South African International Exhibition

The exhibition was held in the grounds of the Lodge de Goede Hoop which was being used for the Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope[4] in a building erected for the exhibition.[5] The building was built of wood, iron, and glass which measured 184 x 78 feet; 56 feet high; and cost £10,027.

During 1876 Signor Cagli had canvassed American and European industries to exhibit “manufactures of all kinds”[4] which were to be grouped in 10 classes: "alimentation", chemicals (perfume, medicine and surgical equipment), furniture, fabric and jewellery, transport, hardware, machinery, agriculture, science and education, and miscellany.[5]

Exhibitors included Wertheim safes;[6] Taylor's sewing machines, who won a medal;[7] Sheffield based Samuel Marshall who showed hooks, hay knives, scythes and sheep shears[8] and linen manufacturers Rylands & Sons who won a prize (and another a year later at the Paris exhibition).[9]

There were 395 exhibitors from 14 nations:

• Africa: Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal
• America: USA
• Asia: India
• Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bohemia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Prussia, Sweden, Switzerland.

After the exhibition, the main building was used as an assembly hall and a theatre, known as the Exhibition Theatre. In the afternoon of 21 February 1892, carpenters and scenery painters were preparing for a new play when a fire broke out about 3:30, near the theatre entrance. In less than one hour, the entire building was destroyed along with the adjoining Masonic Lodge and Native Affairs Office.