Your guide to Heidelberg Gauteng
#81 Merz Street
Heritage Blue Plaque #Nr 49
81 Merz Street
What is the story here?
According to the book “Die geskiedenis van Heidelberg 1836-1877” by Johannes Jacobus Smit, on a map drawn up by C. Ueckermann the first owners of Stand 171 was a Mr van Staden and then a Mr. van Driel. On a deed of Transfer the first owner is stated as Mr. H. van Stede (Possibly a mistake with Mr. van Staden)
It seems that Mr. James Gibson Pagan became the owner and in 1920 he subdivided the stand into Stand 171/1 and remaining portion of Stand 171, when it is assumed that the 2 houses on No 81 and No 83 where built.
THE HISTORY OF STAND 171 AND THE PAGAN-SCHAFFNER ESTATE
TITLE DEED TRANSFERS AND SANITARY LANES
The underlying land records of the town document that on 28 April 1943, the remaining portion of Stand 171 was formally sold and registered to Mrs Bessie Johanna Schaffner (née Badenhorst, 8 September 1903 - 14 August 1991). Bessie was legally married out of community of property to Mr John Herman Schaffner (3 September 1892 - 25 May 1965), and the historic real estate transaction was finalized for the sum of £1,050. Following their passing, both Bessie and John were interred inside the family plot at the historic Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery.
The underlying property title was subsequently transferred via a formal deed of sale to Mr W.H. Hattingh on 24 June 1974.
Architectural field assessments indicate that a substantial pre-existing pioneer building occupied Stand 171 during the 19th century, which was subsequently demolished by developers to clear the ground for the construction of two separate contemporary houses. Physical remnants of the original estate infrastructure survive intact, with portions of the original sandstone horse stables still anchoring the rear perimeter of both subdivided properties.
Architectural historians note that a narrow, traditional municipal sanitary lane originally sliced between the two houses. This specialized alleyway was implemented during the early town layout to provide municipal night-soil workers with unhindered rear access to remove the sanitation night buckets, while concurrently serving as a thoroughfare to lead horses into the rear stables.
THE PAGAN MERCHANT FAMILY AND SCOTCH PARTNERSHIPS
At an earlier stage in its local lineage, the property was tied to the prominent family of Mr James Gibson Pagan. James was the son of the wealthy Scottish immigrant pioneers John Pagan (30 April 1844 - 8 March 1917) and Margaret Wilson Pagan (née McArthur, 22 February 1847 - 25 January 1922).
The senior John Pagan was born in Penpont, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and immigrated to the Transvaal to participate in the booming highveld frontier economy. When his future business partner, William St Clair McLaren, first arrived in Heidelberg in 1871, McLaren initially took up employment assisting town founder Heinrich Ueckermann inside his central trading store.
After a short period of local service, McLaren resolved to launch an independent commercial enterprise, partnering with John Pagan to open a large general merchant store situated on the northern side of Church Square.
The commercial partnership proved exceptionally lucrative, elevating McLaren and Pagan to become celebrated as the wealthiest businessmen operating in early Heidelberg. As devout Presbyterians, the partners also utilized their substantial private fortunes to guide the town's spiritual infrastructure, standing as influential founding members who established the Heidelberg Presbyterian Church in 1904.
John and Margaret Pagan were permanently interred within the historic family plot at the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery. Their son, James Gibson Pagan, passed away during a separate local era and was buried within the hallowed grounds of the nearby Heidelberg Camp Cemetery.
SOURCES AND CREDITS
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Primary Historiography: Consolidated from localized property feature articles and archival family research written by journalist Eugene Viljoen for the Heidelberg Nigel Heraut.
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Deeds and Church Records: Supplemented by the official title deed transfers of the Transvaal Deeds Office, and the foundational membership registers of the Heidelberg Presbyterian Church.
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Burial Registers: Verified via the historical tombstone inscriptions and internment logs of the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery and the Heidelberg Camp Cemetery.
