Tarkastad - Firefly the Travel Guy

Tarkastad’s White Hope Masonic Lodge

The first time we visited Tarkastad I knew it was going to be a very small town and I was expecting to see a beautiful historic church or two, hopefully a war memorial, lots of history and even more charm. One of the things I didn't expect to find was a Masonic Lodge. Driving through the town while doing some sightseeing, I noticed a small stone building. I pulled over to see what the sign on the door said and…

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11/07/2025

Firefly the Travel Guy

Winston Churchill’s cousin and the Battle of Elands River

Sir Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1940 and is primarily known for his leadership of Britain during the Second World War. He was a prominent statesman, writer, and orator who rallied the British people and guided the nation through the war. Churchill is also remembered for his inspiring speeches and unwavering determination, even in the face of adversity. But did you know Winston Churchill also had involvement in the Anglo Boer War? Churchill arrived in South Africa as…

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18/04/2025

Firefly the Travel Guy

The Anglo Boer War execution in Tarkastad

My son loves visiting old cemeteries and finding war graves from the Anglo Boer War and the two World Wars. So one of the first things he did when we visited him in Tarkastad was to drag me along to the town's cemetery to help him search for a couple of graves he still wanted to find there. A very interesting grave he pointed out to me while we were there was the grave of Pieter Willem van Heerden, whose…

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16/04/2025

Firefly the Travel Guy

A First World War gun in Tarkastad

Tarkastad isn't a big town with many monuments even though there is a lot of history attached to the town. I was very surprised when discovered an old cannon on the corner of Murray Street and Queen Street, a block away from the Tarkastad War Memorial. On closer inspection I discovered a plaque on the gun reading as follows: CAPTURED IN THE GREAT WAR1914 - 18BY THE ALLIED FORCESAND PRESENTED TO TARKASTADBY THE GOVERNMENT I have searched the internet from…

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14/02/2025

Firefly the Travel Guy

Tarkastad Dutch Reformed Church – A big church in a small town

The small town of Tarkastad is located between Cradock and Queenstown on the R61. It's off the beaten track and most people passing through are traveling between the Transkei area and the Western Cape. Tarkastad has a PEP stores so it can be termed a town. Anything without I would call a village. It's still very small though and I only got to visit it for the first time recently when my son moved there for his first job. The…

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10/01/2025