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Anglo Boere Oorlog/Boer War (1899-1902) BALMORAL Kamp/Camp

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Joubert, Kruger, Broekman, Kotze and 16 others
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BALMORAL CAMP

Camp Details
Type:white / black Location:Transvaal Date closed:27/09/1902 Unique ID:154

A Short History

Balmoral camp was established relatively late, on 25 July 1901, coming into use a week later – a remarkably short time in which to set up a camp. It was created to take the overflow from the Middelburg and Belfast camps and was divided into the districts from which most of the inmates came – Balmoral, Lydenburg and, later, Ermelo. The move from Middelburg had been precipitated by the poor health in that very large camp and the people arrived unwell. Later arrivals included fugitives from the Bronkhorstspruit district, who were starving and exhausted. By November 1901 they were coming in from the Lydenburg and Barberton districts, in a very bedraggled state, it was noted, because they had been out on the veld for some time. Although by the end of 1901 Kitchener had ordered that no more families should be sent to the camps, his instructions were often ignored and some continued to trickle in. On 27 April 1902 125 people arrived, half of them men, in a pitiful state. ‘They were literally in rags and it was hard to discern the original material of the men’s clothing. When compared with the inmates of the camp they looked a very unkempt lot’, the superintendent noted.

The original site was an old military camp, just south of the railway station, and was strewn with refuse. E.R Harvey, the first superintendent, had hard work getting the area into a reasonable condition, as he was limited by lack of transport. This was often a problem for the camps when the military requisitioned all the available animals. The camp was unfenced as the entire area was protected by blockhouses. Within this vicinity camp inmates were allowed to wander freely. Because Balmoral was established so late, it was easy to pitch the camp with the mathematical tidiness favoured by the British officials. The tents had dung floors

Conditions were not comfortable. The new hospital was eventually occupied in April 1902. Despite all the work, it remained fairly primitive, with antheap floors, although these were supposed to be tarred. The marquees were not warm enough for chest cases, the MO complained, and a brick and iron ward of twelve beds was finally erected for such cases. Africans were regularly treated in the hospital, at least in 1902. In July 1902 a black man was brought in from a neighbouring farm with diphtheria and a tracheotomy was administered; in the same month another black man from outside died in the hospital of pneumonia. The following month two more men were admitted from the Repatriation Department, one with jaundice and the other with injuries after he had been run over by an ox wagon; two more were hurt by ox wagons in September while another outsider also died in the hospital.

Read more here:

http://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Balmoral/

AIM OF THE PROJECT

To add as many profiles that were in the Balmoral camp to the project. Seperate parts will be there for those who died in the camp, those who lived and in time those not on Geni that were there. Maybe you find a relative that was in your brick wall column here.

They Lived

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  • Adam Johannes Botha Aged 48 (5/5/1901-14/6/1902)
    • Stayed on the farm Morgenstond, Roosenekal of which he owns a portion.
    • Captured with wife and 2 children
    • Unique ID 80620
  • Joachim Petrus Botha (23) 4/6/1901-21/8/1902
    • Came from the farm Ogjesfontein, Middelburg. S.o. Mrs Willem Christiaan Botha

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  • Maria Gertruida Hendrika Henderson 07/06/1883
    • Unique ID 59742
    • Incorrectly transcribed as Anderson, should be Henderson. Shared tent 640 with her grandmother Maria Geertruyda Davis (Janeke) above.

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They Died

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