Old jail awarded heritage blue plaque

The official handover of the blue plaque for heritage was done on May 8 and proudly received by members of the Heidelberg Heritage Association and Old Bill Moths.

The planning of the jail dates back to 1867 when FK Maré asked President Paul Kruger to build a jail in Heidelberg to prevent prisoners from escaping during the Boer War.

In 1869, a portion of Stand No 86 was purchased from HJ Ueckermann and was allocated for the erection thereof.
In May 1878, magistrate Ueckermann wrote to the secretary of state explaining that the jail was old with its unfired bricks and thatch roof and inadequate to hold prisoners.

He complained about the thin and decayed walls and the roof that was falling in. On October 29, 1878, two prisoners escaped and broke into a store in town only to be discovered by accident on their return while neatly rehanging their cell door.

A tender was placed for a new jail that December and in 1888, after 10 years of numerous appeals from Ueckermann and Maré. the gaol as it was known was completed.

During the Anglo Boer War, prisoners of war were hosted at the old gaol and it was there where Field-Cornet Salmon van As spent the last of his life before his execution in 1902 for the murder of British officer Capt R Miers.

At daybreak on June 23, 1902, van As was executed against the rear wall of the prison by firing squad.

The building was continually used as a prison up to1963 when the new prison outside Heidelberg was completed and the jail then stood empty for about 30 years.

The Moths restored and upgraded the old jail with the support of the community of Heidelberg and is the custodians of the site. Great care has been taken not to damage or change the structure of the building or any structure in the nearby vicinity during these renovations and upgrades.

In 2016, Phoenix Paranormal SA visited the old jail. The team investigated with high-tech equipment and ‘found’ a few occupants that were sentenced to eternal imprisonment in the old jail.

All the action was captured by the film crew of DSTV’s Stranger SA.

To see what they found, visit their website at www.phoenixpsa.co or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PhoenixParanormalSA/videos and go to the video section to watch a hair-raising clip of what happened at the old jail.

The history of the old jail is iconic to Heidelberg and with its many memorabilia, original cell doors and historic items captured, it is well-deserving of a blue plaque marking as one of Heidelberg’s heritage sites.

The plague, sponsored by Suikerbosrand Brokers was officially received on May 8.  Suikerbosrand Brokers is a long standing firm in Heidelberg who started the brokerage in November 1985.   

“We are very proud to have identified several sites and houses in Heidelberg as heritage buildings and the old jail is the first to receive a blue plaque.  We are grateful towards Johann Strauss from Suikerbosrand Brokers for their sponsorship” said Tony Burich, secretary Heidelberg Heritage Association