Queenstown Free Press 1885 2 April - June
Friday April 3, 1885
DIED (Suddenly),- At Molteno, on Saturday, the 28th of March, 1885, Richard CURTIS, of Queenstown, aged 47 years, 9 months and 4 days. Leaving a wife and family to mourn
his loss.
FUNERAL OF A QUEEN'S TOWN VOLUNTEER.- Mr. C.E. EADES, who died after a very short illness on Monday, March 30th, was buried on Wednesday afternoon in the cemetery belonging to the Church of England. Mr EADES who was well known and much respected in the town was indefatigable in all matters connected with the volunteer movement. A member of the old corps, Mr. EADES joined the new corps at its commencement and was so attentive to his duties that it is stated he only missed one drill during the whole period of his connection with the corps...
Tuesday April 14, 1885
BIRTH.- At Queenstown, on the 11th April, 1885, the wife of Mr. A. BEAMISH of a son.
BIRTH,- At Queenstown, on the 10th April, the wife of Geo. A. ALLWRIGHT of a son.
Friday April 17, 1885
BIRTH,- At Queenstown, on the 3rd April, the wife of Mr. Geo, RANKIN of a daughter.
MARRIED,- At T'Somo on the 9th April, 1885, by Rev. E.J. WARNER, Joseph Benjamin, son of the late Rev. Mr. LIEFELDT, to Maria Elizabeth, only daughter of Rev. H.B. WARNER.
DIED.- April 5th, 1885, at the residence of his son-in-law, Indwe Poort, James TROLLIP, aged 64 years, 5 months and 27 days. Deceased was the eldest son of the late Stephen TROLLIP. Friends at a distance please accept this notice.
Tuesday April 21, 1885
KIMBERLEY.
DEATH SENTENE OF A NATIVE.
April 16.
Charles, a native was sentenced to death at the Criminal Sessions to-day for the murder of a Farmer named VAN DER WESTHUIZEN. The deceased caught the native stealing peaches in his garden and was stabbed several times in the struggle with him.
Friday May 1, 1885
BIRTH,- At Lady Frere, on the 23rd inst., the Wife of Mr. E. GREEN, of Southeyville, of a Daughter.
Friday May 8, 1885
DIED,- May 1st, 1885, at his residence, Riet Kuil, after a short and painful illness of 11 days, William MILES, aged 64 years, 11 months and 7 days. Deceased was the eldest son of the late Robert MILES, one of the Settlers of 1820. Friends at a distance please accept this notice.
DIED,- Suddenly, at Burghersdorp, on the 2nd May, 1885, Alexander McINTOSH, mason, late of Lochee, Scotland, aged 31 years. Deeply regretted.
We regret to hear of the death of Mr. W.E. JEFFREY, at Nqamakwe, on Tuesday morning last. Mr. JEFFREY was well known in this district, having grown up at Kamastone with his father, the Superintendent of natives there. Mr. JEFFREY married a daughter of the late Rev W. SHEPSTONE. He was for some time clerk to the Resident Magistrate at Glen Gray, and was afterwards removed to Nqamakwe, in a like capacity there. We believe the lamented deceased had been suffering some time from liver complaint, but none of his friends anticipated his sad end was so near. We tender our sympathy to the widow and family in their bereavement.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT DUTOITSPAN MINE.- A man who entered his name as EALGLESTON in the Searching House book was killed on 29th ult. At the mine by a heavy stone being thrown by accident on his head.
Tuesday May 12, 1885
FATAL ACCIDENT TO A VOLUNTEER.- On 1st inst. Conrad VIERZIGMANN shot himself by accident at Mouille Point. He was standing talking to a friend, and leaning on his rifle when it exploded and the bullet passed through his body. He died the same evening.
Friday May 15, 1885
We much regret to record the death of the eldest child of Dr BATCHELOR, who succumbed to an attack of peritonitis on Monday morning after a week's illness. The funeral took place on Wednesday morning, Rev. J. THOMPSON performing the ceremony. We tender the sympathies of the district to Dr and Mrs BATCHELOR in their bereavement.
DEATH OF MR. SYDSERFF SENR. AN 1820 SETTLER.- Mr. SYDSERFF Senr. Died very suddenly at Imvani, at the residence of his son Mr. Alex SYDSERFF, on Wednesday night, in his 89 year. Mr. SYDSERFF came out with the PRINGLE party and settled at Baviaan's river, where he remained until a grant of land was made to his son at the foundation of Queenstown in 1851 or 1852. He then removed with Mr. Alexander SYDSERFF to take possession, and remained on the land now occupied by Mr. DARKE at Klaasmidts Bridge, until the removal of the family to the Tylden and Imvani districts. Early in the year Mrs. SYDSERFF senr. Passed to her rest, and now we have again the melancholy duty of expressing our sympathy with Mr. Alex. SYDSERFF and his family, in this further break in their circle.
Tuesday May 19, 1885
BIRTH,- On the 26th April, at Tsolo, the wife of O'Neal SEGRAVE, Lieutenant Cape Infantry, of a Son.
DIED.- At Queenstown on May 12th, 1885, Jane Erskine, daughter of Dr. BATCHELOR, of Queenstown. Aged 2 years and 6 months.
Friday May 22, 1885
WEDDING.- On Wednesday morning before seven o'clock, Mr. W. JOHNSTONE, the popular manager of this branch of the Cape of Good Hope Bank, was married in Wesley Church, by the Rev. James THOMPSON, B.A., to Miss Emily L. CALLAGHAN, the second daughter of Mr CALLAGHAN, of Ashby Manor. Owing to the delicate health of Mrs. CALLAGHAN, the wedding was very quiet...
Friday, May 29, 1885
MARRIED,- By Special Licence, in Wesley Church, Queenstown, on Wednesday, the 20th May, 1885, by the Rev. James THOMPSON, B.A., Mr. William JOHNSTOWN, Manager of the branch of Cape of Good Hope Bank, to Emily Louise CALLAGHAN, second daughter of Mr. Hugh CALLAGHAN, of Ashby Manor.
CHUDLEIGH-STIRTON. May 26, 1885, at the Congregational and Presbyterian Church, Queenstown, by the Rev. W.B. PHILIP, of Capetown, assisted by the Rev. J.P. RITCHIE,- C. CHUDLEIGH to Jane, second daughter of Geo. STIRTON, Esq., Queenstown.
We regret to learn that Mr. W.E.E. PASSMORE a nephew of our Townsman Mr. R.J. GODDARD died at Tarkastad on Sunday after a very short illness. A large circle of friends and acquaintances will tender their sympathies to the relatives of the deceased gentleman.
Tuesday, June 2, 1885
DIED,- May 26, at Askeaton, N'Dwana, in pertect peace, Mary Ann, the beloved wife of Rev. John WILSON, Wesleyan Minister, aged 65 years.
Friday June 5, 1885
BIRTH,- At Molteno on Thursday, May 31st, the wife of J.E. BURDEKIN of a Daughter.
MARRIAGE of Mr. D. LEWES and Miss WHITE.- The E.L. Dispatch says:- A wedding to which more than the ordinary amount of interest attaches took place on the West Bank yesterday, when Mr LEWES lately the engineer of the lost tug Lizzie, crossed the bar with a fair lady from the district of Queenstown. Three weeks ago Mr LEWES had a struggle for mastery with fate in a different guise, for if ever a man came near to handing in his checks it was this engineer when submerged for a whole ten minutes in that drowning tug. Mr LEWES has only survived that ordeal in order in undergo another just as trying, but he came up this time much more smiling than he did on the last occasion. We sincerely wish him every joy, and that he and his may long live to steer their craft over smooth seas, to a secure anchorage in old age.
The death is announced of the Earl of Dudley. His Lordship succumbed to an attack of pneumonia, after an illness of only two days.
Tuesday June 9, 1885
DIED.- May 26, at Skeaton, N'Dwana, in perfect peace, Mary Ann, the beloved wife of Rev John WILSON, Wesleyan Minister, aged 65 years.
DIED,- June 4th, 1885, at Askeaton, N'Dwana, Tembuland, Rhona Beatrice, aged 2 months, 11 days, the infant daughter of W.H. and E.A. WILSON, and the grand-daughter of the late Mrs. WILSON.
DIED,- At Waku, suddenly on the 3rd of June, Charles Henry, son of W.A. MORGAN, late of Grahamstown, age 50 years, leaving a surviving widow and large family and circle of friends to mourn their sad and painful bereavement. Friends at a distance please accept this notice.
Friday, June 12, 1885
BIRTH,- At Molteno on Thursday, May 31st, the wife of J.E. BURDEKIN of a Daughter.
Tuesday, June 16, 1885
SARAH COMLEY, wife of S. LOXTON, departed this life at Whittlesea on the 11th June, 1885, aged 65 years. The bereaved husband and relatives tender their warmest acknowledgements to the ladies of Whittlesea who so lovingly attended her night and day, until death released her from her suffering.
IN MEMORIAM.
Another link in our social chaia has been snapped by the hand of death, and we shall miss from among us one than whom few in the Town and District were better known and more popular. We allude to Mr. Fred. W. SHEPTONE, who, at the comparatively early age of 40 years and six months, breathed his last on Saturday the 13th June, 1885, after being confined to his bed, for only a week with a severe attack of jaundice, culminating in hemorrhage of the liver. The deceased was a son of the Revd. W. SHEPSTONE, and was by marriage and otherwise, connected with many of the best families whose fortunes are linked with this Colony and Natal. His position, as a partner in the Firm of Bell & Shepstone, and as an Attorney of twelve years standing, gave him considerable prominence in our Town, and he was always ready to throw himself heart and soul into any project for the benefit of his fellows. In response to the call to arms made in 1881, he went to Basutoland with the Burghers of this District, being appointed Field-Captain of that force. In virtue of his position in H.M.'s Colonial Forces the Queenstown Volunteers were mustered on the occasion of his funeral and added much to the effect of the cortege, while the notes of the Dead March in Saul, played by the Regimental Band, contributed not a little to the solemnity of the scene. As a Freemason the deceased was much respected and the craft was strong by represented. The funeral, by far the largest we have seen in Queenstown, was appointed to take place at 4 p.m. on Sunday...
THE LATE MRS. SAMUEL LOXTON.
We regret to have to record the decease of one to whom this portion of the Frontier is greatly indebted, in bygone years. Mrs. LOXTON who had been ailing for some time but was not confined to the house, went not long ago to Whittlesea, where she died on Thursday last, aged 65 years. The funeral took place on Saturday afternoon, from the house in Queenstown, a very large number of friends following the body to the cemetery. The service was partly rendered at Wesley Church by Rev. J. THOMPSON B.A. and Rev, H.H. DUGMORE. The sympathies of the whole district will be with Mr LOXTON and family in their bereavement. Mrs LOXTON was the wife of the earliest pioneer to the Queenstown district, as Mr LOXTON and his late wife came up at the end of the 1846 war. In January 1848, they settled in Whittlesea. Whittlesea was attacked, in December 1850 and a report came of outbreak of war the commencement of which was the Aukland Massacre. Mrs LOXTON and other mothers of families were hemmed in at Whittlesea by thousands of savages. When the question was raised whether they (the women) would fly to Cradock or defend Whittlesea the decision was arrived at by Mrs. LOXTON, who refused to leave her husband, and other wives followed her decision. It was felt by all that if the women had gone the men would have followed. The second question presenting itself was, who should make the sacrifice of unroofing a building to make a place of refuge in case of attack. Mrs. LOXTON again, with that disregards for self, elected to have her house unroofed, and lived in roofless walls for months, with her little children, they being the whole time under fire at night. Mrs. LOXTON often made bullets for the men with her own hands, when they were running short, and utilized her own spoons, teapot &c., and all materials within her reach that could be utilized for that purpose. She went into the bastion erected to protect the water casks, for drink water, for the men fighting, when a bullet fired at her passed through her hair into the cask; the brave lady put down the filled jug and stopped the leakage of the precious fluid, and not till that was done, did she seek the safer shelter of the stone walls. Fortunately Commandant BOWKER and his wife were there at the outbreak, and he declared that unless some house was unroofed the position would be untenable. The credit of Whittlesea not falling into the hands of the enemy may therefore be attributed to Mrs. LOXTON's courage. Her many acts of unostentatious kindness are well known.
Tuesday June 23, 1885
DEATH OF MRS. PAULING.- We regret to learn that a private message has been received, announcing the death of Mrs. PAULING, at Cape Town, on Saturday morning last.
SUDDEN DEATH IN KIMBERLEY.- A white man named J. CONNOLLY was found dead in bed last week.
Friday June 26, 1885
MARRIAGE,- 24th June, at St. Michael's Church, Queenstown, by the Rev. A. GRANT, Rector, William Albert, only son of the late William John DIXON, Esq., of Graaff-Reinet, to Sarah Elizabeth, elder daughter of the late Edward Thomas BARKER, Esq., of Grahamstown.- No Cards.
Tuesday June 30, 1885
DEATH OF THE REV F JOPLIN M.A., of Debach. From the Ipswich Journal we learn of the death of the Rector of Debach on Ascension Day.- Besides being rector of the Parish the Rev. F JOPLIN M.A. was Lord of the Manor, the living being a family gift. At the funeral the seat the late Rector was left vacant, a white cross and crown being placed on it. The pretty little church, which was restored by the late Sir George Gilbert SCOTT. Was quite full of sympathising parishioners and friends. The Burial
service was read by the Rev. H. SIMKIN, rector of Hasketon, and the Rev. Arthur MAUDE of Burgh. Each member of the choircarrieda bunch of white flowers to throw into the grave, which was tastefully lined with moss and apple blossoms. The deceased gentleman was M.A. of Queen's College, Cambridge, and had been rector of the parishes of Debach and Boulge for 18 years. [The Rev F JOPLIN M.A. was father to Sub Inspector JOPLIN of the Cape Police to whom in his bereavement we tender the sympathies of the district.- Ed. F.P.]
SUICIDE OF A KAFFIR BOY AT THE LOCATION.
On Sunday morning a native boy about 16 years old was found by his mother hanging in the hut quite dead. The particulars are as under. Kaatje MPEPA the mother of the deceased, whose name was Motwano, said she last saw him alive at breakfast time. He was then lying awake between the two poles of the hut. She went to another hut to get some fire, and stayed away some time. When she returned she found him hanging on the rope attached to the rafter, and quite dead. Hans MADODA came and assisted in taking the body down. The rope was very much twisted, and the deceased was on his knees, which were slightly raised from the ground. She could assign no reason for the act. On Saturday night she found him crying, James MATEBEGETA has scolded him as he told me for not taking his horse over to town as he had hired him to look after the horse. It appears that the deceased had placed his head within the rope and then had twisted it round and round until the force of throwing himself on his knees had simply choked him. The Resident Magistrate went yesterday morning accompanied by the Doctor to view the body and the inquest will be held today.
- Hits: 4438