worship - Different Denominations
D. Early Historic Residences and Mansions
E. Business and Business Sites
F. Early Clubs and Parks
G. Theatres and Places of Amusement
H. Early Schools
I. Buildings Before 1900
J. Early Hotels and Tea Garden
K. Cemetery
L. Early Local Government Building and Sites
M. Hospitals and Ancillary Services
N. Early Fire Stations

A. Early Mining

1. Site of Widow Anna Elizabeth Oosthuizen's Farmhouse. This was situated between Rif Street and Kamp Street in the valley east of Calstock Road, facing a mine dump in the background. Only the remains of the foundations are still to be seen.

2. Site of...