Family tree Schut-Powell » Anna Catharina du Plessis (1860-1941)

Personal data Anna Catharina du Plessis 

• She was born on May 4, 1860 in Colesberg, South Africa.
• She died on June 5, 1941 in Carolina, Eastern Transvaal, South Africa, she was 81 years old.

Household of Anna Catharina du Plessis

She is married to Petrus Johannes Francis Henri van Lelyveld.

They got married

Child(ren):

1. Sarah Maria van Lelyveld  1889-1979 

Notes about Anna Catharina du Plessis

Anna and her children were sent to Merebank Concentration Camp, Natal during Anglo-Boer War. All survived except baby - Melienie. (Her daughter, Johanna died as an infant just before the war)

After the Boer War, Anna claimed compensation from the Military for the loss of her farm house & other assets in Carolina. This is a transcript of her sworn statement which was date stamped by the Transvaal Repatriation Dept of Carolina on 27 Aug 1903.

(Transcribed by Hazel Griesel)

"Mrs Anna Catharina van Lelyveld of Verkeerdepan, being sworn, states:-

This is my only claim. All claimed for is my own property.

The house was built of brick with thatched roof. There were 6 rooms, earthen floor, no ceiling. It was burned. The walls were partly broken down. The furniture is claimed for at less than cost price. The stove cost min £8. The harnesses cost min £15. The fencing poles were of soft wood. The cart & Scotch Cart were half (made ?). The saddle & bridle were new. All claimed for were taken by the British troops. I have claimed for nothing lost on commands.

All losses, except one horse and saddle, took place after I was taken into the British lines. I was a widow before the war & had no relations in commando except one brother-in-law. I have recovered nothing.

I was taken by General Kitchener to Middelburg then Belfast. From there to Meerbank Natal where I stayed till after peace Treaties were in ....?.... "

The Merebank concentration camp was the first to be erected in Durban. The concentration camp was 12 kilometers South of the city, on the south coast railway line. This camp which was to become the largest concentration camp of the war with its more than 8,000 inhabitants was erected on wet marshy land that caused health and comfort problems. Criticism of the site had little effect.

The Merebank camp was divided into three sections, Grassmere, Hazelmere and Windermere. The inhabitants were accommodated in either wooden and corrugated iron huts, or wood and canvas huts or bell tents.

In these temporary homes women had to try and recreate homes with the belongings they managed too save. Rations such as meat, flour and potatoes were handed out from the commissariats office to queues. Inhabitants were allowed to buy extras to supplement their rations from stores in the camp. Firewood was fetched from an allocated spot a fair distance from their huts, while water supplied by the Durban Corporation tended to be erratic.

The camp was administered by Superintendent H M Bousfield who was assisted by a team of administrators which included doctors, hospital matron and nurses, camp matron, camp storeman, clerks, teachers, Indian and African sanitary personnel and many others. Some inhabitants also worked in the camp.

The dreary monotonous life was broken up by political infighting, passes to visit Durban to bid farewell to POWs, or the seaside. The Merebank camp continued to exist until December 1902 when the last of its inhabitants left for home. During its existence there were 453 deaths mainly due to measles, enteric fever and dysentery.

These people were buried at three different cemeteries: 22 were buried at Isipingo, 19 at Jacobs/Clairemont, and 412 at Merebank. All three these sites have a monument.

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