Brione Farming

Both farms (Remia and Brione) were surveyed by L Kepler. He came from England and was employed by the government of the Cape colony and one of several surveyors sent to Griqualand East to survey the Maclear district into farms after the Mpondomise Rebellion of 1880/81. While afield on surveying he stayed in a tent. he was very fond of reading and brought a number of books with him from England. He spent his evenings in the tent reading by candlelight.

He gave the name Brione to the farm after reading the poem "Heidenröslein" of Johan Wolfgang Goethe (German/Austrian poet) written in favour of his sweetheart Friedrike Elizabeth Brione. He never married her, but she stayed faithful to him until her death.

He gave the name Remia to the farm after reading the story of the foundation of the city of Rome in Italy. According to folklore the city was built by two brothers - Romulus and Remus. Their parents died after their twins birth and they were then fed by a female wolf. The city was named after Romulus. He then fled to Switzerland where he built another town called Remia (the Latin feminine form applicable to a city). So the name Remia was in fact transferred from Switzerland.