Berea’s oldest house enters social media age
Rosanne Abound recently created a Facebook page for thee historic house that was build in 1849.
THE oldest house in Berea recently entered the social media age with it’s own Facebook Page. A new family recently moved into the home that has been affectionately referred to as The Elephant House.
Built in 1849, the house is located on Peter Mokaba Ridge (Ridge Road), on the highest natural point overlooking what is now Jameson Park.
The home owners, Rosanne and Matthew Aboud moved into the house with their children, Gabriel and Lilly-Robyn this year. Rosanne has since set up a Facebook page to share titbits on a fascinating home that has stood the test of time.
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The Elephant House Facebook Page went live on November 11, and has since gained more than 200 followers.
“It was built as a hunting lodge. Durban was mostly bush at the time. Matthew and I used to run a game lodge and we lived in the bush for years.
“Growing up, he lived across the road from The Elephant house and would ride by on his bike,” said Rosanne.
The historical home is fitted with original wooden shutters and light fixtures. While the bones of the home are from yesteryear, Rosanne has revived the interior with modern finishes that reflect the elephants that made the house famous.
In remembrance of the home’s original owners, a plaque was placed at the front door of the house.
“The Elephant House was originally used by the Milner brothers, Henry, Philip and Thomas, as a weekend hunting lodge. The house became known to the people of Durban as the Elephant House after surviving numerous attacks from local elephant herds. A sandy track, that later became Florida Road, was the path the elephants used on their daily trek to obtain water from the Greyville Marshes, which are now part of the Royal Durban golf course,” said Rosanne.
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The Abound family are the fourth family to own the historical home. Rosanne said the previous owner, Brian Agar, purchased the property in 1975.
“After learning its history, he decided that the legend of Elephant House could not die, and it was declared a National Monument on August 25 1978. During the course of restoration, and in the time the Agars spent in the house, some interesting artefacts were discovered, including a cannon from the ship Ariosto,” she said.
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