Lindley, Free State facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lindley
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 Lindley
Location in Free State (South African province)
Lindley
Location in South Africa
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| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Free State |
| District | Thabo Mofutsanyane |
| Municipality | Nketoana |
| Established | 1875 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 23.0 km2 (8.9 sq mi) |
| Population
(2011)
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| • Total | 12,000 |
| • Density | 522/km2 (1,350/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 54% |
| • Coloured | 0.3% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.3% |
| • White | 42% |
| • Other | 0.2% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Sotho | 83.6% |
| • Zulu | 6.1% |
| • Afrikaans | 5.1% |
| • Sign language | 2.2% |
| • Other | 3.1% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) |
9630
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| PO box |
9630
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| Area code | 058 |
Lindley is a small town in the Free State province of South Africa. It is located on the banks of the Vals River. The town was named after Daniel Lindley, an American missionary. He was the first minister for the Voortrekkers in Natal. Local Basotho people call the town Ntha, which is the name of the river.
Lindley was established in 1875 on a farm called Brandhoek. It officially became a town in 1878. You can reach Lindley using the R707 road. Lindley is part of the Nketoana Local Municipality, along with nearby towns like Reitz, Petrus Steyn, and Arlington. The first people to live here were the Dihoja, a group of Basotho people. They lived in special prehistoric stone huts. Lindley also brought back its rugby union team in 2016. The team was once ranked first in the Free State back in 1994.
Contents
Exploring Doornkloof Farm
Doornkloof Farm is found in the Lindley District. A famous Voortrekker leader named Sarel Cilliers lived here during the Great Trek. You can visit several interesting spots on the farm. This includes the farmhouse that Sarel Cilliers built himself. There is also an old tram track. It offers a unique walk through the farm's history.
Lindley's Past: A Look Back
Ancient Stone Huts
The Lindley District is home to special stone huts called Sedan Beehive stone huts. These huts belonged to early mining people. They are also found in other towns like Heilbron and Arlington. Building these huts needed great skill, especially for the roof. The way they were built was very unique. It was similar to the building styles of the Inuit people. These huts show us how the Stone Age ended in the Free State.
The Lindley Affair: A Boer War Story
The Lindley affair was a surprising event during the Boer War. It was a difficult moment for the British army. The 13th battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry, led by Colonel Basil Spragge, was supposed to join another group. However, due to delays, they ended up in Kroonstad on May 25.
Colonel Spragge received a mysterious telegram. It told him to join General Colvile at Lindley. General Colvile said he never sent this message. It's possible the Boers sent a fake message to trick the British soldiers. Or, it could have been a mistake by the British headquarters. Spragge's group marched towards Lindley on May 26. They met some armed Boers. The Boers claimed they were going to surrender. Spragge believed them and even shared lunch with them. The Boers then went back to Lindley with important information about the British.
The 13th battalion marched into Lindley and faced rifle fire from the Boers. Spragge's men moved to hills outside the town. After two days, the Boers used powerful artillery against them. A soldier on one of the hills waved a white flag to surrender. His own comrades shot him for this. The British position became very difficult. Seeing no other choice, Spragge surrendered. Other British officers also surrendered to the Boer commander Piet de Wet. The fighting stopped around 2:00 PM. The British lost 80 men, with 23 deaths. Piet de Wet captured 530 men, including Spragge and several lords.
Battles at Leeuwkop and Bakenkop
After a British victory, Boer General Christiaan de Wet moved to Leeuwkop. This was a rocky hill near Lindley. He set up a new defense line there. Bakenkop was the most important part of this defense.
On July 3, the British Major-General Paget moved his soldiers towards Leeuwkop. He sent 800 mounted troops with guns towards Bakenkop. The Boer guns started firing. During the fight, a British officer rode to the back. He found some Australian soldiers who had been told to retreat. He led them back to the hill just in time. This stopped the Boers from taking captured British guns. The Boers then retreated, taking some captured gunners with them. Paget's forces took Leeuwkop. This allowed them to fire at the Boer artillery from the side. De Wet soon left Bakenkop and headed towards Bethlehem.
During this battle, Major Rose and about a dozen Australian soldiers were wounded. The Tasmanian soldiers joined the fight only at the end.
Leeuwkop and Bakenkop Monument
On March 13, 2017, a special memorial was revealed near Lindley. It honors the soldiers who died on both sides during the Anglo-Boer War. The monument is on a farm between Leeuwkop and Bakenkop. A historian named Dr. Stimson unveiled it. He did this to honor his grandfather, Captain A.E.M Norton, who was part of the battle.
Things to See in Lindley
Lindley has several interesting places to visit:
- A British memorial in the local cemetery. It honors British soldiers who died on May 31, 1900, during the siege of Lindley.
- Prehistoric stone huts that belonged to the first people in the area.
- A small model of the Dutch Reformed Church. This church was built in 1928 to remember those who died in the Second Anglo-Boer War.
Famous People from Lindley
- Stella Blakemore (born 1906): She was a popular author who wrote many youth books in Afrikaans. Her famous series include Maasdorp and Keurboslaan.
- Danie Craven (born 1910): He was a very famous Springbok Rugby Union player, manager, and coach.
- General C.H. Olivier: He was a member of the Orange Free State's executive council. He signed the Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902, which ended the Second Boer War. He is buried in Mamafubedu, Petrus Steyn.
