In 1898 Charles Lipp was appointed Manager of the Johannesburg branch of the African Banking Corporation, whose offices were on this corner. When war broke out in 1899 between Britain and the Z.A.R. Charles and his wife, Isabelle, both British subjects, required permits to remain in Johannesburg. They sent their children away and moved into the top floor of the Bank. Charles worked by day, but had to patrol at night with the Rus-en-Orde Committee. Isabelle kept a detailed diary of events up to the handing-over of Johannesburg to British forces on 31 May 1900 on Government Square, three blocks to the east.