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.
BOOK REVIEWS
J. B. Taylor’s A Pioneer Looks Back is one of those understated memoirs that rewards careful and sympathetic reading. It is not the self-promoting autobiography of a dominant Randlord, nor a triumphalist corporate history written to secure a legacy.
BLUE PLAQUES
This was the home of two South African revolutionaries, Ray and Michael Harmel. Banned and house arrested, Michael served on the Central Committee of the Communist Party and was its leading theoretician. Ray fought fiercely for equal rights in the Garment Workers Industry in spite of constant threats. The Harmels were deeply involved in the struggle against apartheid throughout their lives.