Johannesburg

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 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...

The primary photograph under discussion in this article is the 8-pane panoramic photograph of early Johannesburg (1888) by the photographer David Hyman Davies.

The 270° panoramic photograph was obtained from a Pretoria-based resident who stated that the image had significant relevance to the family back then in that a great-grandfather (one J. van den Berg) was a wood transporter between Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. The Scott Guthrie & Co timber yard, on Pritchard Street, can also be seen on the far left of the image where van den Berg would have delivered the wood.

The photograph was captured from the roof of the double-storey Arcade building (on the corner of Rissik and President Streets – where the Barbican building stands today).

Davies would have used an ordinary wet-plate bellows camera and lens to capture each image which were then pieced together to produce the panoramic image. The camera would have been carefully pivoted on a tripod with a series of exposures of slightly overlapping aspects of the same view. Following the exposures, Davies would then have developed the images, trimmed the resultant segments, and pieced the individual images together to produce the final panoramic view.

The photograph, pasted onto a cloth-like material, 1.8 meters in length, sadly shows signs of deterioration following its 137-year existence.

On collecting and paying for the photograph, I was informed that if I were not interested in the photograph, the image would have been discarded in that there no longer was any interest in the...

Achmat Ebrahim Dangor was born in 1948. The same year in which segregation was enforced through the policy of apartheid. Achmat would witness its implementation and the many atrocities it brought and against which he fought. He also experienced the demise of apartheid and played a key role in building a democratic South Africa whilst pursing creative writing. Achmat passed in 2020. Two years later Audrey Elster, Achmat’s wife and partner of 30 years, initiated the Achmat Dangor Legacy Project (ADLP) and in December 2024, a new website showcasing the work of the ADLP and the life and times of Achmat went live. In this article I will introduces readers to Achmat, and explain the work of the ADLP and its website (click here to view).

Growing up under apartheid and an activist family

Achmat’s parents Ebrahim and Juleigha married at a young age and settled in Newclare, Johannesburg. In February 1946 their first child Mohammed was born. Achmat followed on 2 October 1948. Over the next 18 years the other seven Dangor children were born: Suleiman; Abdullay; Yasmin (Jessie Duarte); Moosa; Igshaan; Abbas; and Zane. They grew up under apartheid and witnessed the full might of the state. Their neighbours were forced to move and their father’s shop forced to close. Their mother became the sole breadwinner and despite struggling, opened the family home to those in need. Six of the nine siblings joined the liberation struggle.

Anti-apartheid work and cultural activism

Achmat won a scholarship from the Institute for...

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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