GRAY (Robert, 1809-1872, Bishop of Cape Town, 1847-1872, Metropolitan 1853)

Autograph Memorandum Signed 'R. Capetown', saying that "the Archdeacon of Grahams Town in a recent letter ... states that in his visitation (always performed on foot)", he found "at a village called (after Sir H. Smith) Smithfield, in the country called the Sovereignty ... the inhabitants holding Divine Service" read by "the Magistrate of the District ... every Lord's Day", and while he was there they put down their names as subscribers to a Church, to the amount of £300, and to the maintenance of a Clergyman to the amount of £65. Masons offered to lay 20,000 bricks gratuitously. Carpenters to give their services gratuitously. And the people undertook to send a wagon to Port Elizabeth ... nearly 300 miles, to bring their Clergyman up when he should arrive", but Grey "is grieved ... that being personally responsible for ... nearly £5000 a year with uncertain and fluctuating subscriptions, he could not at present send out a Clergyman without running the risk of not being able to maintain him, and thereby hazarding his whole work ... and doing a moral wrong", an unmarried Clergyman would require £150 and a married not less than £200", 4 sides 4to, no place, no date, circa

Smithfield, about 80 miles SE of Bloemfontein, was founded in 1848 by Sir Harry Smith Governor of Cape Colony. He proclaimed British rule over a large area north of the Orange river, to be named the Orange River Sovereignty, but in 1854 it was recognized as an independent Boer republic and renamed the Orange Free State.

Item Date:  1850

Stock No:  56322      £175

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