SUMMARISED TRANSLATION OF ARTICLES IN EDITION 96/NOV 2008 OF THE "ONS HAANTJIE" NEWSLETTER OF THE HENNING FAMILY LEAGUE

Verwaarloosde Grafte/Neglected Graves. Mr Koos Groenewald of Pietersburg notified us that he discovered the grave of Martha Magdalena Louisa Henning (born Groenewald) *Jan 1886 on the farm Mafafula 595LT, roughly15 km South of Tzaneen. She was the spouse of b7.c13.d2. Gerhardus Albertus Frederik Henning *Apr 1873. Like most of the farms in the Tzaneen district, the national government is busy acquiring this farm, due to a land claim.

Koos let us know that the graveyard is overgrown with intruder plants. Unfortunately there was a bees' nest in a tree next to the grave, therefore, he was scared to go to near. He intend to return later with a weed-killer. As soon as the weeds have died, he will clean the graveyard, to see if anybody else is buried there.

We also received photographs of Gert Henning and the ruins of the Henning house. Gert and Martha Henning raised six children (four daughters and two sons) in this house.

Nuwe inligting oor Konsentrasiekampsterftes/New Information on Concentration Camp Deaths. We could identify almost all Henning who died during the Anglo Boer War (1899 - 1902) in British Concentration Camps positively. Of the 69 Henning women and children, only 12 could not be identified positively - mainly due to unsufficient particulars. See Chapter 13, Part 4 of the Henning Family Cronicle (the book and CD) for the names of both catagories of persons.

Mr Koos Groenewald (above) also provided us with excerpts from the baptism - and member registers of the Dutch Reformed Church Pietersburg. Over the past 120 years 17 Henning babies have been baptised here and 40 grown-ups were members of the congregation. With the information Koos provided a few additions could be made to the records of some members.

A very important discovery was that three members (a mother and two of her children), who died in the Pietersburg Concentration Camp, but could not be identified positively, could now be identified. The Camp records indicated that a Susanna Maria Henning (26) and two of her three children, Susara Wilhelmina (3 years) and Pieter Jacob (one year) from the farm Welgevonden, Zoutpansberg died in the Pietersburg Camp. We had no person with the mother's name on record, who could fit this profile. From the baptism registers we could determine that the mother's name was in fact, Susanna Magdalena (with maiden name Van der Westhuizen). We had her and her family on record. She was the wife of b6.c4.d3.e7. Johannes Christiaan Henning *5-2-1872. Due to Susanna's death, the camp officials left her oldest child, Martha with her Van der Westhuizen grandparents.

This leaves us with only nine Concentration deaths who cannot be identified positively . Most of these are babies who died shortly after birth and where the names of the parents were not recorded.

Pluimbal Hennings/Badminton Hennings. In Newsletter no 93/Feb 2008 we reported on b7.c8.d8.e1.f5. Gideon Stephanus (Giep) Henning (72) and three of his grand children who were all selected to play in their respective age groups badminton for Boland at the national championships this year. It now came to our attention that almost all members of this family are capable badminton players.

Giep himself represented Boland and/or Eastern Transvaal at the following official South African tournaments: Veterans (above 35 years), Masters (above 50 years), Great Masters (above 55 years), Silver Eagles (above 60 years) and Golden Eagles (above 65 years).

Giep and his wife, Wiena's oldest son, Stanley was the No 1 player for Maties for several years. He also represented the Boland Senior team at the South African Championships. After university he represented Western - and Eastern Transvaal at national level. During this time he climbed to the top 15 players in the country.

Nina Goosen, the daughter of Wilma represented Boland in different age groups. This year, at the age of 16, she is the No 1 under 19 player.

The three son's of Giep and Wiena's third child, Bernard also represent Boland in their respective age groups. The youngest, Lennert (9 years) played in the Boland Under 13B team. He advanced to the quarter finals of the boys singles.

'n Henning Predikant in Australië/A Henning Minister in Australia. b7.c2.d3.e5.f2.g1. James Matthew Henning *27-11-1939 informed us that his son Pieter James is now a clergyman in Australia. Pieter was born 27 July 1964 at Que-Que, Rhodesia. Due to the fact that his father was involved in the war in Rhodesia, the school boy, Pieter and his mother had to run all the farmwork. This gave him from a very young age a huge sense of responsibility.

During 1982 James and his family moved to George in the South Cape. Pieter joined Barclays bank, but soon volunteered to do National Service in South Africa, in spite of the fact that he was a Rhodesian citizen. He reported at Tempe, Bloemfontein, but was transfered to the operational area at the Angola border where he served his whole national service period.

Back at work he was transfered to Graaff-Reinet as a senior official. He and his wife, however, struggled to keep going on his bank salary and he resigned to take up a posision at Teba Bank on the mines at Klerksdorp. Here he had a narrow escape when robbers tried to rob him while he was on his way with a bank vehicle to one of the shafts.

While working here he started studing part time at the Baptist College in Randburg, for a life as minister. He also worked part time for Multi-Ministries, where he met American and Australian missionaries. He got involved in their missionery work in all the countries in Southern Africa - Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. He also got an invitation to study and preach in America.

He obtained his degree as the best student and received a call to serve at the congegation in Ladysmith, Natal. He served here for four years, but visited America regularly for further training. Here-after he was appointed as lecturer at the training centre in America, responsible for training of clergymen for Southern Africa. He also received an offer to take over the position of the Director of Multi Ministries when the present Director retires.

During October 2007 Pieter received a call from the Dalby Baptist Church in Australia. He had never been to Australia and prayed for guidance. He knew that he would have to adapt to the language, culture and people. On 29 May 2008 he and his family left South Africa to take up this new position. Fortunately there were several old Rhodesians and Free Staters in this congregation, which made the adaptation much easier.

Geldsake/Money Matters. As usual we mention the names of all members who donated amounts of R200.00 and more over the preceding three months. Mr Tjaart Henning of Sinoville, Pretoria, a life long member, donated the beautifull amount of R1 000.00; Mr Willie Henning of Karen Park, also a life long member, donated R250.00 and Mr Andries Kruger of Barberton donated R200.00.

Unfortunately there are still 18 members who have made no contribution for 2008 and we are busy sending out the reminders calling for contributions for 2009.

Our expenditure raised a lot in 2008 and we had to make a donation of a R1 000.00 to the Aliwal North Museum. Read the report on the Aliwal North Museum below.

Henning Uitstalling in Kerkplein Museum, Aliwal-Noord/Henning Exhibition in Church Squire Museum, Aliwal North. Due to the attitude of the Aliwal North Municipality, the future of the Church Square Museum and the Henning Exhibition in the museum is in doubt. The munisipality refuse to do any maintenance on the building, which belong to them. They also refuse to pay mrs Madeleine Joubert any salary or honorarium in spite of the fact that she served the Aliwal North community the past 21 years voluntarily at both museums in the town with great distinction. She, in fact, gets no support what so ever from the municipality. Due to this, nobody else is prepared to assist at the museums and nobody is interested to take over from Madeleine, in spite of the fact that she is allready in her seventies and have huge medical problems (cancer). The attitude of the municipality is that museums is "white men's trash" and must be destroyed.

A rumour was spread from the municipality that they are not doing any maintanance on the museum buildings, because they are not going to extend the contract when it expires in five years time. When mrs Joubert enquires at the responsible municipal officials, they deny everything.

A sympathetic attorney will now enquire in writing and try to extend the contract in a proper way. All expenditure for the museums must be done from donations from well meaning members of the public or friends from the museum. The Family League makes an annual contribution. This year we contributed R1 000.00.

Henning Huwelike en Geboortes/Henning Marriages and Births. A day after the birth of Christan Janine Henning on 20 September 2008, we received a photograph from her parents. We were still under the impression that her father, b6.c1.d3.e5.f2.g4.h1.i2. Petrus Francois Joubert [Pieter] Henning was a batchelor. We enquired and learnt that Pieter got married on 11 December 2004 to Chrisna Terblanche. She is the daughter of Jan Hendrik Schoeman Terblanche and his wife Christina Johanna (born Potgieter).

Pieter is a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Johannesburg. He has a Doctor's Degree in Engineering. They live in Heidelberg.

We also learned that Johanna Jacoba Berindina (Sus) Henning of Doringkruin, Klerksdorp, widow of b5.c4.d3.e2.f1.g4. Stephanus Gerhardus (Fanie) Henning became great grand mother of twin baby daughters - Mikhayla and Mia Enslin was born on 2 April 2008 as the children of Schalk and Nedine Enslin. Nedine is the oldest grand child of Fanie and Sus Henning.

50-Jaar Getroud/50 Years Married. b6.c4.d1.e5.f9.g6. Mauritz Martin Henning *10-4-1936 of Theresa Park, Pretoria-North served for many years on the Executive Committee of the Family League. On Saturday 30 August 2008 Mauritz and his wife Ollie have been married for 50 years. All their children phoned the morning to congratulate and thereafter the two of them went to celebrate with breakfast at a restaurant near Cullinan.

Their oldest daughter, Loma invited them for dinner Sunday, the following day, as she has done many times before. When Mauritz and Ollie arrived, they were met by streamers, the marriage march and all their children and grand children. This was a huge surprise for them, because they really have not suspected anything. Even the marriage couple which was on their marriage cake 50 years earlier was on the celebration cake.

At the end of the year, we would like to wish all our members a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. May 2009 be a very good year for the Family League because we celebrate our 25 years' existence during 2009 as well as edition 100 of the Newsletter.