99.Die Kriel’s van Derdeheuwel
ONS FAMILIE NAME EN ʼn PAAR ANDER DINGE
Erika Janse 2023
Ons Kriel familienaam was eers Grill wat verander is na Kriel, hier in die Kaap. Ons stamvader, Hermanus (Grill) Kriel gebore 1694 in Hesse Nassau Prussia, Duitsland, kom na die Kaap de Goede Hoop as ‘n soldaat.
Die ouers van Hermanus was Johann Peter Grill g.1643 en Eva Christina (Grill) Schlemmer, hulle het ‘n dorpshuis en kruidenierswinkel in Hanau gehad. Hulle was welgesteld. Eva Christina se vader was die predikant – Frederic Schlemmer 1618 – 1653. Schlemmer beleef die Katolieke vervolging, in die sin dat hy gedurende 1634 verban word, hy vlug, van 1635 tot 1638 tree hy as veldprediker van die graafskap Hanau op. In 1653 tree hy as Konsistoriale predikant uit die bediening. Eva Christina se ouma was Anna Katharine Kurtzrock. In 1626 word Anna se vader Ds Johannes Kurtzrock ‘n bekende predikant ook vervolg, en soook Johann Peter Grill se broer Ds Theodorus Grill wat deur die Rooms-Katolieke Kerk vervolg word en hy vlug.
Hermanus (Grill) Kriel arriveer via die Kamer van Amsterdam in Holland, met die “Risdam”, op 19.04.1719 aan die Kaap, in diens van die Oos-Indiese Kompanjie. Hermanus Kriel was een van die wagmeesters onder die Kompanjie se burgerdrag. Hy kry ‘n huis in Bergstraat, Kaapstad. Daar werk hy as ‘n Bakker. Later trek hy na Drakenstein en koop die plaas Diamant. Hy trou in 1720 met Elisabeth Anna Malan, gebore 1701. Hermanus sterf op sy plaas Diamant. Hulle seun Jacobus Petrus Kriel, (gebore 1729), boer in die Drakenstein en trou met Hester Roux (gebore 1731). Hy het op die plaas Nantes geboer, waarop die dorp Paarl gedeeltelik uitgelê is. Hy boer ook later op ‘n gedeelte van Keerweder. Hy is die voorvader van die sogenaamde Franschoek vertakking van die Kriel familie.
Hulle seun Johannes David Kriel (gebore 1772) is die stamvader van baie van die Montagu Kriels. Hy koop die plaas Derdeheuwel + /-1800s – so 5km uit Montagu, dis ‘n baie groot plaas en dis nog steeds in die besit van die Kriels vandag. Dit was niks meer as net weiveld, so ‘n paar honderd jaar gelede nie. Swellendam boere het ontdek dat die weiveld goed is. Derdeheuwel is eers in 1748 aan Jacob Gerrytz van Deventer op pag van 12 riksdalers toegeken. Die kontrak is deur H. Swellengrebel en W. Kerkhoff geteken, “sonder die gee van osse” – die gee van osse i.p.v. kontant was om die Kompanjie se trekgoed aan te vul, maar die boere het net hulle swak en steeks osse gegee, sodat die Kompanjie maar die os storie moes los. Hierdie is ‘n pragtige wêreld stewig ommuur deur die mooiste berge, klowe en passe, tot by die plase met intressante historiese geskiedenis.
‘n Fondamentsteen ingebou in die woonhuis met die voorletters J.S.B. 1808 daarop ingegraveer, maar ongelukkig is die letters nie baie duidelik leesbaar nie, omdat die mure en steen baie geverf is deur die jare. Dit word vertel dat die steen afkomstig is van die oorspronklike huis van die vorige pagter, ‘n mnr. Boshoff. J.D. Kriel het toe die steen in die huidige huis se fondament in gebou. Daar is ook ‘n baken op die plaas wat 1817 dateer. Daar is ook onbekende grafte – heelmoontlik van die Boshoff – of van dié van Deventer familie. Die Vrystaatse Staatspresident, Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff is gebore in 1808 op Derdeheuwel.
J. N. Boshoff (1808-1881)
Staatspresident van die Oranje-Vrystaat
1855- 1859
Daar is ook gevind dat dié gebied sowat 20 000 jaar gelede al bewoon was, gereedskap en Boesman tekeninge is by die Guano grot gekry. ‘n Klein permanente stroom loop onder in die kloof, vanaf die grot. Die Kriel familie van Derdeheuwel gebruik die water vir drink en besproeiing. Die grot was altyd ‘n aangename en gewilde piekniekplek vir die Kriel familie en vriende. Daar kom ook baie diere om water te drink soos dassies, bobbejane, grysbokke, voëls en baie vlermuise. Die Kriel boere het deur die jare die vlermuis guano uit die grot verwyder en gebruik vir bemesting vir die plante op die plaas, Guano is besonder hoog aan stikstof, fosfaat en kalium wat noodsaaklik is vir die groeie van plante. Sedert 1880 besoek palentoloë die Guano grot op Derdeheuwel vir paleontologiese uitgrawings.
Daar is ook gesoek na goud, by Derdeheuwel no.149 – oorkant die pad van Geelboslaagte by Goudmyn, is daar in 1880s ‘n mynskag gegrawe, opsoek na goud. Uit hierdie vrugbare grond tussen klowe en passe, met saai, veeboerdery, wingerde… en toe vrugteboorde. Daar het die Kriel familie ‘n deur oopgemaak en so staan Derdeheuwel, Montagu hoofsaaklik bekend vir die verbouing van ‘n baie groot verskeidenheid sagtevrugte, en so het hulle ‘n goeie bestaan gemaak.
MONTAGU KOOPGIDS
Donderdag 16 Desember 1982
HOKAAI UITSPAN TE DERDEHEUWEL.
‘n Familieplaas langs die ou roete na Barrydale, is aan baie van Montagu se inwoners goed bekend, maar welke bydrae is hier gelewer tot die huidige landbou situasie?
Dit was ‘n tyd van min geld en baie swaar kry. ‘n Tyd waarin ‘n sikspens weekliks tussen twee broers verwissel is sodat die arbeid nie so vrugteloos moes voorkom nie.
Alexander Floris Kriel, eienaar en boer van Rooiplaas, vandag bekend as Derdeheuwel, het die waternood van die plaas geken. ‘n Oplossing was daar wel, maar finansiering.. . . ?
In die Langeberge, suid-agter die plaas, is grotte wat bekend staan as die “Guano Caves”. Dis hier waar daar die eerste Saterdag van die September-skoolvakansie, gereeld piekniek gehou is. Hier was ook genoeg water, maar rotsbanke het die natuurlike vloei na die plaas verhoed. Dinamiet klink na die oplossing, maar weereens; so ‘n luuksheid kon hulle nie bekostig nie.
Oom Alexander had die oplossing: “groot stapels hout is gepak en water is aangedra, want werk dié kon hul. Nadat die vure uitgebrand was, is die vaatjies koue water op die warm rotse omgekeer en die obstruksie het eenvoudig uit mekaar gespat.”
Alexander Floris Kriel met sy vrou, Magaretha Johanna (de Kock 09/07/1837-14/03/1889) met hulle twee seuns Jacobus Daniël (regs agter) en Johannes Dawid (links voor). Links agter staan Gawie McDonald, ʼn seun wie by hulle ingewoon het en aan wie Alexander Floris die ambag van bouer geleer het
Beesvelle, waarop klei met die voet gebrei was, is so gebruik dat dit ‘n baie oorspronklike plaasvervanger vir ‘n met sement geboude kanaal, gevorm het.
‘n Aantal jare later het die Temperance Union aansienlike mag in Montagu verwerf en alkoholiese drank was taboe. Oom Alexander, diep beindruk deur hierdie vereniging, vind egter een oggend sy kelderhulp totaal onbekwaam langs die brandewynketel.
Die gebeurtenis het hom so erg ontstel dat hy daar en dan teen hierdie produk as ‘n in- komste besluit het en al die wingerd laat uitkap het.
Ten tye van hierdie drastiese stap het hy in aanraking gekom met Piet Cilliers, alias Piet California, so genoem vanwee sy studie oorsee. Oom Piet het die moontlike verbouing van ander sagtevrugte as druiwe voorgestel, want tot op daardie stadium, was wingerd die enigste gewas wat hier op groot skaal verbou is. Alexander Floris Kriel moes ‘n bestaan maak noudat hy nie meer druiwe kon oes nie en so het dit dan gebeur dat laasgenoemde die eerste persoon was om pruime, vye en appels te verbou. Die appels het nie so goed geaard nie en later is gevind dat die Koo meer geskik is.
Alexander Floris Kriel het ‘n deur oopgemaak en vandag staan Montagu hoofsaaklik bekend vir die verbouing van ‘n baie groot verskeidenheid sagtevrugte.
Mooiste Kaaps-Georgiaanse huis op Montagu nou ’n eeu oud
Die Burger 9 Mei 1992
Dié mooi dorpshuis aan Langstraat 40, Montagu, is vanjaar ’n eeu oud. Dit is in 1892 deur Alexander Floris Kriel, sy seuns en hul werkers van die plaas Derdeheuwel in die distrik, gebou as tuishuis op die dorp.
Die dubbel-verdieping Kaaps Georgiaanse woning vertoon die datum 1892 aan die ryklik versierde borswering. Die bouwerk stem duidelik ooreen met die twee soortgelyke wonings op die plaas Derdeheuwel, wat ook deur A.F. Kriel en seuns gebou was.
Die huis aan Langstraat het drie buitedeure en twee vensters onder aan die voorkant en vyf vensters bo. Verder is daar pragtige pilasters en sleutelmerke om die openinge. Die boonste verdieping is nooit bewoon nie en is klaarblyklik gebou as pakruimte. Dit het uiteraard ook die skoonheid en waardigheid van die woning baie verhoog.
Die huis is een van Montagu se impossantstes en is op ’n baie strategiese posisie, naamlik op die hoek van Kerk en Langstraat, geleë. Regoor is ’n pragtige Victoriaanse woning en op die ander hoek ’n Kaaps-Hollandse woning. Op die ander hoek is ’n Edwardiaanse huis. Langstraat 40 is een van Montagu se mooiste voorbeelde van ’n Georgiaanse huis en toeriste fotografeer dit gereeld.
Na Floris Kriel is die huis in die 1940-er jare bewoon deur ‘n kapt. O’Donnel.
Daarna was mnr. Stefa Pienaar die eienaar en toe ’n mnr. Marais. Die huidige eienaar is mev. Mollie de Koker, weduwee van mnr. Titus de Koker. Wyle mnr. de Koker was sy lewe lank hoof van die kruideniers-afdeling van die destydse Brink Broers.
Die huis was al die jare goed in stand gehou, sodat restourasie nog nooit nodig was nie. Die pilare en prieël is in 1970 deur mnr. De Koker gebou, dog skend dit nie die voorkoms van die huis nie.
Na verneem word gaan die huis binnekort tot nasionale gedenkwaardigheid verklaar word.
(Die tuishuis word tans (2023) bewoon deur Paul en Caroline Whitehead)
Die ondergenoemde is geskryf in 1968 deur Babsie van Zyl, wie ‘n bekende inwoner van Montagu in daardie tyd was, en ook die kleindogter van Alex F. Kriel
Alex. F. het die Onthouders Vereniging (Temperence Union) op Montagu gestig – ʼn beweging wat in Engeland ontstaan het in 1848. Dis onbekend watter jaar hy dit gestig het, maar dit mag wees dat dit gewees het gedurende die twee herlewings op Godsdienstige gebied alhier. Hierdie beweging het in 1860 onstaan, die ander in 1874. Dit het van Montagu uitgebrei oor die hele land.
Dit word vertel van Alex. F. dat hy altyd ‘n werknemer snags laat waak het by sy brandewynstokery. Een oggend het hy egter die man daar dronk aangetref. Dit het so ʼn indruk op hom gemaak dat hy besluit het om sy wingerd uit te kap en vrugtebome te plant, aangesien hy nie die gedagte kon verdra dat hy indirek die oorsaak kon wees van die ondergang van ʼn ander mens nie. Hierdie daad van hom het ʼn groot indruk op Montagu en die omliggende gebied gemaak en daar word vandag nog van gepraat onder die ouer mense (1968).
Alex. F. het ʼn spesiale lemoenboom afgesonder vir lede van die Onthouders Vereninging en een maal ʼn jaar kon hulle soveel soos hulle wou, kom eet en wegry. Op Daardie dag het sy vrou ook die jong mense getrakteer op koek en koffie.
Die Onthouders Vereniging het ʼn tak vir kinders gehad, genoem die “Band of Hope” wat deur Tant Kota Knipe op Montagu met groot toewyding vir jare aan die gang gehou is.
The following article was written by Babsie van Zyl , to give Mrs Bee Jordaan an idea as to how she fitted into the Kriel family tree. The family tree was handwritten on two scrolls. As mentioned below due to their age they were in a bad condition. Mrs Jordaan was the Honorary Archivist at the Montagu Library at the time.
This story captures a special time in the history of Montagu and more importantly special people who we can thank for creating Montagu.
MY Four MATERNAL GREAT- GRANDPARENTS
The family tree information is interesting and was done by an old Hollander who lived in Alexander Floris Kriel’s house and taught his two surviving children, one of whom was my grandfather, Johannes David Kriel. They were quite grown-up at the time and he must have given them extra tuition after they left Mr. Euvrard’s School at Montagu. As far as I can judge this family tree was done around 1885.
From information at my disposal it seems that old *Johannes David Kriel (19.4.1772 – 4.11.1847) must have been the first man to settle in these parts. Montagu itself was settled in the 1840’s by a Swanepoel, but at Derdeheuwel (4 miles away) old *J.D. Kriel built a house of sorts in 1800. Aunt Sannie says the corner stones of this house (with *J.D. Kriel and 1800) are lying in the irrigation furrow in front of her house. I must go and have a look next week. It is either the corner stones or the beacon dated 1817. My grandfather (also J.D. Kriel – 1858 – 1931) removed these stones (or beacon) and brought them to his house. Old *J.D. Kriel must have wandered down into these parts from the Koo. He evidently lived at a place in the far corner of the Koo called Die Hoek (The Corner) I have no idea if Die Hoek is still settled and if so, whether it still falls in the Montagu District. Perhaps when the boundary between Worcester and Montagu was settled Die Hoek, was cast into the Worcester district (Perhaps that old map on the back of the newspaper I saw you with would show the position)
Anyway old *J.D. Kriel built himself this small house in 1800 (the ruins are still visible) as a place to shelter before building a more roomy dwelling. Aunt Sannie says the land he farmed and lived on was crown land. But I think in about 1825 this land was transferred to him. (It should be rather interesting to find out under what conditions crown land was transferred)
Old *J.D. Kriel’s son, Alexander Floris (23.3.1829 – 5.6.1893), was a much enlightened and progressive old boy. He built TWO large houses on Derdeheuwel in 1862, with 2 feet thick mud walls. All the lime he required he burnt himself from stones he found and fetched somewhere.
He also built the School and numerous walls as fences, and also that Georgian looking house on the corner of Church & Long Streets in Montagu. He also brought the water to Derdeheuwel from the mountains. Everything he built still stands and is in use to this day. He owned so many books (unusual by the standards of these days). Where he got them from I don’t know. Perhaps old doctor Hofmeyr helped, as they were evidently great friends.
Alexander Floris and his two sons (one of whom was my grandfather Johannes David Kriel 1858 – 1931) must have been very progressive farmers in these parts from all accounts. My grandfather & his brother were the first to introduce all sorts of fruit into this district. They were the first to start, farming on a large scale (that is for the market) with figs, prunes, oranges, black currants and even walnuts. They also tried apples first, but as they did not do well there on Derdeheuwel they gave cuttings to the Koo people and that is how apples were introduced at the Koo. Their oranges were famous and fetched the highest prices in London, Cape Town and Johannesburg. I have never tasted such oranges in my life. They were also well known for their tangerines and other citrus fruits. My grandfather grafted these trees himself.
The government sent a certain Mr. Piet Cilliers of Wellington over to California to study fruit farming. My grandfather got to know him (they called him Piet California) in the early 1900’s and learnt a very great deal from him. This Piet California was married to the sister of Mr. Paul Burger of Montagu.
The children names are as follows:
So, from what Aunt Sannie has told me, it would appear that Derdeheuwel must be one of the oldest farms there and that in its hey-day a very great deal of what was progressive and interesting in farming must have issued from there. Old Alexander Floris also distilled his own brandy (of good quality I am told) and conveyed it to Worcester by ox-wagon where it was sold for £5 a leaguer!!
Incidentally the ruin of the 1800 house of old *J.D.Kriel is situated on ground now belonging to Mr. Sandjie Kriel of Derdeheuwel.
I hope all this has not bored you but it seems to me it is part of the farming history of Montagu and therefore worth recording.
Notes:
1. Old Alexander Floris and his sons built-up a fund to be used for mission purposes. I think it was £1000 (quite a bit for those days considering the scarcity of money). They were great church people and served on the Church Council all their adult lives.
2. This was in the days before canning factories had been established here. The fruit was dried on a large scale. It is only since about 1940 that people could dispose of their fruit to factories for canning and jam making.
The extract below comes from documents found in the Kriel family archives in the Montagu Museum. No author or date could be found.
Alex. F. (Kreupel) het elf kinders met sy eerste vrou Margaretha Sofia Johanna gehad waarvan net 2 groot geword het, Jacobus Daniël (Koot 1858) en Johannes David (Jan 1862) sowel as sy aangenome seun, Gawie McDonald. Die drie seuns is met drie Rossouw susters getroud. Na die dood van sy eerste vrou in 1889, is Alex. F. weer getroud met Maria Susanna Roussouw – gebore 08/03/1860. Sy was ʼn suster van die Rossouw dogters aan wie sy seuns getrou was. Maria Susanna was dus die suster en terselfdertyd stief (skoon) moeder.
Alex. F. en sy tweede vrou het twee kinders gehad – Alex wie vroeg oorlede is en Susie Kriel woonagtig in die Tuine in Kaapstad. Hierdie dogter is nooit getroud nie en is in 1982 op 92 jarige leeftyd in Kaapstad oorlede.
Na Alex. F. se dood in 1893 het sy 2de vrou Maria, weer getrou met Jacobus Burger (altyd Koos Bonthuys genoem) en gewoon in die “Georgian” Huis op die hoek van Kerk- en Langstraat wat sy van Alex. F. geërf het.
Danie van Zyl, jong prokureur van Montagu het ‘n bokkie geskiet net voor die foto geneem is. Hy moes die hond vashou sodat hy nie die dooie bokkie (op voorgrond) kon boelie nie. Danie en Sarah is ‘n paar jaar later in Augustus 1911 getroud
Foto Geneem Omstreeks 1906 By Die Guano Grotte
v.l.n.r – agter: Alwyn Burger, Sannie Rossouw, Sarah Kriel, Susan Kriel, Jan Joubert
middel: Nonnie Rossouw, Christa Eckhardt, Maggie Kriel, Rachel Burger, Magrieta Burger
voor: Alain Stevens, Sannie Kriel, Danie van Zyl
THE KRIEL FAMILY IN THE HISTORY OF MONTAGU
Carina Kriel, Std X.
Montagu Hoërskool Jaarboek 1971
I wonder whether people will consider me very conceited when I say that I am proud of the fact that the first Kriels arrived from Holland as early as 1677. Just imagine that — they were here even earlier than the proud Huguenots, who arrived a full eleven years later. The Kriels may justly claim to be of the patricians of this country, and also of the district of Montagu. In fact, they were here before the town Montagu was even dreamt of.
The first two Kriel brothers to arrive in this country were Hermanus Theodorus and Dawid Johannes. Two descendants of Hermanus Theodorus came through the Cogman’s Kloof in 1813, and the environment appealed to them. It was easy to acquire land in those days, and the Kriels were not loth in availing themselves of the opportunity. They planted their beacons, the accepted method of the day, and the farm they began to develop stretched from the present Witteklei to Knipeshope.
This enterprising farmer was my great-great-grandfather. He had two sons, Hermanus and Alexander. In due course they grew up and were married, and Alexander followed in the steps of his father and also produced two stalwart sons, Jan and Koot. Hermanus however improved on their achievement and produced six sons and a daughter. The fourth of these sons was my grandfather.
It was easy to see why we as a family are proud of our farm. It really is part of our family-heritage in the truest sense of the word, and we trust it will remain in the family for generations to come. In our modern society that cannot so easily be taken for granted any longer.
The Kriels prospered, practising the mixed farming which the demands of the period prescribed. Then suddenly they were caught in a boom. The fickle fashion world of Paris and London had developed a mad rage for ostrich feathers, and farming in the Little Karoo became a specialized business overnight. It was well-nigh impossible to satisfy the insatiable demand for ostrich plumes, and money streamed into the country. I often wonder whether the ungainly ostrich on our school badge may thank this period of ostrich-prosperity for its present elevated position. Then it may also serve as a warning of how suddenly fortunes may change. The bottom fell out of the feather-market, and ruin and tragedy followed with startling rapidity.
The Kriels were not ruined however and on looking back today we are rather inclined to see the lighter side of this history, like the day my grandfather had his encounter with a furious ostrich male. He was within an ace of being cut to ribbons by some vicious toenails, when he managed to scramble into a tree. Looking at the shape of the bird’s head, and the forked branch next to him, he saw the solution to his problem. Grabbing hold of the bird’s neck, he wedged its head into the fork and calmly left the ostrich there.
In the meantime education had also come to the rural districts, and in 1894 a school was built on the farm. Mr. McDonald, the builder received twelve pounds for the work — indeed a far cry from our present inflated building costs. The kind of pupil, and teacher, was also vastly different from the occupants of our modern class rooms. Try to picture to yourself, my grandfather at 22 being one of the first pupils in the school, and taught by a teacher of eighteen. For 54 years, until 1948 this school served its purpose, and much more. It also provided a useful venue for religious services, bazaars, and one supposes, gatherings of a more hilarious nature. Like most farm schools it eventually had to close down and today pupils go to the nearest school by bus.
Still in the province of education I have to mention a fund which was established in 1902 for the purpose of assisting any of the Kriel descendants interested in becoming a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. This fund is still going strong today, and has already made a valuable contribution to our clerical order, where the name Kriel is not unknown. In fact, the name Kriel appears quite prominently in quite a few walks of South African life, including the lists of successful beauty contestants at university celebrations. Some even played for the Maties’ first fifteen. To conclude, we are proud to belong to the district and community of Montagu, and we trust that the school Annual of 2071 will again contain a contribution by one of the Kriels of Derdeheuwel.
Om te eindig ‘n storie met ‘n brief (wat in die argief gevind is)
Alexander Floris Kriel is in 1893 oorlede aan longontsteking wat hy opgedoen het toe hy ‘n kalkbrandery onderneem het om sodoende ekstra kontant te verdien om geld wat hy aan die Kerk geskenk het, te betaal. Wees teëspoed en swaartye en ook weens die feit dat hy vir iemand borg gestaan het en die geld moes inbetaal het hy ‘n aantal jare finansieël swaar gekry.
Die ondergenoemde brief (in sy eie handskrif) het blykbaar betrekking op die geld wat hy aan die Kerk belowe het en nie instaat was om op die regte tyd te betaal nie.
(aan my vertel deur sy dogter by sy tweede vrou – mej. Susie Kriel – nou 87 jaar)
Babsie van Zyl
Contributors & Sources: Erika Jansen and Montagu Museum Archives for photos and articles
