Harrismith Cemetery
Photo added by Steven Keller

Harrismith Cemetery

Harrismith, Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality, Free State, South Africa – *No GPS coordinates

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Harrismith is a large town situated on the N3 highway in the Free State province of South Africa between Johannesburg (about 350 km from Johannesburg) and Durban. This important crossroads in South Africa's land trade routes is surrounded by mesas and buttes and located at base of one of these called Platberg ("Flat Mountain" translated from Afrikaans). The town was founded in 1849 and named after British Governor Harry Smith, who tried to persuade the disillusioned Voortrekkers not to abandon Natal. The town was initially laid out by Robert Moffat about 25km from the present location, in present day Aberfeldy on the Elands River. This site unfortunately proved to be deficient in water and Harrismith was shifted to its present site in January 1850. Twenty-four years later it became a municipality and during the diamond rush at Kimberley, the town became a busy staging post on the Natal transport route. As a direct result of this, hotels, stores and public buildings sprang up. Harrismith was a major base during the South African (Anglo-Boer) War and visitors can see the numerous battle sites, blockhouses and a military cemetery that are evidence of this. There are two wargraves from the First World War here and five from the Second World War. (The town is around 90 kilometers from Ladysmith, a town named after Sir Harry Smith's wife.)
Harrismith is a large town situated on the N3 highway in the Free State province of South Africa between Johannesburg (about 350 km from Johannesburg) and Durban. This important crossroads in South Africa's land trade routes is surrounded by mesas and buttes and located at base of one of these called Platberg ("Flat Mountain" translated from Afrikaans). The town was founded in 1849 and named after British Governor Harry Smith, who tried to persuade the disillusioned Voortrekkers not to abandon Natal. The town was initially laid out by Robert Moffat about 25km from the present location, in present day Aberfeldy on the Elands River. This site unfortunately proved to be deficient in water and Harrismith was shifted to its present site in January 1850. Twenty-four years later it became a municipality and during the diamond rush at Kimberley, the town became a busy staging post on the Natal transport route. As a direct result of this, hotels, stores and public buildings sprang up. Harrismith was a major base during the South African (Anglo-Boer) War and visitors can see the numerous battle sites, blockhouses and a military cemetery that are evidence of this. There are two wargraves from the First World War here and five from the Second World War. (The town is around 90 kilometers from Ladysmith, a town named after Sir Harry Smith's wife.)

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  • Added: 9 Feb 2009
  • Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2293108