Tony Burisch of the Heidelberg Heritage Association awarded the latest blue plaque for heritage at 85 Pretorius Street, Heidelberg.
The plaque is the 51st plaque that has been awarded. The sponsors of the blue plaque are Sias and Michelle Suurd.
The Suurds have been residing at the house for nearly two years now.
As per the book Die Geskiedenis van Heidelberg (1836 – 1877), the first owner of stand 31 was a Mr D Jacobs. There are thoughts that this was David Francoijs Jacobs (1785–1875).
If that is the case then he was the nephew of Voortrekker leader Commandant Pieter Daniel Jabobs (1780 – 1845).
PD Jacobs fought at the Battle of Blood River in December 1838.
Jacobs made his home on the farm Goedverwachting near the Suikerbosrand river. He died in 1859 at the farm Nooitgedacht.
Jacobs grave can be located in the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery.
It is believed that the original house in Pretorius Street was built in 1865 and rooms was added on over the years to extend the house.
Some talk was doing the rounds that Paul Kruger stayed at the house during the first Anglo Boer war.
If any more information is out there on the site contact Tony Burich at tonyburisch5690@gmail.com
