nepal-a

Peebles, Scottish Borders

South Africa 1901 - 1903

Lord Milner, Lord High Commissioner of South Africa appointed JB as a Personal Assistant in 1901 He sailed from Southampton to take up his appointment on 14th September 1901

JB together with three other members of Lord Milner’s staff, G C Sellar, Hugh Wyndham and Basil Blackwood set up home in “Wolffs House” in the Parktown suburb of Johannesburg

Wolff’s House

The entrance to Wolff’s House

The garden

JB and Hugh Wyndham in the garden

JB joined GC Sellar, Hugh Wyndham and Basil Blackwood as tenant’s at Wolff’s House.

Charles, the Groom with “Alan Breck” at Wolff’s House

Hugh Wyndham with “Alan Breck” and “Major”

“Alan Breck” with GC Sellar and C H Ardwell

Hugh Wyndham on “Major”

Lord Milner portrait

Possibly Lord Milner’s Residence

Cape Cart at Wyndhamsdorp

Robert Henry Brand (RHB)

Lord Basil Blackwood - Milner’s staff - killed in action 1917

The Hon Hugh Wyndham

Lt Leonard Brooke -ADC - later killed in action 1918

Major the Hon. W Lambton Military Secretary

Capt Henley ADC

H A Lester

C H Ardwell

E H Neal

F Peter Perry

The stoop of Wolff’s House

Wolff’s House

After a settling in period during which JB drafted reports for the High Commissioner, he was given two very different tasks and responsibilities. The first was to improve the conditions in the “concentration camps” and secondly the business of land settlement after the end of the Boer War. These tasks involved a deal of travel throughout Southern Africa

In August 1902, JB set off on a 10 day tour with 2 Cape carts,a spring wagon, 8 mules, 2 riding horses as well as a guide, 2 servants and a cook. He trekked west from Johannesburg to Klerksdorf, Lichtenberg, Malmani, Zeerust and Rustenberg ending up in Pretoria

JB was initially appalled by the conditions he met during his first visit to the concentration camps and thereafter had to decide how to improve water supply, sanitation, catering , hospital and financial management. Quite a challenge for a young 26 year old administrator.

Lord Milner’s Headquarters

The Land Department

The Market Square, Johannesburg

The Market, Johannesburg

“Wyndhamsdorp”

JB, CHB and Mrs CHB

President Kruger

General Joubert

Portraits from JB’s Photo Album

Klerksdorp - first shop

Klerksdorp - circa late1890s

Three bush scenes near Komatipoort and a Corn field

The Komati River near Komatipoort and a wood pile beside a railway wagon

JB in hunting mode

JB at home at “Wolff’s House

A dry river bed

JB at the Waldheim’s - 1902

G C Sellar returning from lunch Lord Milner’s HQ, Johannesburg

Harry Wilson (FHW)

Irene Camp

Cooking Ovens, Irene Camp

Sabbath Service, Irene Camp

JB also undertook treks north and east from Johannesburg to East Transvaal, to Zoutpansberg, Woodbush and Komatipoort which sits on the borders with Mozambique and Swaziland (now Eswatini)

JB was so taken with the Woodbush area that he wrote; “I resolved to go back in my old age, build a dwelling, and leave my bones there.” In his album he refers to many of the pictures of being around “Buchansdorp”.

The photographs which follow have been contributed by Mrs Lynette Davidson who operates an Azalea nursery at Haenertsburg. Miss Sheila Thomson has a neighbouring farm where tourists come to see azaleas, cherry trees and crab apples and rhododendrons in bloom. Miss Thomson’s grandfather, who worked at the forestry centre in the area met JB who was in an old woodcutter’s hut just above the current site of the Magoebeskloof Hotel. JB was on his trek to Woodbush in the north-east Transvaal which he describes in his essay, “The African Colony”.

Tennis Match, Irene Camp

Irene Estate

Described as a Kaffir bride

Irene Estate

Six Mile Spruit, Irene Estate

Mountain Stream in the Hartebees Mountains, north of Pretoria

School Class, Vereeniging Camp

Hockey Match, Vereeniging Camp

Komati River

Komatipoort

Railway Bridge, Komatipoort

Lebombo Hills, Komatipoort

Lebombo Hills, near Komatipoort

Ass and colt

CHB

Bush scene

Cut timber, Komatipoort

Railway Bridge, Komatipoort

JB and Capt Doyle

SAC Mess Komatipoort

Railway Station, Komatipoort

Customs House, Komatipoort

Pure bred Africander cattle

Swazis, Chrissiemeer

Florence Homestead, Chrissiemeer

Outspan in New Scotland (named by early settlers because of the mists)

Chrissiemeer and Township

View into Swaziland (Eswatini) from Bell’s Kop

RHB photographing local people

A country store between Piet Retief and Wakkerstroom

Ossewakop from north

Ossewakop from west

Transport at Edward’s Store

JB and Parsons

Bushmen

Swazis at Chrissiemeer

Swazis

Swazi Dance

JB, Arthur and “Little Man”

Bush people

Maryvale Barn, our Outspan

Bushed. Arthur and JB on Bells Kop

Hamilton - (Von Ardt’s Farm)

Transport

Bush women

Wakkerstroom Mts from Volksrust

Stallions at a stud farm near Standerton

Majuba from Volkrust

Standerton Stud Farm

Wakkerstroom at daybreak

Breakfast near Piet Retief

Hughes

View from Joubert’s Huyte

JB and pony

Leslie’s Farm, Amsterdam

Trekker

A very old and large Baobab tree (There is a person in the photo to help gauge the size of the tree)

Swazis tribesmen

Stock at grass on the stud farm

Schoon Spruit near Klerksdorp

Main Street, Potchefstroom

Natives - W Transvaal

Diamond Diggers near Vaal Ouer

The Vaal River near Christiana in the North West Province

Dry Veldt, West Transvaal

View from Buchansdorp

Woodbush from Smith’s Drift

Morning : Woodbush

Broederstroom

Helpmakaar Spruit

Broederstroom

Helpmakaar

Broederstroom

Helpmakaar

Woodbush

Groot Letaba

Machabi Glen

Woodbush - hazy morning

Woodbush

Morning from Buchandorp

Wolkberg

Woodbush

Shed/Farmhouse near Haenertsburg circa 1971

A memorial stone erected to honour JB near Magoebaskloof in 1987

Tzaneen - Agatha Forest

Magoebaskloof, Woodbush

Mrs Lynette Davidson

Miss Sheila Thomson

Some youngsters who work on the Davidson farm during school holidays to earn extra pocket money

An ox grazing in an arid area near Haenertsburg. Aloes in the background

Between Pietersburg and Haenertsburg on the way to Woodbush

Described as a misty morning but it looks idyllic

The area around Haenertsburg

“Shortly after dawn the next day we toiled to the top of a long hill and entered the Woodbush. A high blue ridge - The Iron Crown Mountain behind Haenertsburg - rose before us” This view from Lynette Davidson’s Farm

“ The mountains come into view a little way from Pietersburg but there are many miles of featureless High Veld to be covered before the foothills are reached. It was midsummer when I first travelled there and the dusty waterless plains were glazed by the hot sun. The Sand River filled with acres of fine sand, but not a drop of moisture, was not a cooling object in the scene…..”

Journey to Woodbush

“…but insensibly the country changed. Bold Kopjes of rose-red granite appeared on the plain”

A “rain shadow” area only 20 miles from Haenertsburg with Aloes, Euphorbias and thorn trees

The University of the North (Blacks only) . The Botany Dept is at the base of the Inselberg with a natural botanical garden on its doorstep

Pine trees on Lynette Davidson’s farm

Maple and Birch in Lynette’s garden