Exploring with my camera
The Rev Jean Pierre Pellissier (1808-67), of the newly created Paris Evangelical Missionary Society, arrived in the Cape in 1831. He stayed in Wellington to learn Dutch, and then moved further north to Bethulie. His house was built in 1834-35 by C Gosselin, a … Continued
The concentration camp at Bethulie was one of the largest camps established by the British during the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. Of the 1,737 people who died at the camp, 1,311 were under 15 years, and 426 were over 15 years. The women and … Continued
It was going to be a long, hot day and so we set off early to drive 504 kms from Bloemfontein to Graaff Reinet.
The President Brand Cemetery is disturbing in many ways: there is a memorial to the women and children who died in the Anglo-Boer War; there are graves of young men who died, both in combat and from disease; gravestones had been broken and damaged; … Continued
‘…Oliewenhuis – a Neo-Dutch style mansion – was designed by William Mollison, Head Architect of the Department of Public Works and his assistant, John Stockwing Cleland in 1935. Completed in 1941, this mansion, located on Grant’s Hill, served as the … Continued
The Performing Arts Centre of the Free State is a startling contemporary building amidst historic sandstone buildings from earlier times. The building opened in 1985 You may be interested in Tourist attractions in Bloemfontein
The Old Presidency, or Residency as it is also known, is one of the historic buildings in Bloemfontein. It was designed by Lennox Canning & Goad, a Johannesburg firm of architects who won the competition to design the building, and built in 1885-86 on … Continued
Bloemfontein is the Judicial Capital of South Africa and the seat of the Supreme Court of Appeal. It is part of the renamed Mangaung Metropolitan Authority – ‘Manguang’ being the Sotho name for ‘Bloemfontein’ and meaning ‘The Place of Cheetahs’. Bloemfontein is 4,557 ft … Continued
Bloemfontein was hot – at least 35C even early in the morning – and The City Lodge Hotel was our very comfortable base. Breakfast was very good – fresh fruit, baked goods, preserved figs! (YUM), meats, eggs to order, and so … Continued
At Sannas Pos, on 31 March 1900, Boers led by General Christiaan de Wet defeated British soldiers under Brigadier General Broadwood. It was a significant skirmish for two reasons: the Post controlled the water supply to Bloemfontein via the Modder River, andIt was … Continued