Tuesday 8 April 1856

Ex Ariel and Kurajong
W. BIRT AND NEPHEW
Are now receiving by the above vessels a large supply of their usual
Superior Cutlery
Consisting of
Black Handle Table and Dessert Knives and Forks
Stag        “            “       “         “            “          “        “
Ivory       “            “       “         “            “          “        “
Carvers and Steels to match
Butcher’s Knives 6,8,10 and 12 inch
Pocket Knives, a large variety
Sportsmen’s do.
Also
German Silver (superior) Table and Dessert Forks
      “            “             “          Tea, Dessert and Table Spoons
Patent Iron Pumps, with Lead Pipe attached
Patent Lift Pumps on Planks with Pipe
Patent Force Pumps       “         “        “
Lead Pipe ⅔, 1½, 1⅔ inch
Improved Garden Engines
Garden Syringes and Fumigators
Sussex Churns
Tindal’s Patent Imperial Mangles
House Bells (assorted)
Auctioneer’s Bells (assorted)
Turret Bells (mounted with brass bearings)
Glass Pastry Slabs and Rolling Pins
Glass Ventilating Bricks
Palmers Patent Ship Lamps
Also Best London Glue
Port Elizabeth, April 8th 1856

Tuesday 15 April 1856

NOTICE
I hereby give notice that unless parties call for their Guns, Gunlocks &c, left with me for repair, and also pay for the repairs thereof, within three months from the date hereof, such Guns and other articles will be Publicly Sold for whom it may concern.
Applications for any of these articles to be made to Mr. D.J. ASPELING, Uitenhage.
Jan VILJOEN, Gunsmith
Uitenhage, April 6th 1856

Tuesday 22 April 1856

NOTICE
The Funeral of Dr. ORPEN will proceed from his late residence this afternoon at 4 o’clock precisely.
J. MATTHEWS
Undertaker

DEATH OF THE REV. DR. ORPEN
It is our painful duty to announce the sudden departure from this life of the Rev. Dr. ORPEN, who has for some time past been residing on the hill. The reverend gentleman has been in ill health for some time past, but yet able to get about and attend to ordinary duties. We believe that he had left Colesberg for the purpose of visiting England, with a view to establish his health. There was no reason to apprehend that his end was so near. On the day before his death, Sunday last, he was apparently as well as usual, and able to be present in church at the morning worship. At four o’clock, however, on Monday morning, he breathed his last. We have been informed that epilepsy was the immediate cause of his death. We do most sincerely express our deep sympathy with the mourning widow and family of the deceased. They have the consolation of knowing that their loss is the greatest gain to their departed friend, and this will enable them to sustain with humility and with patience their heavy trial.
Dr. ORPEN was respected by all parties and sections of the church. He was a man of liberal spirit, of an enlarged mind, of eminent attainments, and of exalted piety. Originally occupied as a medical man of extensive practice in Ireland, he gave up much of this world’s wealth to go forth as a messenger of mercy and a physician both to the body and the soul of his countrymen, and to the coloured classes in South Africa. All who knew him will feel inclined to write upon his tablet “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works do follow them.”

Tuesday 6 May 1856

THE LATE MR. A.W. HOOLE
The Frontier papers contain the painful intelligence of the sudden decease of this excellent and enterprising colonial.

Tuesday 13 May 1856

A FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY
(G.T. Journal)
The following is an extract of a letter dated the 26th April:
A most frightful tragedy was [committed] in this neighbourhood the other night. The wife and [two] children of Mr. Charles Leo COX (formerly residing in our neighbourhood) were murdered on his farm about two miles distant. On Sunday morning last at 1 o’clock I was called up by the fieldcornet and accompanied him to the spot, where we found the mother, Mrs. COX, a young woman only 19 years of age, and a babe of 6 or 8 months, lying dead in one room, and the eldest child almost 2½ years old lying dead in the other. The unfortunate man came out of the house and met us. He asserted his innocence and said that his whole family had been murdered, and accused the Kafirs living on that place. Afterwards he said that the poison must have been in some pudding of raisins that they had eaten. I am sorry to say some suspicion fell on the unfortunate man. The preliminary examination lasted two days. A post mortem examination of the bodies has been held and poison (strychnine) was found in the eldest child, but not in the mother or the youngest child. It appears they have been strangled or killed by blows on the [back] of the head. Mrs. COX was the eldest daughter of Mr. W.C. BOWER, formerly of Grahamstown. She was a pupil of Mrs. EALES. COX had been drinking hard, and had drunk a bottle of brandy that evening, but still he was sober and apparently in his right senses. Some think he is under the influence of delirium tremens, as he has been so before, but it cannot be seen in his manner, He appears calm and collected. I think it is the most dreadful thing that has ever occurred in Africa.

Tuesday 20 May 1856

DIED at Port Elizabeth on the 19th May, William MILLIGAN, aged 51 years, a native of Scotland. His remains will be interred tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday) at half past 3 pm, when friends are invited to attend.
J. WILLIAMS, Undertaker
Port Elizabeth May 20 1856

DEATH OF BISHOP ARMSTRONG
The Graham’s Town papers report the rather sudden death of Bishop ARMSTRONG. He had been suffering for some weeks from a malady to which he had been subject – namely, weakness in the circulation system – and fears were entertained for him, but it was not believed that his end was so near. He was ultimately carried off by spasms produced by effusions of blood in the chest, it is believed. By all to whom Bishop ARMSTRONG was personally known, he will be deeply regretted, and with his bereaved family in their irreparable loss the entire public will sincerely sympathise.
The following is from the Graham’s Town Journal:
We announce with sorrow the death of Dr. ARMSTRONG, the Lord Bishop of Grahamstown, at his residence on West Hill, last evening at 8 o’clock. A gloom has by this sad news been cast upon the whole community, and a very general feeling of heartfelt sympathy and sorrow is expressed by members of every denomination with the bereaved family and church, which are more immediately affected by His Lordship’s decease. It is, however, a public loss, and will be felt as such by the whole of the province… [rest of paragraph too difficult to read]

Tuesday 3 June 1856

BIRTH at Port Elizabeth on the 1st instant, Mrs. Charles ADCOCK of a daughter

DIED at Port Elizabeth on the 2nd June 1856, W.H. SIMPSON Esq, after a short illness. The funeral will proceed to the place of interment tomorrow afternoon at a quarter to 3 o clock precisely. Friends are invited to attend.
J. MATTHEWS, Undertaker
Port Elizabeth, June 3rd, 1856

GERMAN AND SWISS MILITARY SETTLERS
Of the news just received from England one of the most gratifying items is the intelligence that large numbers of German and Swiss soldiers have consented to come to this Colony as military settlers. By the arrival of these settlers our frontiers will soon be so strengthened as to defy the utmost force of our barbarous enemies behind; and the Eastern Province will yet feel that it can afford to smile at the impotent attempts of a reckless faction, who would oppose immigration to this Colony.

Tuesday 10 June 1856

BIRTH at Port Elizabeth on the 7th instant, the wife of Thomas WORMALD Esq of a son

Tuesday 17 June 1856

Patent Brickmaking Machine
By which the labour of 30 men can be done by one man and a boy.
NB The Undersigned is sole authorised agent for the sale of these unparalleled machines.
J. PATERSON

MARRIED on the 16th inst in St. Mary’s Church, Port Elizabeth, by the Rev. W.H. Fowle BA, Colonial Chaplain, William Pitt PREST Esq, 6th Royal Regiment, to Maria Heugh, second daughter of the late Captain LLOYD RN.
Port Elizabeth June 17th 1856

DIED at Port Elizabeth on the 16th inst, E.A. HARRISON, daughter of Mr. Wm. HARRISON, Mason, of this town. The funeral will proceed to the place of interment tomorrow afternoon at quarter to 3 o clock precisely.
Jno. MATTHEWS, Undertaker
Monday 16 June 1856

Tuesday 24 June 1856

Projected Town
On the Farm ‘Boschrand’
To be called
DORDRECHT
Formerly the property of Mr. Louis Johannes BUYS
In the Field-Cornetcy of Waschbank, District of Albert
The Undersigned having been elected as a Commission to act for the establishing of a town, and the erection of a Dutch Reformed Church, at the above place will cause to be sold on
Tuesday and Wednesday
The 23rd and 24th September next
150-180 Erven or Plots of Ground
Of which 50 will be Water Erven.
The site of this Projected Town is distant from Burghers Dorp 10 hours; from Aliwal North nine hours; and from Queens Town seven hours – and is situated on the High Road from Bloemfontein, Smithfield and Aliwal North to Queenstown, East London and to the Lower Divisions.
In a business point of view it will command the rich Field Cornetcies of Waschbank and Upper Stormberg. It is abundantly supplied with water and for fruitfulness cannot be surpassed. It has also lots of coal and building material in its immediate vicinity.
The country around Boschrand yields abundance of Wool and Corn and is noted for having always produced the best conditioned stock; for richness of pasture it stands unrivalled.
To the Capitalist there will be a wide field for speculation, it being an established fact that where New Towns are established, property has invariably changed hands at advance of from 50 to 100 per cent.
As the proceeds of the sale of Erven that will exceed the original purchase amount will be applied to the building of a Church and School it can only tend to the advancement of Civilisation – for where a church is established Christianity gains ground and Education, Trade and progress in every department of life must necessarily flourish.
Plans of the Town ‘Dordrecht’
Will be forwarded after the 8th July next to Messrs. METLERKAMP & KIRKWOOD, Port Elizabeth; Mr. Attorney J.H. HOFMEYR, Wale Street, Cape Town; the Public Library, Cape Town; Mr. R.G. STONE, Graham’s Town; and will stay [unclear] for inspection at the offices of Mr. J.C. HOFMEYR, Burgher’s Dorp.
B.R. BUYS & Son
P.J. VAN DER WALT
Hendrik P. VENTER
F.B. VAN ZYL
J.C. HOFMEYR, Auctioneer