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De Rust
Heidelberg district, Gauteng
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Click to view map Coordinates: | 5km West of Heidelberg, Gauteng, on the R42. Frederick Jacobus Bezuidenhout (20 July 1851 – 14 February 1924) and his wife, Wilhelma Christina Johanna nee Meyer (29 August 1853 – 1 January 1927) contracted Carel August Meischke to design the mansion. Meischke is noted for designing many state buildings in Johannesburg and Pretoria such as the Rissik Street Post Office, etc. Many have since been demolished. The mansion was built by J.S. Joubert in 1906. The house currently consists of fourteen rooms: 4 bedrooms, a men’s smoking room, a ladies lounge, entrance hall, a TV room (originally a bedroom), a bathroom, toilet, breakfast room, dining room, kitchen, pantry and a hallway which is 17,6m long and 1,8m wide. F.J. Bezuidenhout and his wife imported all the building material from overseas. The furniture and sanitary ware was ordered from England from a catalogue. The original furniture was replaced by Bes Liebenberg, the wife of Cor Liebenberg and she distributed the original furniture between the Bezuidenhout children, because she preferred more modern furniture. The wallpaper and velvet curtains were imported in crates from England. The mosaic tiles in the hallway were imported from Italy. The floors were made from pine imported from Oregon in America. The four fireplaces are made from rosewood and are decorated with mantle pieces, mirrors and brass trimmings. The main entrance door and the door of the men’s smoking room onto the veranda, are decorated with colourful stained glass windows. The ceilings throughout the house are imported pressed steel. The veranda surrounds the house and is decorated with cast iron balustrades imported from Glasgow, with a wooden rail. The Veranda is decorated with brooky lace all round. The total cost of the erection was £6000. This House belonged to Frederik Jacobus Bezuidenhout (2nd Generation) whose father, also Frederik Jacobus Bezuidenhout (1st Generation), had married into the Viljoen Family and thus acquired Doornfontein when his father in-law died. F.J. Bezuidenhout (2nd Generation) inherited the 2 farms (Doornfontein and Braamfontein), which were later to be proclaimed, together with Langlaagte and Elandsfontein, as the city of Johannesburg. Before moving to Heidelberg, his house was on the site of the present day Ponte building. The residence in Heidelberg is exceedingly grand, partly because it was intended as a sort of one-upmanship towards the British after the humiliation of the defeat. It was built in 1906 for £6 000 and the building contractor was J.S. Joubert who was commissioned for the Union Buildings in Pretoria. It stands on 6 Morgon, has 6 bedrooms, smoking room, the usual reception rooms and was the first house in the area (probably including Jhb) to have electricity and indoor sewerage (which was considered odd and even unhygienic by the local community). (Note by Tony: J.S. Joubert resided and built the farm house in West Street. A smaller version of De Rust. He was also the builder that built Laer Volkskool, Hoër Volkskool and the 3 hostels that have since been demolished) All the furniture was custom-made in England. The cutlery, an exact copy of that was used at Buckingham Palace, velvet embossed Martin and Webb Curtains were imported. The Dinner service was custom-made with the family monogram incorporated in the design. Unfortunately, many of these possessions were divided after his death. The house is further significant as it can be regarded as the home of the Nationalist Party. Bezuidenhout resigned from the South African Party over the question of Unification. Thereafter, he and Hertzog met at this house to discuss the formation of a new party, to become the Nationalist Party, and early meetings were held here. Ultimately, Bezuidenhout did not stand for the party, when elections were held, as he did not want to contest the Heidelberg district seat which was held by his brother. Bezuidenhout was naturally an influential member of the community. Amongst other things, he funded the building of the Volkskool. (Note by Tony: He funded the building of the school with his brother Willem Wouter J.J. and his brother in-law Cornelius Floris Johannes Meyer (17.2.1856-9.10.1916). He also sponsored the clock and bells in the tower of the Klip Kerk when it collapsed in 1909. There was no clock before then) Frederick Jacobus Bezuiedenhout (1825-1900)(1st Generation)(Buried at Bezuidenhout Valley) F.J. Bezuidenhout arrived in Braamfontein in 1834 on a reconnaissance trip. He had with him a Hottentot, 2 oxen and 2 horses. After a lion ate one of the oxen they departed back to Beaufort West. He returned in 1837 and he settled by the present day gas works in Braamfontein. He married his neighbour’s daughter. - Judith Cornelia Etresia Viljoen (1831-1904) - Judith Paarl was named after her. They had 7 children. 1. Frederik Jacobus (20.7.1851-14.2.1924)(buried at De Rust) They inherited the farm Doornfontein from his father-in-law, when he died, which was to be named Bezuidenhout Valley. Doornfontein was where the Gold Rand Lords first built their mansions. They later bought the farm Turffontein. Frederick Jacobus Bezuiedenhout (1851-1924) (2nd Generation)(Buried at De Rust) Before the Anglo Boer war they moved to a farm close to Standerton named Kafferspruit. Here the British burnt the farm down, damaging their bible. It was repaired after the war by a good hearted Englishman. The woman and children were put in the Merewent Concentration Camp. Frederick married Wilhelmina Christina Meyer (1853-1927), in 1906, bought the farm Boschfontein just outside of Heidelberg and built De Rust at a cost of 6 000 pounds. The house consists of 22 rooms for his 12 children. It cost him 6000 pounds to build. He had the first flushing toilet in Heidelberg. It is said that he wanted a small Buckingham palace. Everything was imported from England, USA and Italy. The house was declared a national monument in the 1980s. The family cemetery dates back to their early 1900s where the late Frederick Jacobus Bezuidenhout and his wife Wilhelmina, as well as other members of the family were put to rest. According to the will of F.J. Bezuidenhout (2nd Generation), the eldest son of each generation shall inherit “De Rust”. Frederick Jacobus Bezuidenhout (8. 11.1871-3.1.1944)(3rd Generation) was married to Anna Magdalena nee Gouws (24.7.1871-12.7.1942) (Both buried in the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery) Frederick Jacobus Bezuidenhout (12.2.1899-3.10.1973)(4th Generation was married to Maria Johanna nee Nolte (24.12.1898-30.5.1974) )(Both are buried in the De Rust family cemetery) The 4th generation F.J. Bezuidenhout only had one daughter, Lydia, who married a Mr Minaar. She is currently the owner of “De Rust”. Tony Burisch, first posted on the Heidelberg Heritage Association FB page. |