DE BEER FAMILY (Cf. FRANSIE PIENAAR MUSEUM, PRINCE ALBERT)

And when the fleet sailed into the Bay, great activity started. The farmers came to town to offer their produce to the ships and to purchase ware, china and silk from the East or the Netherlands. Three days before the fleet left, the drummers marched through the town, beating their drums and announcing that everyone has to be on board of their ships within 24 hours; a cannon was fired and the flag was hoisted on the Admiral’s ship, and those who missed their ship were sent to Robben Island.

A big occasion was on 23 January 1699, the arrival of the Governor Simon van der Stel’s son and successor, Willem Adriaan van der Stel, from Holland with his wife and family, “escorted” by a roaring South-Easter wind. His ship, “Stad Cuelen” with her consort “Drie Kroonen” had taken four months for the passage and the report tells of 60 dead and 40 sick; not an exceptionally tall number for the period, as it was said. Soon after, on 11 February 1699, the big tattoo took place. Garrison men (I presume Matys was one of them), burgher melitia with bugles blowing and drums beating, attended the ceremony of Willem Adriaan’s taking up the duties as Governor.

Later, o 13 November 1703, a plot called “Oranje” in the District Drakenstein was granted to Matys by the Governor.
Though the plot was granted I 1703, it was 1712 before the official transfer was issued. (Old Stellenbosch Freeholds, Vol. 2, part I. Deeds Office, Cape Town). “ORANJE” was 2 Morgen 250 Square Roeden in extent. It was situated at the slope of the: “Paarl Diamant” and near the “Colonies Moolen”. From this plot a magnificent view is obtained of the area from Wellington to the entry of the Drankestein valley through which the Berg finds its way. And as E E Mossop wrote of the early days: “wild animal shared with man the possession of this lovely domain”.



In 1705 Matys received burgher rights of Stellenbosch, and was now free to take private employment or start his own industry. But he also had obligations: performing military service in the burgher force as well as paying tax.

Carpenters, Wagonbuilders, smiths and also other artisans played an important role in the development of the village.
Therefore burghers who wanted to develop their own trade or industry were financially assisted by various sources.

The Heemraad Pieter van der Byl granted Matys a loan of 150 Gulden “Caapse valuation” on the 24 September 1705, which he repaired plus interest on 2 March 1709.

This fund of the Diaconie was originally founded by the Government (D.E.I. Company) to assist needy persons. In 1687 ministers, elders and deacons of the Cape Church were appointed as the trustees of that fund. It was always well that supported.

Another reference to the “Vry-wagenmaker” M A de Beer dated 29 September 1705 mentioned that he had permission to fell two loads of “Wagenmakershout” in Jan de Jonkershoek. And a similar permit was granted to him on 13 February 1706 for three loads “Timmerhout” and two loads of Wagenmakershout. (Signed by W A van der Stel – Defence W A van der Stel).

The Wagonbuilders used various types of indigenous woods.
The felloes were made of “roie-els” (Cunnonia capensis) or




The “Colonieshouse” at Stellenbosch in 1710
(Cape Archives Depot).



Of “Wilde-sering” (Burkea Africana); spokes from “assegai” (Curtisia dentata) and the “Waboom” (Protea arborea) which is a softer wood, was used for various parts as well as for “brake-shoes”.

Matys had now decided to get married and set up a home. It was at Stellenbosch on 24 October 1705 that he was married to Hilletje, the 15 year old daughter of Jan Smit and Adriana Tol. Both her parents came from Holland.
Helletjie’s father died around 1700 and her mother was remarried on 11 January 1705 to Andreas Kuyper (Kuper) a ship-carpenter and farmer.

When Simon van der Stel in 1684 made up his mind to found and develop a village in the Eerste River Valley and called it after himself “Stellenbosch”, he wrote to the Directors of the Company “it should be worthy of its fatherland”.
No doubt – this he had achieved. From the beginning it was the ordered European village as pictured by E V Stade in 1710.

In 1710 the inhabitants of the area were few in number.
There were only 543 of which 348 were Europeans (Whites) and 195 slaves. The village consisted of about a dozen or more houses, the Drosdty on the island, the Church and churchyard, a mill and a school. The Eerste River supplied the water for drinking and households, irrigating the vegetable and fruit gardens, and it also fed the mill and turned the wheel. In 1707 the first prison was built.
(There were also rough customers ….)

“Colonies Houses” were already built in 1693-1694 on the land between the Church and the River. This part had been reserved for dwellings for people who would offer various services to the community such as artisans, ministers or schoolmasters. They were the property of the “Council of Landdrost and Heemraaden”.


On 23 November 1705, Matys obtained permission for the occupation of the Colonies House nearest to the place of the sick-comforter and Secretary Johann Mahieu. It was most probably the house at the east corner of Ryneveld and Dorlp Streets, where the minister Hercules van Loon lived before his death in 1704. a lease for six months had been signed by Matys and the rent was 2 Rixdollars? Which had to be paid promptly each month. On 1 December 1705 Hilletje and Matys moved into the “Colonies House” and lived there until 1707. (I/STB 2)

Their first Christmas in the home must have been long remembered by them. In the middle of the dry season torrential rain fell in the valley for 2 days. The river overflowed its banks, flooded lands and vineyards, corn in the valley had been washed away and housed and roads were damaged.

The de Beer’s nearest neighbours were Hans Conterman, the smith, and across the way lived the sickcomforter and Secretary, Johan Mahieu. About him Adam Tas had quite a few witty remarks in his Diary. So he called him to be rather a sick-sadderner than a comforter; at church he is said to have been an extremely boring and long-winded reader. And on 9 July 1705 Tas wrote of an incident which gives us a little glance at the village life of these days: after Mahieu had read a passage from the Bible at a Communion service, elder Dirk Coetzee, former elder Pieter van der Byl and others stood talking outside the church, whereupon Mahieu remarked to the congregation that a “Klapschool” (gossiping circle) was conducted outside the church. To this remark they took such strong exception that they refused to come to church until Mahieu had read an apology before the congregation “…. And this was only after more than a year.

At the time, When Matys and Hilletjie started married life; it was a rather disturbed period. The burghers had ... (to be continued in next blogger post...)