Becky Horne informs Web Site readers of ...

Herald, 5 August 1988
TOWN CLERKS - QUEENSTOWN

The appointment last week of Mr. Antonie DE KLERK to the important position of Town Clerk of Queenstown makes him, as far as can be ascertained, the fifteenth man to serve our community since the founding of Queenstown in 1853.

According to Alan GREAVES' history of Queenstown, "Tell me of Komani", the first man to serve as Town Clerk during the early days of the local Board of Commissioners - forerunner of the modern Town Council - was A. N. ELLA, who was followed by W. H. SLADE "and perhaps others." With the granting of full municipal status in 1879, T. G. FORDHAM was Town Clerk to be followed by:

Sir Drummond DUNBAR (1880-87)
E. COTTERELL (1887-92)
R. M. WRIGHT (1892-1901)
R. C. FARQUHARSON (Acting)
E. STUPART (1902-19)
L. J. DASHWOOD (1919-53)
H. G. HEUGH (1953-61)
A. H. WHITE (1962-76)
J. A. MYBURGH (1977-78)
A. J. MAREE (1978-84)
P. M. GERBER (1984-88)

A man of many parts was our first Town Clerk, Alfred Newsam ELLA. Born in Yorkshire, England, and said to be a direct descendant of ELLA, a Saxon royalty, he served in the British Army and came out to South Africa. He was in residence in Cradock in 1851 when Whittlesea, then under attack by Black warriors, called for help. ELLA was a member of the commando that went over and helped to save the situation, these rescuers being referred to thereafter as "the Cradock Bricks."

By 1853 ELLA had moved to Queenstown, where he served at various times as Town Clerk, Secretary of the Divisional Council, Keeper of the Powder Magazine, Field Cornet, Market Master, and in other roles. He was active also in business and farming, and established a wool-washery on the farm "Melton," just west of Queenstown, where he built big dams to supply the washery with water. The water had mud in suspension, however, and was not wholly satisfactory for washing wool.

Involved in survey work for the construction of the railway line northwards from East London, ELLA discovered the excellent water of the Toise River. He rented a farm on the river and established a woolwashery there; and still living at Toise today, where the woolwashery still functions, is his great-grand-daughter, Mrs. Grace ("Chick") KING.

ELLA went north to Kimberley, where he established the Diamond Fields Post newspaper. He died on August 13,1889.