Another historic icon recognised with heritage blue plaque
The second heritage blue plaque was revealed on May 14 on the corner of Louw and Marais streets.
A house built in 1875 and used as the mining commissioner’s office and during the second Anglo Boer War as the headquarters for Maj John Maximilian Vallentin, the first commanding officer of Vallentin’s Heidelberg Volunteers.
Vallentin served as a brigade major at Ladysmith and was present during the siege, where he contracted serious enteric fever. During his recovery, he was appointed as district commissioner of Heidelberg and his office situated on the corner of Louw and Marais streets opposite the entrance of the Army Gymnasium.
He later resigned and joined the SA Constabulary in October 1900. In early 1901 he was ordered to raise a corps of volunteers to operate as law enforcement and counter-insurgency agents in the Heidelberg district.
The unit became known as Vallentin’s Heidelberg Volunteers or the Nigel Mine Guards. Many of these volunteers were Boers who had accepted the British terms of surrender and worked for them.
Vallentin left Heidelberg in December 1901 to command a mixed force of men near Ermelo and was killed in battle on May 4, 1902.
Stoffel du Plooy, the owner of the house, was not aware of this rich history when he bought the property in 2003.
“I was informed about the history of the house through another Heidelberg resident and was pleasantly surprised,” Stoffel said.
The walls built with sandstone still stand firm and the original well and old coal room as well.
Stoffel is the founder and owner of Heidelberg Printers who opened their doors in town in 1984 and still operate in Ueckermann Street.
The blue plaque was sponsored by Heidelberg Printers and erected on the outside wall of the property.
The first blue plaque for heritage was erected on May 8 at the Old Jail and was sponsored by Suikerbosrand Brokers, who has been operating in Heidelberg since 1985.
“Heidelberg is a town with tremendous history and it makes us proud to recognise this,” said Tony Burich, secretary Heidelberg Heritage Association, who also informed that the next blue plaque will be erected at Yummy Bar and Restaurant in Voortrekker Street on May 21.
