1820 British Settler

Miles Bowker 55, Farmer, together with his wife Anna Maria Mitford 38. and 9 children, were members of Bowker's Party of 23 Settlers on the Weymouth, Miles being the Leader of the Party.

Party originated from Wiltshire.

• Departed London, 7 January 1820.
  
• Arrived Table Bay, Cape Town on 16 April 1820.
  
• Final Port - Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth 15 May 1820.
  

Area Allocated to the Party : Olive Burn and Tharfield

Children :

• William Monkhouse Bowker 17
  
• Miles Brabbin Bowker 14
  
• Thomas Holden Bowker 12
  
• Bertram Egerton Bowker 11
  
• Robert Mitford Bowker 9
  
• Septimus Bourchier Bowker 7
  
• Octavius Bourchier Bowker 4
  
• Mary Elizabeth Bowker 2
  
• Anna Maria Bowker (born at sea).
  

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Death Notice : "South Africa, Cape Province, Probate Records of the Master of the High Court, 1834-1989," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQX-M13K?cc=2517051&w... : 12 September 2017), 007844935 > image 1504 of 2253; Pietermaritzburg Archives (Formerly Natal State Archives), South Africa.

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Burial : "South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers, 1801-2004," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTWM-SW96?cc=1468076&w... : 21 May 2014), South Africa > Cape of Good Hope > Grahamstown, Bathurst, St John the Evangelist > Baptisms, marriages, burials 1829-1849 > image 69 of 108; William Cullen Library, Wits University, Johannesburg.

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http://www.southafricansettlers.com/?p=235

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Miles BOWKER - though his older children were born in the North I have found a mass baptismal entry for Almer, Dorset when his first seven children were received into the church on the same day, with exact dates of birth listed.

http://www.eggsa.org/1820-settlers/index.php/additional-information...

from Sue Mackay

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Miles Bowker - 1820 Settler Party Leader

Miles Bowker was head of the Bowker party that left Portsmouth, England, aboard the Weymouth sailing on the 7th January 1820. The Weymouth arrived in Cape Town on 26th April 1820, and then sailed to Port Elizabeth, arriving there after 15th May 1820. Sometime during May or June, the Bowker party left Algoa Bay.

Their route crossed over the Koega and Zwartkops rivers near the coast, and then inland over Grass Ridge to the Addo Drift, across the Sundays River about 20 miles from it's mouth, and then over the Addo Heights.

From this point the route took a south-easterly direction, more or less parallel to the coast, passing Congo's Kraal and Graafwater, to Jager's Drift on the Bushmans River. After passing the mission station at Theopolis, they forded the Kowie river at it's mouth at low tide, by utilising two exposed sandbanks. This trip took about 8 days to complete, and was led by Petrus Oosthuizen, who became a great friend of Miles Bowker. Two of Miles's sons married Petrus' daughters. .

The Bowker party of 23 consisted of: Miles, wife Ann Maria, sons William Monkhouse B., Miles Brabbin, Thomas Holden, Robert Mitford, Septimus, Octavius, and daughters Mary Elizabeth and Anna Maria; Henry Adams, G Austen, Charles Besant, G.Flooks, John Hayter, William Ingram, Richard Limes, John Stanford and his wife Maria, son John and daughters Letitia, Jane and Sophia. The eldest Bowker son, John Mitford, joined the family in 1922 after tying up the family affairs in South Newton, Wiltshire, and the last son, James Henry, was born at Tharfield. .

The Bowker family were allocated the land known as Tharfield, on the KleinMonden River, north of Port Kowie (Port Alfred). . Miles, together with Major Pigot and J. Dyason tried to develop Port Kowie as a harbour in 1821. He was appointed as a Heemraad (judicial assessor) to assist the deputy magistrate, Major Jones, at Grahamstown in 1821, but Lord Somerset dismissed Major Jones and the heemraad in 1822. . Interested in botany, he was sending indigenous bulbs from the Lower Albany area to the Government Secretary as early as 1826. He was also a pioneer in establishing the wool industry in the Eastern Cape Province, in 1826, with merino sheep.

Miles Bowker, a Wiltshire farmer, led a party on the Weymouth. They settled on the right bank of the George River and called it Olive Burn. He came out with his wife and 8 children and one was born while lying at anchor in Table Bay.

The original grant of land made to Miles Bowker was Oliveburn which was 1.500 acres in size. This proved to small to support Miles's large family and retainers. He was allowed to to exchange it for a grant of nearly 5.000 acres between the Reit River and the Kleinemond, with about one and half miles of sea-coast to the south. This became known as Tharfield. Although maize and wheat have been planted at different times, it is principally a cattle farm.

Tharfield is now owned my Mr Tom Webb, whose grandfather exchanged his house in Grahamstown with Miles Bowker's grandson for Tharfield.

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8.3.1800 Married in Morpeth, Northumberland

1808 Moved to Charborough Park, Dorset - farmed Merino sheep for 8 years. Children baptised in Almer Church
1816 Moved to Manor Farm, South Newton, Wiltshire Dec 1819 Portsmouth to sail on Weymouth.

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Lower Albany Chronicle:

15 April 1822: Cape seed-wheat had been issued to party and division leaders as follows: to Edward FORD for 8 men, to Miles BOWKER for 6, James RICHARDSON 8, George SMITH 20, COCK's party 30, Christopher THORNHHILL 8, Thomas WAKEFORD 5, Timothy FLANEGAN 8, Thomas ADAMS 6, George ANDERSON 3, Lieut. John BAILIE 8, Thomas PHILIPPS 9, Benjamin OSLER 6, William GRIFFITHS 5, George WATSON 6.

23 May 1835: Miles BOWKER junior helped to repel another raid from across the Lynedoch River on the cattle at Tharfield. One of the enemy was killed. Miles BOWKER gave warning to George SMITH and to Thomas WILLIAMS. The latter left to report to Bathurst Post and George SMITH with his family took refuge at Tharfield, which was in more open country than Smith's Bush.

29 May 1835: Miles BOWKER and George SMITH were compelled to retire on Bathurst Post with their families.

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British South Africa

A History of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope from its Conquest 1795 to the Settlement of Albany by the British Emigration of 1819 [A.D. 1795 - 1825]

WITH NOTICES OF SOME OF THE BRITISH SETTLERS OF 1820 BY COLIN TURING CAMPBELL [Residient at Graham's Town, 1845-1871]

Bowker, Miles, head of a party from Wiltshire, who came in the Weymouth. He was of gentle birth, a scholar, and a good botanist. His first residence was at Oliveburn, near the coast, and subsequently at Tharfield, on the Lynedoch or Kleinemond River. He was appointed, with Captain Duncan Campbell, Heemeraad of Albany for many years, but resigned office, preferring the cultivation of his farms to politics.

He died early in the year 1839, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, and was buried at Tharfield. He brought with him from England eight sons and two daughters. His youngest son was born at Oliveburn, making nine sons in all.

Their names are well known in the Frontier districts and Colony. They all followed in their father's footsteps as farmers and agriculturists, and all took an active share in the numerous Kafir engagements, giving their services for the benefit of their country,

(1) William Monkhouse Bowker, J. P., M.L.A., Commandant of Burghers, Eastern District, served in the Fikani Expedition in 1828, was Commandant of the Bathurst Corp of Guides during the war of 1835-36, served in the Kei patrol under Sir Benjamin D'Urban, and through the war of 1846-47. He was the first to raise the Somerset Volunteers in the war of 1851-52, and go to the rescue of families in the Winterberg, and was in command of burghers at the battle of Balfour and taking of Fort Armstrong.

(2) Miles Brabbin Bowker, served throughout the wars of 1835-36, 1846-47, and 1851-52.

(3) John Mitford Bowker, J. P., Commandant of Burghers, served on the Fikani commando in 1828, in the war of 1835-36, and was wounded. He was Commandant under Sir A. Stockenstrom during the war of 1846-47. He died in 1847.

(4) Thomas Holden Bowker, J. P., M.L.A., served on the Fikani expedition in 1828, served as an officer in the Graham's Town Native Infantry in the war of 1835-36, and served through that of 1846-47, commanding old Kafir Drift post until close of the war. After Resident Magistrate of Kat River, defended Whittlesea during the greater part of the war of 1851-52. He drew up a plan for the defence of the Frontier, which he submitted to His Excellency Sir George Cathcart, Governor, and was partly carried out in the formation of the district of Queen's Town, which town he founded, preventing Kafir incursions for many years. He was further engaged in the greater part of the action taken along the upper Kei border against Kreli, and was in 1872 appointed member and Secretary of the Land Commission on the Diamond Fields. He was many years in Parliament, representing the electoral districts of Albany, Victoria East, and Queen's Town.

(5) Bertram Egerton Bowker, J. P., a farmer, lived on the eastern Frontier of the Colony since 1820. In 1827 he was commandeered by Captain John Crause against marauding Kafirs; in 1828 commandeered under Major Dundas to put down marauding Zulus under Matawani their leader, served eight weeks, together with commando and Tambookie army, retook 50,000 head of cattle ; in 1834 commandeered on Christmas Day, remaining in active service until peace was proclaimed, after which had charge of 6,014 head of Government cattle ; in 1846 had command of a camp with fifteen English and Dutch families, patrolling the neighbourhood till the end of the war ; in 1851 again had charge of a large camp, doing good service in constantly patrolling ; in 1873, when the police were dead beaten at the Ibeka, volunteered for active service, when Kreli's house and kraal were burnt and his tribe driven over the Umtata. On returning from the Transkei was put in command of East London district. Was on active service when Tainton and Brown were murdered ; caught two of the murderers, who were hanged. The Government offered a reward of £200 for the capture of the leader ; caught the leader, who died in gaol, but never received the reward. During the last skirmish with the rebels had two men killed, one wounded, and two horses shot. In 1876 was returned as a member of the Legislative Council for East London.

(6) Robert Mitford Bowker, J.P., M.L.A. and M.L.C., served with the Corps of Guides during the war of 1835-36 ; was at the taking of Murray's Kranz and other engagements until close of the war. Served in the Zuurberg and other points during the war of 1846-47. Volunteered for the rescue of Winterberg families in 1851, was at Balfour and taking of Fort Armstrong, carried out a wounded comrade under close fire. Elected member of the House of Assembly for division of Somerset East in 1854, and served in Parliament for over thirty-six years.

(7) Septimus Bourchier Bowker, J. P., served throughout the wars of 1835-36, 1846-47, and 1851-52.

(8) Octavius Bowker, served during war of 1835-36, and during that of 1846-47 in the Zuurberg. In 1851 accompanied his brother, W. M. Bowker, and was at the battle of Balfour and taking of Fort Armstrong. Served with the Free State forces during the Basutu war, and engaged in various affairs up to annexation of Basutuland in 1868.

(9) James Henry Bowker, J.P., F.L.S., F.Z.S.,F.R.G.S.,F.S.S., gold medalist, served in the war of 1846-47 and in that of 1851-52, was at the suppression of the Kat River rebellion and capture of Fort Armstrong (medal and clasp) in 1S46-47. Inspector of the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police, 1855 ; served in the Transkei Expedition, 1858, and remained in Transkei until withdrawal in 1865. Associated with Sir Walter Currie in locating Fingoes in Transkei ; served in expedition to Basutuland, 1868, and appointed High Commissioner's Agent for that territory ; engaged also in settling the boundaries and formation of the different districts. Commandant Frontier Armed and Mounted Police, 1870. Commanded expedition to the Diamond Fields for annexation to the Cape Colony ; appointed one of the three commissioners, and for some time Chief Commissioner of the Diamond Fields ; commanded expedition for annexation of Tembuland, carried it out, and also selected site for present town of Umtata ; planned expedition which led to the suppression of Langalabellila outbreak and capture of that chief, thanked by Secretary of State. Reappointed Governor's Agent, Basutuland ; retired in 1878 with the honorary rank of Colonel ; appointed one of the Commissioners for Natal, Indian and Colonial extradition ; was twice thanked by Secretary of State for service done ; is a Justice of the Peace for the Cape Colony, Natal, and under William IV, to 24th degree of south latitude ; also under Victoria, ditto.

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DEPOT KAB SOURCE MOOC TYPE ANDER ARGIEWE VOLUME_NO 6/9/15 SYSTEM 00 REFERENCE 3398 PART 1 DESCRIPTION BOWKER, MILES. DEATH NOTICE. STARTING 1839 ENDING 1839

The Early Bowker Settlers - from the East Cape Branch of GSSA Chronicles, issue 94, November 2010

Miles Bowker, who came out on the “Weymouth”, was not a typical Settler. He was not a young man (52) and not poor, or as so many immigrants were, lacking in farming experience. His family numbered eleven at the time of sailing: himself his young wife Anna (38), eight sons and one daughter. His eldest son, John Mitford, remained in England to wind up the family affairs, the second daughter, Anna Maria, was born onboard the Weymouth on the day that the ship arrived in Cape Town, 26th April, and the youngest son was born two years after their arrival.

Miles Bowker had been a gentleman farmer and breeder of Merino sheep on Manor Farm, South Newton (near Wilton) Wiltshire and it was his intention to do this in South Africa but on a larger scale. His application was recommended by his landlord, Lord Pembroke who made a personal visit to the Colonial department and also by William Boscawen, a cousin of Lord Falmouth. The Journey from South Newton to Portsmouth where the party was to embark was made with a borrowed travelling carriage and several farm wagons loaded with household furniture and agricultural implements. The Settlers were not able to board HM store Ship Weymouth immediately as her fitting was not yet completed so as a temporary measure they were accommodated on a hulk in Portsmouth harbour that was used as a ship’s tender.

The route to their location was over the Zwartkops and Coega Rivers, and then over the Addo Heights. From there in a South-easterley direction, more or less parallel to the coast, passing Congo’s Kraal and Graafwater, to Jager’s Drift on to the Bushmans River. After passing the mission station at Theopolis, the forded the Kowie River at its mouth at low tide, by utilising two exposed sandbanks. The trip took about 8 days to complete and was led by Petrus Oosthuisen, who became a great friend of Miles Bowker. Two of Miles’ sons married Petrus’ daughters.

He had been given a tract of land on the right bank of the George River and its location was named Oliveburn. However, it became known as Tharfield, on the Kleinemond River, north of Port Alfred. It was larger than he had requested. However, it was not long before he realised that this was inadequate as it soon became apparent that the Suurveld and Merino did not go together. Over the years wheat was tried but it was a dismal failure owing to rust. Cotton farming came to nothing.

The original “Deed of Grant” still exists, dated 15th February, 1822, and bearing the signature of the Governor, Lord Charles Somerset and that of the Government Surveyor Johan Knobel. The land is described as “a piece of One Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy morgen of land situated in the Albany District.” There follows a description of the boundaries. Conditions are set out : ”That land shall be cultivated by free labourers only, and that any employment of slaves upon it shall render the same to forfeiture. Likewise of his punctually paying, or causing to be paid, at the expiration of every twelfth month, from the date of these present, unto the Receiver General of the land Revenue, the sum of Ten Rixdollars.” A further 844 morgen was granted on the 8th September, 1843.

The story of the Bowker Settlers is typical of the story of the 1820 British settlers as a whole, and all present descendants of Settlers could, with accuracy, apply the same or similar happenings to their own ancestors. The only difference was that few other families had so many sons – there were nine of them in the original Bowker family - and each one of them made a name for himself in South Africa. No wonder Sir George Cory in his “Rise of South Africa” said; “Of all the valuable acquisitions which accrued to the Colony from the Settler’s movement, the Bowker family stands out pre-eminently…
“It is not possible in this place to give even a list of the acts of bravery, political distinctions and losses and sufferings – the usual reward of self-sacrificing devotion to the welfare of the Eastern Colony – which are associated with the names of the sons of Miles Bowker. Suffice it to say that they fought for their country in all the Frontier wars, not merely as the rank and file but as leaders and commandants of the burgers. We find Bowkers as diplomatic agents with the Frontier tribes, in the house of Assembly, in the Legislative Council, as Resident Magistrates, in short in all situations of delicacy and responsibility. Their sterling worth and the value of their services were, for the most part, appreciated and recognised by a grateful country – after they were dead”

John Mitford took part in the campaign against the M’fecane in 1828 and served as a lieutenant, 1st battalion Provisional Colonial Infantry in the war of 1834-1835, being appointed Resident Agent with the Fingo Settlement near Fort Peddie. In the war of 1846-1847 he was Commandant Lower Koonap River Burghers and Field- Cornet Fish River in 1847. He died during this war.

Thomas Holden was also a member of the 1828 campaign against the M’fecane and served as Lieutenant, Provisional Colonial Infantry in the 1834-1835 war and Captain, Grahamstown Native Levy in the 1846-1847 war and as Commandant of Burghers in that of 1850-1853. He was Resident Magistrate Kat River Settlement in 1848 and a Member of the House of Assembly from 1854 to 1863. He founded the town of Queenstown where there is a Bowker Park and Bowker’s Kop.

Bertram Egerton also took part in the campaign against the M’fecane in 1828 and served as the Corps of Guides in the war of 1834-1835. In the war of 1846-1847 he was commandant, Mill River Station and was in charge of the laager at Oakwell in the war of 1850-1853. He was commandant of the Rovers in the war of 1877 at the age of 69. In 1879 he was a Member of the legislative council for the Eastern Province.

Mary Elizabeth married Frederick William Barber and gave rise to the Mitford-Barberton name. Mary merits more than passing notice. She was remarkable for her vast and accurate knowledge of the plant and insect life of South Africa. Charles Darwin owed much to her for the information she gave him in these matters in connection with the famous “Origin of Species”. Her numerous, beautiful and accurate watercolour paintings of insects and flowers now adorn the walls of one of the rooms of the Albany Museum in Grahamstown. Only 14 of the 71 paintings survived the fire in 1941.

James Henry never married. He was Commandant of the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police and later became the High Commissioner of Basutoland. He reached the rank of Colonel, during the Seventh and Eighth Frontier Wars. For a period he was Chief Commissioner on the diamond fields of Griqualand West. Co-authored, with Roland Trimen, of “South African Butterflies”, which is still one of the standard works on the subject.

Of Miles Bowker’s home at Tharfield, John Bond in his book “They were South Africans” quotes John Mitford Bowker saying “It is now eleven years by since my father and mother and their nine sons lived under one roof in this neighbourhood. Our hearts were as one, our exertions united, and our home so happy that, though it was high time, yet none of us had married and branched off”.

It must have been very soon after this that the tragic Frontier War of 1834 – 1835 struck this prosperous home and every other home in the Eastern Province. Without warning the tribesmen in their thousands invaded these districts from the Winterberg to the sea.

When the Bowkers received their first intimation of the coming of the onslaught the tribesmen had already crossed the Fish River, nine miles away. The brothers were already shearing their sheep when an official order summoned everyone to Grahamstown. The Bowkers proceeded to collect their livestock and hunt for their oxen in the bush. That same night young Fletcher from a neighbouring farm galloped to the door of Tharfield house saying: “I have it first hand from an old fellow whose life I saved that the tribesmen intend to murder us all tonight” (Some white farmers were murdered that night, and at least twenty more within a week).

The Bowkers hastily inspanned their wagon and piled onto it essential foodstuffs, cooking utensils and lead & moulds for making bullets.

The women made a pile of the valuable family silver and crockery on the dining-room table, with some money and heirlooms. Four of the brothers staggered down the road with this heavy load tied up in a table-cloth and buried it in an ant-bear hole about twenty metres off the road and about four hundred metres away, their tracks were obliterated by a storm which broke at that moment. The treasure was never recovered.

On Christmas night of 1834 the assembled farmers and others successfully defended the Church at Bathurst (with the women and children inside) whilst thousands of yelling tribesmen launched one attack after another. Later they accomplished a successful evacuation to Grahamstown through the unsuspecting tribesmen’s lines. All of the Settlers’ livestock and possessions were stolen by the enemy: 456 farmhouses were burnt or pillaged; 5600 horses and 150,000 cattle were driven away. The Burgers were called out, and with them the Bowker Brothers fought until the end, under the command of Colonel Sir Harry Smith. Besides the agricultural difficulties, the Settlers also had to contend with the continual Frontier unrest. In the 1846 War of the Axe their home did not suffer much damage. W Currie writing to John Mitford Barber on 13th July, 1846 said, ”The Bathurst Burgers are trying to make the most of the times. Tharfield was all-right, not a single tribesman had been into the house”.

A1 Miles Bowker B1 John Mitford 1765 - 1839 1800 - 1847 m Anna Maria Mitford m Mary Ann Standen 1782 – 08.07.1868 1814 - 1894 B2 William Monkhouse B3 Miles Brabbin 1803 – 05.02.1876 27.01.1806 – 1864 m Hester S. Oosthuisen m Barbara P. Oosthuisen 1816 – 1911 06.11.1809 - 1897 B4 Thomas Holden B5 Bertram Egerton 24.02.1807 – 23.10.1885 24.11.1808-23.12.1904 Julia Eliza McGown Anne Simpson 1810 – 1904 1815. – 23.10.1879 B6 Robert Mitford B7 Septimus Bourchier 30.08.1810–24.08.1892 10.08.1812 - 1895 m Sarah Elizabeth Hart m Frances M.Forward 1820 – 1875 01.11.1831 - B8 Octavius Bourchier B11 James Henry 1815 – 23.07.1899 1822 – 22.10.1900 m Mary Anne Stubbs 1822 - B9 Mary Elizabeth B10 Anna Maria 05.01.1818 – 04.09.1899 26.04.1820 - 1895 m Frederick Wm Barber m John F. Atherstone 20.05.1813-02.01.1892 1821 – 08.05.1894 From: The Settler Handbook by MD Nash; Lower Albany Historical Society’s “Long Ago” 1967; “Looking Back” September, 1980; 1820 Settlers.com and other sources.

 [S7] The Bowkers of Tharfield, Ivan and Raymond Mitford-Barberton, (Oxford University Press, Cape Town SA, 1952).

[S444] BOWKER 1820 GEDCOM, Tanner - Tremaine, Paul, (http://www.geocities.com/settlers1820).

[S6] The Settler Handbook, M D Nash, (Chameleon Press ISBM 0 620 10940 8), p 47, 11 FEB 2003.

[S380] Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1829 Bathurst English Episcopal Church, Bathurst English Episcopal Church, (Cory PR 3448).

[S390] Register 29/3/1822 -1860, Grahamstown Methodist - Commemoration Chapel, (CORY MS 15 899/1).

[S371] Tharfield - An Eastern Cape Farm, Thorpe, C.

[S537] 1820 Settler Women, Shuttleworth, Stanley G.

[S12] Some Frontier Families, Ivan Mitford-Barberton & Violet White, (1968, Human & Rousseau Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa).

Miles Bowker was head of the Bowker party that left Portsmouth, England, aboard the Weymouth sailing on the 7th January 1820. The Weymouth arrived in Cape Town on 26th April 1820, and then sailed to Port Elizabeth, arriving there after 15th May 1820. Sometime during May or June, the Bowker party left Algoa Bay. Their route crossed over the Koega and Zwartkops rivers near the coast, and then inland over Grass Ridge to the Addo Drift, across the Sundays River about 20 miles from it's mouth, and then over the Addo Heights. From this point the route took a south-easterly direction, more or less parallel to the coast, passing Congo's Kraal and Graafwater, to Jager's Drift on the Bushmans River. After passing the mission station at Theopolis, they forded the Kowie river at it's mouth at low tide, by utilising two exposed sandbanks. This trip took about 8 days to complete, and was led by Petrus Oosthuizen, who became a great friend of Miles Bowker. Two of Miles's sons married Petrus' daughters. . The Bowker party of 23 consisted of: Miles, wife Ann Maria, sons William Monkhouse B., Miles Brabbin, Thomas Holden, Robert Mitford, Septimus, Octavius, and daughters Mary Elizabeth and Anna Maria; Henry Adams, G Austen, Charles Besant, G.Flooks, John Hayter, William Ingram, Richard Limes, John Stanford and his wife Maria, son John and daughters Letitia, Jane and Sophia. The eldest Bowker son, John Mitford, joined the family in 1922 after tying up the family affairs in South Newton, Wiltshire, and the last son, James Henry, was born at Tharfield. . The Bowker family were allocated the land known as Tharfield, on the KleinMonden River, north of Port Kowie (Port Alfred). . Miles, together with Major Pigot and J. Dyason tried to develop Port Kowie as a harbour in 1821. He was appointed as a Heemraad (judicial assessor) to assist the deputy magistrate, Major Jones, at Grahamstown in 1821, but Lord Somerset dismissed Major Jones and the heemraad in 1822. . Interested in botany, he was sending indigenous bulbs from the Lower Albany area to the Government Secretary as early as 1826. He was also a pioneer in establishing the wool industry in the Eastern Cape, in 1826, with merino sheep.

http://www.bowker.info/Tharfield.htm

"South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers, 1801-2004," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-23580-59443-52?cc=146... : accessed 10 Aug 2014), South Africa > Cape of Good Hope > Grahamstown, Bathurst, St John the Evangelist > Baptisms, marriages, burials 1829-1849 > image 69 of 108; citing William Cullen Library, Wits University, Johannesburg.