You realise you're getting old when a house built in 1936 is regarded as "historic". Anyway, if I still make the same impression at 73 as Norscot Manor does today, there's a lot to be said for being historic.

I discovered the stately, albeit low-key mansion in Fourways recently when viewing the Watercolour Society of South Africa's latest art exhibition. Norscot has, for many years, been the headquarters of the society, and is also home to a host of community facilities, such as a municipal library, dancing classes, judo and karate, bridge, dressmaking, yoga, even divorce recovery workshops and a refuge for those trying to give up smoking. There are playgrounds and a delightful open-air restaurant, The Secret Garden.

But in days of old, Norscot was much more than that. It was a bastion of Johannesburg's rich and famous and, although now devoid of its original opulent furnishing, a stroll through the manor still provides a fascinating look at how the "other half" lived in the days before the Second World War.

Norscot was built in 1936 by Ernst Eriksen, a Norwegian immigrant in whose life fate twice took a meaningful hand.

First, his missionary father, Sven - obviously not too skilled in worldly directions - took the newly-matriculated Ernst to a shipbuilder's office for apprenticeship, but ended up inadvertently knocking on the door of a sugar merchant. Perhaps believing that the mistake was divinely inspired, Sven allowed young Ernst to settle for the sweeter career.

It turned out a wise decision and the young Eriksen soon became very wealthy, establishing, with his brother, the well-known Eriksen Brothers sugar empire.

When the First World War broke out, Ernst joined the South African army and volunteered to join the troops in France. Britain was not keen to have a Norwegian commissioned officer in charge of UK troops, so he was put "on leave" while the Houses of Parliament laboriously debated whether foreigners should be accorded this privilege.

Unphased, Ernst nonchalantly spent his enforced holiday playing golf in Scotland - where fate again stepped in. It was there he met his future wife, Ethel, who accompanied him back to South Africa when hostilities ended.

After leaving Durban, the Eriksens moved to Westcliff in Joburg in 1935, where Ernst established the Eriksen Ford motor dealership, which proved successful enough to further bolster his bank account.

During a Sunday drive in the then barren Fourways, Ethel admired the beautiful sunset over the Magaliesberg and Ernst immediately decided that it was here that they would make their home. He bought more than 130 hectares of land from the watermelon/cattle farmers who owned the property and soon invested in even more.

He lived in a tent on his new land, supervising the building of Norscot (the "Nor" part was derived from his Norwegian roots, the "Scot" from that of his wife). No expenses were spared in design and construction. A Swiss master craftsman was in charge of the building operations, with a master wood carver, John Harcus (who also did the carvings for the presidential residence, Libertas) engaged for Norscot's carvings.

Among the intricate works Harcus did for the manor is a large Viking ship which served as the Eriksen's bar, as well as alcove carvings of the lions on both the Norwegian and Scottish coat of arms.

You can see the lavish spending on Norscot today, walking through the manor: the teak windows, Oregon pine rafters, floors constructed with wood imported from Central Africa, light fittings shipped in from Norway, magnificent staircase balustrades - a replica of those on the stairs of the Spanish Embassy in London. There are no fewer than 11 fireplaces, eight reception rooms, six bedrooms and five bathrooms in the 1 200m2 house, which was the setting for many a party in its heyday.

It is built in Cape Dutch style, but experts say it is far too large and misshapen to be considered true Cape Dutch. Its size was the result of many additions over the years - Ethel would think nothing of enlarging a room should it have been too small for a carpet she particularly fancied.

Ethel loved gardening and pioneered the cutflower export industry in South Africa. Her obsession with flowers knew no end: she even used a precious 1810 mahogany Viking cradle to hold her floral pots at a society ball in the Rand Club to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Norscot Manor hit the headlines in 1982 when, after the death of Ernst in 1964, and subsequently Ethel and their daughter, Joyce, the estate was auctioned by no less than Sotheby's of London. The auction house gleefully rushed over to sell the 3 000 items Ethel had collected over five decades. To say that she had been an avid collector would be an understatement.

Sotheby's arranged three glittering VIP viewing cocktails, attended by 3 300 socialites. The three-day sale was expected to yield more than R1.5 million - a fair whack 27 years ago. Potential bidders came from all over the world for what for many was their first glimpse of the riches of Norscot. Gary Player came, so did Barbara Barnard, and also the ubiquitous Dr Marino Chiavelli, with yet another Miss South Africa in tow. It was said to be "a cross between a Showhouse Sunday and the Rand Show".

Dr Chiavelli predictably ended up with some prized items, including four Anton von Wouw sculptures. The fact that the magnificent Eriksen pewter collection ended up in private hands and not a museum was lamented by some bidders.

Norscot Manor itself was also subsequently sold, and, after being occupied by a building firm for a short time, stood vacant for four years before Sandton Municipality bought it for use as a cultural and recreation centre.

While at a private braai in the Eriksens' own "secret garden", with the happy laughter of children enjoying a vigorous tug of war in the background, I felt just a little sad that Sandton Municipality has not done more to highlight the significance of Norscot Manor.

Apart from a virtually non-descript bust of Ernst Eriksen in the gardens, there are basically just a few photocopied newspaper articles on a wall in the Sun Room to provide cryptic clues to the history of the place.

It is pointless offering guided tours through an empty manor, but surely informative signage or a plaque could be installed, or a leaflet produced, so visitors would be encouraged to stroll through the house after Sunday lunch at the restaurant?

I suppose we should be grateful that Norscot Manor has already survived one threat of demolition to make way for a housing estate. But if the public - and its municipal guardians - are not made aware of the building's historical value, it might not be so lucky next time.

Source: News24.com - www.news24.com

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