Bertram House

Bertram House, situated at the top of Government Avenue in the centre of Cape Town, is set to reopen its doors to the public on 9 December 2010, after extensive renovations.

This house is the only remaining example of the English Georgian-style red brick houses that were once common in Cape Town. It was built c. 1839 by the English immigrant and notary, John Barker, who named it in memory of his first wife, Ann Bertram Findlay.

Subsequent owners and tenants of the property reflect the society of 19th century Cape Town. They include Captain Robert Granger, a merchant and owner of 5 ships after whom Granger Bay is named, as well as Tiberias Benjamin Kisch, the first Jewish professional photographer at the Cape.

In 1903 the South African College took ownership of the house for use as office space, after which it was transferred to the government of the Union of South Africa in 1930. It was eventually transferred to the South African Cultural History Museum (SACHM) in 1976, to be furnished as a house museum.

This was made possible by the efforts and generosity of Mrs Winifred Ann Lidderdale, who bequeathed a substantial collection of mainly porcelain and furniture to the SACHM in order to depict Bertram House as the home of a prosperous English family of the first part of the 19th century. The Museum was officially opened on 12 May 1984. Today Bertram House forms part of Iziko Museums and is the curatorial responsibility of the Social History Collections department.

Hours

Open Monday to Friday: 10:00 - 17:00
Closed Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Day and Worker's Day

Entrance fees

Facilities
Parking: Yes
Disabled access: Yes
Shop: No
Restaurant: Yes
Conference facilities: Yes: +27 (0)21 481 3940