South African International Exhibition
The South African International Exhibition was a world's industrial fair held in held in Cape Town, South Africa in 1877.
Not to be confused with the South African and International Exhibition (Kimberley, 1892)[1]
Organised by a committee led by the opera impresario Signor Cagli, who spent 1876 canvassing American and European industries to exhibit, eventually obtaining 395 local and international exhibitors from 14 nations, , including the Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal, the USA, India, Austria, Belgium, Bohemia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Prussia, Sweden and Switzerland.
The Exhibition was opened on 15 February 1877 by His Excellency Sir Henry Bartle Frere[], and was housed on a building specifically erected for the exhibition on the grounds of the Lodge de Goede Hoop. According to Wikipedia the structure was built of wood, iron, and glass, measuring 14,352 square feet () in area and was 56 feet high. It cost £10,027 at the time.
Contents
1 Location
2 Exhibits
3 Aftermath
4 References
Location
The exhibition was held in the grounds of the Lodge de Goede Hoop which was being used for the Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope[4] in a building erected for the exhibition.[5] The building was built of wood, iron, and glass which measured 184 x 78 feet; 56 feet high; and cost £10,027.[citation needed]
During 1876 Signor Cagli had canvassed American and European industries to exhibit “manufactures of all kinds”[4] which were to be grouped in 10 classes: "alimentation", chemicals (perfume, medicine and surgical equipment), furniture, fabric and jewellery, transport, hardware, machinery, agriculture, science and education, and miscellany.[5]
Exhibitors included Wertheim safes;[6] Taylor's sewing machines, who won a medal;[7] Sheffield based Samuel Marshall who showed hooks, hay knives, scythes and sheep shears[8] and linen manufacturers Rylands & Sons who won a prize (and another a year later at the Paris exhibition).[9]
There were 395 exhibitors from 14 nationsAfter the exhibition, the main building was used as an assembly hall and a theatre, known as the Exhibition Theatre. In the afternoon of 21 February 1892, carpenters and scenery painters were preparing for a new play when a fire broke out about 3:30, near the theatre entrance. In less than one hour, the entire building was destroyed along with the adjoining Masonic Lodge and Native Affairs Office.[citation needed]
