This is a transcription of a column that appeared in South Africa magazine October 17, 1896. The column is titled "Domestic Announcements".

BIRTHS

SONS

LOWN—On October 6, at Port Nolloth, Namaqualand, the wife of A. H. Lown.

PEARSON, Mrs. W. H., Barberton, September 6.

SAVAGE, Mrs. A., East London, September 8.

WHITE, Mrs. J. W., Johannesburg, September 8.

DAUGHTERS

GREEN, Mrs. L., Grahamstown, September 6.

GUSH, Mrs. W., Johannesburg, September 12.

LUBBERS, Mrs. M. W. R., Johannesburg, Sept. 6.

MATURIN, Mrs. D. C., Johannesburg, September 6.

RALEIGH—On September 18, at Johannesburg, the wife of Charles Raleigh.

REINERS, Mrs. A., Port Elizabeth, September 10.

VAN OS, Mrs. P., Johannesburg, September 11.

MARRIAGES

CONYBEARE-STRAUSS—On October 15, at the Theistic Church, Swallow Street, W., by the Rev. Charles Boysey, Charles Augustus Vansitart Conybeare, of Tregullow, Cornwall, to Florence Annie, eldest daughter of Gustave Strauss, Esq., of a Bolton Gardens West, South Kensington.

DEHRMANN, R. W.—TECKLENBURG, M. E.—Concession Creek, South African Republic.

FITZWILLIAMS, F.-ATTWELL, H. M.—Cape Town, September 17.

FULLER-PORTER—On October 8, at St. John’s, Agnel Town, Brixton, Albert Fuller, of Johannesburg, to Emma Elizabeth Porter, of Jamaica Road, Bermondsey.

HAM, A. P.-WRIGHT, A. A.—Bloemfontein, September 10.

JOHNSTON-IRBY—On October 15, at St. Paul’s Knightsbridge, by the Lord Bishop of Ely, assisted by the Rev. H. Montagu Villiers, Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston, third son of the late John Brookes Johnston, Esq., to Winifred Mary Irby, second daughter of the fifth Lord Boston, and stepdaughter of the late Sir Henry Percy Anderson, K.C.B., Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

KNIGHT, W. A.-DAVEY, F. E. M.—KIMBERLEY, September 9.

SHAW, T. P.-SMITH, E. L.—Johannesburg, September 9.

DEATHS

BURLS, Mrs. W.—Zuiver Kuil, Middelburg, September 14, aged 61.

COSKEY, Miss M.—Johannesburg, September 9, aged 16.

DRUMMOND—On July 17, at Johannesburg, Gavin Walter Drummond, the eldest son of the late Major-General Henry Drummond, R.E., aged 44.

GIBSON, W.—Hammonia, September 13, aged 55.

JONES, W.—Johannesburg, September 14, aged 55.

NIGHTINGALE, Mrs. S. E. S.—Cradock, September 5, aged 24.

NOLAN, W.—Johannesburg, September 9, aged 54.

Miscellaneous articles on same page:

The presence of a lion in the thorns near Queenstown, in the Cape Colony, was lately reported to the local authorities. The animal has been seen by three different people, all of whom asserted that it was a genuine “king of beasts.” It was suggested that a party should go in search of it with a view to terminating its existence. And subsequently a number of sportsmen went to the bush for that purpose, but saw nothing of the lion.

NATAL-ZULULAND RAILWAY

The Chief Engineer of the Natal-Zululand Railway reports to the London office from Verulam, under date September 19: “On the 15^th inst. I returned from an inspection of the railway works between Verulam and Stanger, and I am glad to be able to report, for the information of the Directors, that the works are proceeding both rapidly and satisfactorily. The earthworks are about three-fourths completed as far as Stanger (32 miles), including all the largest banks and cuttings. The culverts are now well in hand, and proceeding rapidly. The contractor’s local representative (Mr. Stopford) is making preparations for the erection of the Umhloti River Bridge shortly after the arrival of the ironwork, which, according to latest advices, should not be far off. As you are aware, this is the only large bridge on the section between Verulam and Tongaat, to where I hope to have the line completed at the commencement of next year. It is not anticipated that the River Umhloti will cause delay during the approaching wet season, as it does not rise to an excessive height, like some of the other Natal rivers, and it is rarely known to remain in flood more than two or three days at a time. The line between Stanger and Nonoti (that is, eight miles beyond Stanger) has been pegged out, and will shortly be ready for the contractors to commence work thereon. No serious obstruction has been placed in the Company’s way by landowners along the route of the railway, and where any has occurred it has so far been dealt with through the Crown Solicitor, with the concurrence of the Engineer-in-Chief of the Natal Government railways and myself. The traffic on the Natal Government Railways continues to increase enormously, as you probably are aware from published accounts in financial papers, and the block of goods at Verulam awaiting wagon transport to Stanger and Zululand is enormous and on the increase. The general outcry is for an early opening of the line of railway now in course of construction, which undoubtedly has a prosperous future before it.”

A lady’s branch of the South African League is to be formed in the Toise and Thomas River districts. The two League papers, the Leaguer and the Leaguesman, are to be amalgamated.

The death took place recently in Natal, at the ripe age of 83 years, of Mr. Robert Surtees, an early settler. He went into the Zulu country trading and hunting, having at one time no less than forty Kafirs and guns in his expedition. The farm at Rorke’s Drift belonged to him, and he sold it to the missionaries. Mr. Surtees and Mr. Robinson were the first white men to visit the Zulu King after the battle of the Tugela, between Cetewayo and Umbulazi.

Natal is cutting in at the Cape fish trade with the Rand. The first consignment of fish from the Natal Fishing Company arrived there recently in excellent condition. The fish consisted of several kinds, and was superior to the usual class of fish received from the Cape Colony. We can testify (says the Independent) to its being both of good flavour and of excellent taste; and if Mr. Berg, the local representative, can always supply fish of the same quality, the Natal Fishing Company should not only prove a good investment to its shareholders, but also a useful purveying institution for Johannesburg.

Regards,

Ellen Stanton

Email: harprulz@bellsouth.net