Search for graves comes full circle

The grave belonged to Margaret Proctor. She was a learner at Lydenburg High School in the 1920s.

A photo her great-granddaughter, Amy Paynton, had of her on the porch of the Monica Hostel cemented the family’s connection with Lydenburg.

This photo led Amy, and her late mother, Doreen Paynton, to visit South Africa in 2009. They are the granddaughter and great-granddaughter, respectively, of Richard and Margaret Scott Proctor.

They were from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, at the time.

Margaret Scott married Richard Proctor. Richard Proctor was a master mason and was commissioned to rebuild the ZAR Road Bridge over the Spekboom River in 1903.

During the Second War of Independence or Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), part of the steel deck was deliberately damaged by the Boer commandos under Gen Ben Viljoen to hinder the British who had occupied Lydenburg in 1900, particularly in them reaching Pilgrim’s Rest where he had had his headquarters.

The Monica Hostel, on the corner of Voortrekker and De Beer streets, was demolished. Standard Bank is now on that corner.

In 1973 the bridge was declared a national monument under its original and historically correct name, Steenkamp’s Bridge.

During the research, the writer of this article found a photo of the Monica Hostel where Margaret Proctor had lived while at school.

There were barely any existing photos of this hostel. This led to the uncovering of this fascinating story about Margaret Paynton and her family.

The farm in the Watervalsrivier Valley was called Glendale. It was known for its many fruit and avocado trees. It was directly next to the Buffelsvlei Guest Farm.

Before they visited SA, Amy had been searching for information about Margaret Proctor for a few years.

An email to well-known Anglo-Boer War historian, Marion Moir, and her husband, Alistair, led to the finding of the grave. The Moirs played an integral part in planning the Paynton’s visit.

The Moirs retired to Modimolle in recent years, but their legacy and passion for Mpumalanga heritage and Lydenburg still prevails.

It had been a lifelong dream for Amy to fill the void of their history in SA.

Doreen’s mother emigrated to America and her grandmother, Margret, stayed on at the farm.

According to farmers in the area, Margaret was renowned for the mampoer she distilled, on the side.

As this was illegal, she never wanted to tell her family in the USA exactly about that particular hobby. They only knew she had orchards and was farming with several cultivars of vegetables etc.

Doreen reveiled this ‘family secret’ during their visit in good humor. 

They received regular letters from Margaret and it was clear, she “loved her farm in Africa”.

Also read: Rhino undergoes groundbreaking medical procedure