| 8. | John Collett was born on 27 Nov 1826 in Beaufort Street, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 22 Apr 1827 in Albany District, Eastern Cape, South Africa (son of James Lydford Collett, 1820 Settler and Rhoda Ann Trollip, 1820 Settler); died on 10 Aug 1908 in Albany District, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Other Events and Attributes:
- 1820 Lineage: Yes
- Possessions: From 1850 to Jan 1850, Grassridge farm, Cradock (nr), Eastern Cape, South Africa
Notes:
General Notes: John and Mary where the founders of the Methodist Chapel at
Fish River, in which their children have placed a memorial tablet.
This couple had 13 children, and all lived to a ripe old age, which might be an
argument in favour of consanguineous marriages, for John and Mary were first
cousins, John's mother and Mary's father being sister and brother. John was
known as "John Collett of Grassridge", and there is an amusing story told,
indicating the sly, slow brand of humour prevalent amongst the Trollop/Collett
families. It is said that when a Grassridge irrigation dam was a-building, the
Colletts were very worried that there would occur one of those sudden, violent
storms, and the dam-wall would collapse, taking Grassridge house away in the
flood waters. Some wit is known to have remarked "They needn't worry. There
will always be some Collett sitting on the bank, calling out, "Keer voor, Kiewiet" ".
(Kiewiet was an old Hottentot servant who 'belonged' to the Colletts. His full
name was Kiewiet Speelman - hence Speelman's Kop). Another story concerns one
of the Colletts who fell from the loft of the house, and, when asked why he was
not more hurt, remarked "Well, I just fell slowly!" This story indicates their
placid dispositions, which in no way deterred them from becoming very successful
farmers, but endeared them to all and sundry.
Noted events in his life were:
1. Property: 1850/1908, Cradock District, Cape Colony, Southern Africa. "Grass
Ridge" Farm:
According to Guy Butler (see source list) the farm known as 'Vogelgesang' came
into the possession of John COLLETT in 1850, later renamed 'Grass Ridge'.
However, in 1883 a mortgage bond of £2 500 was also registered in his favour
over four properties (by far the largest being rem. Petzers kraal, the others ptn.
Doornberg, another property some 361 morgen in size situated between these two,
and another portion of Doornberg), about 1 920 hectares in total extent, all
situated in the Middelburg district.
The bondholder was his father-in-law Joseph Trollip. Interest at 6% pa for the
first £2 000 and 3% for the balance, £500, was payable twice annually. It
remained in force until January 1901.
In estate papers filed at his death in 1908 the farm Grass Ridge receives mention,
as having consisted of two portions of Vogelgezang, a portion of Klipheuwels and
remainder Klipheuwels, about 6 715 hectares in total extent. The whole property
was valued at £7 915, and would seem to have been farmed by his sons Norman
and Dudley under a lease or bond agreement.
There was also mention of two properties bought by John Collett in Cradock
town, what was to become a boarding house at '33 Beeren St' and the Butler Bros
General Notes: John and Mary where the founders of the Methodist Chapel at
Fish River, in which their children have placed a memorial tablet.
This couple had 13 children, and all lived to a ripe old age, which might be an
argument in favour of consanguineous marriages, for John and Mary were first
cousins, John's mother and Mary's father being sister and brother. John was
known as "John Collett of Grassridge", and there is an amusing story told,
indicating the sly, slow brand of humour prevalent amongst the Trollop/Collett
families. It is said that when a Grassridge irrigation dam was a-building, the
Colletts were very worried that there would occur one of those sudden, violent
storms, and the dam-wall would collapse, taking Grassridge house away in the
flood waters. Some wit is known to have remarked "They needn't worry. There
will always be some Collett sitting on the bank, calling out, "Keer voor, Kiewiet" ".
(Kiewiet was an old Hottentot servant who 'belonged' to the Colletts. His full
name was Kiewiet Speelman - hence Speelman's Kop). Another story concerns one
of the Colletts who fell from the loft of the house, and, when asked why he was
not more hurt, remarked "Well, I just fell slowly!" This story indicates their
placid dispositions, which in no way deterred them from becoming very successful
farmers, but endeared them to all and sundry.
Noted events in his life were:
1. Property: 1850/1908, Cradock District, Cape Colony, Southern Africa. "Grass
Ridge" Farm:
According to Guy Butler (see source list) the farm known as 'Vogelgesang' came
into the possession of John COLLETT in 1850, later renamed 'Grass Ridge'.
However, in 1883 a mortgage bond of £2 500 was also registered in his favour
over four properties (by far the largest being rem. Petzers kraal, the others ptn.
Doornberg, another property some 361 morgen in size situated between these two,
and another portion of Doornberg), about 1 920 hectares in total extent, all
situated in the Middelburg district.
The bondholder was his father-in-law Joseph Trollip. Interest at 6% pa for the
first £2 000 and 3% for the balance, £500, was payable twice annually. It
remained in force until January 1901.
In estate papers filed at his death in 1908 the farm Grass Ridge receives mention,
as having consisted of two portions of Vogelgezang, a portion of Klipheuwels and
remainder Klipheuwels, about 6 715 hectares in total extent. The whole property
was valued at £7 915, and would seem to have been farmed by his sons Norman
and Dudley under a lease or bond agreement.
There was also mention of two properties bought by John Collett in Cradock
town, what was to become a boarding house at '33 Beeren St' and the Butler Bros
business property in Adderley Street.
In papers subsequently filed (1909) outstanding debts of John's sons and sons-in-
law seem to have been brought into reconciliation, leaving each child
provisionally with £500. A promissory note of the Butler brothers (James and
Charles) of £2 100 was also brought into the calculation. After succession duty
(about £111) each of the twelve Collett children were to receive about £918. In
the second and final distribution account (1910) a further £32-17-2 was paid out
to each of the Collett children. A bond of £675 owed to the estate by James
Butler was not called up in view of 'a fall in the property market' and the fact
that at the time they were being let 'at a good rental'.
James's financial position was stated as being 'not very strong'.
GENERAL: From A Time to Plant, p211:
"John was calm, Mary more excitable; John short for man, Mary tall. (John) Owen and Gervase were tall, Walter quite short. Most of them were quite, slow-spoken people, but Letty, Rosa and Norman were lively. Walter, Herbert, Jessie and Dudley had reddish or sandy hair - the others were dark."
In papers subsequently filed (1909) outstanding debts of John's sons and sons-in-
law seem to have been brought into reconciliation, leaving each child
provisionally with £500. A promissory note of the Butler brothers (James and
Charles) of £2 100 was also brought into the calculation. After succession duty
(about £111) each of the twelve Collett children were to receive about £918. In
the second and final distribution account (1910) a further £32-17-2 was paid out
to each of the Collett children. A bond of £675 owed to the estate by James
Butler was not called up in view of 'a fall in the property market' and the fact
that at the time they were being let 'at a good rental'.
James's financial position was stated as being 'not very strong'.
GENERAL: From A Time to Plant, p211:
"John was calm, Mary more excitable; John short for man, Mary tall. (John) Owen and Gervase were tall, Walter quite short. Most of them were quite, slow-spoken people, but Letty, Rosa and Norman were lively. Walter, Herbert, Jessie and Dudley had reddish or sandy hair - the others were dark."
John married Mary Trollip on 19 Jul 1854 in Doornberg Farm, Brak River, Middelburg, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Mary (daughter of Joseph Anthony Trollip, 1820 Settler and Phoebe Whitehead, 1820 Settler) was born on 22 Jun 1836 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 17 Jul 1836 in Albany District, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 8 Aug 1906 in Grassridge farm, Cradock (nr), Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Grassridge farm, Cradock (nr), Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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