[1][2][full citation needed] After the first hectic scramble for Johannesburg's gold-bearing land, the Randlords sought less spectacular profits through turning their surplus landholdings to real estate.

The Johannesburg Consolidated investment Company headed by the colourful Barney Barnato, laid out the township of Berea in the 1890s as a better-class suburb that they hope would rival Rand Mines' Parktown.

The large stone mansion, built in classical English country house style, served from 1912 till its demolition in 1962 as the borders' residence of the Johannesburg High School for Girls.

The original five-hectare park was elaborately laid out with lawns, statuary, shrubberies, a 'Ladies Mile' for riding a lake big enough for boating.

After his death it took the name of his nephew and heir Solly Joel, who later presented the mansion and park to the Government to commemorate the 1910 Union of South Africa.

It is the oldest girls' school in the city, founded by Miss Fanny Buckland in Jeppe Street just fourteen months after Johannesburg's birth.

The name Barnato park can be traced back all the way to the school song[3] which was composed by Mr. John Connell and words by Miss G. Johnson.

The centenary celebrations at the school, were held on 19 September with a special formal assembly, graced by Dr. K.R Paine (The Deputy Director Of Education) who addressed the young learners, parents, staff and dignitaries.

[9][full citation needed] Barnato Park High School as a co-educational non-racial secondary school opened its doors in January 1990 as a result of the weakening of the apartheid state under Prime Minister P. W. Botha, who used his policy of Total Strategy to bring about reform and greater repression in the 1980s.

The 1990s ushered in the winds of charge in South Africa and the cosmopolitan area of Berea and Hillbrow where it coped well with varied influx of immigrants and the new era school would also now serve fellow South African's if all races, the obvious dwindling enrollment numbers of white female pupils and those moving out of the area to areas like Sandton made it possible for many others who had moved away from the townships which meant that the school was going to lose pupils so they decided to change the school's admission policies and name.