Irene, Gauteng
Encyclopedia
Irene is a small township south of Pretoria
, Gauteng
, South Africa
.
bed and dating back many years prove that people have been living in the area for a very long time.
Though they left no historical writings of their own, records from other sources in the early 19th century refer to the Bakwena tribe, also known as the Crocodile people, who lived in the area. When Mzilikazi
(whose people became known as the Matabele) came to the area in 1825, they killed many of the Crocodile people and drove the rest away.
Voortrekker named Daniel Elardus Erasmus left the Cape Colony and settled in the area near present-day Irene. Seeking economic and political independence in the hinterland, Erasmus built a farm that became known as Doornkloof. Doornkloof became known as the "kerkplaas" of the district. When Daniel died in 1875 he left the farm to his three sons.
In 1889 a controlling interest (2/3) of Doornkloof was purchased by Alois Hugo Nellmapius
, a businessman. Nellmapius had previously established a transport business between Lourenço Marques
and Pilgrim's Rest, as well as several industrial concerns (a gin and whisky factory, South Africa's first gun powder factory, and the Irene lime works).
Nellmapius renamed the farm Irene Estate, after his daughter. Nellmapius often entertained at the Irene Estate in a grand style; a frequent guest was Transvaal
president, Paul Kruger
.
Nellmapius employed experts on his farm, including a Mr. Fuchs, who laid out the farmhouse gardens. Another of the authorities consulted by Nellmapius was Sir Arnold Theiler
, the founder of Onderstepoort Research and Veterinary College.
In 1908, General Jan Christiaan Smuts—needing a home for his growing family—bought a third of the original Doornkloof farm. He paid £300 for the wood and iron building which had served as the officers’ mess of the British forces in Middelburg
during the Anglo-Boer War
, and transported it to the site at Doornkloof. After his death, Smuts' ashes were scattered on Smuts Koppie, the longtime site of the Smuts' family home, near Doornkloof. Today, the Smuts House Museum on the site illustrates the life-style and multi-faceted career of one of South Africa’s most prominent historical figures.
Irene was the site of one of the more than forty concentration camps where the British housed the Boer (Afrikaner) women and children, whose homes had been destroyed as part of the British Army's 'scorched earth' policy during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902
). More than 1,200 people, most of them children, died at the Irene Camp. Today, the names of those who died here are memorialized at the Irene Concentration Camp Cemetery and Memorial.
; in 2000, along with the rest of Centurion, Irene was incorporated, into the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. It is situated next to the R21
and N1
highway, and has seen increased development in recent years. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, the United States men's national soccer team
based its training camp in the township and were stationed at the Irene Country Lodge.
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Prehistoric inhabitants
Stone arrowheads and tools, discovered in the Hennops RiverHennops River
The Hennops River is a small river in Gauteng Province, South Africa that passes through Centurion. The banks of the Hennops are a popular location for hiking, camping and picnicking....
bed and dating back many years prove that people have been living in the area for a very long time.
Though they left no historical writings of their own, records from other sources in the early 19th century refer to the Bakwena tribe, also known as the Crocodile people, who lived in the area. When Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi , also sometimes called Mosilikatze, was a Southern African king who founded the Matabele kingdom , Matabeleland, in what became Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. He was born the son of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand and died at Ingama, Matabeleland...
(whose people became known as the Matabele) came to the area in 1825, they killed many of the Crocodile people and drove the rest away.
European settlement
In the 1830s, a BoerBoer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
Voortrekker named Daniel Elardus Erasmus left the Cape Colony and settled in the area near present-day Irene. Seeking economic and political independence in the hinterland, Erasmus built a farm that became known as Doornkloof. Doornkloof became known as the "kerkplaas" of the district. When Daniel died in 1875 he left the farm to his three sons.
In 1889 a controlling interest (2/3) of Doornkloof was purchased by Alois Hugo Nellmapius
Alois Hugo Nellmapius
Alois Hugo Nellmapius 5 May 1847 - 27 July 1893, was a South African businessman, industrialist and pioneer conservationist.-Life and career:...
, a businessman. Nellmapius had previously established a transport business between Lourenço Marques
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
and Pilgrim's Rest, as well as several industrial concerns (a gin and whisky factory, South Africa's first gun powder factory, and the Irene lime works).
Nellmapius renamed the farm Irene Estate, after his daughter. Nellmapius often entertained at the Irene Estate in a grand style; a frequent guest was Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
president, Paul Kruger
Paul Kruger
Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger , better known as Paul Kruger and affectionately known as Uncle Paul was State President of the South African Republic...
.
Nellmapius employed experts on his farm, including a Mr. Fuchs, who laid out the farmhouse gardens. Another of the authorities consulted by Nellmapius was Sir Arnold Theiler
Arnold Theiler
Sir Arnold Theiler Pour le Mérite] is considered to be the father of veterinary science in South Africa. He was born in Frick, Canton Aargau, Switzerland. He received his higher education, and later qualified as a veterinarian, in Zurich...
, the founder of Onderstepoort Research and Veterinary College.
Irene
Irene was first proclaimed a township in 1902 by Johannes Albertus van der Byl (better known as Bertie), who had bought the Irene Estate in 1895. Bertie was first in the line of the Irene-born van der Byls that continues to this day, and who are now in their fifth generation. The family has been responsible for building up the herd of dairy cows on the farm, as well as planting many hundreds of trees, something they began long before the current level of environmental consciousness.In 1908, General Jan Christiaan Smuts—needing a home for his growing family—bought a third of the original Doornkloof farm. He paid £300 for the wood and iron building which had served as the officers’ mess of the British forces in Middelburg
Middelburg, Mpumalanga
Middelburg is a large farming and industrial town in the South African province of Mpumalanga.Middelburg was established as Nasareth, , in 1864 by the Voortrekkers on the banks of the Klein Olifants River. The name was changed in 1872 to Middelburg to mark its situation midway between the Transvaal...
during the Anglo-Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, and transported it to the site at Doornkloof. After his death, Smuts' ashes were scattered on Smuts Koppie, the longtime site of the Smuts' family home, near Doornkloof. Today, the Smuts House Museum on the site illustrates the life-style and multi-faceted career of one of South Africa’s most prominent historical figures.
Irene was the site of one of the more than forty concentration camps where the British housed the Boer (Afrikaner) women and children, whose homes had been destroyed as part of the British Army's 'scorched earth' policy during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
). More than 1,200 people, most of them children, died at the Irene Camp. Today, the names of those who died here are memorialized at the Irene Concentration Camp Cemetery and Memorial.
Today
Irene lies within the town of CenturionCenturion, Gauteng
Centurion is an area with 279,430 inhabitants in Gauteng Province of South Africa, located between Pretoria and Midrand . Formerly an independent municipality, with its own town council, it is now part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality...
; in 2000, along with the rest of Centurion, Irene was incorporated, into the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. It is situated next to the R21
R21 (Gauteng)
The R21 is a major north-south Regional Route in eastern Gauteng Province, South Africa. Built in the early 1970's, it remains the only other freeway that links Pretoria with Johannesburg, via the R24...
and N1
N1 (South Africa)
The N1 is a South African National Route, running from Cape Town to Beit Bridge on the border with Zimbabwe. It is also the main road link between Johannesburg and Cape Town, and forms the first section of the famed Cape to Cairo Road....
highway, and has seen increased development in recent years. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, the United States men's national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
based its training camp in the township and were stationed at the Irene Country Lodge.