Arthur Walker

Arthur Walker (the first) came out from Britain in 1901 at the age of 15 with the Rough Riders (scouts) group of the Imperial Yeomanry (volunteer cavalry force), looking after their horses on the long sea journey to the Cape. On arrival he was allowed to go into action with them as a frontline scout. He was subsequently badly wounded in the left arm and leg in action. Despite the severe wounds he rode his horse back to the base camp and whilst receiving emergency medical treatment, was able to report what he had seen before the Boer forces spotted him.

For his brave action he was awarded a good conduct medal and was given a disability pension of one pound eleven shillings and five pence per month for life which was later increased to three pounds nine shillings and seven pence. At the end of the war he was allowed to remain in this country and he became a property salesman operating from Cape Town and later upcountry.

In his new civilian job he again proved his mettle and was most successful. Some of the properties he bought, probably farms at that time, are now well-known suburbs, e.g. Pretoria Gardens, Bon Accord, Claremont, Mountain View, Fairlands, Lyndhurst and Birnam.

In 1918 he acquired about 25 square miles to the south of Johannesburg. A portion of the area had previously been a dairy farm belonging to the Butler family, who had decided to sell as the lady of the house found the life very lonely..

extract from: http://www.walkervillesa.co.za/walker.html