The Heidelberg Heritage Association awards blue plaques for heritage to sites in the Heidelberg area.
On May 26, Tony Burisch of the Heidelberg Heritage Association awarded the latest blue plaque to Bezuidenhout’s De Rust Mansion.
The property is on the R42, Meyerton Road, Heidelberg.
Frederick Jacobus Bezuidenhout was born in Middelburg/Transvaal on July 20, 1851, and died on February 14, 1924. His wife, Wilhelmina Christina Johanna, neé Meyer, was born on August 29, 1853 and died on January 27, 1927.
The Bezuidenhouts married on January 14, 1871, and had six children.
They commissioned architect and draftsperson CA Meischke to design the house.
Bezuidenhout was one of the pioneers of Heidelberg and a prominent member not only of Heidelberg but of the church community as well.
In 1869, Bezuidenhout gave a huge donation to the church in the form of Holy Communion silverware.
Another donation by the Bezuidenhouts was a piece of ground for building a school. The school is what is known today as Laer Volkskool.
Lydia Minaar Bezuidenhout, a family member who attended the school, said she remembered when Steven Eyssen was the principal and JP Malan replaced him. There were many Eisteddfods, and she performed a solo as part of the Orpheum Choir.
“My highlight as part of the choir was the weekly practises by the boys and girls in the choir getting ready to perform. City Hall was packed to listen to us.”
Bezuidenhout’s son, also a Frederick Jacobus, relocated from Heidelberg and initially made Braamfontein, Johannesburg, his home. Later, Bezuidenhout Jr purchased farms in Doornfontein, Turffontein, Bezuidenhout Valley and Judith Paarl, all in Johannesburg.
Judith Paarl was named after his wife, Judith Cornelia Etresia Viljoen. The suburb of Bezuidenhout Valley was named after the family.
Another part of their rich history is that another sibling, WWJJ Bezuidenhout, was a member of the Union House of Assembly for Heidelberg.
He was part of the council in 1915 and again re-elected in 1920. He was also a member of the Heidelberg School Board and chairperson of the SA Party in Heidelberg.
The property is still owned by the Bezuidenhout family. The sponsor was Minnaar, neé Bezuidenhout.
The Bezuidenhout family thanked everyone who made the day possible and was part of unveiling the blue plaque.
