the outbrake of the south african war (or second anglo-boer war) had devastating consequences for him. apart from having rooted business instrests with both the transvaal and british businesses in the transvaal, bourke had positive personal relations with prominent members of both the transvaal and the british. paul kruger thus advised bourke, for their safety, bourke should to take his family and leave for england for the duration of the war. bourke and his family thus left the transvaal for england in october 1899. during the war, barton keep was commandeered as staff headquarters for lord kitchener and lord milner.