Ridgeholm Parktown

This house was designed in 1902 by architects Leck and Emley for Richard Baumann, an attorney who served on Milner's Permits Committee. This committee controlled the return of so-called Uitlanders - British subjects who had been forced to leave Johannesburg when war between Britain and the ZAR broke out. Ridgeholm marks the first use in Johannesburg of Cape Dutch gables as a clearly South African element. Since 1993, it has been used as a theatrical venue for children. (Blue plaque inscription) The original plaque was damaged in early 2014. It was replaced by the City of Johannesburg on 4 August 2014. The original inscription is below read as follows: "This house was designed in 1902 by architects, Leck and Emley, for Richard Baumann, an attorney who served on Milner's permit committee which controlled the return of Uitlanders to their homes on the Rand. Milner wanted to speed up their return from the wretchedness of the refugee camps, but the military authorities were reluctant to allow this, being more concerned about security and food shortages."