Tuesday 4 April 1893

DIED at Grahamstown on the 28th March 1893, John ROBERTS (late of Oak Terrace, Grahamstown), aged 76 years. All friends please accept this intimation.

GOLDEN WEDDING
Mr. and Mrs. J.C.N. MARAIS, of Pretoria, who have just celebrated their golden wedding, have ten children and forty-seven grandchildren.

DEATH OF HON. L.H. MEURANT M.L.C.
Mr. MEURANT, who died at Riversdale on Wednesday last, was born in this Colony in 1811, before the arrival of the Albany Settlers. He married a sister of the late Rev. W.H. SMIT, of Union Chapel in this city. He and Mr. GODLONTON were, in troublous times, the founders of The Journal, the first number of which appeared Dec 31 1831, and not in 1832, as injuriously stated by some publicists. Mr. MEURANT’s record as given by Kilpin is as follows: Served with Graaffreinet burghers 1823; captain Grahamstown volunteers 1834-5 and Dutch interpreter to Sir Benjamin D’URBAN, commandant Grahamstown native levy, 1847-8; commanded relief column to Boer laager at Fish River July 1848; in command of Lower Albany; served with Olifant’s Hoek burghers 1851-2; appointed by Sir Harry SMITH to raise native levies; interpreter to Assistant High Commissioner; present at the Battle of Berea 1852; secretary to Assistant High Commissioner 1852-3; appointed magistrate at Kat River and member of land board at Kat River and Chumie; promoted civil commissioner and resident magistrate, Cradock, 1857; transferred to Fort Beaufort 1864, to Clanwilliam 1874, and to Riversdale 1877; commandant Riversdale and Oudtshoorn mounted burghers 1878 (Kafir War medal); retired on pension 1884; elected a member of the Legislative Council for the north-eastern circle, 1884, and for the south-western circle, 1891.
He was the author of a work entitled Sixty Years Ago, in which he gave an account of the struggles for the freedom of the Press in South Africa, in which he and other newspaper pioneers took an active part. By his death a vacancy occurs in the representation of the S.W. Province in the Legislative Council.

SUSPECTED POISONING
Some time ago a man named George DYER, who then was one of the poorer class of farmers, joined the Uitenhage Constabulary. DYER was married, his wife being a Dutchwoman. In his more prosperous days he had insured his wife’s life for £500, and we are informed he also insured the life of one of his sons for £200. Not succeeding in Uitenhage, DYER went to Kimberley and engaged in well-sinking. At Kimberley (says a contemporary) the son died, but no authentic information has as yet reached us in connection with that circumstance. DYER’s wife, as already intimated, was insured for £500, and she recently died under circumstances which appeared suspicious at the time. DYER then returned to Uitenhage. Meantime ugly rumours got about, and exhumation of the body of Mrs. DYER was ordered. An analysis of the contents of the stomach took place, revealing the presence of arsenic, and DYER has been arrested and sent on to Kimberley to await examination.

Thursday 6 April 1893

DIED at Grahamstown on 6th April 1893, James MILNE, late of Port Glasgow, N.B., aged 23 years.
FUNERAL NOTICE
The Funeral of the late Mr. James MILNE will leave the residence of Mr. R. MEEK, Cross-street, tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at [5] o’clock. The members of the Caledonian Association and other friends invited to attend.
A. WILL, Undertaker.

SHOT BY MATABELES
A King paper hears that Mr. Jas. DICKS, of the Waku, received intimation (by wire) from his son-in-law, Mr. GRADY, that his wife and child have been shot by the Matabeles in Mashonaland; that he has also received a dangerous gun-shot wound, and is now lying in a precarious state in the Salisbury hospital.

GOLDEN WEDDING
Yesterday being the 5th April, Mr. and Mrs. William WEBB celebrated their golden wedding. Mr. WEBB is the second son of the late Mr. Christopher WEBB, who came to this Colony as one of the original Settlers of 1820, and settled with the Sifton’s [sic] Party at Salem. Mr. WEBB’s older brother Joseph was born on board ship in the River Thames at the commencement of that historic voyage, and is still alive and residing in the Transkei. Mr. William WEBB was born in Salem in December 1821, and is consequently now in the seventy-second year of his age. Shortly after his birth our present townsman’s parents removed to Grahamstown, where he has continued to reside uninterruptedly, save by a few occasional visits to different parts of the Colony. On the 5th April 1843 he was married in the Grahamstown Cathedral by the Rev. John EVERSIDE [sic, should be HEAVYSIDE] to his present wife, then Miss KEEN, who was also the daughter of 1820 Settlers. With the sole exception, perhaps, of Mrs. GROCOTT, the venerable mother of our respected townsman Mr. T.H. GROCOTT, Mr. WEBB has lived longer in Grahamstown than any of its present inhabitants, and during his long and honourable career he has filled many important public positions, and is closely identified not only with the growth, but also with the progress of the Settlers’ City. In defence of the capital of the Eastern Province, in its early wars with the natives, William WEBB, as a young man, took an active and foremost part; he was chosen upon more than one occasion as guide for the Imperial troops through the then almost unknown fastnesses occupied by Kafir hordes; and was selected by the burghers as their representative when the spoils of war in the shape of vast herds of cattle had to be sent from the scene of conflict to be realised for the purpose of division among the citizen soldiers. With but a very brief interval he has served the town, first on its old municipal board, and on the Town Council since its formation in 1862, from the year 1852 until this present time, being today the only survivor of the original Councillors still in office. For some fifteen years Mr. WEBB also served this town and district in the capacity as a member of the Divisional Councillor [sic], being one of the three citizens returned at that very remarkable and exciting election, when he with our former respected townsmen, the Hons. Samuel CAWOOD and George WOOD, were returned for the Albany Divisional Council, each with an exactly equal number of votes. For many years this worthy descendant of the Settlers has held the honourable appointment of Justice of the Peace, and for a quarter of a century was Field-cornet for Albany, and always discharged the then onerous and responsible duties of that appointment with satisfaction to the authorities, and credit to himself. As one of the first Trustees of Commemoration, and as a member of the Wesleyan Church, he has ever been as true to the church of his choice as to his town and country, while in social life he has endeared himself to people of all classes in the community, being familiarly known in days not long gone by as “the poor man’s friend”. Mrs. WEBB, though not so publicly known as her husband, is universally respected in social life, and in her duty to her family and immediate acquaintances has ever performed her duties so faithfully that she has endeared herself to all whose pleasure and privilege it has ever been to come within the sphere of her friendship and influence. As a result of the happy union, the fiftieth anniversary of which they celebrate today, eleven children were born to them, all of whom were reared in Grahamstown, seven of whom were married here, and several, like their father, have creditably filled honourable positions in the city of their nativity, - Mr. Chris. S. WEBB, the present Superintendent of the Chronic Sick Hospital, being their fifth child and second son. At the present time Mr. and Mrs. WEBB have eight children living, six of whom are married and have offspring, while two of them are deceased, having left children of their own to carry the family name down to posterity. Yesterday they received the congratulations from Capetown, the Transvaal, and other different parts of the Colony, of no less than eight children, twenty-seven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren, besides those sent by five brothers, three sisters, and their almost innumerable families, and cousins, and friends whom they reckon up by dozens, and with whom we heartily join in wishing to both the aged, honoured and universally respected citizens a peaceful and happy ending to a long and useful life.

Saturday 8 April 1893

DIED at Sterkstroom on Tuesday the 4th April 1893, Maria Elizabeth, the beloved wife of the Rev. J.P. BERTRAM, eldest daughter of the late Rev. William SHEPSTONE, and sister to Sir Theophilus SHEPSTONE K.C.M.G., deeply regretted.

DEATH OF MRS. BERTRAM
We learn that Mrs. BERTRAM, wife of the Rev. J.P. BERTRAM, died at Sterkstroom on Tuesday last. Mrs. BERTRAM was the eldest daughter of a well-known missionary, the late Rev. W. SHEPSTONE, and sister of Sir Theo. SHEPSTONE K.C.M.G., and will be deeply regretted by a large number of friends and relatives.

FALLEN ASLEEP IN JESUS
At Grahamstown, Friday 7th April 1893, William JUBY, the dearly beloved husband of M.J. JUBY. Aged 66 years.
FUNERAL NOTICE
The Funeral of the late Mr. William JUBY will leave his late residence, Somerset-st, this afternoon at 4 o’clock. All friends are invited to attend.
A. WILL, Undertaker

DEATHS
We regret that space today will not permit us to do more than mention the deaths of Mr. MILNE and Mr. JUBY, and to express our sincere condolence with the bereaved families.

MARRIED at Fort Beaufort on the 3rd April 1893, by the Rev. Philip Barrington Simeon, Llewellyn Orlando, second son of the late W.T. LLOYD, of Kimberley, to Emmie, eldest daughter of John THARRATT, of Bath Farm, District Fort Beaufort.

Tuesday 11 April 1893

CAPETOWN’S TOWN CLERK DEAD
Mr. William BROMSHEAD, Town Clerk of Capetown, died suddenly and unexpectedly at half past twelve on Wednesday afternoon at his residence, [Lieuwent..t], off Kloof-street. On Tuesday morning he was at his post, but during the day symptoms developed which made it apparent that he had a recurrence of an attack of pleurisy, from which complaint he suffered severely last year, and he was compelled to go home. Shortly after noon next day he ruptured a blood vessel and the haemorrhage which ensued was so severe that he expired within a few minutes.

TIRED OF LIFE
An old gentleman, aged sixty, named Mr. Julius Ludwig SCHOONBURGH, a Prussian by birth, but a British subject, arrived in Durban three weeks ago and put up at a boarding-house, paying his bill daily. A fortnight ago he was missing, a note being left behind to say: “I am tired of life and therefore put a finish to it.” Among his effects is a Masonic certificate, dated 1847 at Adelaide. He was a goldsmith by trade, and took the oath of allegiance at fifty-two. There is no clue to the disappearance.

WEDDING BELLS
We take the following from the F.B. Advocate: Last Monday at the Church of St.John’s, Fort Beaufort, one of the largest congregations that we have seen for a long time assembled to witness the marriage of Llewellyn O. LLOYD, Assistant in the Eastern Province Guardia Loan and Investment Company, with Miss THARRATT, eldest daughter of John THARRATT Esq. of Bath Farm. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Father SIMEON, Rector, assisted by the Rev. John CLARKE. The bride looked charming, and was accompanied by Miss LLOYD, sister of the bridegroom, and her two sisters Misses L. and M. THARRATT as bridesmaids. The best man was the bridegroom’s cousin, Mr. HEPBURN. After the ceremony a large company of friends assembled at the Oddfellows’ Arms Hotel, where a splendid breakfast had been provided, which redounded to the credit of Mr. and Mrs. C. MEADE. The healths of the bride and bridegroom were drunk with cheers. At one o’clock they left for the honeymoon at the Kowie. We (Advocate) join with the many friends of Mr. and Mrs. LLOYD in wishing that they may have a long and happy married life. On behalf of the legions of Grahamstown friends we would also add our own heartfelt felicitations.

Tuesday 18 April 1893

BIRTH at “Brookville”, Grahamstown, on Sunday April 16th, the wife of Horace O. DOLD of a daughter.

BIRTH at Penrock, near Grahamstown, on the 15th inst, the wife of Mr. Herbert E. SAVORY of a daughter.

DRAGGED TO DEATH
Henry Wm. WILMORE, the mounted constable charged on remand at Capetown with having caused the death of a coloured prisoner, named [PRINTS], through having tied him to the stirrup-iron, was committed for trial.

NARROW ESCAPE
The Vryburg paper relates the narrow escape of Mr. A.H. FRIEND, the popular Sec. of the Rifle Club, from a sudden death. Mr. RAYNER strolled into his room the other day, saw a revolver lying on the table, picked it up, pointed it towards him and - bang! It went off, the bullet passing within an inch or so of Mr. FRIEND’s nose. Of course the thoughtless shootist had no idea the revolver was loaded, and of course Mr. KENT, who had left the revolver there, had no idea that anyone would pick it up and point it at anyone else; but there is the bullet mark on the wall and we hope that all concerned will have learnt a lesson as to the danger of leaving loaded firearms about and of handling them so carelessly.

MEDAL FOR HEROISM
An interesting ceremony took place last week at the C.M.R. Camp, Staalklip (says the Queenstown representative) when Colonel GRANT (commanding C.M.R.) presented Private S.R. DANIELS with the Royal Humane Society’s medal, awarded him in recognition of his bravery in saving the life of a Kafir at Kei Poort some months ago, at the imminent risk of his own. Private DANIEL jumped into the swollen torrent of the White Kei and saved the native from being drowned. Colonel GRANT spoke in eulogistic terms of Private DANIEL’s action, and after [line obscured in paper fold] [called] for three cheers for private DANIELS, and the whole parade heartily responded, many civilians who were also present joining in with enthusiasm.

Thursday 20 April 1893

DIED at Salem on the 14th April, Charlotte, the beloved wife of Joseph GUSH, in her 74th year.

DIED at the residence of her grandparents, Fort Beaufort, on Sunday 16th April, after a short and painful illness, Gladys Elizabeth VAUGHAN, dearly beloved daughter of John and Emily VAUGHAN, of Grahamstown, aged 3 years and 5 months.
Our loss but her gain.

Saturday 22 April 1893

BIRTH at Bertram Street, Grahamstown, on Friday the 21st April 1893, the wife of A. GLOVER of a daughter.

P.M.G. DEAD
The Postmaster-General of Holland, Mr. J.P. HOFSTEDE, is dead. Mr. HOFSTEDE was a very brad principled man, and had been resident in Africa for years, having originally come out as a theological student. He was married in Natal to a Miss POTGIETER and was well known in Bloemfontein and the Orange Free State.

SUDDEN DEATH
On Tuesday afternoon last Trooper MURRAY, of the C.M.R., suddenly met his death while on the road back from Barkly East to his station at Bell River. From the information we (Reporter) have been able to gather, it appears that he left town on the day mentioned in company with Corpl. STEWART and Trooper EMERSON, and all rode gaily along until about an hour and a half from here when the deceased fell suddenly from his horse, dislocating his neck. Deceased had suffered from heart disease.

Tuesday 25 April 1893

DEATH OF MR. T.H. COPELAND
No stereotyped press formula will suffice to express the regret we feel at having to announce the death of our former townsman, Mr. T.H. COPELAND, once the senior partner of the important firm of T.H. COPELAND & Son. The entire town has been apprised that for some time his end was imminent, but his sudden death on Monday last must have been nevertheless a great shock to the community amongst which he has been so long reckoned a prominent member. We have not yet forgotten the time when he gave £100 to the Cathedral Tower Fund. Amongst the citizen [sic] Mr. COPELAND was always popular, and all citizens will hear of his decease with genuine grief. As Captain Commanding of the Irish Rifles he will long be remembered in this city, and subsequently as a captain in the 1st C.V., his memory will be green. Some time ago he relinquished business, but it will not yet be forgotten how important a part he once played in the business of Grahamstown. He was also interested in the sports of the town, and the footballers and cricketers still recall with affection the contributions he was always ready to give towards their funds. He will be generally regretted, and we sincerely join our regret to the general condolence which will be offered to the bereaved family.

Saturday 29 April 1893

DIED at Pote’s Villa, Grahamstown, on April 24 1893, Thomas Harrison COPELAND in his 63rd year.