In Brixton, 120 years ago, a house built on the corner of Wimbledon and Fulham roads was probably nothing too special. Today, the same structure still stands, only now its importance in the community is far reaching as it has been recognised as the earliest shop. The community recently held an unveiling ceremony after the structure received a blue plaque.
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“I am really excited that this is the community’s first blue plaque,” said chairperson of the Brixton Community Forum, Sophia Welz who finds it quite novel how they now live in these old spaces in these modern times. She was grateful for the work of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation as well as that of the City of Joburg who helped make this all possible.
For the past 15 years, the structure has served as a home to Agnes Mabaso and her family. It is described as a shop-cum dwelling made of mostly corrugated iron and wood. Welz asked Mabaso if she doesn’t get cold living in the house, to which she jokingly retorted, “I come from the Free State, QwaQwa, and it is much colder.”
Mabaso said in the early years of her living there she didn’t know what the house meant, as to her it was just a corrugated iron house. Together with her husband and four children they have had the pleasure of calling this house, a home for these many years. “It has been a privilege to live in this house; I love being here and thank you to everybody.”
Back in 1904, when people walked by this house they probably shopped for regular home goods. Now as one passes the home they are greeted not only by Agnes’ infectious smile, but also the aroma of her sought-after baking and cooking. In her kitchen she lovingly bakes rusks, cakes, biscuits and meals for not only her family but the community too, who makes sure to support her co-owned bakers’ confection business.
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Eric Itzkin, deputy director immovable heritage for the City of Johannesburg, said this corrugated iron shop-cum dwelling goes back to the earliest days of Joburg as a mining town as it became more of a settled one and materials they used to build were rough and ready. “There are not so many around; you find them here and there in different suburbs.”
He explained that Brixton was settled by a lot of mine workers in the early days.
Though the community did nominate the building for a blue plaque, the City was already aware of it. Itzkin said there is a criteria that is looked at based on legislation to get a blue plaque. The National Heritage esources Act of 1999 sets a criteria for heritage significance. It points out wide ranging aspects such as historical importance and spiritual significance though generally it is about cultural significance. “Some places may be important due its architecture and aesthetics, and in other cases it’s about social and cultural history,” he said.
Itzkin said this particular building is interesting for its material and structure but also for the role in community life and the reflection it gives on early trading practices. He described that in the 1900s people often combined their homes with a shop element and this home is a brilliant example of that.
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