Twitter The Herald La Femme Weekend Post News Feed News Break
Sunscribe to The Herald Port Elizabeth eEdition Online News
Breaking News Special Reports Jobs Lifestyle Service Directory Classifieds
Search Jobs All Jobs

Historic settler items to go on web auction

22 January 2014
Xolisa Phillip

A LETTER that tells an intriguing story of murder, betrayal and sabotage is up for grabs tomorrow when a slice of Eastern Cape history goes under the hammer.

Grahamstown's Fables Bookshop owner Ian Balchin is auctioning the letter on a rare-book website on behalf of a family who want to remain anonymous.

And foreign and local bidders are lining up to get their hands on other letters that offer a glimpse into the shenanigans of influential figures in colonial South Africa, Balchin says.

Writers of the letters include Sir Rufane Donkin, the acting governor of the Cape Colony from 1820 to 1821, and activist and entrepreneur John Fairbairn, the founding father of Old Mutual.

One letter detailing the then-colonial office's refusal to provide special assistance to a party Benjamin Moodie had proposed to settle in the Zuurveld, west of the Fish River, is of particular significance.

This is the site where 1000 soldiers and settler militias displaced some 20000 Xhosa and Khoikhoi people and destroyed their homes, forcing them to flee their land.

Benjamin was a member of a prominent settler family, the Moodies of Melsetter on the Orkney Islands in Scotland.

 
Other items that might pique Eastern Cape residents' interest are the Donkin and Fairbairn letters.

These letters are owned by the same family.

Port Elizabeth is named after Donkin's wife, Elizabeth.

Fairbairn was instrumental in establishing press freedom in the Cape under governor Lord Charles Somerset.

Fairbairn also played a key role in ensuring the convict ship Aurora was sent packing from the Cape in a signal that South Africa did not want to become a colony for convicts, like Australia, according to Balchin.

The family selling the letters feel that the items will be of better use in others' hands, the sprightly 72-yearold says.

He added that foreign buyers had to apply for export permits. Heritage authorities also review sales.

The auction opens at 6.30pm SA time. For more information visit www.antiquarianauctions.co.za



Media Center
Visit Our Youtube Channel
View MoreTop Stories: News
Help us spread inspiration Malema due to appear today Too early to pack for parliament Shock as beloved lone rhino poached Terminal still to get off ground NMMU part of student aid scheme pilot Ramphele to be DA presidential candidate Businessman steps in with R250000 to help babies Top Bay politicians eye lists anxiously Two A-team theft suspects arrested in PE

News Categories

News Sport LifeStyle Letters World Jobs
Comment on this article via Facebook
The Herald Port Elizabeth - Inspired by Times Media Group The Herald Port Elizabeth Digital Media & Marketing Association

All material copyright The Herald. © Times Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

Subscribe | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | News | Archives | Events | Blogs | Classifieds | About Us | Jobs | Herald Rates | WeekendPost Rates

Website development and design by Online Innovations