The Lindfield Victorian House museum (a Provincial Heritage Site) recently received its Joburg Heritage Plaque from the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation. The museum shares this honour with several other sites such as the Gandhi Family House, Madiba's first home in Johannesburg, the Union Castle Buildings, and so on.

Called Grey Roofs, the original small cottage was designed by Herbert Baker. Baker ruled the architectural scene in South Africa between 1892 and 1912.  The house was originally built (circa 1910) for Dr. St John Stanwell and his wife Alice.  In 1924, A.J. Marshall (Sir Herbert Baker's Clerk of Works), made changes to the house and in 1933, Nellie Edwards  (Johannesburg's first female architect and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts), added additional rooms.

Today Lindfield Victorian House Museum tells a tale of Johannesburg during an era that shaped the urban city of today. It shows the Victorian day-to-day life, the culture, intellectual achievements and social norms of the day.  The spirit of this elegant era still breathes in the Lindfield Victorian House Museum and visitors not only learn its cultural history, but also experience the ambience of a bygone world.

Former Mayor of Johannesburg, Parks Tau,  wrote in 2013 "For years now Johannesburg has been acknowledging special buildings and sites, historic struggles, remarkable personalities and other pieces of history by means of blue heritage plaques."  The Lindfield Victorian House Museum displays its  plaque with pride and in reverence to the Victorians.

Katharine Love

Lindfield Victorian House Museum

72 Richmond Avenue (Entrance Greenlands Road)Auckland ParkJohannesburg2092.

Phone Number: +27 11 726 2932Web: lindfield.wix.com/museum/Email: lindfieldhousemuseum@outlook.com