The Murraysburg branch of the Standard Bank was said to be the one most often robbed by commandos during the Anglo-Boer War. It was first hit on January, 1901, and because the Boers got away with so much money, the bank had to close for a few days, said Boer War researcher Taffy Shearing. On March 2, the bank manager, F C Lilford, was captured by the Boers while he was posting some official letters at the Biesiespoort post office. He was held for eight hours. Later that month he wrote a diary entry stating that the little town had been attacked three times in 20 days. Under the cover of darkness on June 13, 1901, 60 members of Commandant Gideon Scheepers’s Commando arrived at Lilford’s home and demanded the keys to the safe. He refused, but eventually had to give in after he was insulted, attacked and threatened. The Boers got away with £120/7/9d, but left a receipt. Shortly after this incident Commandant Scheepers’s adjutant, Lieutenant Pijper, went to Lilford’s house to apologise for the bad behaviour of his men. Scheepers himself also expressed regret at this incident when he later rode into town. According to the book ‘n Baanbrekerbank in ‘n Baanbrekerland, after this incident the Murraysburg Banks were transferred to Beaufort-Wes and the branch was closed for the remainder of the war.
