Walking tour St Joseph’s Children’s Home Sophiatown

SOPHIATOWN –  A survivor of the Forced Removals from Sophiatown, St Joseph’s Children’s Home fascinates with its architecture (Fleming, Herbert Baker’s long-time partner), amazing setting high on the ridge above West Park Cemetery, for its status as a WW1 Memorial to coloured soldiers and as a haven for coloured children for 83 years.

Now proudly the Head Office of the Johannesburg Anglican Diocese, we pay special tribute to the women who founded the home. We visit the oldest block (the boys’ home), the priest’s rondavel (he was kept strictly apart from the Sisters of St Margaret of East Grinstead) the main block and end on the ridge. Sarah Welham has been researching the Sisters and the Home so the tour includes a slide show in the refectory.

Park inside the grounds of the children’s home – enter at the vehicle gate, corner Good and Herman Streets, Sophiatown.   Duration is approximately three hours and the cost is R80 for members and R130 for non-members. For more info phone 011 482 3349.

Sarah Welham, one of the Foundation’s Researchers, has recently completed a book on the history of the Home entitled ‘Hope Blossoms in Sophiatown’ and will be on sale on the day of the tour.  The cost of the book is R80 cash.