Tuesday 3 May 1887

WEDDING
This morning at St.Bartholomew’s Church was solemnised the marriage of Mr. Reginald Eugene ORPEN and Miss Grace Sophia CARLISLE. The bridegroom is the second son of Mr. Joseph ORPEN, the bride being the eldest daughter of Mrs. Edmund CARLISLE of this city. At the service, which was partly choral, the Rector of St.Bartholomew’s, the Rev. C.H.L. PACKMAN, officiated, assisted by the Rev. C.F. OVERTON. At the close of the service an impressive address to the young couple was delivered by the Rector. The bride, who was given away by Mr. W.B. SMITH, was attended by her younger sister, Miss Daisy CARLISLE, as bridesmaid. A great many friends of both families were present and the interest taken in the happy event was shown by the church being nearly filled. As the wedding party left the church the organist, Miss PORTER, played the wedding march. As the Easter decorations were still in the church the whole scene was a very pretty one. The bride wore her travelling dress. The wedding party drove from the church to the house of Mrs. CARLISLE in Oatlands, from which the happy couple start this afternoon for Kingwilliamstown on their way to Herschel. We wish them long life and happiness.

Thursday 5 May 1887

OBITUARY
It is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of Dr. PEMBERTON, who, after practising for a time in this city, removed to Port Elizabeth, and subsequently went to Australia with his family. This sad event will be severely felt by Dr. PEMBERTON’s numerous friends in this Colony, and we are assured that they join with us in expressing heartfelt sympathy with the bereaved family in a distant land.

PORT ELIZABETH – SUDDEN DEATH OF A M.L.A.
Thursday
Mr. VAN RENSBURG, M.L.A. for Cradock, died suddenly yesterday at home of internal haemorrhage

Saturday 7 May 1887

MR J.J. VAN RENSBURG M.L.A.
The Cradock Register gives an obituary of the deceased gentleman, who until his death represented that district in the Assembly. He died of internal haemorrhage arising from a violent cold, caught through sitting on a stone in the open air, watching the shearing at his farm Driefontein. Mr. VAN RENSBURG, though formerly an extreme Africander in politics, had come somewhat to moderate his views towards the close of his life. He was in private life much respected and liked.

Thursday 12 May 1887

DROWNED IN THE STORMBERG SPRUIT
The Northern Post gives the following particulars. A very sad fatal accident occurred at Burghersdorp last Friday. Messrs. CRUYWAGEN and FOURIE were driving to town in a spider, and had safely crossed the spruit. A heavy storm had passed over the town a short time before, and the sluit near the Cemetery, which is usually dry, had a lot of water in it. When the spider reached the drift leading to town, CRUYWAGEN [insisted?] on going through. The horses stuck, and then swerved with the heads down stream, when FOURIE jumped out and reached the bank. His companion, who was a splendid swimmer, went to the head of the horses and endeavoured to turn them. FOURIE, assisted by another man, then went into the stream to assist CRUYWAGEN. As the current began to get stronger and the water to rise, FOURIE said to CRUYWAGEN “Come out now; we cannot hold very much longer.” The latter refused to leave the horses, and when nearing a corner of the sluit he suddenly disappeared and was no more seen alive. It is supposed that he was knocked down by the horses, or became entangled in some way in the wheels. The body was found the same day near the junction with the Stormberg Spruit. The deceased was a fine active young fellow, who was well known both in Aliwal and Burghersdorp as an enthusiastic cricketer.

Tuesday 17 May 1887

KILLED BY A HORSE
It is with unmixed feelings of regret that we (D.F. Advertiser) have to record the demise of Mr. John Edward SMITH, a gentleman notable in this district for many acts of generous benevolence. Only on Sunday last he was in the prime of health. On the evening of that day he, rather indiscreetly, allowed himself to come into close proximity to a horse belonging to Mr. E. SUMMERLEE, which is of a somewhat vicious disposition. It kicked Mr. SMITH so severely that he never rallied from the violence of the blow. He became at once unconscious, and although medically treated with the highest scientific skill, he gradually became worse, and died last evening at his residence, Boshof Road, where he carried on business as a general merchant.

TRAGIC OCCURRENCE
The E.L. Dispatch reports a sad accident which has occurred at the Lwelera. A young German lad, named Hans BARTOSCH, was either trying to frighten a native boy or was instructing him in the way to shoot by pointing and snapping a gun at him. Unfortunately the gun was loaded, and the Kafir received the charge of slugs in the stomach. He died shortly afterwards from the injuries he had received. The German youth was arrested, and an examination will be held. This is a very unfortunate household. Some two years ago the husband of Mrs. BARTOSCH committed suicide. Last week her daughter, aged seventeen, was in the wagon going down the Gonubie hill, and in jumping off she caught her foot on the disselboom and fell under the wheels, which passed over her chest. There was a load of 1200 lbs on the wagon. The girl was picked up unconscious, but strange to say was walking about next day, and now appears almost entirely recovered.

MELANCHOLY AFFAIR
The Oudtshoorn Courant reports the following: An extremely sad case is reported as having happened last week on the farm Rietfontein in this district. Miss GOODMAN, an orphan and adopted child of Mr. J.C.E. BOUWER, for some inexplicable reason poisoned herself with strychnine. The young lady was about 20 years of age, and had been educated at the Good Hope Seminary in Capetown. The district surgeon held a post-mortem examination.

Thursday 19 May 1887

SAD DEATH
On Sunday evening (reports the Independent) a young man named Reuben PARKES was picked up by P.C. O’BRIEN in a drunken state and conveyed to the Transvaal Road lock-up. He was charged before Mr. McKENNA on Monday morning, but was then evidently very ill. He was accordingly remanded for two days, and was taken to the Gaol Hospital. About half past two o’clock Tuesday morning he died there. The deceased was about thirty years of age and was well known to old diggers. He at one time possessed considerable claim property in Jagersfontein mine.

MATRIMONIAL
On Tuesday last were married in the Commemoration Church the Rev. James Wilson THOMPSON of Whitby, Yorkshire, and Miss Dorothea Catherine SHAW, third daughter of the Rev. Barnabas J. SHAW. The father of the bride, assisted by the Rev. R. LAMPLOUGH, officiated. The bride, who wore a robe of cream satin, was attended by five bridesmaids, three of whom were her sisters, namely Miss SHAW, and the Misses Annie and Lily SHAW, Miss Fiona GILFILLAN and Miss Agnes LOCKE. As the wedding party entered the church the choir sang “A voice that breathed o’er Eden”, and at the close of the service Mr. B.B. ATWELL payed the wedding march. The happy couple left soon afterwards for Sandflats, from which they were to proceed to Port Elizabeth en route for Natal.
On Wednesday morning at St.George’s Cathedral Mr. John SCOTT and Miss Lizzie WITNAL [sic] were united in the bonds of wedlock. Mr. SCOTT, who has only been out a few years ago from England, is in the Government Railway Maintenance Department, and the bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. A.S. WHITNALL of this city. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Wharton B. SMITH. The bride, who was tastefully dressed in white, was given away by her father, her younger sister Miss Kate WHITNAL attending her as bridesmaid, and her brother Mr. Robert WHITNALL acting as best man. A large number of friends of the bride’s family were present to witness the happy event.

Saturday 21 May 1887

MARRIED at West Hill Chapel by the Rev. N. Abraham, on Thursday 19th May 1887, Arthur, eldest son of Mr. Edmund IVINGS, of Cokethorp Park, Oxford, England, to Margaret, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas NORTON of this city.

MARRIED on Wednesday 18th May 1887, at St.George’s Cathedral, by the Rev. Canon Wharton B. Smith, John, youngest son of the late Mr. Friend Elvin SCOTT, of Milton, Kent, to Lizzie Tildesley, eldest daughter of Mr. A.S. WHITNALL of Grahamstown.

MATRIMONIAL
On Thursday afternoon last the Suburban Wesleyan Chapel at West Hill was crowded with spectators who had gathered to witness the celebration of the marriage of Arthur IVINGS, at present Komgha, and lately of Cokethorp Park, Witney, England, to Margaret, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas NORTON, of this city. The bride wore a beautiful figured tussore silk, trimmed with Honiton lace, and looked charming; being attended by her sister, Miss Sarah Anne NORTON, who wore a grey figured barege, trimmed with cardinal plush and hat to match. While Mr. Roston NORTON officiated as best man. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. N. ABRAHAM, and at the conclusion a large party of guests assembled at the residence of the parents of the bride, when the usual felicitous wishes were expressed, and a large number of handsome presents given to the bride were inspected. Miss NORTON has been for some years a useful and respected member of the Wesleyan Church and Sunday School at West Hill, and as a token of respect the service was partly choral, the organist, Miss Eva WEDDERBURN, playing a wedding march at the close. The happy couple have left for Port Alfred to spend the honeymoon.
[Transcriber’s Note: The medieval manor of Cokethorpe Park is now Cokethorpe School, an independent school at Hardwick, West Oxfordshire, just south of Witney.]

Monday 23 May 1887

DIED at Kaapsche Hoop on the 23rd March 1887, Christopher DUFFIELD, aged 55 years, second son of the late Mr. George DUFFIELD of Grahamstown.

Thursday 26 May 1887

HYMENEAL
Two weddings were celebrated at St.Bartholomew’s Church this morning, the brides being sisters. At 9am Mr. W. Cole CURRIE was married to Miss Charlotte CLOETE. The bride, who is the third daughter of Mr. Evelyn CLOETE of Waterfall, was given away by her father, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. Canon MULLINS. During the service Keble’s wedding hymn was sung, and as the wedding party left the church the wedding march was played by Miss MULLINS. The bride wore her travelling dress. At 11 o’clock at the same church Mr. William Bailey BENNETT was married to Miss Maria CLOETE, the second daughter of Mr. Evelyn CLOETE, the Rev. Canon MULLINS again officiating. The bride, who was given away by her father, was attended by her sisters, the Misses Helen and Caroline CLOETE, and Miss CURRIE and Miss Hilda CURRIE as bridesmaids. Mr. Henry CURRIE acting as best man, Master Gordon CURRIE as page. Several hymns were sung during the service, and Miss MULLINS, who presided at the organ, played the wedding march at the conclusion of the ceremony. At each wedding there was a large attendance of the friends of the bride and bridegroom’s families. The wedding party drove to the house of the Rev. Canon MULLINS, where a wedding breakfast was prepared. The happy couples left in the course of the afternoon on their wedding trips.

DEATH OF COMMISSIONER CHALMERS
We (Dispatch) hear with regret that Commissioner CHALMERS of the Cape Police has succumbed to the illness which overtook him recently. We are not in possession of further particulars, except that he died at Willow Park.