Sabinet | Mara Johanna Bavarian de Klerk; gedoop op die Bavarian, ná afloop van die Anglo-Boereoorlog
n South African Journal of Cultural History - Mara Johanna Bavarian de Klerk; gedoop op die Bavarian, ná afloop van die Anglo-Boereoorlog
Article Title Mara Johanna Bavarian de Klerk; gedoop op die Bavarian, ná afloop van die Anglo-Boereoorlog © Publisher: South African Society for Cultural History Journal South African Journal of Cultural History Author Elsje Naomi Van der Linde
Rent: Rent this article for Abstract Metrics Related Content Abstract Mara Johanna Bavarian de Klerk; baptised on the Bavarian, after the Anglo-Boer War
During the Anglo-Boer War the De Klerk family fled from the Johannesburg area (where J.P. de Klerk had been a policeman) into Mozambique. From Lourenço Marques they were interned in Portugal. Another family also interned in Caldas da Rainha roughly at the same time, was called Belling. Both families returned to South Africa at the same time on the Bavarian. M.J.B. de Klerk was born in Caldas da Rainha near Lisbon shortly after peace was declared. Her family then returned to South Africa on the Bavarian on which the baby was baptised: Mara (bitterness and tears), Johanna (family name), Bavarian (in honour of the ship that would carry them back home safely). Susanna Belling was 5 years old when Mara was baptised on board and as an adult (then Mrs. Marais) she kept in contact with some of the interned and their relatives. Mrs. Marais had a copy of the diary which her father (O.R. Belling) kept, which is now in the possession of her daughter, mrs. Christine de Lange. Mara de Klerk later married S.A. Mostert, a farmer in the Velddrif area. Mara herself had no daughters, but her sister&apos;s granddaughter was named after her: Mara Bavarian, and she is called Bavarian. The elder Mara is buried in the family graveyard at Melkplaas, where she spent her married life.
Gedurende die Anglo-Boereoorlog het die De Klerk-gesin vanuit die Johannesburg-omgewing (waar J.P. de Klerk in die polisiediens was) in die rigting van Mosambiek gevlug. Vandaar is hulle per skip na Portugal geneem waar hulle geïnterneer is. Saam met die De Klerks word die familie Belling ook geïnterneer in Caldas da Rainha en keer weer saam met hulle op die Bavarian terug na Suid-Afrika. Mara J. Bavarian de Klerk is naby Lissabon te Caldas da Rainha gebore kort ná vrede gesluit is. Haar familie is per skip terug na Suid-Afrika op die Bavarian. Mara is ter see gedoop: Mara (vir bitterheid en smarte), Johanna (familienaam), Bavarian (ter ere van die skip wat hulle weer veilig na die vaderland sou terugbring). Susanna Belling was 5 jaar oud toe Mara op die skip gedoop is en as volwassene behou sy kontak met sommige van die Boeregeïnterneerdes. Sy word later mev. Marais, wat in besit gekom het van &apos;n kopie van haar vader (O.R. Belling) se dagboek, wat nou aan haar dogter, mev. Christine de Lange, behoort. Mara de Klerk trou later met S.A. Mostert, &apos;n boer van Melkplaas in die distrik Velddrif. Mara self het nie dogters gehad nie, maar haar suster se kleindogter is na haar vernoem: Mara Bavarian, en sy word Bavarian genoem. M.J.B. Mostert is op Melkplaas, waar sy haar huwelikslewe deurgebring het, in die familiekerkhof ter ruste gelê.