The Origins of Saxonwold & Parkwood

Saxonwold

Because this part of Braamfontein farm, bought by Hermann Eckstein for exploitation of minerals, did not live up to its expectations, Eckstein laid it out as a timber plantation and named it Sachsenwald after Bismarck’s estate in Germany. The plantation was started in 1891 and was first managed by Mr Genth, the manager of Prince Bismarck’s plantations in Germany. Eduard Lippert was in charge of planting the trees and was given a freehold lease by Dirk Geldenhuis of the northern portion of the farm Braamfontein that was called Sachsenwald.

The Anglo Saxon form of the name was adopted at the time of World War 1 and Tvl Consolidated Land & Exploration Co Ltd established the township in 1925.

The surveyor was Charles Presswell Tompkins who took the Rand Regiments Memorial as the salient feature and laid out the streets to give as many views of the edifice as possible. It was also suggested that owners should build so as not to obstruct the views – this was revolutionary at the time.

The street names were old Anglo-Saxon names and ended in wold for easy identification. Only Northwold, Cotswold, Methwold & Griswold are genuine names; Mr W E S Lewis of the Township Company made up all the rest.

Part of the Sachsenwald (Braamfontein) Forest was given for the Herman Eckstein Park. This was given to the Johannesburg Town Council in 1903 by the firm Messrs. Wernher Beit & Co and Max Michaelis and was over 200 acres of freehold ground in the Braamfontein Forest generally known as Sachsenwald, and was to be called the Herman Eckstein Park. Included in the above area was 20 acres to be used as a gymkhana and exercise ground for Volunteers of the Imperial Light Horse (now the War Museum). The land was transferred to the council on 22 March 1904. The gift of land included a Zoological Collection forming the nucleus of the present day Zoo.

In 1906 an artificial lake was sanctioned by the council and work commissioned at a cost of , 136. Zoo Lake was completed in 1908.