Philip Rudolph was die seun van Johannes Marthinus Jacob van der Westhuizen en Susanna Johanna Botha.
Anglo boere-oorlog:
Irene was a large and constantly changing camp, reaching 5,641 inmates at its peak, but averaging about 4,000 people. In the early days many families came from Pietersburg, until a camp was established in the north; in April 1902 the unhealthy Nylstroom camp was closed and its inhabitants moved to Irene although they were always housed separately. Both Pietersburg and Nylstroom were malarial areas and many families from these districts were already debilitated when they arrived at Irene. Along with the people from the Waterberg and Rustenburg, they were mainly impoverished bywoners with few resources. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
One reason for Irene’s poor reputation was the ill health. Measles was present from the first, probably introduced from Pretoria, for the capital was an unhealthy town. Families from the malarial areas arrived chronically ill and in a wretched state. As in other camps, Franks found that the women were extremely reluctant to enter hospital. Maternity patients were equally reluctant to give birth in hospital, preferring their own midwives. Mortality continued to dog Irene camp. The repeated influx of new arrivals, who could not be isolated, and who had no immunity to the disease, meant that the measles kept finding new hosts. Pneumonia and bronchitis were also continuing sources of concern, especially in the cold winter of 1901. Few of the children were admitted to hospital so they continued to suffer in the tents, treated by their mothers. Fatal disease was never entirely eliminated from Irene camp. The winter months of 1902 brought virulent pneumonia and measles returned as families came back from Merebank in Natal. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
Sterftes in die Irene Konsentrasiekamp:
Van der Westhuizens, N
Van der Westhuizens, SJ
Van der Westhuizens, Maria Susanna M
V 0.42 Zwartkoppies, Rustenburg
Van der Westhuizens, Gertruida Susanna
V 10
Rooikoppies, Pretoria Siekte
Van der Westhuizens, Maria Christina (geb. Mazyn) V
66 Rooikoppies, Pretoria Siekte
Van der Westhuizens, Gertruida Catharina
V 2
Rooikoppies, Pretoria
Van der Westhuizens, Susanna
V
26 Roodekopjes, Rustenburg Koors
Van der Westhuizens, Daniel Rudolf
M 2
Klipdrift, Pretoria Siekte
Underlying the ill health was the nutrition. There were two ration scales in the Transvaal, with no meat for families whose men were on commando. While this scale certainly existed on paper, from the first several camps ignored the instruction and within a month, by March 1901, most camps, including Irene, had abandoned it. Nevertheless, the ration scale did not provide enough calories, fat was lacking and vitamins were deficient. But Irene was better off than many camps. From fairly early on the Irene estate supplied some vegetables. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
Although sickness and death dogged everyone, Irene seems to have been a particularly depressed camp. There was also much resentment and conflict between the inmates of Irene. These are generally very bitter against the men in the camp, whom they style “hands-uppers,” and treat so contemptuously that the men will not do anything for them. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
in September and again in November 1901 the first impression was that the camp was ‘untidy and ill-kept’ with tents pitched irregularly on rocky and stony ground. The water supply was regularly polluted by animals, dead and alive, and taps were not repaired. They devoted considerable space to the rations and the way in which they were issued. The meat, they thought, was thin and the weight included bone; the ration looked ‘very scanty’ and the superintendent was unwilling to take the responsibility of increasing it. There was much grumbling about the meat, the Ladies noted, and several people returned their ration and had it replaced. Milk was mixed with boiled water and the place where the milk was handled was filthy. Lack of fuel was another problem and was unnecessary, the Ladies felt, since both wood and coal were readily available. Education was another source of conflict. Although Irene camp had schools from early on, they seem to have been used by the inmates to instil their own culture. By February 1902 the educational system had expanded considerably. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
Despite the disparagement of the Ladies Committee, things were gradually improving in Irene camp. Tinned meat was replaced by fresh mutton, of far better quality than before and the vegetable supply had improved. Many of the tents had been replaced by huts of sun-dried bricks and the tents were enclosed by brick walls to keep out the water. Health, too, was improving. The measles epidemic was spent and the people were more willing to send their children to hospital. ‘Sweeping improvements’ in sanitation in January 1902 reduced the mortality rate even further, although enteric fever continued to be a problem, perhaps because of a contaminated milk supply, the medical officers suspected. In March 1902 the camp was moved from its original site, about 8 miles south of Pretoria, to one which was just west of the railway station. ‘It would be difficult to select a site more healthful and better suited to our purpose’, the superintendent declared. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
Bruce was more successful in persuading the men to work and they were employed as carpenters, saddlers, brickmakers and blacksmiths. Others worked on the farms around Irene. Since all were paid, a good deal of money passed through the camp, enabling the families to improved their living conditions. A handful of men joined the National Scouts and more would have done so, Bruce believed, had it not been for ‘some evil influence’ which was restraining them. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
The end of the war brought in a flood of men from the commandos. This presented its own problems for these Boers were unfamiliar with British ways. There was some friction between the longstanding male inmates and the new arrivals‘ The arrival of the surrendered Burghers after the peace proclamation produced a state of excitement never equalled in Camp. Men, women, and children thronged the boundary and gazed intensely along the road whence the surrendered Burghers were expected to arrive. In spite of the efforts of the Burgher Police, thousands of people stood on prohibited ground outside the Camp to welcome the latest fighting remnant as they returned. There was none of the loud hurrahs or tumult of shouting that usually characterise a British crowd. The hands of the heroes, for such they were accounted, were shaken cordially by the men, and as heartily were their lips kissed by the women. The reception was of a unique nature. In spite of rags and dirt and dust, the women lined up to impress their welcome upon sunburnt cheeks. The young women pinned the colours to their coats, and they were led triumphantly to the tents of their families and friends.’(https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
Repatriation from Irene camp took place fairly rapidly compared with some camps. By the end of July nearly 1,000 people had left. Bruce complained, though, that the burghers were remarkably acquisitive, taking anything they could in the hope that it might be useful to them, including tools and other government property. By September over 5,000 had been repatriated. Irene camp seems to have been closed in December 1902 for no report appears for January 1903. (https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Irene/)
|
Personal Details
|
|
|
Name:
|
Mr Phillippus Rudolf van der Westhuizen
|
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Born in
camp?
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No
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|
Died in
camp?
|
No
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Gender:
|
male
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Race:
|
white
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|
Marital
status:
|
married
|
|
Nationality:
|
Transvaal
|
|
Registration
as head of family:
|
Yes
|
|
Unique
ID:
|
132952
|
|
Camp History
|
|
|
Name:
|
Irene RC
|
|
Age
arrival:
|
73
|
|
Date
arrival:
|
01/11/1901
|
|
Age
departure:
|
73
|
|
Date
departure:
|
08/02/1902
|
|
Reason
departure:
|
gone
|
|
Destination:
|
Pretoria
|
|
Tent
number:
|
RT 1993
|
|
Farm History
|
|
|
Name:
|
van der
Westhuizen family
|
|
Status
|
|
|
Type:
|
AB
|
|
Relationships
|
|
|
Mr Phillippus Rudolf van der Westhuizen
|
|
|
is the husband of Mrs
Maria Susanna Magrieta van der Westhuizen (Magrieta)
|
|
|
Sources
|
|
|
Title:
|
DBC 62
Irene CR
|
|
Type:
|
DBC 62
|
|
Reference
No.:
|
DBC 62
|
|
Notes:
|
p. W 10
|
|
Title:
|
DBC 66
Nylstroom CR
|
|
Type:
|
DBC 66
|
|
Reference
No.:
|
DBC 66
|
|
Notes:
|
p.06
|
|
Title:
|
DBC 71
Johannesburg CR
|
|
Type:
|
Camp register
|
|
Location:
|
National Archives, Pretoria
|
|
Reference
No.:
|
71
|
|
Notes:
|
page 91
|
|
Personal Details
|
|
|
Name:
|
Mrs Maria Susanna Magrieta van der
Westhuizen
|
|
Other
Names:
|
Magrieta
|
|
Born in
camp?
|
No
|
|
Died in
camp?
|
No
|
|
Gender:
|
female
|
|
Race:
|
white
|
|
Marital
status:
|
married
|
|
Nationality:
|
Transvaal
|
|
Unique
ID:
|
132953
|
|
Camp History
|
|
|
Name:
|
Irene RC
|
|
Age
arrival:
|
69
|
|
Date
arrival:
|
01/11/1901
|
|
Age
departure:
|
69
|
|
Date
departure:
|
08/02/1902
|
|
Reason
departure:
|
gone
|
|
Destination:
|
Pretoria
|
|
Tent
number:
|
RT 1993
|
|
Farm History
|
|
|
Name:
|
van der
Westhuizen family
|
|
Relationships
|
|
|
Mrs Maria Susanna Magrieta van der
Westhuizen (Magrieta)
|
|
|
is the wife of Mr
Phillippus Rudolf van der Westhuizen
|
|
|
Sources
|
|
|
Title:
|
DBC 62
Irene CR
|
|
Type:
|
DBC 62
|
|
Reference
No.:
|
DBC 62
|
|
Notes:
|
p. W 10
|
|
Title:
|
DBC 71
Johannesburg CR
|
|
Type:
|
Camp register
|
|
Location:
|
National Archives, Pretoria
|
|
Reference
No.:
|
71
|
|
Notes:
|
page 91
|
