[5] It was located on the grounds of the Freemasons' Lodge de Goede Hoop, which was being used as the Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope at that time.

[6] During 1876, Signor Cagli had canvassed American and European industries to exhibit “manufactures of all kinds”,[6] which were to be grouped in 10 classes: alimentation, chemicals (perfume, medicine and surgical equipment), furniture, fabric and jewelry, transport vehicles and equipment, hardware, machinery, agriculture, science and education, and miscellany such as fire extinguishers.

[5] However, representatives of the exhibition organizers were present and accepting submissions during the preceding months in "Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Turin and Amsterdam.

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

In the afternoon of 21 February 1892, around 3:30 PM, carpenters and scenery painters were preparing for a new play when a fire broke out near the theatre entrance.