The Dining Room

Facing the wall cupboards, the one on the left contains 7 pieces of English bone china circa 1860, a fruit set with hand-painted flowers and maroon borders. The small side plates are also hand-painted and the oblong dish with the all over pattern in blue is a most unusual example of English pottery. These, together with all the pieces of blue and white Chinese Nankin Ware, circa 1800, on the dining table and in the wall cupboard on the right, were presented by Mrs Barker-Goldie. Also in this cupboard on the center shelf are two Chinese Export plates in the European manner 1760 - 1770 and two glass rummers possibly French bequeathed by Miss J le Roux of Keisershof. The hand-coloured botanical etchings on this wall date between 1780 and 1810 and were presented by Sir Terence English in 1976.The large mahogany dining table dates from the 1880's and the stinkwood chairs surrounding it are all examples of the workmanship of several of the many carpenters who at one time lived in Robertson. Though these chairs are known locally as the Robertson chair, they are of course Regency in style and were produced in great numbers from the 1860's and exported to the Orange Free State and Transvaal during Robertson's wagon making era.

On either side of the late 19 th Century German wall clock are photographs of Mr J P Marais 1862 - 1922 and his wife Kitty. It was he who saw the practicality of a dam at Brandvlei, Worcester that would provide irrigation for the farms of Robertson and district as well as Bonnievale. Marais Lake is named in his honour. The small silver commemorative spade in its glass case was presented to Mrs Marais when she turned the first sod in the building of the dam.

The corner display cabinet holds important silver. Most notable are the six Cape Silver tablespoons, the fiddlebacked ones made by Lawrence Twentyman who worked 1820 - 1836, and the others by I.K. The teaspoons were made by D.H.S and were presented by Mrs Lizzie Wolhuter. The unmarked silver-topped shell snuff box was presented by Mrs D Z de Villiers.

On the top shelf are 3 silver keys commemorating various historic occasions in Robertson, the first used at the opening in 1913 of the Girls High School in Reitz Street by Dr Muir, Superintendent of Education and the other two by Mrs Hamilton Barry at the inauguration of the Electric Lighting System in 1923 and the opening of the Dental Clinic in 1928,

Alongside lies the gavel presented in 1936 to the then Mayor, Dr I de V Malherbe by the municipal workers. Above the Georgian mahogany sideboard is a hand-painted group photograph of the Robertson Dramatic Society in 1893 in their production of Sleeping Beauty. The small whatnot holds a few pieces of Staffordshire blue and white transfer print ware, and the free standing cabinet holds many interesting items.