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“The garden has a gazebo where I can imagine
the family sheltered from the Pretoria heat. It’s
somewhere they would have held teas and
musical soirees,” says Melissa.

In the main drawing room, the furniture
is covered with satins and brocades, the
curtains are padded, there are ornate
mirrors, elaborately moulded and gilded
ceilings, and painted glass windows. The
predominant colour scheme is blue, with a which according to Wynand, creates a sense
blue carpet, and blue wallpaper. of panic in some people.

The entrance hall leads into a small library, “This specific location is very precious to us in
which has painted glass windows portraying the sense that this is one of the first historic
Shakespeare and Milton, along with buildings that we've actually investigated.
quotations from their works. Up in the attic, there seems to have been
some activity that we have felt,” he says.
The grand interior of Melrose House includes
plush carpets in opulent colours, paintings “The energy in there seems to be Cape Colony, was invited to Pretoria on a
by British artists, exquisitely ornate fireplaces accumulating. When you step in there, you state visit and there being no other suitable
and ceilings, and an array of gorgeous sort of feel off balance a little bit and you accommodation at the time, Melrose
porcelain ornaments that boast impressive get hit by the magnetic fields that are being House was lent for the occasion. The British
monetary values amongst collectors. Most radiated from there.” Government presented Mr and Mrs Heys
of these ornaments still belong to the Heys with a silver bowl inscribed with their thanks.
family. We spent about half hour on that freezing
dark landing watching the EVP readouts In June 1900, after Pretoria was invaded,
The billiard-room has fluted pillars and and filming. At one stage, Wynand heard Melrose House was requisitioned by Lord
windows depicting hunting scenes. And it’s something – a spirit voice, he said – but the Roberts as the headquarters of the British
here that we started the ghost tour. Melissa crew didn’t hear it. We just got colder and forces. For about 18 months, it became the
claims so many tourists have mentioned colder. point from which instructions and strategies
suddenly smelling cigar smoke in this room. were issued to the soldiers.
From there, carved wooden bannisters lead Outside, the fig tree looms over the property
past a beautifully painted window to the and keeps watch over the two-acre grounds. When the Peace Treaty of Vereeniging, a
first floor landing where an organ stands. There are various buildings, a charming crucial document which ended the Anglo-
The main bedroom contains a large brass housekeeper's cottage, a coach house and Boer War, was signed in 1902, it was done in
bedstead with mother-of-pearl inlays at horse stables with the usual loft above, the dining room of Melrose House.
head and foot. The bathrooms, obviously and a garage still containing George Hey's
introduced later, are large rooms with typical Minerva car, an enormous vehicle bought So if you want to try and catch a ghost or just
Victorian appointments. in 1920, which he used for a short while, did catch up on history – visiting Melrose House
not like, and had put up on blocks where it promises to be an awesome outing.
We then climbed up to the ‘attic’ floor where has been ever since.
the incredibly tight servants’ staircase goes Melrose House, 275 Jacob Maré Street,
Pretoria Central
straight up to the top landing. The cramped Many distinguished people have been Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 to 17h00
attic used to be a bedroom shared by the entertained at Melrose House over the years. Closed on Mondays and most public holidays
nanny and governess. And this is the room, In 1893, Sir Henry Loch, Governor of the Telephone: +27 (0)12 322 2805

Fourways Gardens • 27 • August 2022