My Family Heritage - Brian McQueen » Thomas Francis King (1802-1876)

Données personnelles Thomas Francis King 

• Il est né le 21 juillet 1802 dans St Clement Danes, Westminster, London, England.
• Il a été baptisé le 8 août 1802 dans St Clement Danes, Westminister, London, England.
• Il a été baptisé le 8 août 1802.
• Immigré(e)(s) le 15 février 1820 vanuit Gravesend, Kent, England.

  1820 settler in Gush's party on Brilliant

• Professions:
• Builder, Farmer & founder of Kingsvale Farm.
• le 2 mai 1830 Mason dans Reed Fountain, Cape Province, South Africa.
• en l'an 1876 Retired Builder, Farmer & founder of Kingsvale Farm dans Bedford, Cape Province, South Africa.
• le 2 mai 1830 Mason dans Reed Fountain.
• Religion: Protestant Church.
• Résidant: Elizabeth Farm, Bedford, Cape, South Africa.
• Récensement en l'an 1853, Market Square, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
• (Settlement) en l'an 1820.
• (Departure) le 15 février 1820 dans Gravesend, Kent, England.

  Aboard the Brilliant bound for South Africa.

• (Arrival) le 30 avril 1820.
• (Arrival) le 15 mai 1820 dans Algoa Bay, Cape Province, South Africa.

  Aboard the " Brilliant" from Gravesend

• (1820 Settler - Richard Gush's Party on the "Brilliant" Ship) le 15 février 1820 dans Gravesend, Kent, England.

  Departure to the Eastern Cape Colony

• (Marriage) le 8 février 1827 dans Grahamstown, Albany, Eastern Cape Colony, South Africa.
• (Custom event) le 15 février 1820 dans Gravesend, Kent, England.

  Aboard the " Brilliant" bound for South Africa

• Il est décédé le 9 novembre 1876 dans Elizabeth Farm, Bedford, Albemarle, Eastern Cape, South Africa, il avait 74 ans.

  DN 3449/1876

• Il est enterré apres 9 novembre 1876 dans Kingsvale, Bedford, Albemarle, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
• Un enfant de Thomas Sellom King et Sarah Prime

Famille de Thomas Francis King

Il est marié avec Sarah Honey.

Ils se sont mariés le 1 février 1827 à Grahamstown, Cape Of Good Hope, South Africa, il avait 24 ans.

Marriage to: Sarah Honey

Enfant(s):

1. Francis King  1828-1894 
2. George King  1830-1898
3. Sarah Ann King  1832-1900 
4. Thomas Alfred King  1834-1899
5. Jeremiah King  1836-1836
6. John Wesley King  1837-1898 
7. Jesse Susan King  1839-1839
8. Susan Jessie King  1839-1839
9. Jefe King  1839-1839
10. Elizabeth King  1840-1915
11. Harriet King  1842-1919
12. Emily King  1844-1908
13. Stephen King  1845-1859
14. Frances King  1846-1846
15. Jemima King  1847-1887

Notes par Thomas Francis King

Thomas Francis, only son of Thomas Sellom King and Sarah Prime, was born in London on 21 July 1802. It is likely that he grew up in London where he must have been educated because in 1814 his illegitimate half brother was born in that city. Nothing is known of his early years, but he might have been apprenticed as a carpenter and/or builder, the profession of his father, when he was living in London, He was 18 when he and his parents and half-brother emigrated from the county of Essex (part of London falls in that county) to the Eastern Cape on the ship Aurora as members of Richard Gush's Division of Sephton's Party of 1820 Settlers. The party was allocated land at the confluence of the Mantjies Kraal and Assegaibosch rivers where they founded the village of Salem.

 ;

Thomas Sellom's grant of land was at the southernmost boundary of the Salem settlement, adjoining van Schalkwyk's farm, Klipheuvel. Like the rest of the Sephton Party, the family livedin tents until they were able to build something more substantial. The remains of a wall of the original house is still standing on Thomas Sellom's allottment, known as Kingston and has remained in the family ever since, now farmed by a sixth generation descendant, Cuan King. Thomas Francis would certainly have played a part in the construction of that house.

 

Thomas Francis moved down to Rietfontein, renamed Reed Fountain, a settlement close to the coast and near the present Port Alfred, where he started as a farmer and doing work as a mason at the same time. The 4000 ha farm, Rietfontein, was the meeting place of parties of 1820 Settlers awaiting instructions as to the whereabouts of their localities in lower Albany. It was also the location granted to General Charles Campbell and his independant party of settlers, but as he was unable to accompany them, he sent his bailiff ahead with only fourteen families to prepare a home and kraals for him. Campbell arrived in 1822 and named the location Barville Park, but within a month of his arrival, he was thrown from a horse and died, leaving a young widow with seven step-children. As the promised large contingent of the 100 families General Campbell had undertaken to bring out, had not materialised, only a portion of the location, was allocated to his widow.

 

Some of the members of Sephton's party who had originally been located at Rietfontein and who did not wish to go to Salem, memorialised the acting Governor Sir Rufane Donkin to allow them to remain there. Thisrequest was granted almost five years later in February 1825, three years after General Campbell's

death, when his land was divided into three portions. The Barville Park portion was granted to his widow, another to Thomas Philipps and the remainder to members of Sephton's party on condition that a village was established within three years or the whole would be forfeited. This was achieved and the settlement was surveyed into 29 plots. It became known as Reed Fountain, now a farm known as Elmhurst. It must therefore have been some time after February 1825 that Thomas Francis moveddown to Reed Fountain.

 

On 8 July 1827, he was married by special licence in the Anglican church in Grahamstown, to Sarah, the eldest daughter of Jeremiah and Ann Honey who had emigrated with their family, as members of William Clarke's party on the ship Northampton. The Honey's were then living at Collngham, a settlement a few kms east of Grahamstown. It is not known with any certainty on what basis land at Reed Fountain was allocated to members of the Sephton party in 1825, but it would appear that residence in Albany was a prerequisite. Relatively few of theSalem settlers seem to have availed themselves of this right at the time.

Neither Thomas Francis nor his father were amongst the original owners of the allotments, but as properties changed hands both acquired land. Thomas Francis became the owner of two allotments: Lot No3, being 7 morgan and 253 square roods with three shares in the commonage, purchased from Samuel Rudman, ThomasSlater and William Muir and Lot No 4, being 2 morgan and 111 square roods with one share in the commonage, purchased from Thomas Croft. However his father Thomas Sellom did receive grazing rights at Reed Fountain.

 

It is possible that Thomas Francis was living at Reed Fountain at the time of his marriage in 1827, as it is unlikely that he would have taken his brideto the settlement

before building a home. On the other hand the birth and baptism of their eldest child, Francis in 1828 at Grahamstown might suggest that they were living there at the time,though Sarah might have wanted to be close to her parents when their first child was born. Their second child, George was born two years later at Collingham where her parents lived. He was baptised at Salem where the church baptismal register shows the father Thomas Francis to be a mason living at Reed Fountain. In 1832 his eldest daughter, Sarah was born at Reed Fountain and baptised at Collingham. Although he still owned these properties in 1845, he and his family moved to Grahamstown towards the end of 1833, where the rest of his children were born.

 

Thomas Francis and Sarah purchased a house on Market Square, on the side now known as West street, where they resided until the death of Sarah in 1870. From here he built up a very successful building contracting business and many fine buildings in the city owe their existance to him, the most notable of which is the Wesleyan Commemoration Chapel at the lower end of High street.

 

In 1843, The Rev. John Ayliff had suggested "commemorating the day of our landing on the shores of Africa" to mark the 25th anniversary of the arrival of the Settlers. It was therefore with much patriotic fervour, pomp and ceremony that on 10 April 1845 the foundation stone, weighing two tons was laid by Mrs Anne Shaw beneath the north-east corner of the building. She actually had to descend into an excavation to perform the ceremony. Four months later on 8 September, with the foundation laid, the Trustees called for tenders for each of the separate projects, ie erection of walls, plastering etc. Only two contractors quoted for all these: Thomas Walker at 3296 pounds and Thomas Francis King quoting 5898 pounds. Needless to say the contract was awarded to Thomas Walker, but within ayear his contract was terminated. The war of 1846 had made it impossible to continue with the work and it was only on 13 September 1847 that conditions changed and building could restart. Thomas Francis was asked by the Trustees to superintend the uncompleted work and three years later he finished his task. Dedication services were held in November 1850. It is not known what Thomas Francis' finalfigure was, but it would probably have been his original quote less what had already been spent by his hapless predecessor.

 

Despite his business committments, Thomas Francis found time to serve his community, both as a Municipal and Divisional Councillor. In 1846 he began a three year term of office as an elected member of the Municipal Board of Commissioners.Later when Grahamstown was granted Mayoral status ,he served subsequent terms as a member of the town's Municipal Council, representing Ward 6 from 1862 until 1870. In 1871 he was elected to serve Ward 3 which he represented until his death in 1876. In 1865 he was elected as a member of Ward No 1 of the Albany Divisional Council, representing Grahamstown, an office he held until 1871.

 

His commercial interests included: shareholder in the Frontier Commercial and Agricultural Bank of Grahamstown; committee member of the Frontier Fire Insurance Company and a business importing and supplying building material and various goods. Furthermore there is a reference in the Albert Times (Burgersdorp), dated 12 April 1855, to a business venture with the Cawood brothers, James, Joseph and Samuel, known as Cawood and King, Grahamstown and Namaqualand Copper Mining Company. The notice indicates that shares would be sold up to 12 April 1855. Certificates were signed by AG Bain, S Tildesley and Dr John Atherstone. It is not known whether this venture ever proved to be a success or not. Although Thomas Francis never returned to farming after he left Reed Fountain, he didextend his business interests into that profession. On 26 October 1855 he bought Elizabeth Farm, a 2000ha property in the Bedford district, a few kms south of the town. His second son George, later joined by Francis, leased the farm from him until 1869 when he sold the property to them.

 

Thomas Francis did not restrict his trade to building only, but included the skills of a monumental mason, as the following notice which appeared in the Grahamstown Journal of 27 November 1845, indicates. "Thomas King Market Square Grahamstown. TOMB STONES. The Undersignedinforms the Public generally that he has now on hand a quantity of GOOD TOMB STONES and having engaged a competent Workman he feels assured of being able to meet the wishes of all who may favour him with their patronage. Thomas King, Market Square.

 

In the February 1849 edition of the Grahamstown Journal, Thomas Francis gave notice of his intention to include his eldest son Francis as a partner in his business.

" Thomas King, Builder takes this opportunity of returning his sincere thanks to the public for the liberal support he has received for themany years he has been in business, and begs to inform them that he has admitted his son, Francis King, as partner,and that the business will in future be conducted under the style of "T. King & Son". Thomas King Grahamstown, February 10th, 1849. In reference to the above, T King & Son Builders, &c. Beg to inform the public that they intend carrying on building on a more extensive scale thanit has hitherto been carried on both in Town and Country. They feel assured, from the arrangements they have made for procuring Materials of the best quality, that all orders entrusted to them, will be executed with expidition and in the best manner. --- Charges moderate. --- Tombs, Tombstones, &c. erected in the neatest and most modern style."

 

At some stage Thomas Francis included his other sons as partners in his business as the following excerpt shows. An extract from the minutes, dated 27 October 1856, of a meeting of the Trustees of the Wesleyan Commemoration Chapel records " that the tender of Messrs King and Sons to Build a Wall around the three sides of the Burial Ground .. for the sum of 360 pounds is considered the most satisfactory". This wall is still existant, though in a poor state of repair.

 

By the end of the 1850's, his sons had left their father's building business and started establishing themselves as farmers, but he continued with his profession and involvement in civic affairs. He and his wife remained in their home on Market Square, their youngest daughter, Jemima leaving the family home in1869 after her marriage. In August 1870, his wife Sarah died, only in her 61st year and was buried in the Old Cemetery in Grahamstown. Despite this sad blow, Thomas Francis carried on with histrade and public life, resigning only from the Divisional Council. He remained a city councillor and though he had decreased his building committments, he remained busy. It was while on a visit to his sons Francis and George at Elizabeth Farm that he suddenly took ill and died on 9 November 1876 in the home of his eldest son Francis. He is buried in the family cemetery on the farm.

 

Thomas Francis was a man of considerable energy and talent and without doubt left his mark in Grahamstown. Modest in his manner, he was well liked and trusted by his fellowmen and on more thanone occasion was asked to stand as mayor, but always declined. The brief notice of his death pays a fine tribute to him. "Some of the best mason's work in the City testifies to his skill as aworkman.It is due to the deceased in closing this brief notice, to record that as a politician, he was always consistent, that his pluck and independence were unwavering and that his moral and religous character was without reproach."

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