Once the decision had been made to buy the land that was to become Parkhurst, IW Schlesinger and the African Realty Trust (ART), wasted no time in transforming the land into a suburb or, as it was called in those days, a township. The farm was surveyed and subdivided into 2147 stands (plots) by Euan Curry in August 1903, officially purchased by the ART on 11 September 1903, and officially registered as a Johannesburg township in February 1904.

The ART started charging £100 a stand and offered purchasers the chance of paying it off at £10, 10 shillings a year for 9 years without any interest. It had cost them £46,019 if you include the £10,000 in transfer duties, legal fees and surveyors costs. That means that it had cost them just over £21 per stand. So on 2147 stands @ £100 each, the ART was hoping to make a total £214,700 or £168,681 gross profit which would show them a return of 476% on their money. 

Click on the pic to enlarge

Click on the pic to enlarge

This is a copy of the "General Plan of the Freehold Township of Parkhurst." The text underneath the title reads as follows:

"In extent 189 morgen 273 Sq Rds comprising 2147 lots, numbered from 1 to 2146 and ???? situated on portion 36 of the farm Braamfontein in the district of Johannesburg Ward ????, Transvaal Colony. Bounded as indicated above vide diagram framed by Surveyor Euan Curry in August 1903 and relating to Deed of Transfer 279/1904 dated 20 January 1904. The angular points of each Lot have been properly defined on the Ground root area of the whole of the township.

Surveyed by me in ??? November 1903 and transferred in February 1904.

FZ Melville, Government Land Surveyor"

source: Surveyor General's Office, Pretoria

The first page of the deed of sale where the African Realty Trust purchased the portion of the Farm Braamfontein that was to become Parkhurst from Mr Petrus Johannes Barnard.

source: Deeds Office, Johannesburg