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.
ARTICLES
BOOK REVIEWS
‘Geomotional’ is a remarkable and beautifully illustrated exploration of – as the sub-title says – ‘Geometric art, past and present’. The book, which has us journey through images, words, poetry and song, and gives account of a ‘performance-installation’, is compiled by Mary Elizabeth Lange, who is prolific in her writings on Indigenous art and story, and various intersections with heritage.
BLUE PLAQUES
This house was designed in 1905 by architects, Lack and Emley, for Henry Charles Hull, an attorney and, in 1910, Minister of Finance in the first Union Government. On the outbreak of war Hull left for Cape Town where he joined Brabant’s Horse, seeing action at the battle of Wepener. Hull followed the heels of the British army into Johannesburg and was appointed to the Military Tribunal, which replaced the Z.A.R.