HISTORY OF NORSCOT MANOR: Norscot gets its name from Norway (where Ernst Eriksen was born) and Scotland (where Ethel Mary was born). Norscot Manor lies to the north of Sandton, west of William Nicol Drive. It was the home of the Eriksen family right up until 1982. Norscot now belongs to the City of Johannesburg and offers a recreation centre, library and the popular Secret Garden Tea Garden.
Norscot was built in 1936 as the lavish home of the Eriksen family on a quiet watermelon farm. Mr Ernst Eriksen, son to Pastor Sven Eriksen, was born in 1893 in Norway and came to Africa where he spent six years at the Lutheran Mission in Quambonambi (KZN) with his parents. A young Ernst matriculated and got involved in the sugar business in Durban.
The First World War (1914-1918) then broke out and Ernst joined the 2nd SA Horse Regiment as a trooper and served in the East African Campaign under General Smuts and General Louis Botha. He was then sent on a contingent to England, whereupon he was found to be Norwegian, as he had never naturalized. He was sent on leave while his case was being discussed, and he went to play golf in Scotland. It was there that he met his future wife - Ethel Mary Turner – and they got married in 1919. They returned to Durban, built their first home in Kloof which they also called Norscot, and had two children. In the 1920’s, the motor industry took off, and Ernst set up a new company known as “Eriksen Motors” in Johannesburg.
The Eriksens wanted to build a new “Norscot” and purchased a watermelon farm to the north of Johannesburg. The entire home and its buildings took 10 years to build. The Eriksen family farmed cut flowers as well as pigs which produced bacon for the Estcourt Bacon Factory. Up to 500 pigs were kept at one stage! Jersey cows, sheep and a herd of Pedigree Herefords were also kept on the farm. The original property stretched as far as Fourways Crossing today (1510 hectares), but was subdivided when sold and only the portion (11 hectares) surrounding the main buildings was retained. The sale of Norscot in 1982 was a major affair and was described as the largest House sale in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting many of the rich and famous of South Africa.
Today, Norscot Manor is over 60 years old and is preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Information kindly provided by Norscot Manor Library from the Sandton Historical Association
CACHE INFO: At the listed waypoint, is the entrance and parking to Norscot Manor. To locate the cache, you will need to complete the Sudoku puzzle above by visiting as ALL provided waypoints. All the waypoints should be downloaded automatically when selecting the "Send to GPS" button. Once you have completed the waypoint questions, then solve the Sudoku puzzle. While solving the puzzle, take this opportunity to enjoy the tranquil surroundings and perhaps a refreshing drink at the Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is a winner with children and they have a huge open grassy area (to play ball) as well as a fully equipped playground. Alternatively, find a bench under the dense shade – the options are endless here! Once this puzzle has been solved correctly, you’ll be able to find the co-ordinates and the cache.
Once you have the solutions for the 4 waypoints, then complete the sudoku puzzle matrix with the rest of the numbers provided below:
| I4=D5 |
D2=C9
|
(D2+1)=A6 |
A6=H2 |
A6=G5 |
| A6=D4 |
A6=I9 |
A6=C1 |
B7=D9 |
D9=G8 |
| I1=H4 |
C8=B3 |
(B4-C8)=D3 |
D3=F8 |
(D3+1)=E4 |
| E4=F1 |
F8=H5 |
H5=B9 |
(E4+1)=G3 |
G3=B1 |
| G3=A4 |
A4=H8 |
|
|
|
CHECK the Sudoku Puzzle when done, just in case!
C1+C2+C3 = (C4+C5+C6)+1
D7+E7+F7 = (G7+H7+I7)+2
A1+B1+C1+D1+E1 = (I5+I6+I7+I8+I9)+4
G2+H3+I3 = C3+A2+C2
Remember, there is only one possible solution to a Sudoku puzzle, if all the waypoint questions are answered correctly!
Cache Co-ordinates:
S26 0[C1].[I7][E7][G4-E8]
E 028 00.[A5][F7][E2-D7]
The final cache is a 0.5L sealed Lock n Lock container suitable for travel items. The cache is located within the property of Norscot Manor and you have probably walked past it already. Please beware of muggles, everyday, all day. This venue is very popular! The walk, puzzle and cache should take 30 minutes to complete as it easy and geared for a family outing.