Thursday, 22 April 2021

My first Jeppe History Blog



I wanted to share my love for Jeppe history by documenting my "Collard's Folly" finds.

COLLARD'S FOLLY

A paragraph from the Jeppe High School for Boys website reads,

"the rugby field bears testimony to the drive of men like Jack Collard and Vic Robson. Many Old Boys of that era proudly recall the “hard labour” and “Collard specials” of P.T. periods. The Municipal refuse was dumped on the sloping east of the “B” rugby field, and by 1950 this was covered by grass. It was, however, too small for games purposes and it became known as “Collard’s Folly’'. Below, on the present “C” field, six matting wickets and two concrete pitches were made for nets." 

https://www.jeppeboys.co.za/about-us/history/mr-a-j-grant-1943-1962/

Mr Collard might not have created a pitch but instead the "Folly" became a time-capsule that preserved Jeppe life for over 130 years and shows how the school was at the heart of an emerging Johannesburg and how the learners and parents link back to the school in interesting ways.  

This is where I find my "treasures".  I do not dig for them, according to me, they reveal themselves only when they want to be found - after a rainstorm or on a particularly windy day. I collect antique and vintage glass bottles, porcelain shards and other interesting objects.  Judy le Grange the curator of the Jeppe High School for Boys museum has kindly made some space in the museum to house some of the found objects.  

I rescue them, because ultimately, they are raked up, disposed of, and are then lost forever! I can walk the same route every day and not see anything but find something the following day.

 Some might call what I do a form of "mud larking", but I am actually "folly larking"!

 I hope that you find this as interesting as I do!  

 

 

 

 

 


1 comment:

  1. It's lovely Jeannie! I read through this and I'm still standing in your office chatting with you! xxx

    ReplyDelete

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