1877, Cape Town ZA – South African International Exhibition

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1877 CapeTown

Name:	South African International Exhibition
Dates:	15 Feb – ? 1877
Days:
Venue:	Custom-built building adjacent to the Goede Hoop Masonic Lodge
Theme:
Exhibitors:	395 exhibitors from 14 nations
Awards:
Visitors:
Legacy:

The Cape Colony ran this first interational exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa. The exhibition was held in the grounds of the Masonic Lodge de Goede Hoop which was being used for the Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope.

A wood, iron and glass building was erected especially for the exhibition. It was 184 ft (56m )x 78 ft (23.8m) to heigh of 56 ft (17m). The building costs were £10,027.

Exhibitors were from 14 nations – Austria, Belgium, Bohemia, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Italy, Prussia, South Africa (Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal), Sweden, Switzerland and USA.

Exhibits were grouped in 10 classes: agriculture, alimentation, chemicals (perfume, medicine and surgical equipment), fabric and jewellery, furniture, hardware, machinery, science and education, transport and miscellany.

Notable exhibitors included Wertheim safes; Sheffield based Samuel Marshall who showed hooks, hay knives, scythes and sheep shears.

Awards were won by Taylor’s sewing machines, and Rylands & Sons linen manufacturers.

After the exhibition, the main building was used as an assembly hall and a theatre, known as the Exhibition Theatre. On 21 Feb 1892, while preparing for a new play a fire broke out, the entire building and the adjoining Masonic Lodge were destroyed.