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Bonnefoi Farm House - Misluk
Carolina district, Mpumalanga
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Click to view large map Coordinates: | The house was built in 1903, supervised by Bertha Everard, wife of Charles. Bertha’s sister, Edith King, lived with them. Charles was a well-respected owner of a lively and busy trading store on the transport wagon route to Lydenberg. Bertha had three children, Ruth, Rosamund and Sebastion. Bertha, her sister Edith and her two daughters Ruth and Rosamund were renowned artists and Ruth's daughter, Leonora, and granddaughter, Nichola Leigh have continued the tradition. The baronial sized rooms displayed a strong influence of the British Arts and Crafts movement and were filled with furniture inspired by William Morris design. In later years the décor of the home would stretch to encompass the varied interests and tastes of the talented family and an exotic amalgamation of hunting trophies, African artefacts and Rosamund's collection of North African and Egyptian treasures predominated. The house remained intact long after the house ceased to be lived in. It was only after Ruth's death in 1992 that the furniture and paintings were removed. The house was abandoned and slowly went to rack and ruin. The family had a winter retreat at Lekkerdraai where an uncle Sturt built rondavels. It was here that Bertha did many of her large and impressive landscapes. Ruth was responsible for the design and construction of the Anglican Church in Carolina in 1931. Ref: The Everard Group Artists Over and above being of interest from an Art Historical point of view the family were instrumental in teaching local black children art and techniques and the house was also a 'safe house' for ANC cadres fleeing to Swaziland. There is a PROVISIONAL declaration of the site as NATIONAL Heritage Resource listed on SAHRIS. Provisional Protection;11503;16/09/1988 References:
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