Our family connections - Ons familie verwantskappe

The South African Republic (Dutch: Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, ZAR), often referred to as the Transvaal and sometimes as the Republic of Transvaal, was an independent and internationally recognised country in Southern Africa from 1852 to 1902.

The Orange Free State (Dutch: Oranje-Vrijstaat, Afrikaans: Oranje-Vrystaat) was an independent Boer sovereign republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province.

Discovery of the Main Reef in Witwatersrand. Gold rushes to Pilgrim's Rest and Barberton were precursors to the biggest discovery of all, the Main Reef/Main Reef Leader on Gerhardus Oosthuizen's farm Langlaagte, Portion C, in 1886, the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the subsequent rapid development of the gold field there, the biggest of them all.

Smallpox outbreaks: The outbreak of smallpox is reported in the Malay Location, Johannesburg and cases of smallpox are discovered in Durban.

An estimated 500,000 people die from the Spanish flu epidemic in South Africa, the fifth hardest hit country in the world.

The Wall Street Crash sets off the Great Depression, the most severe worldwide economic depression in the 20th century.