| 6. |  Robert Godlonton, 1820 Settler was born on 24 Sep 1794 in London, England (son of James Godlonton and Mary Perry); died on 30 May 1884 in Beaufort House, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Other Events and Attributes:
- 1820 Lineage: Yes
- Settler ID: 993
- Name: Robert (Hon) Godlonton 1820
- Occupation: a Printer
- Settler: 3 Dec 1819, Gravesend, Kent, England
- Occupation: 1828, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Chief Clerk to the Civil Commissioner
Notes:
Appointed as a police constable in Bathurst.
GODLONTON, Robert. A printer aged 25. Contributed articles to the Grahamstown Journal, became co-editor and then proprietor. The paper had a strong influence on Eastern Frontier opinion. He was author of many books and a member of the Legislative Assembly.
SOURCE: The Settler named Jeremiah Goldswain by Pauline GOLDSWAIN.
He and three fellow Settlers, Thomas Stringfellow, Samuel Mollett and Dr. Roberts brought with them a Printing press, but this was confiscated by the Government. Not being a farmer, Godlonton found employment first as a constable, then clerk to the Landdrost and later to the Civil Commissioner, Captain Duncan Campbell.
Through the efforts of Thomas Pringle, the freedom of the press had been recognised by 1828 and in 1831 the Grahamstown Journal was founded by L.H. Meurant. Godlonton became editor but later took over the whole business. Admitting his nephew, Robert White, the firm became Godlonton & White in 1845. This Journal became the leading newspaper in the Eastern Province, always supporting and defending the Settlers against the blatantly hostile attitude of the Western Province and Great Britain. It still continues today, though under another name and is the oldest newspaper in South Africa. Godlonton founded or obtained a controlling interest in The Friend of Bloemfontein, The King William's Town Gazette, The Uitenhage Times, Het Grahamstads Register en Boeren-vriend, the Queenstown Free Press, the Eastern Province Herald, and the Eastern Province Monthly Magazine.
In addition to his continuous work on the Journal, Godlonton found time to produce a number of other publications, including Narrative of the Irruption of 1836. Sketches of the Eastern Districts in 1842. Memorials of the British Settlers, 1844-5. The Case of the Colonists in reference to the Kaffir Wars of 1835 and 1846. The Eastern Province Directory and Almanac. A Narrative of the Kaffir War 1850-1. Review of the Frontier Hottentots 1799-1851. Sunshine and Cloud (attacking Stockenstr?m). Notes on the Separation of the Eastern from the Western Province.
A Brief Memoir of the Rev. John Ayliff.
Godlonton is referred to as the "Champion of the Eastern Province", was a well-known public figure taking a leading part in politics and church affairs. He was J.P. for Albany and Fort Beaufort, a director of the Branch Savings Bank, the Frontier Fire Insurance Co., and the Frontier Commercial & Agricultural Bank.
He held a commission in the Sixth and Seventh Frontier Wars and was a member of the Board of Defence in the Eighth. In the Settler Celebrations of 1844-5, he was the central figure and Chairman of the Jubilee Celebrations in 1870 and laid the foundation stone of the Settlers' Tower in Grahamstown. In recognition of thirty years of service, Sir Harry Smith nominated him to the old Legislative Council, 1850-3, and in 1854 he became a Member of the new Legislative Council, a position he held for 25 years. In tribute to his memory there is a marble bust of the Hon. Robert Godlonton in the Houses of Parliament, Cape Town.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday 16 May 1838
GRANTS OF LAND
A correspondent has favored us wit the following extract:
"I do hereby grant on perpetual quit rent unto Robert GODLONTON a piece of 870 morgens of land, situate in the District of Albany, forming part of the location originally intended for BAYLY's party of Settlers, extending &c &c.
(Signed) B. D'Urban"
Grant dated 28th July 1836
If this is incorrect, or if any part of it can be explained, we shall willingly insert the correction or explanation.
GODLONTON - Robert - Born in London Sept. 24, 1794, Died in Grahamstown May 30, 1884. A British Settler of 1820. The recognised Father of the Press of the Eastern Province of the Colony, and for many years a valued member of the Legislative Council of the Cape of Good Hope.
--Colonies and India 17 December 1886
Appointed as a police constable in Bathurst.
GODLONTON, Robert. A printer aged 25. Contributed articles to the Grahamstown Journal, became co-editor and then proprietor. The paper had a strong influence on Eastern Frontier opinion. He was author of many books and a member of the Legislative Assembly.
SOURCE: The Settler named Jeremiah Goldswain by Pauline GOLDSWAIN.
He and three fellow Settlers, Thomas Stringfellow, Samuel Mollett and Dr. Roberts brought with them a Printing press, but this was confiscated by the Government. Not being a farmer, Godlonton found employment first as a constable, then clerk to the Landdrost and later to the Civil Commissioner, Captain Duncan Campbell.
Through the efforts of Thomas Pringle, the freedom of the press had been recognised by 1828 and in 1831 the Grahamstown Journal was founded by L.H. Meurant. Godlonton became editor but later took over the whole business. Admitting his nephew, Robert White, the firm became Godlonton & White in 1845. This Journal became the leading newspaper in the Eastern Province, always supporting and defending the Settlers against the blatantly hostile attitude of the Western Province and Great Britain. It still continues today, though under another name and is the oldest newspaper in South Africa. Godlonton founded or obtained a controlling interest in The Friend of Bloemfontein, The King William's Town Gazette, The Uitenhage Times, Het Grahamstads Register en Boeren-vriend, the Queenstown Free Press, the Eastern Province Herald, and the Eastern Province Monthly Magazine.
In addition to his continuous work on the Journal, Godlonton found time to produce a number of other publications, including Narrative of the Irruption of 1836. Sketches of the Eastern Districts in 1842. Memorials of the British Settlers, 1844-5. The Case of the Colonists in reference to the Kaffir Wars of 1835 and 1846. The Eastern Province Directory and Almanac. A Narrative of the Kaffir War 1850-1. Review of the Frontier Hottentots 1799-1851. Sunshine and Cloud (attacking Stockenstr?m). Notes on the Separation of the Eastern from the Western Province.
A Brief Memoir of the Rev. John Ayliff.
Godlonton is referred to as the "Champion of the Eastern Province", was a well-known public figure taking a leading part in politics and church affairs. He was J.P. for Albany and Fort Beaufort, a director of the Branch Savings Bank, the Frontier Fire Insurance Co., and the Frontier Commercial & Agricultural Bank.
He held a commission in the Sixth and Seventh Frontier Wars and was a member of the Board of Defence in the Eighth. In the Settler Celebrations of 1844-5, he was the central figure and Chairman of the Jubilee Celebrations in 1870 and laid the foundation stone of the Settlers' Tower in Grahamstown. In recognition of thirty years of service, Sir Harry Smith nominated him to the old Legislative Council, 1850-3, and in 1854 he became a Member of the new Legislative Council, a position he held for 25 years. In tribute to his memory there is a marble bust of the Hon. Robert Godlonton in the Houses of Parliament, Cape Town.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday 16 May 1838
GRANTS OF LAND
A correspondent has favored us wit the following extract:
"I do hereby grant on perpetual quit rent unto Robert GODLONTON a piece of 870 morgens of land, situate in the District of Albany, forming part of the location originally intended for BAYLY's party of Settlers, extending &c &c.
(Signed) B. D'Urban"
Grant dated 28th July 1836
If this is incorrect, or if any part of it can be explained, we shall willingly insert the correction or explanation.
GODLONTON - Robert - Born in London Sept. 24, 1794, Died in Grahamstown May 30, 1884. A British Settler of 1820. The recognised Father of the Press of the Eastern Province of the Colony, and for many years a valued member of the Legislative Council of the Cape of Good Hope.
--Colonies and India 17 December 1886
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born in London, he was employed for five years as a printer in the King's Printing Office, Shacklewell, before emigrating in company with a fellow workman, Thomas Stringfellow. Their employer donated a printing press jointly to the two printers and Dr Edward Roberts for use in the colony, but it was confiscated on their arrival at Cape Town. God-lonton was located at Cuylerville, where he built a house. He applied for a government post on the grounds that he had been prevented from following his trade, and in Septem¬ber 1821 he was appointed a constable at Bathurst. He was transferred to Grahamstown in 1822 as messenger in the Landdrost's office, but retained his claim to a share of Bailie's party's location by arranging for William Harden to occupy his house. In 1825 he was promoted to first clerk to the Landdrost, and from 1828 was first clerk to the civil com¬missioner of Albany and Somerset. He began his career as a journalist by contributing to the Graham's Town Journal almost from its inception, and he became editor in 1834, resigning from the civil service soon afterwards. He was part-owner of the Journal from 1834, and purchased it outright in 1839; in partnership with his nephew, Robert White, he subsequently founded a Dutch weekly newspaper in Grahamstown as well as newspapers in Bloemfontein, Kingwilliamstown, Queenstown, Uitenhage and Pietermaritzburg. He influenced public opinion as journalist, pamphleteer and historian, and in addition took an active part in local and colonial government. He was a member of the Albany Divisional Road Board and a Justice of the Peace for Albany and Fort Beaufort, and for 21 years a member of the Cape Legislature. He was nominated by the Governor, Sir Harry Smith, to the Legislative Council in 1850, and after the introduction of representative government was returned to the Upper House as a member for the Eastern Districts. He resigned in 1857, but was re-elected after a break of several years and retained his seat until 1878.
Godlonton had a practical interest in farming; he became secretary to the Eastern Pro¬vince Joint-Stock Sheep Farm Association, and a committee member of the Association for Introducing the Cultivation of Cotton. In 1836 he purchased the three allotments adjoining his share of Bailie's party's location, to make up Palmietfontein Farm, at the mouth of the Great Fish River. He donated the small homestead allotment that had origi¬nally belonged to Henry Vokins as the site for a church at Cuylerville. He subsequently owned farms in the Albany and Fort Beaufort districts. As a staunch convert to Methodism he was an office bearer in the Grahamstown Wesleyan-Methodist Church. After the death of his first wife in 1844 he married a widow, Sarah Richards. His second wife and two eldest daughters, Mary Ann (Shepperson) and Matilda Barton (Booth) predeceased him; he died in Grahamstown in his 90th year, leaving the two children of his second marriage, Benjamin D'Urban and Sarah Harriet (Hoole). His estate included Beaufort House in Grahamstown and two farms in the Fort Beaufort district, Hammonds and Papenkuilsfontein.
CO 8482 n.d. (1821); 1/AY 8/72, 14.8.1821; CO 6139, list of civil servants; CO 8541,9.8. 1824; DSAB II, 263-266; GTJ 6.7.1832; Godlonton,Irruption of the Kaffir Hordes, intro¬ductory remarks, pp.187-8; Deeds Office records; LG 540 no.1235, memorial of trustees of Cuylerville Church, 26.6.1843; Grahamstown Methodist Church marriage registers; MOOC 6/9/209 d.n. 8623/1884.
ADDITIONAL NOTE ON THE GODLONTON FAMILY
A 17-year-old boy, William Hex, emigrated with Robert Godlonton's family in 1819. He may have been a younger brother of Mrs Mary Ann Godlonton (one of her granddaughters was christened Mary Ann Hex). William Hex left Albany for Cape Town in February 1824, and in March was given permission to leave the colony and sailed in the Madras for London. S.A. Commercial Advertiser, 11.2.1824; CO 6062 vol.1 no.43, permits to leave the colony, 1824.
{Bailie's Party of 1820 Settlers by M D Nash }
Settler:
Bailie's party on the Chapman
Robert married Mary Ann Hex, 1820 Settler on 17 Oct 1813 in St Botolph's, Bishopsgate, London, England. Mary was born in 1793; died in 1844. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1844 - 1862 (18 years)
Benjamin Booth, 1820 Settler was born on 11 Feb 1787 in Richmond, Surrey, England; died on 28 Apr 1862 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Grahamstown Cemetery (Old), Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. 
