This is always a highly anticipated event – 2 days, 11 tours, a book and map sale, and delicious food on sale. All tours start from the Holy Family College at 40 Oxford Road in Parktown. The bus will return to Holy Family at the end of each tour. Tours take between two to three hours each and are limited to up to 45 people. Refreshments and lunch are available to purchase at Holy Family College. The book and map sale takes place from 08.00 to 15.00 on both days.
You're encouraged to bring water, wear comfortable walking shoes, and put on plenty of sun protection. Tickets are R120 online and R150 on the day; go here to book. The meeting and drop-off point for all the tours is Holy Family College in Parktown.
Johannesburg Heritage Foundation tours are always highly enjoyable and led by those who have a deep understanding and appreciation of the city's history. They're not to be missed; here's what you can expect this year.
Sat, Sep 9
Take a trip to Beauvais, from 09:00 – 11:30Boasting a distinctive Cape Dutch style, Beauvais – aka 'Tracey's Folly' – is one of Joburg’s most glorious Randlord mansions, originally built in 1907. The Tracey family lived there for 10 years before it became the Parktown Boys' Preparatory School, complete with secret passages that connected the dorms to the pantries.
Visit Coronationville and Bosmont, from 09:15 – 12:15
This brand-new tour explores the fascinating but little-visited architecture, culture and community of the 'Coloured' neighbourhoods of Coronationville and Bosmont.
Northwards – Pride and Joy from 14:00 – 16:30
Standing proudly on the edge of Parktown Ridge, Northwards is an iconic Joburg building created by renowned architect Sir Herbert Baker. Built for the flamboyant John and Jose Dale Lace, Northwards is one of Baker's most romantic mansions, filled with stories of galas, scandal, ruin and reconstruction. Take an exclusive guided tour of the property. The bus will drop you off at Northwards and collect you after the house tour.
The Gardens of Villa Arcadia, from 14:20 – 16:20
Lady Florence Phillip, a woman of high social standing, once adorned her expansive estate designed by Sir Herbert Baker with extensive gardens that fell victim to the construction of the M1 highway between 1962 and 1972. However, the gardens at Villa Arcadia remain enchanting. During the property's restoration, Hollard sought the expertise of renowned landscape architect Patrick Watson to craft special natural areas, complete with trails that wind up the ridge behind the house. The walking tour is 2km with many uphills and does not go into the house itself.
Murder and Madness in the North – Joburg’s Most Infamous Crimes, from 14:30 – 17:30
True-crime enthusiasts will enjoy this bone-chilling bus tour that delves into the dark history of Joburg's criminal underworld. A condensed version of the JHF's popular murder-mystery excursion explores various locations in the northern suburbs while unveiling a line-up of wrongdoers and their unfortunate victims. Guided by David Fleminger, this bus tour won't include any stops along the way.
Sun, Sep 10
Glenshiel – the Jewel of Westcliff from 09:00 – 11:30
A beautiful terraced garden, replete with roses, leads up the slope to glorious Glenshiel – one of Herbert Baker’s largest and most successful compositions. This tour includes a visit to the house and stables, now home to members of the Haggie family. You will also have a chance to visit the tiny Tudor-style house in the garden that was built for the ‘Liberty Cavalcade’ at Zoo Lake in 1942, and finally see The Ridge School, which was established in an early Westcliff home by Sir Aubrey Woolls-Sampson and Lady Violet.
Orlando East – the Heart of Soweto, from 09:15 – 12:15
Orlando East turns 91 this year, and this tour will follow the trail of JHF Blue Plaques, which have been erected to commemorate some of the area’s most outstanding residents. Highlights include a visit to the home of ‘the Father of Soweto’, James Mpanza, who led 8,000 followers to claim the land that later became the biggest township in South Africa. You will also visit The Rock (known as Orlando High), Soweto’s first secondary school. The tour will include multiple stops, and you're encouraged to bring cash for snacks at one of the pavement cafés along the way.
Braamfontein Cemetery – Crypts and Ashes from 09:30 – 11:00
Joburg’s oldest graveyard and the final resting place for many famous denizens from the past, including five-time Antarctic explorer Frank Wild and Sir William van Hulsteyn. You will hear the stories of Sonja Schlesin (who was Mohandas Gandhi’s secretary), Albert Lindbergh the founder of the stationery shop CNA, and other prominent people including Sir Thomas and Lady Cullinan.
Eastern Parktown – Echoes of the Past from 14:00 – 16:30
Explore the eastern edge of Parktown with a walking tour of the unknown parts of the area, including discoveries such as a miniature church, medical milestones, luxury apartment blocks, and the Freemasons’ Hall. You can also view a ghostly abandoned mansion from the Anglo-Boer War and hear about Colonel Bettington.
Veterans of the Struggle – Lest We Forget from 14:15 – 17:15
Celebrate the legacy of the veterans who were instrumental in the end of apartheid. Ranging from west to east, this tour passes the places connected to many struggle heroes. These luminaries include Mosie Moola, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Rusty and Hilda Bernstein, Bram Fischer and more.
Forest Town Fantasy from 14:20 – 17:05
Once the plantation that supplied the mines of Joburg with pit props, Forest Town retains its verdant links to the past. Take a stroll through the lush, tree-lined streets of the suburb which was once the nursery for many of Parktown's trees, while you learn about the architects of Joburg who built many of the homes of historical figures from noted bacteriologist Sir Frederick Spencer Lister to Sir James Percy FitzPatrick, the author of Jock of the Bushveld (1907).
