Old Presidency

Old Presidency

Old Presidency, President Brand Street, Bloemfontein
General information
Type Mansion/Manor House/Castle
Architectural style Victorian
Location Bloemfontein,  South Africa
Coordinates 29°07′11″S 26°12′56″E / 29.1196°S 26.2155°E / -29.1196; 26.2155Coordinates: 29°07′11″S 26°12′56″E / 29.1196°S 26.2155°E / -29.1196; 26.2155
Construction started 22 May 1885[1][2]
Completed 1886 [2]
Cost £12 200 (1886)
Height
Top floor Tower
Technical details
Floor count 2 excluding tower
Design and construction
Architect Lennox, Canning and Goad.[2]
Known for Museum, Haunted House, Art gallery, Theatre[1]
Website
www.localgovernment.co.za/metropolitans/view/8/Mangaung-Metropolitan-Municipality

The Old Presidency or Ou Presidensie (Afrikaans) is a museum, art gallery and theatre in the city of Bloemfontein, South Africa, located on President Brand Street in the heart of the city. The former residence of the President of the Republic of the Orange Free State from 1886 until 1899 when the city fell to the British Empire during the Second Anglo-Boer War.

History

Henry Warden erected the "Residency" a 'nederige kleihuis' (Afrikaans for humble clay-house),[2] a farm structure built out of sun-dried mud-bricks as the first structure on the site of the current Presidency. The independence of the Orange River Sovereignty in 1854 from British rule saw the new presidents of the republic take up quarters in the "Residency", reportedly Presidents Hoffman, Boshoff and Pretorius [3] all lived in the dwelling during their terms in office. The Volksraad, (Afrikaans for People's council) or parliament of the Orange Free State approved plans for a new Presidency in 1860 but could however only afford £800 for the restoration of the old residency.[2]

In the early 1880s the Volksraad decided that the cost of maintenance was unfeasible and that the building was no longer suitable as the official residence of the head of state of an independent country. Thus in 1882 President Brand submitted plans for a competition to design the 'new' Presidency to the Volksraad in 1882, consequently twenty-seven proposals were submitted in 1884 for the prize money of £100. The Johannesburg firm of architects, Lennox Canning and Goad [2] won the competition, unfortunately their design surpassed the budgeted £10,000 and were asked to simplify their design to the final cost of £12,200,[2] and with some reluctance this was accepted. The excavation of new foundations for the new Presidency was deemed too costly, subsequently it was decided to build the New Presidency on top of the Old Presidency. Construction started on 22 May 1885, when the foundation stone was laid, and the building was completed in 1886 with President Brand taking up quarters until his death in 1888.The President's F.W. Reitz (1888–95) and M.T. Steyn (1896-1900) also resided in the building until the British occupation of Bloemfontein on 13 March 1900 when the building served as the headquarters of Field-Marshal Lord Roberts during the Second Anglo-Boer War.[2]

After the war the Presidency served as the residence of Sir H.J. Gould-Adams (1901–10), Governor of the Orange River Colony. Thereafter according to sahistory.co.za th Old Presidency: "was used for a variety of educational and governmental purposes, serving successively as a school, a boarding house, offices of the Army and of the OFS Department of Education, and as the provincial library" until 1933.[2]

The Old Presidency was declared a National Monument on 27 January 1938.[2]

Haunting

The stables at the back of the building are thought to be haunted with several reports of people hearing carriages moving into the stables. The premises reportedly house the ghost of a dog with many people hearing ephemeral barking at night. There are also many stories of children being spotted within the building due to the buildings tenure as a school and hostel.[4]

Museum

The Old President Museum is located at 17 President Brand Street in Bloemfontein, Free State. The manor served as the official residence of the last three presidents of the Orange Free State from 1885 until the British occupation of Bloemfontein in 1899.[2] The museum mainly focuses on the lives and history of these heads of state during their respective terms of office.[1]

The museum has other attractions including "art exhibitions, musical events and theatrical productions" and the gardens outside prove to be a popular site for photography. The museum is open weekly.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Old President Museum". Sa-venues.com. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 https://web.archive.org/web/20141009204059/http://www.sahistory.org.za/places/presidency-bloemfontein. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved November 10, 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ State President of the Orange Free State
  4. ↑ "The Haunting of the Old Presidency (Ou Presidensie)". Joemynhardt.com. 2013-01-08. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
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