TOPIC:

I am doing research on all activity between Majorsdrift, Vinknest, Holspruit area in the Orange river colony specifically where it affect the farm Mooibank situated to the west of the Wilge river south of the Cornelis river junction and north of the Mill river juctions with the Wilge. It is told that there are Brittish soldiers burried on Mooibank and it seems that the house was also used as a Brittish base during the ABO - I will appreciate any information that anyone can come accross that relates to the farm and possibly any information to any Brittish soldiers known to have been burried on Mooibank. As a child my late grandmother came accross a portion of what was believed to be a tombstone of a Brittish soldier but she died without showing us where the grave was. I found one entry in Moeller's book that seems to have been entered during a stay over on Mooibank.

Hi Chrisjan and welcome to the forum.

I have been looking for mentions of Mooibank but found very few. There are no mentions in The Times for the ABW period.

There are mentions on line but these tend to focus on the settlement created after the war.

Was the place known by any other names?

Hi Dave

The farm was already known as Mooibank at the time of the ABO but was part of De Hoop farm earlier and both was part part of Groot Hoop farm before then. From the kopje behind the farmhouse, there is an excellent view on a drift over the Wilge just south of the joint with the Cornelis river and it seems that the drift was called Steyldift by what I could gather thus far. Also the farm Waaiwater (bordering to Mooibank) I found reference of a crossing that is well known to me since my childhood days to which any approach is also visible from the hill. The farm Vinknest also borders Mooibank which I found a number of references to. This belonged to my great great great grandfather, Gert Lourens. His one son, Piet, (Petrus Johannes Lourens) who I belived was captured during the ABO was the owner of Mooibank at the time of the ABO. I however do not have any details of where he was captured or when and what his whereabouts where after that. What I do know is that the road between Bethlehem and Vrede passed infront of the Mooibank homestead as well as past Vinknest and Vaalpan (that accomodated a post office at the time) all of which belonged to my family at the time. The boer kommandant Willie Lourens was one of his other sons that was quite prominent on the boer side and of which I have recordings of some of his encounters during the ABO relating to Groenkop, Bezuidenhout's drift hospital and a few smaller incidents.

Regards

Chris