This Heritage Month GCN shares some of Primrose’s rich history based on a report compiled by Joyce Ganter in 2009.
Ganter compiled, researched and wrote the report in January and February 2009. (Please note that names of buildings and streets may have changed since then.)
She said, “I relied on my memory, made phone calls, visits to business owners and institutions representatives and did research at the library to obtain the information recorded.”
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Primrose
Primrose is a very old and large area. Many houses and business premises are 100-120 years old. The residents vary, mainly elderly, retired and pensioners with incomes from lucrative, middle class, poor and informal settlement dwellers.
Earliest recollection
My earliest recollection of information on Primrose goes back to 1931/1932. At that time, there were three brickfields in operation – Jaybee, Germiston and Harrisons, situated at the bottom of Main Road and AG de Witt Drive.
The bricks were made by hand, sun-dried and then kiln-baked; the kilns were made with brick and mud plaster.
There was also Primrose Brickworks in Rietfontein Road, which later became BRICKOR. The hole caused by the use of clay and soil became what is today a lake, with a townhouse complex of the premises. The entrance to this property is in Marguerite Road, corner of Petunia Street off Rietfontein Road.
One of the oldest businesses in Main Road, Fishers’ Hill, was the BIG BEN BAZAAR, where you could purchase the proverbial needle in a haystack. On this site is now Speedometer Services.
Ackerman’s Pharmacy
The pharmacy was established in 1948, a very large and well-organised chemist with many staff members. They are always ready to help the community.
A clinic was opened upstairs and has two qualified nursing sisters in attendance. There is also a baby clinic in operation.
Schools
There are many schools from pre-primary to high school. The Jan de Klerk Trade School is now called Primrose High School. Other high schools are Goudrif, Dawnview and Vryburger. The AJ Koen School is now the Ethembeni LSEN School for Disabled.
Primary schools include Oosterkruin, Primrose Hill (1946) and Primrose primary schools, and there are many registered playgrounds, daycare centres, crèches and nursery schools, e.g. Daeraad Nursery School (1966).
Primrose Cemetery
This is a large and very old cemetery, with graves from the Anglo Boer War, 1914-1918 War and local residents. Some graves are of soldiers from as far as Canada buried by the British and Boer.
Many soldiers who died of diseases prevalent at the time were buried in Primrose Cemetery. There are now Walls of Remembrance with niches to house the ashes of those cremated.
Main Road
In Main Road, Fishers’ Hill, where the economic stores and butchery were situated, is now the Property Week and Germiston City News offices.
Makause
The Makause informal settlement was started in 1997. Not a safe place to erect shacks due to the caving grounds and sinkholes caused by mining operations.
Contact the newsroom by emailing:
Marietta Lombard (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, or (Journalists) Busi Vilakazi busiv@caxton.co.za
