| The Jameson Raid Remnants |
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Once again my knowledge of these events up to now is small, and it was only in April 2009 that I decided to do something about it. I had seen graves from this incident in 2 cemeteries before, but had never followed up on the memorials. Contact with Leon Engelbrecht tickled my interest and I went hunting.... My first find was the so called "Surrender Memorial". (Google Earth Co-ordinates 26°12'24.00"S 27°48'22.52"E) This memorial, along with an additional two are not marked on the map book in the first place. The one that is marked is the most difficult of all to find. Major roadworks were also happening in that area which made things a bit more complicated. However, In Adcock Street look for "The Brickworks", and 3 memorials can be found in it's immediate area.
It is apparent that this is not all, there seem to be graves in the Soweto area and ruins in Krugersdorp Nature Reserve. There is also an area further down along Adcock Street of importance and there may be more Jameson Raid related remnants to be found at Vlakfontein farm cemetery, Violet Mine Cemetery as well as in Magaliesburg area.
I returned in February 2012 to check on the state of the memorials and fences have been stolen and the grass is even longer than it was the first time I was here. |
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Just behind "the Brickworks" is the Vlakfontein Memorial: Google Earth co-ordinates: 26°12'30.72"S 27°48'27.31"E. In 2009 the fencing had been complete around this memorial, but this time around it had all been stolen. |
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Next to "The Brickworks" is the spot where the cottage stood where Jameson surrended to the Boer forces. Google Earth co-ordinates: 26° 12.441'S 27° 48.431'E. Between when the original image was taken in 2009 and February 2012 the stump has been reduced to a blackened piece of charcoal, and the fence has also been stolen. |
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Further away, in Randfontein, the graves of Troopers William Charles Beatty-Powell, John Bernard Bletsoe, Harry Davies, John R.H. Foster, and C.E Hennessy, is hidden amongst the trees in what is supposedly known as Randfontein Estates Gold Mine Military Cemetery. In 2012, the site has been cleared of vegetation, although no restoration had been done. It can be be found at Google Earth co-ordinates: 26° 9.021'S 27° 43.462'E |
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There are a number of Jameson Raid remnants to be found in Burgershoop Cemetery in Krugersdorp. The dominant one is the memorial erected in 1917, where 5 Burghers are remembered. There are also the graves of 3 Jameson raiders with headstones, and evidence suggests that at least 2 others are buried in the cemetery. |
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 S P F Van Tonder |
 D Macdonald
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 A H Potgieter |
 G Jacobs |
 P E J Venter |
 Committee Members |
 Tpr. PS Wiid. B.S.A. Police 17/01/1896 |
 Tpr D Frazer. B.S.A. Police Jan 1896 |
 Capt. Barry B.S.A. Police 31/01/1896 |
 Frederick Gray 16 May 1896 Braamfontein Cemetery |
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 Col. George Farrar 20 May 1915 Bedford Farm |
© DR Walker 2007 -2012. Created 20 April 2011. Edited and some images expanded 02 Feb 2012.
Special thanks to Leon Engelbrecht for the inspiration to find these memorials and photographs of the "stump",
as well as Alpheus Cele for remembering where the graves in Randfontein were. |