Oldest lifts in South Africa

Thread Category:
Fun Lists
Thread Location:
South Africa General

In a recent edition of the Sunday Argus (Independent Traveller section), the lift at the Grand Daddy Hotel was featured. Apparently this is the oldest working lift in Cape Town (the building was constructed in 1895). I thought it would be fun if readers could submit details of other old lifts around South Africa.

Alan Lindner

The Sunday Argus Feature

  • 1860s: Woodville Grahamstown (existence to be confirmed)
  • 1895: Lift at the Grand Daddy Hotel Cape Town
  • 1897/8: Lift at Victory House Johannesburg
  • 1904: Lift at Corner House Johannesburg
  • 1904: King Edward’s Mansions (now the King Edward Hotel) Port Elizabeth via Richard Tomlinson
  • Early 1900s: Rand Club Lift - (Old Betty via Sebastian Czartoryski-Chatov)
  • 1911: The former Fischer’s Jewellers building in Govan Mbeki Avenue Port Elizabeth via Richard Tomlinson
  • 1912: Home of John Munro (now Indian High Commission Pretoria) Pretoria via Alan Munro
  • Date pending: Old lift at 1 Eloff Street via Geoff Jardine
  • Date Pending: Old lift at the James Hall Transport Museum via Derek Walker)
  • ...