The Breakfast Room

The late 18th  Century kitchen cupboard is made of stinkwood, camphor wood and teak, a fairly common practice when there was insufficient wood of one type. However, the American Ash top is most certainly a 20 `h Century replacement.

This item together with the large attractive earthenware cheese bell was bequeathed by Mr George Payne of McGregor. Two of the straight­ legged stinkwood chairs were presented by Mr F Preiss. The stinkwood "teegoedbalie" with copper hoops used for washing up the tea cups and then storing them is a fine example of local workmanship. There are a couple of Robertson turned-leg chairs, as mentioned in the dining room, also to be seen here. These have been found as far afield as the Transvaal (Gauteng) and the Orange Free State, evidence indeed of Robertson's wagon making industry from the town's beginnings till the end of the Anglo Boer War. There were at least 17 wagon-makers in the town and records abound with the allied trades of blacksmiths, wheelwrights, carpenters, sail-makers and professional transport riders. Robertson's wagon-makers were renowned for their expertise. President Paul Kruger's stinkwood wagon in Pretoria was made by Philip Fouche and his daughter Helen. A wagon-making corner with many of the tools used has been set up in the Annex.