The house perches almost on the peak of the ridge, has wonderful views and is a highly visible landmark.
The house, outbuildings and terraced garden structures were constructed incrementally over a short period. It is fortunate that a comprehensive set of submission drawings exists which documents this process in detail.
All of the drawings were prepared by Alexander Forrest, an architect practising from Clonmel Chambers in Johannesburg. Born in Forres, Morayshire in Scotland in 1878, in 1915 Forrest was listed as a member of the Transvaal Institute of Architects. His earliest known work was Harley Chambers in Jeppe Street in 1926. He designed a number of branch buildings for Standard Bank. He died in July 1943.
The first drawing submitted described a set of four identical stone store rooms
(each 3m, 15cm ’ x 3.6m ) arranged in two pairs about a central arched opening formed in red face brick and fronted by a broad columned pergola. This storeroom structure was set up high against the eastern boundary towards the rear of the stand and served to form a retaining wall for a larger terraced area, described on the drawings as a “Lawn or tennis court.”
This storeroom has been renovated and now forms a continuous room with five arches and wood and glass doors, and a stoep running the length of it, overlooking the pool. It is now used as an office.
As was typical for this period the drawings were endorsed by Forrest “Not to be used for human habitation.” The City Council likewise specifically approved the Building on Plot 211 Westcliff as a “store”.
The following year a drawing titled “ Garage, Terrace Walls, Steps etc on Stand 211 Westcliff” was submitted. This described some additional retaining structures forming two substantial terraces, the upper terrace being for the future construction of the house.
The additional accommodation provided covered parking for four cars, with two rooms (each 5m x 5m ) the one labelled “garage” the other as “Shelter”. A small tool store was also provided adjoining the garage. All three rooms were accommodated behind the upper terrace wall.
Symmetrically placed between the two garage spaces was a substantial double flight of stairs, both flights of which wrapped around a small koi pond.
The balustrade to the staircases and the terrace walls were formed of pre-cast concrete elements matching the columns of the adjacent storeroom pergola.
The terrace walls were built in koppie stone quarried on site, with a substantial batter lending an air of solidity and permanence.
Drawings for a four- bedroomed, double-storey residence (with the usual outbuildings) were submitted which described the placement of the house on the axial line set up by the external staircase.
The ground floor was provided with a projecting triple arched veranda, a feature of which are the fine tessellated pre-cast cement tiles.
A large hall with a solid timber staircase and arched inglenook under the stairs was entered from the veranda. The hall provided direct access to a billiard room (to the east) and the dining room with facetted bay window to the east on the north side, as well as into a passage leading to a small porch and guest cloakroom, and to the kitchen with attached scullery and pantry and a small west facing bedroom.
All the doors have fine timber architraves. The newel posts and balustrades of the staircase are notable for their unusual detailing. All the spaces have impressive pressed metal ceilings, each one of a different pattern, hardly surprising since Fernandez’s father-in-law was the founder of Steel Ceilings and Aluminium Works
The second floor accommodated four bedrooms; b edroom o ne being provided with an attached-, but not inter-leading dressing room. Only one bathroom was provided with separate WC and a separate “Shower Room”. A servant’s bedroom was provided for the usual live in white servant (nanny or maid or valet), a linen press, and a s ervant’s stair which was located externally.
The submission drawing shows a steeply pitched roof with wide overhanging eaves and a decorative gable. The house as constructed, presumably at the request of the client JM Fernandez, with a much lower pitched roof, with perimeter box gutter and no gable, further imparting a Mediterranean feel to the design.
In the absence of waterborne sewerage, a “Conserving Tank” was installed to collect the sewage for regular removal by the local authority.
With introduction of waterborne sewerage to the area in 1936 the conserving tanks and French drains were disconnected and a connection to the municipal drain was made.
Over the next few years Fernandez constructed numerous other structures including a belvedere on the western end of the ridge, various rainwater storage cisterns, dovecots, rabbit hutches and a network of paths and flower beds. The dovecots and rabbit hutches still exist but are no longer in use.
An extraordinary feature of the house and its outbuildings is how remarkably intact it is. Original door and window furniture, light fittings, bathroom fittings, rain water heads, the bell to summon outdoor staff, household bells etc, all survive intact.
The house was built by a Portuguese from Madeira, J M Fernandez in 1928-30. He dealt with the importation of Mozambican men to work on the mines and it is suggested that mineworkers were probably employed over weekends to build the complex garden terraces, the pergolas and the belvedere. The garden reveals the heritage of Madeira where water and soil are treasured and where the kitchen garden and the keeping of animals for the pot are an integral part of its character.
It was bought by Julien Missak in 1950 who renamed it St Aubyn’s. He was a wealthy bachelor, with a fine collection of oriental ceramics and a library of French classics. In 1970 he became a monk and had a special dispensation to live 11 months of the year away from the monastery. But his life became increasingly ascetic and over the years the gardens were neglected.
On his death in 1980 the property was left to the Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg) on the condition that they established there a centre for Armenian and Flemish culture. For some years the Armenian church met there and the u niversity did try to promote the Flemish connection. However, security problems led to the removal of all the valuable artifacts in the house and gradually the house fell into further decline.
Finally, it was returned to the estate of Mr Missak and sold on auction to Ingrid Staude Griessel in 2005. The property comprises one stand in Westcliff (211) and two in Parktown. The two in Parktown – erfs 716 and 717 - are on the southern slope and were developed by Fernandez with stairways and garden terracing only All the buildings lie on the Westcliff side. The stands were sold separately and the restoration work done on Stand 211 Westcliff by Griessel. The two Parktown stands were bought by Dockrat Inc Attorneys.
Formal Protection status under the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999. Gauteng Provincial Gazette Extraordinary, vol 17, no 213, 15 September 2011. Notice 2405 of 2011.
A culmination of research gathered over many years, the Online Johannesburg Heritage Register is being launched on Nelson Mandela Day 18 July 2025.
Among the many heritage sites featured is Chancellor House, the downtown offices of Mandela and Tambo Attorneys in the 1950s. After having been vacant and shuttered for more than a decade, this iconic building is being revived and brought to life once again as offices for the Community Development Department, which oversees the City’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Services.
