The O’Reilly House, another heritage site recognised

This heritage site was the 11th from 100 blue plaques for heritage allocated to historic sites across Heidelberg.

The O’Reilly’s moved to Heidelberg from their native Scotland in the late 1880s. O’Reilly was appointed as district surgeon for the Heidelberg district in 1888. During his many years in the office, he often had seriously ill patients at outlying farms to attend to.

To enable these patients to contact him in cases of emergency, he devised a plan using carrier pigeons. He would leave a pigeon with a patient, instructing them to release the bird if he was needed urgently.

The bird would fly back to its loft in the doctor’s garden and this is how the doctor would know if he was needed. At the outbreak of the Second Anglo Boer War, it became clear there was very little medical attention for insured residents.

The town’s people automatically but incorrectly assumed that Cassie had medical experience as she was married to James, the district surgeon. She was voted onto the hospital committee and given the nursing portfolio.

The Waverley Hotel (now demolished) was offered for use as a hospital for the duration of the war.

Unfortunately, various problems, mostly of political nature, began to arise at the hospital.

The only available trained nurse was forbidden to practice because she was English. Cassie’s position was also vowed by certain members of the Afrikaner community in town. Things became so bad that Cassie was forced to resign from the hospital committee.

Realising that a great asset to the hospital has been lost, Cassie was presented with a letter of petition a week later asking her to reconsider her decision. She agreed to resume the post on the condition the gossiping stopped.

With the occupation of Heidelberg by the British in June 1900, the O’Reilly’s were able to continue their work at the hospital. O’Reilly was placed in charge, but he had to resign his post as district surgeon as he was not allowed to work for the British government while still under oath to the Transvaal government. General Hart was for a short time the popular commander of Heidelberg and he and the O’Reilly’s became friends.

Being recalled to more urgent duties, Hart was replaced by General Cooper who was similarly befriended by the O’Reilly’s and could often be seen playing tennis with them.

A shadow of doubt about the general’s intensions, however, began to take shape in the O’Reilly’s minds. He often complained about his own quarters in Heidelberg and expressed that he would rather prefer to live in a charming house as they do.

These doubts were confirmed when the hospital was suddenly closed without any explanation by the authorities on September 30, 1900. On October 12 O’Reilly was arrested and deported to Cape Town.

No explanation was given for his arrest and when Cassie appealed to Cooper for help, he refused. It was rumored that a British informer had suggested to the authorities in Heidelberg that the doctor has used his carrier pigeons to send information to the Boer commanders in the veld.

In later years, it was speculated that it was the doctor’s use of the carrier pigeons that led to his arrest.
On December 15, 1900, Cassie received deportation orders. Upon asking the soldiers who had been sent to inform her why she was being deported, they replied: “It means they want your house.”

Cassie was sent to the concentration camp in Natal and became a well-known campaigner for the rights of woman, especially Heidelbergers imprisoned in the camp.

After the war, the O’Reilly’s returned to Heidelberg, earning a position of respect in the community. The doctor served on the town council for many years and helped with the founding of Volkskool. He was also an active member of the Heidelberg Club, where his skill at billiards is still remembered.

Cassie died in 1930 at the age of 69 and O’Reilly died in 1939 at the age of 82. They are both buried at Kloof Cemetery.

The current owner of the property is Louis van der Merwe and the plaque was sponsored by local attorney Chantel Kritzinger.