Friday 2 October 1863

DIED on the 1st instant at the Provincial Hospital, Mr. Thomas H. MORRISON, native of Paisley, Scotland, aged 29 years.
The Funeral will take place this (Tuesday) afternoon at 4 o’clock. [sic] Friends are most respectfully invited to attend.
Timothy LEE, Undertaker
Port Elizabeth
October 2nd 1863.

DIED on the 1st instant at the Provincial Hospital, Mr. Samuel SMITH, aged 32 years.
The Funeral will take place this (Tuesday) afternoon at [2] o’clock. [sic] Friends are most respectfully invited to attend.
Timothy LEE, Undertaker
Port Elizabeth
October 2nd 1863.

The Colesberg Advertiser states that the remains of Mr. Theodore ORPEN, who was drowned some months ago in the Orange River, have been recently found and interred. It appears that several persons knew that the body had drifted on a small island, but concealed the fact, hoping that a reward would be offered for the recovery of the body.
[See issue of 17 February 1863]

Tuesday 6 October 1863

FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION IN GRAHAM’S TOWN
We are seldom pained by being called upon to record accidents such as one which occurred on Friday at the Steam Mill of Messrs. S. CAWOOD & Co. The circumstances of the case, hastily collected, are as follows:-
At about five o’clock the engine driver, named JOHNSON, descended the stoke-hole, a place about 12 feet by 8, and four or five deep, for the purpose of making up the fire, as the men in the mill had called out for more steam. As soon as the door of the furnace was opened an explosion took place; the surface of the boiler exposed to the furnace was rent asunder by the force of the steam it contained, which was discharged through the furnace into the stoke-hole, filling that lace with boiling water, fire and steam. Whether the explosion was accelerated by the opening of the door or not, is a matter for scientific consideration; but too certain it is that it took place the moment the door was opened, and while the unfortunate man was in the most exposed position. The men in the mill were immediately on the spot, and found their unfortunate companion lying on the top of the steps in a most pitiable and helpless condition. He had been carried thither, a distance of five or six yards, and up a flight of four or five steps, by the rush of steam and fire. He was taken home, and Dr. ATHERSTONE, assisted by all the medical talent available, was very shortly on the spot; but the poor fellow lingered for only a few hours; he died at about 11 the same night. His face was frightfully charred and blackened, and a fearful wound extended from the nose to the forehead. His whole body was literally boiled, and we are informed by one who [……] to wash him before the arrival of medical assistance that during that operation his flesh actually peeled off in large pieces. Had it been possible to save him, he would in all probability have been totally disabled; without doubt both his eyes were destroyed; but it was one of those cases in which the injuries were so great that death was inevitable. Mutilated and mangled as he was, poor fellow, he appears to have been sensible to the last moment; and we fear at some times suffered the most acute agony, for he called loudly for relief, and holding up his hands, which our informant says hung in rags, exclaimed “Oh my poor hands, look at them!”
[Two further paragraphs dealing with the technical aspects of the steam mill]
Deceased was a quiet, inoffensive man, past middle age, and seems to have been greatly respected by those with whom he was brought into contact. – Journal.
[Transcriber’s note: His Death Notice  shows that his full name was John JOHNSON, aged 45]

Tuesday 13 October 1863

[Largely illegible death notification for someone who died on 3rd Oct]

EXTENSIVE FORGERIES
A CAPE TOWN MERCHANT IN THE DOCK
On Tuesday last Alfred A. MARCUS, a person well known in Cape Town, and indeed throughout the colony, as a dealer in ostrich feathers and a speculator in anything that offered a chance of profit, was arrested under a warrant granted upon an affidavit of Mr. G.W. PILKINGTON, to the effect that MARCUS had passed to him two bills of exchange for £2,000 each, endorsed “George WOOD”, which MARCUS represented to be the signature of the Hon. George WOOD M.L.C., but which turned out to be forgeries.
[two columns describing court proceedings in detail]

MARRIED on the 26th instant by the Rev. Dr. Adler, Lewis SCHRYVER Esq, of 52 Gower-street, Bedford-square, late of Cradock, Cape of Good Hope, to Elizabeth, youngest daughter of Samuel LEVY Esq, 28 King William-street, Stand. No cards.

MARRIED on the 8th instant, at Christ Church, Paddington, by the Rev. George Hough, late Colonial Chaplain at the Cape of Good Hope, assisted by the Rev. H. Blagdon, Thomas Tennant PRINCE Esq, third son of the late G.W. PRINCE Esq, to Sarah Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James SEARIGHT Esq, [14] Upper Hyde-park gardens. Cards not sent.

MARRIED on the 4th instant in the parish church, Preston, by the Rev. […..], Chaplain to the Forces, assisted by the Rev. Canon Parr, vicar of [Pic….] [….] Pooley Francis SHULDHAM, Adjutant of the Londonderry Light Infantry, fourth son of the late Molyneux William SHULDHAM Esq, of Ballymahon, County Longford, to Maria, second daughter of John ROSS Esq, of Mount Nelson, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope.

MARRIED on the 25th instant, at St.Mark’s Church, Reigate, by the Rev. Arthur Cazenove M.A., incumbent, John Thornhill, eldest son of George Bowes MORLAND, of Abingdon, Berks. Esq., to Helen Louisa, youngest daughter of the Rev. George HOUGH, late Senior Colonial Chaplain at the Cape of Good Hope, now rector of Yelford, Oxon.

Tuesday 20 October 1863

BIRTH, the wife of N. ADLER Esq. of a daughter.
Port Elizabeth, 17th October.

DIED at Hougham Park on Friday 16th inst, Charles, third son of Andries HUDSON Esq., of Hougham Park, aged 7 years and 4 months.

Tuesday 27 October 1863

An old pensioner, named WILLIAMSON, died at Cape Town a few days since, from taking an overdose of laudanum.

SUICIDE AT CAPE TOWN
On Wednesday a Mr. GILLARD, formerly a teacher, while dressing and in presence of his wife, suddenly drew his razor across his throat. He had been suffering from disease of the brain

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE
Capt. BARTLETT of the Fortuna, now in Table Bay, has come to a sudden end, through taking laudanum, it is supposed by mistake. Every appliance was used to restore consciousness, but without effect.

MISS FORSDYKE, who was some time ago mixed up with the case of the fraudulent insolvent, S.P. ROBINSON, of the Paarl, has since been married. We copy the following from the Aberdeen Free Press of Aug 14: At 16 Bon Accord-street, on the 10th current, Captain J.A. THOMAS, of the bark Mary Gardiner, of Cape Town, to Elizabeth FORSDYKE, eldest daughter of Mr. John FORSDYKE, farmer, Needham, Suffolk.

DIED at Uitenhage on Saturday the 24th October 1863, [A….] Ernest, son of Geo. BREHM, aged 5 months.

Friday 30 October 1863

BIRTH at Port Elizabeth on Saturday 24th October 1863, the wife of Mr. F. HOLBORN, Wellington Hotel, of a daughter.

CAPT. BARTLETT OF THE “FORTUNA”
The remains of this gentleman were interred on Saturday last at Cape Town. All the vessels in the Bay hoisted their flags half-mast high, in token of mourning at the sudden and melancholy departure of the deceased.

MYSTERIOUS AND FATAL ACCIDENT
On Saturday afternoon Mr. August W. BRANDT, trader and keeper of a shop at Riebeck, left Graham’s Town with the intention of reaching his home that night. He rode one horse and led another. Later in the afternoon his wagon followed him, and when it reached the Vaal River, about half way the men with it were rather astonished to find their master’s horses without their rider. They continued their journey till they came to Mr. LEPAN’s (the Fieldcornet) and there told what they had seen. Mr. LEPAN having ascertained that Mr. BRANDT had not reached home, a search for the missing man was commenced, and early on Sunday morning he was found in the river some twenty yards below the drift. The remains were brought into Graham’s Town.
The immediate cause of death was undoubtedly drowning, the waterproof coat of deceased being scratched, as if he had been carried by the stream through the bushes which intervene between the drift and where the body was found. The river is very shallow, in fact almost dry, except after a storm, and it is not likely any person could have been drowned in it unless previously rendered insensible. When deceased left Graham’s Town he was perfectly sober, and was, moreover, an excellent horseman, so it is not very likely he fell from his horse unless caused to fall by some violent means. There was a blue bruise-like mark, which, say his friends, might have been caused by the lightning (the storm being severe about that time) or by the kerrie of some ruffians. – Journal.

Tuesday 3 November 1863

BIRTH at Townshend Terrace, North End on Monday the 2nd instant, Mrs. W.A. FAIRBRIDGE of a son.

Friday 6 November 1863

MYSTERIOUS DEATH
On Sunday morning last a man named HANKEY, a collector, residing at Claremont, was found dead in his house. A bottle was found in his house which had contained some brandy used for preserving snakes, and it is thought that death might have resulted from the deceased drinking some of it.

A man named David FIDGET, a shoemaker, but who had latterly been in the service of Mrs. WATSON, died on Monday last from strangulation, brought on by excessive drinking.

Tuesday 10 November 1863

BIRTH at Port Elizabeth, November 8th 1863, {……] BIRT of a son

DIED […..] October 29th, infant son of {….] and Ann BAILLY, aged 1 month […..] Deeply regretted.

Friday 13 November 1863

A very sudden death occurred at Graham’s Town on Sunday evening last. A young man named D.S. RAMSAY was taking leave of his intended wife, with whom he had spent the evening, and even while their hands were clasped, he sighed heavily and fell on the ground dead. RAMSAY was only 24 years of age, and was to have been married on Tuesday last. Death was found to have been caused by disease of the heart.

Tuesday 17 November 1863

BIRTH on the 16th November, Mrs. William DFENT of a son.

BIRTH at Port Elizabeth on the 14th inst, the wife of W.R. CHALMERS Esq. of a son.

DIED at St.John’s River, of Dysentery, on the 6th November 1863, John Eldred Mowbray, youngest son of Mr. F. HUGHES, aged 3 years and 6 months.

CHILD DROWNED
On the 7th instant a fine boy, aged about four years, step-son of the proprietor of the Royal Sovereign Hotel at Woodstock, was unfortunately drowned in a deep pool of water in the immediate vicinity of his parents’ residence.

Friday 20 November 1863

BIRTH at Port Elizabeth on the 20th instant, Mrs. A.H. JACK of a son.

BIRTH at Aliwal North, 12th November, Mrs. Henry S. LEE of a son.

Tuesday 24 November 1863

DIED at Alexandria on the 7th November, very suddenly, ___ SPRATT, formerly bandmaster in the 27th Regiment.
Oliphant’s Hoek, 18th Nov 1863.

FATAL ACCIDENT
On the [13th] inst a [tree] labourer named Mark GLYNN engaged in moving one of the large cranes at the Breakwater works, Cape Town, had his left foot crushed by one of the wheels of the crane passing over it. He was removed at once to Somerset Hospital, where amputation was performed on Saturday; but the poor sufferer only survived until Monday morning, when death put an end to his sufferings.

Friday 27 November 1863

DIED at sea on the 1st September, on board the “Penguin”, Henry ROSENBLAT, aged 41 years.

Tuesday 1 December 1863

MARRIED on the 25th November at St.Paul’s Church, by the Rev. S, Brook, Mr. Edwin PALMER, Grocer of this Town, to Emily, eldest daughter of Mr. John PHILLIPS, both of Bristol.

DIED at Uitenhage on the 18th inst, infant daughter of Mr. H. VAN RIET.

SYMPATHY
On the receipt of the intelligence of the murder of Mr. GRAY, of the barque Saxon, the masters of the several vessels in the bay simultaneously gave orders to hoist their flags half-mast, in token alike of their sympathy with the widow and orphans and respect for the deceased.

Friday 4 December 1863

BIRTH at Adelaide on the 21st inst, Mrs. S.J. POTGIETER of a son.

MARRIED at Port Elizabeth on the 2nd inst, by the Rev. Edwin GEDYE, brother-in-law of the bride, Mr. Jno. H. ATKINSON to Louisa Lardner, third daughter of Mr. Richard GREENWOOD, Port Elizabeth. No cards.

MARRIED by Special Licence on the 2nd instant at St.Mary’s Church, by the Rev. H.I. Johnson, assisted by the Rev. Edward Pickering, Colonial Chaplain, Martin J. DUNLOP R.N., son of the late James DUNLOP Esq, of Annan Hill, Ayrshire, to Maria, eldest daughter of John HEUGH Esq, Port Elizabeth. No cards.

THE MURDERED MATE OF THE SAXON
We are glad to find that the sympathy felt in Cape Town for the bereaved wife and family of Mr. GRAY, late mate of the Saxon, has assumed a practical and substantial form. A subscription list has been opened for their relief, and has been worthily headed by Messrs. ANDERSON, SAXON & Co, the owners of the Saxon, who have subscribed £50. Other merchants have also contributed liberally, and we have no doubt the general public will do what they can in such a case as this. We hope to see Port Elizabeth follow suit.

Tuesday 8 December 1863

MARRIED at St.Mary’s Church, Port Elizabeth, by the Rev. E. Pickering B.A., Robert PETIT Esq, fourth son of the late Charles PETIT Esq, of Lambourn, Berkshire, to Sophia Fairbridge ARMSTRONG, third daughter of the late Wm. ARMSTRONG Esq, Cuyler Manor.

Friday 18 December 1863

DIED at […..] Lodge on the 8th inst., Herman, the beloved son of Augustus and Elizabeth WATSON, aged 7 months and 8 days.

Friday 25 December 1863

MARRIED by Special Licence at Uitenhage on Thursday the 17th instant, by the Rev. W. Llewellyn, A.W. TENNANT Esq. of Cape Town, to Minarda Barbara, daughter of the late A.W. TENNANT Esq. of Uitenhage.

Tuesday 29 December 1863

BIRTH at Port Elizabeth on Monday 24th December 1863, the wife of Dr. ENSOR Esq, Surgeon &c &c of a daughter.