John Clark Collection
Lukas J. Meyer (1846-1902)
One of the many Boers who strongly disapproved of the annexation of the Transvaal (1877) and fought in the first Anglo-Boer of 1880-1, being wounded at Ingogo. In 1884 he and his fellow burghers supported Dinuzulu against his brother Zibhebhu and helped in the latter's defeat. Their price was 800 farms, equal to 1 355 000 morgens, a very large area. From this land, Meyer and his people were enabled to establish the Nieuwe Republiek of which Meyer later became president. It lasted from 1884 to 1887. Thereafter it was incorporated into the Transvaal. After the Second Anglo-Boer War, the land was restored to Natal but not to Zululand. Meyer had a distinguished career in this war. He was one of the Boer leaders who signed the Treaty of Vereeniging.