Saturday 3 June 1893

A CLOSE SHAVE
The “Special” of the Farmers’ Chronicle went to fish on the Western Pier at East London, and arrived in time to see Mr. John KEMP, of Spanover, escape a watery grave. It appears that he and Mr. STEPHEN, also a Cathcart farmer, climbed on the parapet about the middle of the Pier, but some distance apart from each other. As the sea was calm the fishers took no notice of the incoming tide and the increased size of the waves, when suddenly a large wave, much larger than those preceding it, hurled Mr. KEMP on his back, almost breaking it, and before he could regain his footing he was forced down the slimy wall, when by a miracle his arm caught in the stanchion fixed in the wall, which fortunately saved his life, as had he gone down he would have been dashed to pieces.

Tuesday 6 June 1893

AN OLD GRAHAMSTONIAN
Mr. Tom JOLLY, senior partner in the firm of JOLLY and ADCOCK, the chemists of Rissik-street (says the Johannesburg Critic) has left for Grahamstown, where he will, on the 8th inst, lead to the altar Miss Minnie SWAN. Mr. JOLLY has made many warm friends during his stay here, and he and his wife will be welcomed to Johannesburg by many old Grahamtonians, with whom both the bride and bridegroom are very popular. May the surname of the latter, which the bride is about to adopt, faithfully reflect the state of their married life, and their health make them independent of the husband’s business.

FATAL ACCIDENT
On Tuesday afternoon, (says the Cape Times) as a young man named [LAGGERSON] was driving a load of shells along the beach at [Melstand], he accidentally fell beneath the wheels of the cart, sustaining such severe injuries as to necessitate his being carried to his house in the village. The District Surgeon, on being sent for, found that the injuries were of such a severe nature as to necessitate the poor fellow’s removal to the New Somerset Hospital, where although everything was done that human skill could devise, he never regained consciousness, death putting an end to his sufferings yesterday afternoon.

Thursday 8 June 1893

DIED at Grahamstown on June 6th 1893, Arthur Henry, beloved twin son of the Rev. H. COTTON, aged 5 years and 8 months.

DEATH OF A CHILD
The Rev. H. COTTON’s child, who was reputed in our last to be in a very critical condition, died at about 1:30 on Tuesday afternoon. The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon and was attended by many friends and sympathisers of the parents. We tender our sincere condolence to the bereaved family.

DROWNED IN A PUDDLE
The Zuid Afrikaan hears from Riverdale: A sad accident occurred here. A two-year-old son of Mr. J. FROOSMAN left the bedside of his mother, rambled out of the house, without the knowledge of the family, and tumbled into a dam of water, about twelve feet in diameter, and scarcely a foot deep. When found life was extinct. A lad who was passing saw a portion of the child’s clothing above the water, and took the body out. He was an only son, and much sympathy is felt with the stricken and bereaved parents.

Saturday 10 June 1893

FELL ASLEEP at Uitenhage on Monday May 30th, after a short but painful illness, Jessie Selina, the beloved wife of Horace WILMOT and youngest daughter of William THOMAS Esq J.P., Hilary farm, Bushman’s River. Aged 26 years 3 months.

IN MEMORIAM
It is our sad duty to chronicle the death of the beloved wife of Horace WILMOT, and youngest daughter of Mr. W. THOMAS sen., which sad event took place at Uitenhage on May 30th, after a short but painful illness, borne with Christian fortitude. The funeral took place in the Wesleyan Cemetery, Sidbury, and was attended by a large number of sorrowing friends and relations. The officiating minister was the Rev. J. WHITESIDE. Lovely wreaths and flowers almost hid the coffin from view. She leaves a sorrowing husband and two children, the baby only seven days old, and a large circle of sorrowing friends and relations, who have lost one whom to know was to love, who was a fond mother and a good wife. It is but 15 months ago that Mr. THOMAS laid to rest his beloved wife, who endeared herself to everyone by her kindness and unselfishness. All friends tender their sympathy with the bereaved families.

DEATH OF A CLERGYMAN
The Rev. Mr. GORDON, who was for many years stationed at Kingwilliamstown, died last Sunday morning at Mowbray, Capetown. He leaves a large family to mourn their loss.

Tuesday 13 June 1893

THE LATE REV. JOHN GORDON
This clergyman, whose death was recently announced, was ordained Deacon in 1861 and Priest in 1864 by the Bishop of Grahamstown. He was the second son of Lieut. GORDON, Adjutant 91st Highlanders, who was killed in an engagement in the Kafir war of 1851. Mr. John GORDON received an offer of a commissioner in the Army, and had got as far as Capetown on his way to England, when he determined to relinquish the idea and enter the Mission Field, and after his ordination he took up the work in All Saints in Tembuland. In 1877, being desirous of educating his children, he went to Kingwilliamstown, having obtained the appointment of Military Chaplain and Curate to the late Archdeacon KITTON, and there he remained until March of last year, when he proceeded to the Cape to act as substitute for a clergyman going on leave to England, and subsequently he was appointed Assistant Curate of St.George’s Cathedral, Capetown, which post he held at the time of his death. Mr. GORDON was for a time Master of the Kingwilliamstown Grammar School.

Thursday 15 June 1893

MARRIED on the 5th June at Palepye British Protectorate, by Special Licence, Charles Clement VIALLS, youngest son of John VIALLS Esq, Grahamstown, to Elizabeth Sophia NOACH of Mafeking B.B.

DIED from Enteric Fever on the 6th April 1893, near Barberton S.A.R., after a short illness, Mr. Charlton S. DENTON, youngest son of the late William DENTON. Aged 60 years and 11 months. He was a kind father and a dear friend.

SAD FATALITY
On Wednesday a young man named Paul OBERHOLZER accidentally shot himself whilst out hunting on the farm Toonbothafontein, near Richmond. He is only 22 and an only son. This makes the twelfth death of growing up and influential people of this town in the last few months.

Saturday 17 June 1893

BIRTH at Salem on the 14th inst, the wife of the Rev. T. SPARGO of a daughter.

DIED at Salem on the 14th inst, at 8:30 pm, the infant daughter of Thomas and Annie SPARGO.

Tuesday 20 June 1893

LLOYD – COCKCROFT
At the residence of the bride’s parents, on 14th June, by the Rev. A.J. Leonard, Emily, second daughter of Mr. Wm. COCKCROFT, of Kingston, Victoria East, to Alexander, fifth son of Mr. Chas. LLOYD of Lebanon, Victoria East.

MARRIED at Christ Church, Oatlands, on the 17th June 1893, by the Rev. Canon Mullins, Frederick Augustus, fourth son of the Honourable C.W. HUTTON, of Sandown Lodge, Rondebosch, to Ella Sophia Frances, third daughter of the late Alfred OGILVIE Esq. of Grahamstown.

BIRTH on the 17th June at “Buttercup Villa”, Grahamstown, the wife of Mr. Albert LAWRANCE of a daughter.

WEDDING BELLS
An interesting event took place at Kingston, Victoria East, last Wednesday when Mr. Wm. COCKCROFT’s second daughter, Miss Emily COCKCROFT, was married to Mr. Alex. LLOYD, fifth son of Mr. Chas. LLOYD of Lebanon, Victoria East. The day was bright, and everybody seemed to be quite in harmony with the proceedings. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. A.J. LENNARD of Peddie. The bride appeared at her best, her dress was a dream of loveliness in [brushed] silk and ivory cashmere with lily-of-the-valley trimmings and orange blossom wreath and veil to match. The bridesmaids were Miss Amy COCKCROFT, Miss Sarah LLOYD and Miss Amy STIRK, while the bride’s little nieces, Nelly and Dora KNOTT, were flower girls. The bridegroom was supported by his brother Mr. Alfred LLOYD. After the marriage ceremony had been performed the company adjourned to the breakfast room where justice was done to a sumptuous repast. The usual toasts were proposed and responded to in happy style. The wedding presents were many and choice and ranged from a piano to bric-a-brac ornaments.
In the course of the afternoon the newly married couple started, amidst showers of rice, on their honeymoon trip to Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth, accompanied for some distance by a procession of vehicles, and followed by the best wishes of all their friends.

Thursday 22 June 1893

DEATH OF MISS KITCHINGMAN
At 25 minutes before 7 o’clock on Thursday evening last there passed away from this life, at the early age of 26 years, Miss Lillie KITCHINGMAN, a daughter of the late Rev. Mr. KITCHINGMAN, a most highly respected missionary of the London Society, who for many years laboured in the Graaff-Reinet district. Miss KITCHINGMAN came to Grahamstown on January 15th of the present year to join as a Probationer the nursing staff of the Albany General Hospital. She was not, however, destined to continue it, for death “laid his icy head” upon her through one of his dread agents, viz that fell disease, typhoid fever, which it is conjectured she acquired from a Johannesburg patient, whom she successfully nursed back to life. On May 20th Miss KITCHINGMAN was laid up in the nurses’ quarters with what at the time was pronounced to be a feverish cold. However, as she did not recover, but gradually grew worse, it was deemed better to move her into the Hospital as a patient, which was done on June 1st. In a day or two the disease was declared to be typhoid, and it eventually proved fatal. We must sincerely sympathise with the absent relatives, to whom the shock must have been very great, as they were by no means prepared to expect so sad a termination of her illness. Truly in their case, which is in all its details one of the saddest which has come to our notice for some long time, may it be said there was “No sadness of farewells when I embark”, but her friends have this consolation that she was in the fullest sense “Faithful unto Death”. On Thursday morning it was thought she was decidedly better, but during the afternoon of the same day haemorrhage set in, with fatal results. The funeral took place at 3:30 on Friday afternoon, and was most satisfactorily carried out by Mr. A. WILL.

Saturday 24 June 1893

BIRTH at Bathurst Street, Grahamstown, 22nd June 1893, the wife of G.H. HILL, of Melville, of a son.

BIRTH at Market Square, Grahamstown, on June 23rd, the wife of J.C. SELBY, of Butterworth, of a son.

Tuesday 27 June 1893

FATAL ACCIDENT
Yesterday a sad accident occurred at Harper’s Farm, near Manley’s Flat. It appears that a swarm of locusts was settling on the crops, and it was deemed advisable to set fire to the grass, in order that the smoke might drive the pests away. Mr. J. HORNE’s little child, between two and three years of age, managed somehow to elude the vigilance of its friends and got among the flames, and was so seriously burnt that death speedily put an end to the little one’s sufferings. These are all the particulars to hand as we go to press, and we tender our sincerest sympathies to the sorrowing relatives in their sad bereavement.

Thursday 29 June 1893

Out of every 1,000 children born in Capetown, 207 die in infancy. The total death rate is 26.2 per 1,000 of the inhabitants, and the birth rate 25.2; so that the population does not maintain itself by its own increase, but is rather decreasing, except for arrivals from outside.