Hi Is there any ref to the Jordaan/Jourdan name? Thanks -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Heather MacAlister Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 2:44 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA] 1893 JOHANNESBURG Alphabetical Street Directory - BANKET ST. - BREE ST. Hi Andrew Here is some info on the Von Wielligh name Von Wielligh, Gideon Retief (pseudonym: Hans Kaapnaar) (*Vrye Guns, Paarl, 1.4.1859 - † Kafferstat, Hendrina, Tvl., 9.8.1932), surveyor, head of a Transvaal department, popular writer and champion of Afrikaans, was the second of the five children, all sons, born to Nikolaas von Wielligh and his wife, Martha Maria Retief. Von W. belonged to the sixth generation of a family whose first South African ancestor was Nikolaus von Wielligh, an officer in the service of the V.O.C., who, as Peter Kolbe's assistant, accompanied Kolbe from Hamburg to the Cape in 1705. Von W. was named after his grand-father, Gideon Retief, youngest brother of Piet Retief, the Voortrekker leader. Von W. was educated by Jan Baalt, a Dutch sailor. When he was eleven, he went with his father on a trading expedition to Bushmanland, and on his return was sent to Paarl Gymnasium by his mother, a sympathetic and devout woman, who realized that he had no aptitude for farming. Hers was perhaps the greatest influence on his childhood. At eighteen he sat the Cape surveyor's examination, and became surveyorgeneral of the Transvaal republic in 1884. He developed his department into one of the best of its kind in South Africa, achieving a reputation for his meticulous accuracy. During the Second Anglo-Boer War he became the commissioner in charge of the British prisoners of war at Waterval (north of Pretoria), but, later, was temporarily interned in Lourenço Marques. After the armistice, in 1903, he went to Delagoa bay to take charge of astronomical instruments belonging to the prewar Transvaal government. During a carnival in Lourenço Marques lime was thrown into his eyes. Virtually blind, he could read only five letters at a time with his right eye, if he used powerful spectacles and a magnifying glass. In this fashion, with his eyes against the paper, he wrote all his books after the war. Energetic, robust and independent, he secured the admiration and respect of all who knew him. Socially he was pleasant and courteous. He was a gifted raconteur with a fine sense of humour, and was a welcome guest wherever he went. He accepted misfortune with cheerful faith, evident in all his work. The last representative of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners, he was a link between the first and second Afrikaans language movements. Joining the G.R.A. at seventeen, he designed the society's badge, reproduced in Die Afrikaanse Almanak (1877). From 1876 to 1891 he wrote for Die Afrikaanse Patriot , but stopped contributing when it began supporting anti-national politics. He was one of the most regular contributors to Ons Klyntji (1896-1906), and, in particular, to Ons Taal (1907-09). He wrote for almost all the later Afrikaans periodicals, and at an advanced age was elected an honorary member of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Taal, Lettere en Kuns, in recognition of his services to culture. His works during the second language movement retained the spirit of the first movement. Most of the material which he incorporated in his books had been collected before 1900. In Eerste skrywers; of, Laaste stem en naklank uit die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners (Pretoria, 1918), he described the aims, ideals and achievements of the society, defending its attitude against the attacks of the second language movement. He discussed its literary, cultural and political significance in Baanbrekerswerk (Pretoria, 1925). Although his remarks on language were sometimes inaccurate, they reflected his extensive knowledge of colloquial speech. In Ons geselstaal (Pretoria, 1922), first published in Die Huisgenoot (1921-22), he explained the derivation of certain words and idioms and the influences which had affected language in certain regions. He surveyed the Afrikaans spoken in various parts of the country, referring to his own observations and to data from questionnaires he had sent to ministers, in particular, and to teachers throughout the country. Though not a trained philologist, he was an early student of regional Afrikaans. Von W. wrote for the under-privileged and intellectually starved section of his people in an attempt to cultivate in them a love of reading. In Die Afrikaanse Patriot he chatted to his readers, instructing them and helping them to solve their difficulties. Stressing the customs and virtues of earlier days, he pointed out deviations from the behaviour of their ancestors. The frequent republication of his books indicated how successful he was in teaching his countrymen to read. Von W.'s narratives are slack and simple in construction and plot, but their very simplicity explains the charm of his Bushmen and animal stories. His main significance lies in this type of story and its educational value. His Boesmanstories: mitologie en legendes (4 v. Cape Town, 1919-21) and Dierestories soos deur Hotnots vertel (3 v. Pretoria, 1917-22) are told simply, discursively and colloquially. His reshaping of their material makes these didactic tales more than historically interesting. The second work is an amplification of his Dire storiis (soos deur Hottentots ferteld), which was published at Paarl in 1907. The following adventure stories make good reading for the young: Nimrod Seeling (Pretoria, 1921); Ghwennie Barnveld (Pretoria, 1922); Langs die Lebombo: 'n awontuurlike verhaal oor moedhou, jag, gouddelwe en Swasies (Pretoria, 1923). Finding themselves in various difficulties, the characters save themselves through independent and decisive action. Interesting details about the ethics and customs of native tribes are woven into the stories. His last book was Die vrouens van Vrindenburg (Pretoria, 1924). But even his best works are not unblemished: they suffer from repetition, verbosity, unnecessary elaboration, unconnected thought, deviations from the main plot and faulty Afrikaans. On the other hand Von W.'s search for truth, his amiability, his love of his language and people and his simplicity of style inspire his readers; it is mainly in this that Von W. is remembered as a writer of animal stories. He married Elizabeth de Villiers, eldest daughter of Prof. J. S. de Villiers ('Jan Orrelis'), of Paarl. They had three sons and a daughter. A. J. A. Vorster, Barend Jacobus (*Poortjie, Colesberg dist., 17.11.1830 - † Kalkbank, Pietersburg dist., 26.1.1898), commandant of Soutpansberg and generally known as 'Swart Barend' ('Black Barend'), was the son of Barend J. Vorster and his wife, Emerentie Kotze. After his father's death in 1833 V.'s mother remarried; the family moved to Transorangia in 1840 and to the western Transvaal in 1849. V. married Alida Susanna Margaretha Botha in 1852, moved to Waterberg in 1853 and settled in the Soutpansberg in 1855, where he became a farmer and an enthusiastic big-game hunter. As a burgher, a field-cornet and, for thirty years, the commandant of Soutpansberg, he took part in various campaigns against hostile Bantu tribes. He led the Soutpansberg burghers during the First Anglo-Boer War (1880-81). From 1888 until his death he was also the native commissioner at Kalkbank. A friend of the Rev. Stephanus Hofmeyr, he was one of the founders and for many years a leading elder of the N.G. Kerk congregation at Soutpansberg; he was prominent in church affairs when relations with the N.H. Kerk became a controversial issue. In his area he was known as a brave soldier, a patriarch of steadfast and open disposition, and a devout member of his church. There is a portrait of him in G. G. Munnik's Memoirs (Cape Town, 1934). W. L. M. Source Dictionary of South African Biography Regards Heather From: Andrew Rodger <[email protected]> Reply-To: <[email protected]> Date: Thursday 20 February 2014 at 2:11 AM To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA] 1893 JOHANNESBURG Alphabetical Street Directory - BANKET ST. - BREE ST. I'm baffled: what on earth can possibly be "politically incorrect" about anything in a list of people's names, types of building and occupations? And the last time I looked it was called Von WIELLIGH Street -- I've always considered that an odd name, and wondered whether its original spelling was some sort of blend of Dutch and German usage. Andrew Rodger [email protected] On 20/02/2014, at 2:45 AM, shirley paladin wrote (snip): > Please Note: > In these records there are words that are not politically or morally > correct to use but I have transcribed the details as written at the > time for both historical and geographical accuracy. > I have completed certain abbreviated words. > > Von Welligh-street: ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message