Brandfort
People in camp
5368
People who died in this camp
1297
Although the Ladies Committee stated that Brandfort camp was opened in March 1901, it had certainly been formed by the end of January 1901, when it was reported that there were about two hundred people living there, mainly from Bultfontein and Hoopstad. At this stage many of the Boer families were scattered through the town or living in wagons, rather than in tents. Dr Last, from the town, cared for the inmates and there was, unusually, one trained nurse.1 Some of the people living in the town were able to support themselves and the British authorities were reluctant to supply them with rations. Nor did the British want to force them into the camps - ‘bear in mind that these camps are not meant to be prisons; you must act in all cases with tact’, the Chief Superintendent warned the Brandfort superintendent. By August 1901, when Dr Kendal Franks visited the camp, everyone had been moved into tents.
From the first, the medical officer was concerned about health in the camp. A number of small children were suffering from diarrhoea, although there had been no fatalities. Women and children slept on the ground with little protection and the doctor was concerned that they would suffer from pulmonary diseases in the wet weather. He urged the erection of corrugated iron huts with wooden floors or the provision of mattresses at the very least. But, at this early stage in the civilian administration of the camps, economy was the order of the day. Blankets would be provided only where absolutely necessary, along with mattress ticking. The women must make their own bedding with 15 lbs of hay allowed them, the MO was informed.3 Fortunately at this stage the inmates still had the cattle which they had brought into camp with them and milk was freely available for the children. Later on, however, grazing deteriorated and the refugee stock was sold to the ORC administration and removed to farms nearer to Bloemfontein,. In other respects the camp was administered very frugally and there were few comforts. Two boilers had been acquired to ensure that boiled water was available but the inmates had nothing to store water in to prevent it from becoming polluted afterwards.
A black camp grew up alongside that of the Boers, reaching about 1 800 people by mid-April 1901; by August there were at least 4 000 inmates. In the early days, at least, black inmates received the same rations as the whites but the accommodation was much more haphazard, consisting of ‘rather poor’ tents, which some people covered with matting to make them more waterproof. No sanitation was provided and inmates had to ‘report’ to a wooded kloof a mile above the camp ‘for the purposes of nature’. In March 1901 there were still no paid officials. The camp was too far away for him to supervise properly, the superintendent complained, and he recommended that ‘Peter’ be appointed to oversee. Dr Last provided the black inmates with basic medical attention but there was no hospital accommodation for them; those needing hospital care were treated in the ambulance wagons. Fortunately there were few at this stage, the most serious being syphilitic and leprosy cases5 Clearly health in the camp was not good, however.
At the end of March the superintendent reported that Peter was down with fever and infant mortality was ‘rather high’. It might become necessary to appoint a white superintendent, he noted. Eventually Peter was demoted, replaced by a white superintendent, Mr Meintjes, at the derisory salary of £5 a month, previously paid to Peter. An assistant, Hendrik Khukhu, was also appointed. Children attended school in the local town location. Eventually the size of the black camp was partially reduced by returning a number of Basuto nationals to their homes in Basutoland. About September 1901 it was decided to move the black camp from Brandfort. This meant new arrangements had to be made for the men who worked in the white camp, along with their families.
They Survived
A
- Simon Aaronson (21)
- Ackerman Dirk Jacobus.(42)
- Date arrival:15/06/1901. Date departure:31/07/1901
B
- Martha Maria Susanna Barnard1897-1944
- Barend Hendrik Bekker 1900
- Marthinus Johannes Bekker 1898
- Elsie Johanna Botha 1858-1918
- Johanna Hendrina Aletta Brits 1880
- Christiaan Christoffel Thomas Bornman 1893 - 1901
- Christoffel Bornman 1892-1901
C
- Theunis Gert Coetzee (58) Unique ID no 95045
- Jacoba Wilhelmina Cordier (Combrinck) (55) circa 1859 - June 26, 1914
- Johanna Petronella Cordier (62) September 17, 1893 - May 20, 1956
- Schalk Willem Cordier
- Lena Maria Cordier
- Johanna Hendrina Cordier circa 1882-1901
- Jacoba Wilhelmina Cordier (Combrinck)
D
- Barend Jacobus Michael de Klerk 1867-1954
- Andries Stephanus du Plessis (29) 21/6/1901-23/7/1902 Returned to farm Erfenis Winburg
- Johannes Petrus Theunis du Plessis
- Andries "Anna" Stefanus du Plessis 1899-1927
- Susanna Magdalena du Plessis
- Daniel Petrus du Plessis (74) 19/3/1901-2/1/1902
E
F
- Anna Sophia Fourie 1868
H
J
- Jacobus Josephus Janse van Rensburg (40) Unique ID 95387 Arrived 21/6/1901 date left unknown.
- Elsie Jacoba Wilhelmina Joubert 1900
- Esias Jeremiah Joubert 1886
- Francois Jacobus Joubert 1889
- Hermina Cecilia Joubert 1886 - 1968
- Hermina Jacoba Joubert 1880 - 1949
- Huibrecht Neeltje Joubert 1894
- Margaretha Elizabeth Joubert 1865
- Martha Margaretha Joubert 1884
- Pieter Willem Johannes Joubert 1840
K
L
- Johannes Bernardus Lourens 1892
- Lodewyk Petrus Lourens 1863
- Louis Pieter Lourens 1901
- Petronella Jacoba Lourens 1898
- Susanna Maria Lourens 1896
- Wilhelmina Christina Lourens 1872
- Willem David Lourens 1894
S
T
- Christina Petronella Taljaard (60) circa September 1856 -August 18, 1917
- Louisa Wilhelmina Taljaard ca 1897
- Maria Magdalena Taljaard ca 1888
- Dina Johanna Taljaard ca 1897
- Philippina Klopper
- Clara Isabella Taljaard (50) circa 1888 - February 3, 1938
- Susanna Philippina Klopper
- Jacob Cornelis Francois Taljaard April 6, 1891
- Hendrik Taljaard (70) September 3, 1856 - November 28, 1926
- Christina Taljaard (74) circa 1884 - June 22, 1958
- Willem Hendrik Taljaard (58) September 2, 1888 - October 1, 1946
- Jacoba Johanna Taljaard Unknown
V
They Died
A
- Alberts, Catharina Helena, Mev and two daughters
- Status of Husband - on commando
B
- Elizabeth Cornelia Botes 1879 - 24 November 1901
- David Jacobus Marais 1895-1901
C
- Schalk Willem Cordier circa 1889 - October 14, 1901 (2)
- Cause of Death: whooping cough
- Lena Maria Cordier (4 weeks) September 2, 1901 - October 1, 1901
- Cause of Death: Pneumonia
- Hester Johanna Cornelia Coetzee (24) Circa 1877 - 15/10/1901
- Cause of Death: Measles + Pneumonia
- Jacobus Cornelis Cordier (8) Circa 1893 - 8/10/1901
- Cause of Death: Measles
- Elsie Petronella Margaretha Cordier (3) Circa 1898 - 14/10/1901
- Cause of Death: Measles
- Johanna Hendrina Cordier (19) Circa 1882 - 14/10/1901
- Cause of Death: Measles + Whooping Cough
D
- Michael de Klerk 1898-1901
- Catharina Dorothea Johanna Sophia du Plessis 1855-1901
- Cecilia Elizabeth du Plessis (Koen) 1873-1901
- Cause of Death – Enteric
- Cecilia Elizabeth du Plessis 1898-1901
- Cause of Death – Measles
- Joseph Albertus du Plessis 1896-1901
- Cause of Death – Measles & Whooping Cough
E
F
- Francina Johanna Fouché Circa 1887-1901
- Cause of Death – Nephritis
H
- Heyletta Maria Christina Herbst December 1900 - 16 August 1901
- Cause of Death – Broncho Phneumonia
I
J
- Susanna Johanna Janse van Rensburg (3) Died of measels and pneumonia on 27/9/1901
- Maria Magdalena Johanna Janse van van Rensburg 8 Months Died on 3/9/1901 from Convulsions
- Catharina Salomina Janse van Rensburg (5) Death unknown on 19/9/1901
- Alida Maria Janse van Noordwyk (78) Died on 2/4/1902. Cause Old Age.
- Death Notice: VAB MHG 754
K
- Magdalena Catharina Kriel 1900-1902
L
- Johannes Bernhardus Lourens 1818 - 30 August 1901
- Cause of Death – Debility
M
- Anna Johanna Marais 1893-1901
N
O
P
Q
R
S
- Maria Elizabeth Stroebel (de Waal) 1837 - 1901
T
- Dirk Louis Taljaard (83) 03/05/1819 - 2/10/1901
- Cause of Death: Old Age
- Elizabeth Catharina Johanna Taljaard ca August 1882 - January 10, 1902 (19)
- Cause of Death: Bronchitis
- Christina Petronella Taljaard (9 months) ca Mar 1901 - December 7, 1901
- Cause of Death: Convulsions
- Cornelis Janse Taljaard (4) April 1897 - November 6, 1901
- Anna Maria Taljaard (2) Nov 1899 - December 18, 1901
- Cause of Death: Diarrhea
- Jacobus Johannes Taljaard (3) ca August 1898 - October 16, 1901
- Cause of Death: Measles & Pneumonia
- Cornelia Maria Margaretha Taljaard (6) ca Nov 1895 - December 1, 1901
- Johanna Catharina Taljaard (3) circa 1898 - November 21, 1901
- Cause of Death: Measles & Debility
- Lukas Andries Taljaard (10) circa 1891 - November 10, 1901
- Cause of Death: Diphtheria
V
- Petronella Magdalelna van der Linde1884-1901
- Johannes Stephanus Abraham Venter (60) May 14, 1841 - January 3, 1902
- Cornelis Jacobus Petrus Venter (8) ca 1893 - October 2, 1901
- Cause of Death: Measles
- Cornelis Jacobus Petrus Venter (8) Circa 1893 - 2/10/1901
- Cause of Death: Measles
W
- Anna Johanna Wallis circa 1900-1901
- Cause of Death: Whooping Cough
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