The word 'Jonker' literally translates as 'young man' or bachelor. So why is this valley called Jonkershoek? (as well as the street leading to it)?
Mountaineering, fauna and flaura
Jonkershoek nature reserve is one of the most popular places in the Western Cape for those who love the outdoors.
The reserve covers almost 11,000 hectares, of which 204 belongs to Assegaaibosch. Before permanent settlement the valley contained much indigenous forest, a lot of which was used as firewood, building material and to make wagons of (read more here).
In ecological circles Jonkershoek is still valued for its fynbos diversity and rich plant life, housing more than 1100 species. Read any of our fynbos blogs to explore this rich heritage:
- Fynbos en die wêreld, waar pas Stellenbosch in?
- Ganskos en Knoppiesbos - Stellenbosch se interessante plante en hul name
- Suikerbos en fluitjiesriet, waar kom hul name vandaan?
The story of Jan Andriessen
The first young man to own land in Jonkershoek was Jan Andriessen (or Johan Andries), a Dutchman born in 1660 in a small town with the name Arendsdorff, close to the Hague.
At 19 years of age he joined the Kompanjie, soon promoted to Cadet. Junior officers like Jan Andriessen was addressed as 'jonkheer', (young man or batchelor) a nickname that stayed with him long after leaving the Company.
When his ship got delayed at the Cape of Good Hope (probably on its way to Batavia), Jan found himself working at the Castle's garrison for two years. He applied for a discharge and at age 22 was declared a free burgher.
Jan en Lysbeth builds a house
At the age of 24 Jan starts work on the first house in the Jonkershoek valley. He marries the young lady Lysbeth Jansen van die Kaap, who had previously worked in the household of Van der Stel.
When Jan Andries 'de Jonker' was 28 years old, he had almost 7 hectares of well cultivated land, and was in a position to lend money to his less fortunate neighbours.
Four years later shareholdings were made available in the valley (almost 25 hectares), and for the next 5 years Jan teamed up with others in the valley to maintain the roads between Jonkershoek and Koelenhof (then Kromme Rhee).
Jan de Jonker died at the young age 37 of and was the father of 3 children.
- For the complete timeline of Jonkershoek on the Stellenbosch Heritage website, click here.
Article: Y Coetsee
Research done by Penny Pistorius and Stewart Harris, available at www.stellenboschheritage.co.za