Excelsior Hostel - Heidelberg (Gauteng)

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 Built: 1913 : 1919

Architect: Wynand Louw (1883-1967)

Building contractor: Johannes Stephanus Joubert (1870-1949)

Status: Demolished


Excelsior was the third church-owned hostel built for boys at the Hoër Volkskool in Heidelberg. From as early as 1912 a house on the Vereeniging Road had been used under the name “Excelsior” with Mr D.J.M. Jordaan as hostel father. It began in private houses in Brinkdorp and was formally taken over by the church as a hostel in January 1918. A decision was then made to erect a purpose-built third hostel, which was also named Excelsior. Architect Wynand Louw of Paarl (who had designed Transvalia and Concordia) drew the plans once again, and Mr J.S. Joubert served as builder. The new building was completed in 1924 at a cost of £10 820 and accommodated 90 boys.

Like the other two hostels, Excelsior was owned and administered by the Nederduitse Gereformeerde / Hervormde Kerkraad and leased to the Education Department. It served Hoër Volkskool pupils for more than four decades until the church board decided in 1959 to sell the three ageing properties (Transvalia, Concordia and Excelsior) to the Province. The original Excelsior building was eventually demolished, but its name was carried over to one of the new provincial hostels erected in 1965 on the former Concordia and Excelsior sites.

Sources
  1. Lotz, P.W. (1952) Geskiedenis van die Ontwikkeling van die Onderwys aan Blankes in die Distrik Heidelberg, Transvaal van 1839 to 1950. (thesis)

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