1791 |
Buildings first erected on the property. |
1800s |
In the early years of the 19th century the property passed through several hands. |
1837 |
The property is purchased by the Bells, who enlarged and dignified the house in the style of a small North Country manor. Sir John Bell decides to build a quaint Elizabethan-style Cape home for himself and his bride, Lady Catherine. He recalled a monastery atop a beautiful mountain in the Pyrenees, named Canigou, and decides to honour its existence by naming the beautiful property Canigou Estate. |
1841 |
Canigou is passed on to the Bells’ nephew, Charles Davidson Bell, after Colonel and Lady Catherine Bell leave the Cape |
1870s |
Ownership of Canigou by the Bell family ended with the departure of Charles Bell from the Cape |
1873 |
JW Haw takes up residence, at which time the property extended up to Camp Ground Road and included stables located on ground on the other side of Canigou Avenue. The Haws sold the property to the Twycross family. |
1900 |
The demand for increased school accommodation finally catches up with Mr Robert M Ramage, the first Headmaster of Rondebosch Boys’ High School, and Canigou is purchased for £ 9000 by Mr. Ramage and is officially used as a Boarding establishment |
1903 |
Mr. Ramage sells Canigou to the Cape Education Department at a small profit to himself at the end of 1903. |
1904 |
The succeeding Headmaster of Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Sydney “Dad” Mason, takes up residence in April of 1904. |
1909 |
The Rondebosch Old Boys’ Union is founded at a meeting in Canigou. |
1913 |
Extensions to Canigou are made possible by the grounds of the adjacent house, Oakhurst, being included in those of Canigou’s. By this time too, the estate included a large tract of land sold on generous terms to the School by a beneficent committee stalwart, Mr William Fletcher. In November of this year, the 40 boys reside at Canigou and the further 20 who slept at Oakhurst delight in the extensions to Canigou: a large dining hall, airy dormitories and a reading room as well as a prep room. |
1914 |
The estate is estimated to be about 23 acres in extent, comprising playing fields, woods, a tennis court, a swimming pool, a very large garden and a poultry run. |
1915 |
The Lilacs (situated then on the current Prep School grounds) is leased and is operated as a subsidiary boarding house. |
1918 |
Further accommodation for boarders is obtained at Ivydene in Glebe Road and at Anniedale in Sandown Road. |
1924 |
Due to Oakhurst being in a state of dilapidation boarders were transferred to Rossclaire |
1930 |
The old Oakhurst boarding house is demolished and a new boarding house is constructed. During June 1930 boarders move from Rossclaire to the new great Mason House |
1938 |
An inspection committee condemns Canigou House as unsafe, with shaky foundations and rotting rafters and floor joists. |
1940 |
The building is demolished, much to the forcefully expressed frustration of many—including the Masons. Canigou is redesigned by architect JK Parker whose creative vision incorporates several of the features of the old building into his plan. |
1941 |
On October 21st of this year Captain Frank Joubert, the administrator of the Cape, opens the new building and assures the audience of the value not only of the new structure but of the human products which emanate from the boarding establishment of Rondebosch. |
1946 |
The Lilacs property is purchased. |
1948 |
Professor Tinkie Heyns, arguably the most esteemed figure to ever be associated with the school, joins Rondebosch and takes up his room in Mason House in what will be sixty glorious years of service to the Boarding House. |
1991 |
The Lilacs is closed as a boarding house and becomes the Prep School’s Art Centre. Various changes are made to Canigou to accommodate the increased number of boarders in the building. |
1998 |
On November 19th of this year a naming ceremony is held honouring Professor Tinkie Heyns’ service and contribution to Canigou. As part of his recognition, the Dining Hall is renamed The Tinkie Heyns’ Dining Hall and the Professor opens the Hall and is presented with a headpiece sculpture |
2006 |
Construction begins on refurbishing parts of Mason House and building a new wing for the junior house: on September 6th Professor Tinkie Heyns opens the Tinkie Heyns’ Wing, complete with new bedrooms, a bathroom, suite and a computer centre for the boys |
2009 |
Professor Heyns passes away peacefully on January 6th after suffering a stroke |
History 
