General Notes

"Jan"
Lived in Kalk Bay towards Clovelly in area known as "Die Trappies" in house named "The Clouds Rest" - address is now 232 Main Road. Most of children born here.
Records show that J,P.S. van Blerk was a member of the Village Management Board when it was formed in 1891 and he was elected among the first councilors when the Municipality was formed in 1895.
For a while he was engaged in transport riding between the diamond fields at Kimberley, where the railway ended, and Mafikeng. It was during this venture that he and Dawie Hendrickse, also engaged in transport riding, are said to have made their fortunes, in which dabbling in diamonds may have played a part, which enabled them to purchase large farms at Lakeside. He operated mule wagons and it was said to be during this time that an injury caused his left arm to be amputated above the elbow.
His vegetable and dairy farm at Lakeside extended from the Steenberg mountain right down to the lake and on the main road he built a number of stone cottages, since demolished, which he rented out. He also established a grocery shop, dairy, butchery, a blacksmith shop and a bakery. Most of these premises were on the lower (lake) side of Main Road. Vegetable crops and cattlefeed were grown on the wetlands. Bread and milk and other farm products were delivered by horse-drawn wagons and carts.