GAISFORD, John William

Architect

Is also sometimes spelt GAYSFORD

Gaisford was resident and practising as an architect and lawyer in Potchefstroom in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and was probably responsible for a number of buildings there of which only a few have been identified. He evidently played a prominent civic role, being Mayor of Potchefstroom for several sessions between 1913 and 1918. He was among the first motorcar owners in this town. In 1917 he was the Potchefstroom representative of the Association of Transvaal Architects Practice Committee. His last years of practice before his retirement in 1926 were marred by a dispute over the synagogue building in Potchefstroom which he commenced c1920. He died in Potchefstroom two years after retiring. Among the buildings attributed to him was the first Stock Exchange Building in Church St, Potchefstroom (1890), destroyed by fire a year later in 1891 but subsequently rebuilt, whether by him or not is not known. He had married Harriet Helen Radclyffe (1859 – 1944) and their son John (Jack) Radclyffe Gaisford was born in 1881. Jack followed in his father’s footsteps as an attorney, town councillor and mayor of Potchefstroom (1939/40). Gaisford Street in Potchindustria was named after him. The graves of John, Harriet and Jack Gaisford are in the main cemetery in Potchefstroom.

(Fick 1906; Kuijers 1984; Potch Herald 8.11.1963; Rosenthal 1968:97-101. Additional information from Lennie Gouws)

All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.

List of projects

With photographs
With notes

Historic Dwellings (72-76): n.d.. Potchefstroom, North West - Architect

House: c1890. Potchefstroom, North West - Architect

Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk: 1906. Nieuwoudtville, Northern Cape - Architect

Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk: 1905. Robertson, Western Cape - Architect

Stock Exchange - First: 1890-1891. Potchefstroom, North West - Architect

Synagogue: 1920. Potchefstroom, North West - Architect

Books citing GAISFORD

Kesting, DP. 1978. Afrikaans Protestantse kerkbou : erfenis en uitdaging. Port Elizabeth: Unpublished PhD. pp

Kuijers, A(rie). 1980. Kunshistoriese besinning oor die stylherlewingstendens in die Suid Afrikaanse argitektuur met verwysing na die argitektuur van Potchefstroom ca. 1860 tot 1940. Potchefstroom: Potchefstroom Universiteit vir CHO (MA verhandeling). pp

Menache, Philippe & Wolff, Helmut. 2021. die NG Kerk, ons erfenis : 'n fotoversameling van die argitektoniese skatte van 139 NG kerke in SA. Not identified: Not identified. pp 20, 70, 86, 96, 105

Richardson, Deirdré. 2001. Historic Sites of South Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. pp 266