The Blockhouses of the Anglo-Boer War

14/06/2026

A worth cause for some spare rands…..

11/06/2026

Wonderful to see how heritage places can be turned around “Dark Tourism” (military and war and battlefield site visiting) can be turned into opportunities for employment and enjoyment. Remembering in this way is perfectly acceptable too… how the rest of the world does it. Battlefields have cafes! Lovely post!

07/06/2026

The Wellington Blockhouse
These tanks are definitely for water! These I think were retro fitted after the end of the ABW…. Prieska also has a similar one. The original drawings supported by pics in other identical Elliot Wood Pattern blockhouses shows smaller round ones made from rolled circular CGI. And not these larger tanks.

This blockhouse is suffering too - by neglect and it’s close enough to town to get fenced off again and saved!! Roof gone in my time - over 12 years, sad to see this neglect!!

Photos thanks to Ryan Simonato by permission.

04/06/2026

BOOKS!
Any ideas on what I’m researching? And what my next talk is on or book about…. ? When you order books and forget what it was - it’s like Christmas!!

Next writing…
A short battlefield book?
A long battlefield book?
A new history talk?
A book to compilment the blockhouse book?
A PhD?
All currently in my head…..

31/05/2026

….. and we’re still waiting for the next meeting on how to actually do something to save the building.

31/05/2026

He’s another deep historical heritage reason we ended up with blockhouses from the British - a long history of fortifications…. Perhaps why swinging British towns didn’t work either!!?

CASTLES!! See the front cover of my first book here:
Www.blockhouses.co.za

https://x.com/historyvidos/status/2060723156302942664?s=46&t=VYhrWlRHDweW9WLW0T0QCw

29/05/2026

I got over 100 reactions on one of my posts last week! Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉

26/05/2026

What an amazing idea - Active tourism - or heritage with a purpose!!! Well done Cape Town!! We could do this for very many sites!

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24/05/2026

Great presentation last night to about 30 members of the yacht club on the shores of the Vaal Dam in Deneysville! Great time with LOTS of questions and sold the LAST COPY of the edition 1 limited edition Field Guide!
Deneysville named after the famous commando, politician and lawyer Deneysville Reitz it was also the home of South Africa’s first international airport! Flying boats landed on the dam and flew to UK via Cairo and many other stops in 4 ½ days!!