his first home was a small house at the corner of the present day sisulu and jeff masemola streets. this house is still standing. with the arrival of five daughters (two sons were born much later) the bourke family needed a much larger house and the first plans for the construction of a larger house down the road were discussed in 1885. bourke went to the netherlands where the design and final plans were completed. all the material used was imported from england and the netherlands and a number of dutch builders were employed. the house was completed between by 1888 and bourke named the house barton keep.