THE HISTORY OF THE OLD MINING COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY AND ORIGINAL STRUCTURE

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This historic building was constructed around 1875. The exact timeframe was verified by a remarkable discovery: a workman’s lunch packet, wrapped in a newspaper dated 1875, was found cemented behind an internal door frame. While several structural extensions have been added over the years, the original building, the historical coal cellar, and the old water well are still fully visible on the property. The mature garden features very old willow trees, and the Dorps Spruit stream flows directly through the grounds.

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THE GOLD RUSH AND MINING BUREAUCRACY

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The building initially served a critical administrative role as the local Mining Commissioner’s Office. Following the historic discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1885, prospectors were legally required to travel to Heidelberg to register their claims, as the entire goldfields region fell under the administrative jurisdiction of the Heidelberg district. General Piet Viljoen served as the Mining Commissioner here in the years leading up to the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 - 1902.

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MAJOR VALLENTIN AND THE WAR YEARS

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During the conflict, the property was requisitioned by Major John Maximilian Vallentin to serve as his military headquarters. Major Vallentin was the son of Sir J. Vallentin. He entered the Somerset Light Infantry in 1885 and served with distinction in the Burmese Campaign of 1886 - 1887. He married Miss Helen Carnegie in 1886 and graduated from the Staff College in 1897.

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During the South African War, Vallentin served as Brigade Major to Lieutenant General Sir Ian Hamilton. At the Battle of Elandslaagte, he demonstrated conspicuous gallantry by successfully rallying a flank attack during the most critical phase of the assault. He endured the grueling Siege of Ladysmith, where he contracted a severe bout of enteric fever. While recovering from the illness, he was appointed by Hamilton to serve as the District Commissioner of Heidelberg.

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VALLENTIN’S HEIDELBERG VOLUNTEERS

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Finding the administrative lifestyle of a District Commissioner too quiet, Vallentin resigned his post to join the South African Constabulary in October 1900. In early 1901, he was ordered to raise a dedicated corps of volunteers to operate as law-enforcement and counter-insurgency agents within the Heidelberg District. This unit became known as Vallentin’s Heidelberg Volunteers, or the Nigel Mine Guards.

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The unit never exceeded 200 men. The Boers nicknamed them the "Witkoppen" (White Heads) because of the distinctive white bands they wore around their hats. A significant number of these volunteers were "joiners" - Boers who had accepted British surrender terms and actively worked for the British military. These individuals were deeply despised by the Bittereinders (Boers still active on commando) and were shown no mercy if captured.

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CAPTURE AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

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On 1 September 1900, Vallentin was captured by a Boer commando after approaching a unit he mistakenly believed was led by General Christiaan de Wet. It was actually the commando of Danie Theron. Vallentin noted the incident in his personal diary:

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"Went out 3pm, came on Boer outpost, 6pm, found not de Wet but Theron at home: had long talk with him; he was rude and held me prisoner."

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He was detained until Saturday, 8 September, when the Boers released him because they lacked the mobile facilities to hold prisoners of war.

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On another occasion, Vallentin was dispatched to deliver Lord Roberts’ proclamation of surrender terms directly to the Boers in the Heidelberg area. After delivering the message, he spent an entire week living with the Boer commando as an official "guest" while the leadership debated the proclamation. This extended encounter provided him with deep strategic insight into the Boer character and military organization.

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THE BATTLE OF ONVERWACHT AND DEATH

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Vallentin left Heidelberg in December 1901 to command a mixed force attached to General Plumer’s column operating near Ermelo. He was killed in action on 4 May 1902 at the Battle of Onverwacht, located 32 kilometres east of Ermelo.

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While leading a force of approximately 110 British soldiers in pursuit of 50 retreating Boers, the British unit was ambushed by a force of 300 Boers under the command of General Koos Opperman. The Boers won the engagement, though General Opperman - regarded as one of the bravest and most capable commanders in General Louis Botha’s army - was also killed in the fierce skirmish.

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MEMORIALS AND MODERN OCCUPATION

Following the conclusion of the war, Vallentin’s mother traveled to Heidelberg to visit the area where her son had served, staying with Arnold and Cobie Allison. A memorial brass plate and a stained-glass window were later erected in his memory at St Ninian’s Anglican Church, funded entirely by donations from the officers and men of Vallentin’s Heidelberg Volunteers.

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The historical building later served as the first veterinary practice and home of Dr Jan Prinsloo, a well-known local veterinarian who retired some years ago. The premises are currently owned by Mr Stoffel Du Plooy, who operates Heidelberg Printers from the site. A famous archival photograph of Vallentin’s Heidelberg Volunteers was taken just up the road, directly in front of the Old Jail at the top end of Ueckermann Street.

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Sources: britishempire.co.uk, angloboerwar.com, Australian Boer War Memorial, Herbert Prins, and "Heidelbergers of the Boer War" by Ian Uys.

​Source: Heidelberg Heritage Association - Article Post (Click to visit website)