VRYHEID - IMAGES

Vryheid East Railway Station - Station Master and Staff - Circa 1920

Enfield Boarding House, Carnegie (Carnege) Library, Hill View Cottage, Grave of Emil Larsen - died 1923, White Umfolozi Bridge, Angel Sivert (Windy) Larsen, Lancaster Hill - circa 1923. Note: The Vryheid Carnegie Library is built of sandstone and is still in good condition.

Note: By the first few years of the 20th century, Carnegie had refined the giving of libraries into a neat, streamlined procedure. Over 33 years, he provided funds for 2,811 libraries in all, including 23 in New Zealand, 13 in South Africa, and one in Fiji. Ordering a library from Carnegie was as easy as ordering a sofa from the Sears Catalog. URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carnegie/sfeature/p_library.html

The Larsen children Alfred, Victor and Clarence were born in Vryheid. Alfred died as an infant and was buried in Vryheid in January 1900. Sivert was born in Durban in January 1901.

The Larsens were expelled from Vryheid, during the later part of the Boer War, by the British. As they are leaving a military officer took the keys from the Larsens and their home was immediately occupied by Lieutenant-Colonel Gawne, O/C forces in Vryheid, and a Captain Shaw.