Tuesday 3 June 1890

DEATH OF MR. RINTOUL
Port Alfred has lost a useful and respected inhabitant by the death of Mr. Peter RINTOUL on Thursday last, through inflammation of the lungs, brought on by exposure in the lifeboat which went out to the distressed barque Deli a few days previously.

Thursday 5 June 1890

KILLED BY LIGHTNING
Mr. and Mrs. HATTINGH, the parents in a respectable family residing about fourteen miles from Pretoria, had occasion recently to go to the city and remain one night absent. The children were alone – in charge of the eldest son, who was but seventeen years old. He slept in a room by himself, the others –little girls – in a room adjacent. Suddenly one of the fearful thunderstorms that are occasionally experienced in this part of the country broke over the house – a lonely dwelling in a weird part of the veld – and the first flash killed the eldest son instantaneously. The other children, terrified at the awful nature of the storm, sprang from their beds and rushed into the elder brother’s room for protection. They found him dead. A second flash caught the thatched roof, and the house was in flames. The girls tried to drag the corpse of their brother outside, whither they had to flee to save their lives from the flames; but they were not strong enough to do so. They had to leave the body and escape, for the flames had full command of the premises. They huddled together in an adjacent bush while the house was burning. The night was bitterly cold, but there they remained until daybreak enabled them to tramp several miles to a neighbour with the sad tale. The grief of Mr. and Mrs. HATTINGH, when later on in the day they returned, may be imagined.

Saturday 7 June 1890

DIED at Grahamstown on the 7th inst, at his residence, African-street, William Pepperell HUTTON, aged 50 years, late Registrar of the E.D. Court.
The Funeral will move from his late residence tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon at 3:30.

DEATH OF MR. W.P. HUTTON
It is our painful duty to record today the death of Mr. William Pepperell HUTTON, late Registrar of the Eastern Districts Court, and one of our most esteemed residents. The cause of death was cancer in the throat, and six months ago it was known that the case was hopeless. Mr. HUTTON bore his terrible sufferings with literally heroic Christian fortitude and cheerfulness, and though he knew from the first that his days were numbered, he continued to transact his business as long as he had strength for it, with characteristic devotion to duty. His many friends will feel his death as a personal bereavement, and they will join with us in compassionating the widow and children. In our next issue we shall publish a more extended obituary of the late Registrar, who has had a long and interesting career in the Civil Service of this country. He was only 50 years of age.

Tuesday 10 June 1890

DEATH OF MRS. WHITE
The death of Mrs. WHITE, relict of the Rev. Mr. WHITE, formerly Missionary in Pondoland, is announced. It took place at Osborne on Wednesday last. Mrs. WHITE was very greatly respected by the natives, who were accustomed to refer disputes to her, and to abide by her advice.

THE LATE W.P. HUTTON ESQ.
In our issue of last Saturday the death of Mr. W.P. HUTTON was briefly announced. The circumstances surrounding the decease of this gentleman are well known to his personal friends, whose regard for a noble character and for a man of a true heart those circumstances can only have tended to increase. To deplore the end which has come to the life of one whose characteristics were in all respects exemplary, would be mere commonplace and altogether inappropriate. The life just closed cannot but bear fruit for a long time to come; and when this can be said truly, none can say that the end was premature, or that it must be deplored. Natural grief for the loss to his wife and children, of a good husband and father, there must be. Other relations, and his friends in all parts of this country as well as in other parts of the world, will for a long time feel the personal loss of so true a character and so trusty a friend. Our present purpose is to present a short narrative of the career of the deceased gentleman.
Mr. William Pepperell HUTTON was the youngest son of the late Rev. Henry HUTTON, who for thirty-eight years was Rector of Filleigh-cum-Buckland, near Barnstaple, North Devon, and was born on January 6th 1840. His great grandfather was Sir William PEPPERELL, Baronet, whose name he derived through Sir William’s eldest daughter and heiress. He was, further, sixth in descent from General Sir William PEPPERELL, the first Baronet, known in history as the Hero of Louisberg in the American War of Independence. This much is stated in order that those wonderfully developed qualities of courage, integrity and endurance in Mr. HUTTON’s character may in some measure be traced back to former generations.
Mr. HUTTON came to this country in 1856 to join his eldest brother, Mr. Henry HUTTON, who was at that time superintending the Convict Department. In 1857 he transferred to the Road Board as Clerk of Works on the mountain passes between Graaffreinet and Middelburg, under the late Mr. A.G.BAIN. This position he resigned in 1858, October, but early in the next year he was appointed storekeeper and clerk in the Convict Department at Grahamstown. Mr. HUTTON had, we believe, taken some part in the movement attending the proposal to annex British Kaffraria to the Colony, and was one of the defendants in the still well-remembered “Calabash Case”. In 1859 Mr. HUTTON became Deputy to the Chief Inspector of Convicts, and in that capacity was employed in Grahamstown, at the Kowie Harbour, Port Elizabeth and Paarde Poort until 1872, when the Convict Station was amalgamated with the Kowie Harbour Station, and Mr. HUTTON’s office was abolished. In July of the year following,1873, Mr. HUTTON was appointed temporary clerk in the Treasury of Griqualand West; but in December he was transferred to assist Mr. J. SOUTHEY, Clerk to the Legislative Council and Private Secretary to His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor. In November 1874 he became Clerk to the then Registrar of Natives, and was placed upon the “Fixed Establishment”. In September 1875 Mr. HUTTON was appointed Registrar of the Land Court, Griqualand West; and while still holding the appointment acted as Secretary, without pay, to Captain WARREN RE (now Sir Charles WARREN), Her Majesty’s Special Commissioners in Land Matters. In March 1878 he was Clerk to the Registrar, and master of the High Court of Griqualand West, and for some time acted, without pay, as Registrar of Deeds, during the absence on service in Kaffraria of Capt. D’ARCY, the Registrar of Deeds. ......[continues for the rest of the column]
He married in 1884, Margaret, daughter of Frederick DAMANT Esq, of Humansdorp, and leaves his widow and three infant children. .....

[Transcriber’s Note: The marriage was actually 6 January 1885 – see here.] 

Thursday 12 June 1890

BIRTH at Peddie June 9th 1890, the wife of H.W.H. ELLIOTT of a daughter.

MASON – HARWIN
At the Wesleyan Church, Maritzburg, on June 5th 1890 by the Rev. Frederick MASON (father of the bridegroom), assisted by the Rev. S. Evans Rowe (President of Conference), Arthur Weir MASON, of Maritzburg, to Ellen Lavinia, eldest daughter of John HARWIN Esq, of Maritzburg.

DEATH OF A LADY
Mrs. Japie DE VILLIERS with her daughter were crossing a street in Pretoria one day last week when two men named POSTMA and EIKENBOOM, who were riding furiously, knocked her down, and she received injuries that have since unhappily terminated fatally. The men were arrested, POSTMA being allowed out on bail of £25, but the other man, EIKENBOOM, who was the principal offender, was kept in gaol until a doctor’s certificate should be produced showing that Mrs. DE VILLIERS was out of danger. We suppose he will now be detained in prison.

Saturday 14 June 1890

BURIAL AT BOKSBURG
A Transvaal paper reports: A white man named McMAHON, who is said to belong to Kingwilliamstown, was found dead in a wagon near the dam wall, Boksburg, yesterday morning. He was last seen alive outspanning the mules with a Kafir boy at twelve o’clock on the night of his death, and ate a healthy meal the same evening. The District Surgeon, Dr. SCHULTZ of Johannesburg, is said to have been wired for, but did not turn up, and it is rather inconvenient in such cases that a local District Surgeon has not been appointed, instead of having to await the pleasure of one from Johannesburg. This morning McMAHON was jammed into a coffin by six black convicts, who carried him to the graveyard in charge of a black constable, who buried him without the assistance of a minister, although the town possessed two.

Thursday 19 June 1890

WEDDING
Yesterday at Commemoration the Rev. H. COTTON united in matrimony Miss Bertha DINGLE, granddaughter of the late Mr. S.H. ROBERTS, and Mr. Herbert SAVORY of Koodoo’s Kloof, Fort Brown. The bride was given away by her uncle, Mr. C.J. ROBERTS. The ceremony was a quiet one, and immediately after its termination the young people drove to Mr. ROBERTS’s house, where the usual jollifications ensued. Mr. and Mrs. SAVORY left shortly after for their new home. We would add our congratulations and best wishes to the thousands of similar expressions already bestowed.

Saturday 21 June 1890

MARRIED at Commemoration Church on 18th June 1890 by the Rev. H. Cotton, Herbert Ernest SAVORY to Bertha M. DINGLE.

Mrs. CHOLWICH of Salem begs to intimate that she has taken a lease of that commodious and pleasantly situated house, corner of Hill and Cross-streets, and will be prepared to receive Patients on and after the 20th inst.
Grahamstown, 6th June 1890.

Tuesday 24 June 1890

BIRTH at Grahamstown on June 23 1890, the wife of W.H. NUNN of a daughter.

DIED at Osborn Mission Station on the 4th May, Martha Ann, widow of the late Rev. Charles WHITE, for many years Wesleyan Missionary amongst the native tribes.

A CENTENARIAN
Mrs. PRINSLOE, of Humansdorp, will celebrate her hundredth birthday on the 23rd September next. She is reported to be hale and hearty and in full possession of all her faculties.

DEATH OF A TOWN CLERK
The Cape papers announce the death of Mr. John Anthony ROSS, who for forty five years had been connected with the Corporation of Capetown, and for nearly forty years held the position of Town Clerk. He was a mine of general information and an encyclopaedia of municipal knowledge, while his personal attributes are also highly spoken of by the Press of the metropolis.

Thursday 26 June 1890

SUDDEN DEATH
A terribly sudden death occurred the other evening in the Workmen’s Club, Bloemfontein. Mr. E.J. WALSH was about to commence a game of cards when he dropped down dead, without uttering a word.

Saturday 28 June 1890

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS
Estate of the late Georgina M. GALPIN, of Grahamstown.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are hereby called upon to lodge them with the undersigned on or before the 10th day of August next; and those indebted thereto are required to pay the amounts due by them within the same period, failing which legal proceedings will be taken for the recovery thereof.
Alfred C. GALPIN
Executor Testamentary
Grahamstown, 20th June 1890.