88 King Edward Street, Chrissiesmeer
In 2012
the John Jack Inn was rebuilt
(and renamed) as close as possible to original specification using period
building materials. The guest room
interiors have been refitted by the owner Esbie Bezuidenhout using the creative
talents of Tanya Russell for the furnishings design recreating some of the
romance and nostalgia of a bygone era.
Bookings – Highly Recommended – Within Walking Distance
of Lake Chrissie
Country Gourmet Dinners Can be Arranged – Book Well In
Advance
Gourmet
in the sense of absolutely delicious, stylishly presented with exquisite country
flair. From gazpacho soup to prawn and
fish bakes and hot homemade bread your taste buds will have to be there. There is some serious culinary talent in the village. Another good reason to visit!
The grave of Lieutenant Arthur Swanston of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, killed in the Anglo-Boer War in 1900. For more than 60 years afterwards, his Scottish fiancée sent flowers every year to be placed on his grave.
You can drive the 60 km-long Highveld Inyoni birding route on your own (ask for a map at your guest house.) It is mostly gravel, but you shouldn’t have trouble driving it in a sedan, as long as it hasn’t rained. You can also go on a birding outing with one of the village residents, who has permission to take birders onto private land. The best time for bird watching is between September and March. Wildflowers are in abundance and there are as many as 15 wild orchid species in summer.
The picturesque Lake
Chrissie
The largest fresh water lake in South Africa and was named after President Andries Pretorius‘s daughter Christina
Esbie Bezuidenhout - Property Owner, Restorer & Entrepreneur
High praise goes to Esbie for undertaking such a massive project in restoring the John Jack Inn on the original foundations which had been left bare for many years. The attention to detail in the bathroom designs and sky lighting and beams is very appealing and works extremely well.
Esbie sourced as much of the original corrugated iron sheets, originally imported from England, as possible.
I tried to twist Esbie’s arm into starting
country weekend cooking classes. But
there is so much else on the go with other projects in the pipeline!
Tanya Russell Painted Child’s Chair – “Protea Fire”
I have named
this little chair “Protea Fire” in support of the South African Protea Cricket
Team and hope this will bring the team good luck in the upcoming Cricket World
Cup which starts on 14 February 2015.
The team has the talent – this is just a dash of extra Protea luck!
History of John Jack Inn and Two Huge Oak Trees Planted
in 1886
Two beautiful oak trees planted
in front of the Inn in 1886 grace the property.
The Hotel Inn has a rich history. John Jack and his partner, August Simmer came
from Durban to Lake Chrissie in 1882. They erected various buildings
including stables, a small hotel and a gin depot.
The
John Jack Inn was a wood and iron structure that had been subject to
various natural and unnatural disasters. In 1903 the inn was re-built, again in wood
and iron on the same site and the John Jack Inn was renamed Lake
Chrissie Hotel. In its early days, the
hotel was the centre of social life in Lake Chrissie and a convenient stop-off
for travellers to and from Swaziland, visiting officials and businessmen.
Malicious gossipers suggest that it operated
as a ‘high-class bordello’ but there is no proof for these slanderous
anecdotes. The
notorious serial poison killer Daisy de Melker is reputed to have stayed at the
Inn! The name changed a
few times to include “Dumbarton Oaks Hotel” and “Mrs Price’s”.
The Hotel burnt to the ground in
1936 and hotel manager Anthony Price and his family left Lake Chrissie. They
returned in 1944 after Price had bought the premises on which the hotel once
stood. The Prices did not rebuild the hotel but made their living from
the remaining liquor store and the Billiard Room that they turned into a tea
room.
Chrissiesmeer
Part of the charm of the little village of Chrissiesmeer are the
of old sandstone buildings. The town is so small that you can walk through it
in less than an hour. There are five attractive church buildings, and the
premises where Simmer & Jack ran a shop before moving to the Reef to found
the mining company of the same name and the town of Germiston.
The grave of Lieutenant Arthur Swanston of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, killed in the Anglo-Boer War in 1900. For more than 60 years afterwards, his Scottish fiancée sent flowers every year to be placed on his grave.
Birding
You can drive the 60 km-long Highveld Inyoni birding route on your own (ask for a map at your guest house.) It is mostly gravel, but you shouldn’t have trouble driving it in a sedan, as long as it hasn’t rained. You can also go on a birding outing with one of the village residents, who has permission to take birders onto private land. The best time for bird watching is between September and March. Wildflowers are in abundance and there are as many as 15 wild orchid species in summer.
The Chrissiesmeer Region Is Also
Called Matotoland
The Chrissiesmeer region is also called Matotoland, which is derived
from maxoxo, the Swazi word for frog. Thirteen
frog species have been recorded in the area. These include the tiny Boettger’s
caco (Cacosternum boettgeri) and the rattling frog (Semnodactylus
wealii).
How to Get There
The town is 36 km from Ermelo on the N17 to Swaziland, but an
alternative and very scenic route is on the N4 turning right onto the N33
passing through Carolina if you’re coming from Gauteng.
The largest fresh water lake in South Africa and was named after President Andries Pretorius‘s daughter Christina
High praise goes to Esbie for undertaking such a massive project in restoring the John Jack Inn on the original foundations which had been left bare for many years. The attention to detail in the bathroom designs and sky lighting and beams is very appealing and works extremely well.
Esbie sourced as much of the original corrugated iron sheets, originally imported from England, as possible.
The original Inn had a Billiard Room.
The actual pre-fabricated corrugated iron sheeting and Oregon frames
have been sourced and are now back where they belong. This adds interest to the building, welcoming
visitors driving through the town, wanting to hear and experience some of the tales
of years gone by and the latest news and happenings of the town while enjoying
some refreshment. The town folk are very
hospitable and welcome visitors to share in this very special part of the
world. There are two exciting projects
which will reveal two further hospitality venues – but I won’t say more – best to
visit Lake Chrissie and get the news first hand at the Billiard Room or the Art Café at McClouds!
Esbie also has an artisan industry down the road at McClouds making
quality pure woollen duvets and pillows which are a dream to sleep on and are
highly sought after by tourists travelling through the town en route to
Swaziland and Kruger Park.
There is nothing quite like wool. It is a natural fibre that regulates the body's temperature. It's cooler in summer and warmer in winter. It's also ultra light! Now you don't want to miss out on another good night's sleep do you?
Don't delay, place your pillow and duvet orders and book for a relaxing country weekend away! The John Jack Inn and the Art Café serve wonderful coffee. Top quality coffee brands from all over Africa and South Africa. Now that is a huge plus for coffee lovers!
Don't delay, place your pillow and duvet orders and book for a relaxing country weekend away! The John Jack Inn and the Art Café serve wonderful coffee. Top quality coffee brands from all over Africa and South Africa. Now that is a huge plus for coffee lovers!
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