WILGEFONTEIN (WILLOWFOUNTAIN) TIMELINE
by Susan Roberts

DATE	EVENT
1839	Dutch trekkers proclaimed Natal a Republic. Paul Hermanus Zietsman obtained the farm 'Wilgefontein'
1845	British annexed Natal as a Colony
1849	February - Zietsman received his title deed for his freehold land
1851	Byrne settler programme
1853	Zietsman went insolvent and Wilgefontein auctioned. Walter MacFarlane from Scotland farmed it at a rental of 25 pounds per annum, making many improvements, such as cultivating 100 acres of the 6002 acres, draining the land, planting fruit trees, etc.
1855	Macfarlane's lease expired and freehold acquired by Pieter Hans Zeederberg, who kept it for 12 years
1857	Govt's assisted passage scheme started
1867	Wilgefontein acquired by London and South African Bank
1869	530 acres sold to Patrick Hayes
1860- 1878	Various other schemes, coupled with depression in Europe
1878	January 16th - 1st meeting of LIB in PMB, to set up the first experimental settlement of a group of settlers for a specific purpose. They looked at 3 possible farms, and decided on Willowfountain, still owned by L & SA bank, and rented by Mr Woodhouse and a number of native sub-tenants February 25th - Wilgefontein acquired by Natal Government on behalf of the LIB, and notice served on the tenants March - Plans made to survey the land April - Repairs to the farmhouse July - Woodhouse gave permission for surveying to start, even though he still had crops in the fields August - LIB formed their set of rules, making the settlers answerable to itself and not Govt, which allowed for greater flexibility later on September 1st - Deadline for tenants to leave, having harvested their crops. Arrival of a caretaker, Entromazana
1879	January - Completion of Survey March - Entromazana succeeded by Mamula June 30th - Native farmers evicted July and August - Military used land for cattle grazing during Zulu War, so settler plans delayed again August - James Methley approached as a possible agent to select settlers November - Methley leaves for England to find 32 families from the West Country, in 5 months. On arrival, the LIB's England agent, Mr Rolls, died and Methley took charge for 2 months till Walter Peace took over, leaving Methley free to get on with his job.
1880	February - investigation of erection of iron houses, but too expensive, so tents procured for 3 months, but never claimed back afterwards June 11th - SS Nyanza left Southampton 1880 (July 12) Nyanza - passenger list June 12th - Possibly stopped at Plymouth to fetch more passengers? July 10th - C A Butler (secretary of the LIB) received news of fire at Willowfountain July 12th, Monday - Arrival in Durban, lots drawn from a bag by heads of families in the ship's saloon July 13th - Disembarkation from 11.30 till 3.30, and train journey to Inchanga, where tents, food and bedding awaited them July 14th - Start of three day journey, with sleepovers at Klip Spruit and the junction of roads between PMB and Richmond July 16th Friday - Arrival at noon August - 2nd week - first rains, promoting new grass, etc. September - Mr E A Skeen, a local, established a store, but shunned by the community. Settlers invited to tend for the remaining extra land by the end of the year. Borrils arrive, dogged by misunderstanding and Methley's forgetfulness, but decide to leave again October - Skeen sells his store to Bradley, but not a success either
1881	Anglo-Boer War caused produce prices to rise, but dropped after the war again. June - First produce from Willowfountain sold in PMB market, fetching maximum prices. George Barnett left after the first year, followed soon after by Thomas Hamlyn, who moved to Durban. Mamula also given notice, and evicted in spite of settlers wanting him to stay. Most families needed extra labour and some sublet their second plots to indigenous locals, to which LIB turned a blind eye as long as no-one broke the basic rules. August - Butler visits and feels that all are making progress except Bradley, Walker and Roberts. Only 18 of original 20 families still on the settlement.
1882	July - First instalments due, but 6 families had to ask for extensions. LIB changed payment date to November, but the Bradley brothers left anyway. Deaths in first 2 years were: only son of Capt Symons; Thomas Parkin, leaving his widow and minor son, so the LIB allowed her to sublet for 3 years until her son was old enough, and she married a Mr Frankish anyway.
1883	End of year - Richard Clements died, but LIB allowed his widow to sublet and gave her an extension August - Mrs Parkin got permission from LIB to transfer 1.5 acres to the Wesleyan Society for Church and burial ground
1884	January 1st - Opening of Wesleyan Church February - meeting about using the house to be rented for school fund, but few people attended the meeting, so LIB decided to offer the house rent free to a schoolmaster November - VW Tindall established the first school
1885	May - Up to 15 local families now living as tenants. The settlement looked good, but impression of prosperity false, as most had come from settlers' own capital. General depression this year and only 6 settlers had the promise of good returns.
1886	Some material improvements, but at a slower rate than before, and drought in the Spring
1887	April - Deputation by Walker, Oldfield, Roberts and Powdrill to the governor of the Colony, Sir Arthur Havelock, asking for a reduction of 50% in the original purchase price. The Board agreed that certain cases needed to be reviewed. Increased debt in instalments, and waves of discontent spread, not helped by the general lack of good prices for agricultural crops. Also, the over-farmed land was deteriorating in productivity.
1888	David Aitchison left for Witwatersrand goldfields, soon followed by Richard Howarth, having both exhausted their original capital. March - Board decided that security would have to be given for all outstanding payments. At a meeting, Frederick Brown spoke for the settlers and said they figured that the improvements already made should be security enough. April - The board counter-proposed that the size of each of the defaulters' land be reduced in alignment with what they had already paid. Since they couldn't make ends meet with the larger areas, they had no hope of doing so on reduced area, so despair prevailed. Having sunk life-savings into their properties, they seemed doomed to be slaves to the land forever. Nine families proposed that the board repay them what they had paid so far, and let them leave. No-one refused outright to pay - they just couldn't make the money needed. July - Board offered a 10% reduction on original purchase prices, allowed an extra 4 years to pay, and charged 5% per annum interest. Only 2 settlers were not in debt at the time, so still no great satisfaction, and further petitions. October - Board decided that reductions would be made up to 20%, a further 8 years to pay, and no interest December - The settlers asked for a 50% reduction on the original prices, and asked for terms under which they could be allowed to leave in the event of this demand nor being met. The board refused to discuss the matter further.
1889	Gradual improvement in economic life of the Colony, increase in market prices, etc., meant an easier time followed. January - new rules followed new board members. Anyone who wanted to pay off their land earlier than originally stipulated, could get their title deed earlier as well. Occupational restrictions were relaxed and sub-letting was approved. Both Aitchison and Roberts hired out their allotments. Christieson went to work in PMB as a carpenter, and Mrs Haworth also found employment in town. Her husband had died working in JHB, and she had 6 children to raise. Captain Symons was paralysed and couldn't work his farm. April - Robert Leiper proposed the formation of a settler committee, but red-tape delayed this until the following year. September - discord over the position of the Post Office. Some proposed moving it from Mrs Christieson's to Oldfield's, but as no agreement was reached, it stayed where it was. December - Symons died, but his wife continued to farm. Of the original 137 settlers, the numbers were now down to 65, as grown-up children left, etc.
1890	In spite of scarcity of labour, lack of proper irrigation, cattle disease and caterpillar damage to crops, the hard lessons learned during the lean years began to pay off. Farming of green barley proved lucrative. January - Establishment of a settler committee helped in communication between the board and the settlers, and settlement of minor, routine disputes. However, there still existed a fundamental discord between the settlers that nothing could erase. Joseph Neden was chairman and secretary was Frederick Brown. June - A visit from the Natal Immigration Agent in London, Walter Peace. He thought they looked like they were doing well. Tindall left as Schoolmaster and was replaced by Rev. J R Edwards
1892	Four families paid off before the original 12 year time period had elapsed. Another 3 settled on the deadline of 1892.
1894	LIB dissolved, and settlers who had paid up left as soon as they could.
1900	Of the remaining 10 settler families, 5 paid off before 1900.
1927	Last title-deed was finally issued in 1927.