Johannesburg CBD

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 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...

The article below explores the historical debate surrounding the origin of Johannesburg's name. It was written by Dr. Oscar Norwich, noted Johannesburg historian and collector, and appeared in 'Between the Chains' the journal of the Johannesburg Historical Foundation. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article from Dr. Norwich's archives.

After the discovery of gold on the main reef in the middle of 1886, the Government decided to send Christian Johannes Joubert and Johann Rissik to go as a commission to investigate the area to be proclaimed. They reported back on 12th August and the Government decided on their findings to select a large triangular piece of ground in their possession - named Randjeslaagte - no man's land - as a site of a new village. Why the name Randjeslaagte was not retained is completely unknown.

Johann Rissik (Wikipedia)

On 3rd October 1886, Captain Carl von Brandis, the first appointed Mining Commissioner, wrote to the State Secretary, informing him of a plan he had received from the Surveyor-General and that the place would be called Johanensburg - reproduced in facsimile in a book named "A history of the discovery of the Witwatersrand" by E.L. and J. Gray. This is the document No. 4996/86 and to this day it has never been found. It unfortunately did not state after which Johannes Johannesburg was named. When...

The Johannesburg City Library has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons, but thankfully, owing to pressure from the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation and the reading public, parts of this important civic facility have been reopened, and after a long closure, it will again be fully functional later in 2025.

Johannesburg Public Library from a. distance (The Heritage Portal)

This may be an appropriate moment to reflect on the role of the City Librarians who ensured the success of the library and maintained its high stature for so many decades.

One of those outstanding figures was Anna Hester Smith (1912-1992), City Librarian from 1960 to 1975. She was a remarkable woman whose career is worth recounting and whose dedicated work requires recognition. The Johannesburg Heritage Foundation is presently negotiating with the City Council to erect a Blue Plaque to honour Miss Smith near the main library building.

A Blue Plaque, an international symbol, is a permanent sign installed on heritage sites to alert the viewer to an aspect of local history explained briefly on the plaque. The Johannesburg Heritage Foundation (JHF) has taken responsibility for Blue Plaques in Greater Johannesburg  because they raise public awareness of our heritage, foster pride, provide information, and encourage the protection...

The article below explores the early history of Johannesburg, from the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand to the establishment and development of the city's first neighbourhoods. Dr. Oscar Norwich, a noted Johannesburg historian and collector, captures the rapid transformation of a mining settlement into one of the world's great cities. The piece was originally published in a 1975 edition of "Behind the Chains", the journal of the Johannesburg Historical Foundation. Thank you to the Norwich family for their kind permission to publish this article from Dr. Norwich's archives.

The development, growth and progress in so short a space of time in the life of one of the great cities of the World is unparalleled. Prior to the discovery of the main gold reef on the Witwatersrand many attempts as far back as 1834 were made to seek this precious metal, in many other parts of the Transvaal. In Lydenburg, gold deposits were found during the regime of President Burgers the second President of the South African Republic. In the Eastern Transvaal districts of Pilgrims Rest and Barberton, payable gold was discovered from 1873.

Old photo of Barberton

After the occupation of the Transvaal by the British from 1877 to 1881, it reverted back to a self governing Republic which was ruled temporarily by a triumvirate of Paul Kruger, Piet...

Geoffrey Klass, extraordinary bookseller of Johannesburg, passed away on 27th February after a short illness. His death was unexpected.

Geoff and his brother Jonathan founded Collectors Treasury. This was truly a treasure house of books and antiques. Over five decades, the shop rapidly became a Johannesburg institution - an important fixture in our city’s landscape. Geoff knew everyone of importance in the city. He had an intimate and lived history of our strange mining city. The  city  shaped his career and being a Johannesburg man defined him. Geoff could have made a life in books in London or New York.

Geoff and Jonathan Klass (The Heritage Portal)

Geoff was born in 1948 to Dr Max Klass, a psychiatrist, and his wife Maisie (nee Goldberg) in Johannesburg. Geoff’s grandparents, Solomon and Zelda Klass were immigrants to South Africa from Lithuania. The grandparents sold everything from ginger beer to baby clothes and made a decent life for their five children. Their ambition was to educate their children. Solomon bought property and acquired the Johannesburg Ritz Hotel and later owned a residential Hotel in Berea. For a time he was the owner of the Radium Beer Hall. The family became hotel keepers.

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In a move that combines historical significance with urban renewal, the Office of the Mayor of Johannesburg has committed to using the old Pass Office at 80 Albert Street as its new administrative headquarters.

The building has a complex history that encapsulates Johannesburg's most painful periods of racial oppression and discrimination. During the 1950s and 60s, this was the head office of the Johannesburg Non-European Affairs Department. Officials in the department had the job of implementing the policy of separate development. They wielded bureaucratic power over virtually every aspect of Black peoples' lives - from employment and housing to sport and entertainment. The most well known function of the department was managing the notorious pass system in the city.

Blue plaque (The Heritage Portal)

The building's recent history is equally tragic. In a devastating incident that made headlines around the world in 2023, 77 people lost their lives in a fire, highlighting critical urban challenges. This catastrophe exposed systemic failures: buildings being illegally occupied, administrative neglect, and a lack of accountability from city officials. It also highlighted an ongoing trend in Johannesburg’s history - rapid urbanisation placing demands on a city council with limited resources and capacity.

The decision to move the Mayor’s Office to this heritage building is a powerful gesture to...

In a moving speech delivered on November 16, 2024, Eric Itzkin, Deputy Director of Immovable Heritage for the City of Johannesburg, shared the remarkable story of the resurrected dragon pillar in Johannesburg's First Chinatown.

“It always seems impossible until it is done” Nelson Mandela.  

Nowhere do those inspiring words from Mandela ring more true than in the remarkable case of the resurrection of the dragon pillar in Johannesburg’s First Chinatown. After having been smashed to pieces, few expected that the dragon would be reconstructed to rise majestically before our eyes.

In 2011, a pair of dragon pillars carved from granite were erected at the entrance of Johannesburg’s first Chinatown on Commissioner Street in Ferreirastown. The two carved granite columns were imported from China as part of a regeneration project that was implemented by the City with support by the local Chinese community.

Tragedy struck in 2020 when one of the columns was knocked down by a runaway Rea Vaya bus. The pillar suffered devastating damage, with the head of the dragon decapitated but thankfully still in one piece which was kept safely (see main image).

How then to restore the dignity and integrity of the dragon which had all but been destroyed?

We considered importing a replacement sculpture from China, but costs would have been sky-high, especially considering the cost of freighting.

Thoughts then turned to the idea of working with what was left, to carefully assemble the fallen granite pieces, reconstruct, restore and re-erect the dragon pillar at...

Philaphotographologist – what a highfalutin word! The word does not actually exist. Rackham (2022) applied his creativity and constructed the word following some discussion on the internet.

Personally, I rather like the word. It did take  me a minute or two to get my tongue around the pronunciation though (feela-foto-grafologist).

Rackham (2022) constructed the word as follows: Phila (to love), derived from French, followed by the two Greek words phōtós (light) and graphê (drawing) and concluding with the Latin word logia (branch of knowledge).

The word philaphotographologist translates into more understandable language, namely photograph enthusiast or photograph collector. That is what this article is about, an early South African photo enthusiast.

As a psychologist, I am intrigued by the visual orientation, or the lack thereof, in the human race.

Some of us are more inclined to a heightened visual curiosity compared to others. Those of us who have a lower level of aesthetic visual appreciation will be less inclined to give much attention to visual imagery, in this instance photographs, whilst to the visually curious, photographs provide visual stimulation.

In my mind, a person has to be visually curious to be referred to as a photo enthusiast, or a philaphotographologist for that matter.

One such person was Frederick William Willis. British-born, he became a South African citizen, initially attached to the South African Constabulary.

He loved photographs – so much so that he passionately constructed photo albums containing various themes.

I was privileged enough to get my hands on two...

Neil Fraser passed away on 1 November 2023. His contribution to Johannesburg and South Africa will not be forgotten. In the article below, published originally on the City of Joburg's website on 24 October 2002, Lucille Davie reveals part of Neil's powerful story.

He’s got a full white beard and moustache to match his white hair, he smiles often, and he’s passionate about cities, particularly Johannesburg. He’s Neil Fraser, executive director of the Central Johannesburg Partnership (CJP), an inner city renewal initiative.

Neil Fraser

Fraser’s been in Johannesburg since 1985 and is fiercely involved in many aspects of the city – from its growth into an African city, to creating jobs for people on the street.

Born in Hopetown in the Northern Cape in 1939, Fraser qualified as a quantity surveyor at UCT in 1961. He spent a year in the profession but found the work “dull”. He joined construction company Murray & Stewart (later Murray & Roberts) and moved into management. In 1985 he was transferred to Johannesburg as divisional director, responsible for building construction in the then Transvaal, Natal and Swaziland. In 1988 he was seconded to the Building Industries Federation of South Africa as executive director for a year, but ended up staying four years. 

In 1991 he set up his own consulting practice, Neil Fraser & Associates. But...