Here stood the home of Dirk Jan Schuurman, a burgher of the ZAR, public prosecutor, keen cricketer and a member of the Wanderers Club. When war broke out he remained at his post, but volunteered for the Rus en Order Kommissie, protecting the property of his absent British neighbours. Later he joined the political party, Het Volk, which was bitterly opposed to Milner’s programme of Anglicisation.