Your guide to Heidelberg Gauteng
#60 Van Der Westhuizen
Heritage Blue Plaque #Nr 23
60 VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Street
What is the story here?
According to the book “Die geskiedenis van Heidelberg” this property belonged to Mr William St Clair McLaren (1843-1889). He came to Heidelberg in 1871, opening a shop with Mr John Pagan (1844-1917), in opposition to Mr Heinrich Ueckermann (1827-1883). He also speculated on buying and selling of property. This property must be one of the properties he speculated on. His house and shop was situated behind the Klipkerk on the corner of Ueckermann and Begeman Streets.
THE HISTORY OF THE McLAREN ESTATE AND PERFORMANCE
ERF SUBDIVISIONS AND DEMOLISHED LANDMARKS
The historic commercial property previously encompassing the grand residence of the McLaren family originally extended uninterrupted all the way to Merz Street before undergoing extensive modern real estate subdivisions. Architectural heritage records compiled by prominent historian Herbert Prins note that a historical civic mortuary previously occupied the prominent corner lot of the estate. While municipal preservationists initially proposed the structure to be declared an official National Monument, the building was unfortunately demolished before legal protections could be permanently enacted.
Further oral history from local resident Govindrajh "Paddy" Padiachy - the owner of Paddy’s Upholstery - reveals that during his youth, the surrounding neighbourhood was primarily occupied by members of the local Indian community. Padiachy recalled attending a historic community school located directly at the intersection of Merz and Van Der Westhuizen Streets, a structure that has since been completely demolished to clear ground for industrial development. The contemporary property custodian is Mr Jurie Erasmus, who currently operates the automotive engineering and tuning business "Performatec" directly from the surviving premises.
WILLIAM ST CLAIR McLAREN AND THE CHURCH SQUARE STORE (1871)
In 1871, a 28-year-old Scottish immigrant named William St Clair McLaren arrived in Heidelberg and took up residence alongside town founder Heinrich Ueckermann, assisting him with the daily operations of his trading store. Following a brief period of employment, McLaren partnered with a close friend, John Pagan, to launch a competing commercial enterprise. The partners opened a large general merchant store situated directly on the northern perimeter of the town's central Church Square.
Historical commentator T.F. Carter thoroughly documented the estate, describing McLaren’s private house and extensive gardens - which dominated the entire parallel side of the public square - as being "of no mean order of design, indeed constructed with skill and taste."
PRISONER ESCORT AND THE SURETY STANDOFF (1880 - 1881)
During the First Anglo-Boer War of 1880 - 1881, Mr McLaren distinguished himself across the region through his deep humanitarian efforts, making himself highly conspicuous above all other local residents through his profound kindness to British military officers and crown officials captured on the battlefields and brought to the town as prisoners of war.
One of the very first high-profile political prisoners escorted into the republican capital was Mr Rudolph, the resident Magistrate of Utrecht. Rudolph was initially confined inside the primitive local lock-up facility for 26 consecutive days, at which point his physical health began to fail rapidly due to the poor conditions. McLaren immediately intervened with the Boer authorities, successfully negotiating the Magistrate's release from "such close confinement" and transferring the ailing official directly into his own home for dedicated medical care.
Later, following the decisive engagements at Laing's Nek, when the Boer commandos escorted captured British officers into town with the intention of incarcerating them inside the common gaol, McLaren again used his substantial political influence with the republican provisional government. He successfully persuaded the authorities to allow him to house the captured officers inside his own private residence as personal guests.
To secure this privilege, McLaren and his business partner, John Pagan, took on a massive financial risk, co-signing a formal legal surety bond for the prisoners totaling several thousand pounds sterling. When military authorities later proposed stationing armed Boer sentries at both the front and rear gates of the McLaren estate, McLaren launched such an indignant, fierce protest that the government backed down and withdrew the order.
Each detained British officer was instead required to sign a strict parole document binding them to honor code restrictions; they were strictly prohibited from stepping outside the boundaries of McLaren’s grounds and were entirely forbidden from conversing with any passing townspeople.
WEALTHY LEGACY AND THE SECOND BOER WAR LOSS (1889 - 1900)
William St Clair McLaren passed away as a highly wealthy and respected businessman in 1889 at the relatively young age of 46. His son, William McLaren Junior, who was born in Heidelberg in 1877, would later take a completely opposite political path to his father's republican ties. Following the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War in 1899, the younger McLaren became one of the very few native-born Heidelbergers to enlist and fight directly for the British crown against the Boer commandos.
He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, serving on the front lines with the high-profile Kimberley Relief Force. His military career was cut short when he suffered fatal heart failure on 26 July 1900 during operations near Balmoral. His remains were subsequently returned to his birthplace under military escort and interred directly alongside his father in the family plot at the historic Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery.
Sources: The historical Tour Guide of Heidelberg compiled by Lynn Fordred, architectural preservation surveys by Herbert Prins, and oral history archives recorded by Tony Burisch.
