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- Samuel CAWOOD, born in England, came out in 1820 as a settler with father David at age 10 but must have been 12. Died 1887 age 79, a retired merchant in Grahamstown.
Foremost among David CAWOOD's six sons was Samuel, who it is recorded, ranked second only to Mr. GODLONTON among the survivors of the settlers of 1820. A 'settler' he was not, properly speaking, as he was too young on arrival to entitle him the privilege of being so described. But if devotion to the interests of his country, pride in his settler ancestry, and unwearied efforts in every work calculated to advance the well-being of the country of his adoption would entitle him to rank as such, the Hon. Samuel CAWOOD deserved to be ranked among them. To his almost unaided exertions is due to the erection of the Settler's Memorial Tower, which was publicly opened by him when he was acting Mayor of Grahamstown on 7 May 1882 and which is as real a memento of his worthy self, as of those whose advent here it is intended to honour, and which will to all time, commemorate the men who have made the Eastern Province as we find it now. He has been described as a "father of the Settlemen!
t" and in addition to being a member of the Municipal Council, has served the City in every capacity.
Samuel was a staunch friend and a true colonist and had always been interested in lower Albany and the improvement of the district by the introduction of fresh agricultural staples. In a book by Sheffield, it says:- "It is here he grew up from boyhood to manhood and there it was he plucked his first Rosebud." Samuel married Rosa PIKE. In his endeavour to open up the Kowie harbour to commerce, he has always been unsparing and lavish of his means.
In 1855 he was made a member of the Legislative Council as were the other brothers, the Hon. Joseph and James CAWOOD, where they ably represented the Eastern Province interests.
The old Wesleyan Chapel has disappeared, pillars and all, and given place to a handsome modern Assembly named after the Rev. W. SHAW, the founder of Methodism in South Africa. On the vacant ground opposite where once stood the family residence of the CAWOODs, a monster hotel had sprung up. The hall publicly opened 7 May 1882.
Samuel gave continuous service to the Municipality from 1858 to 1883.
Extract from a letter written by Hazel McDONALD.
"During all your research into the family history, did you hear the story about Samuel CAWOOD who was a Member of Parliament for Grahamstown for 25 years, but never made a speech? So as a memorial the people of the town erected a clock tower, but without the chimes! If you know it, please let me know which building this particular clock is in." SOURCE: Yvonne BECK née CAWOOD
CAWOOD - The Hon. Samuel CAWOOD, whose death is announced, will be well known to every Cape Colonist, where he may be located. The deceased gentleman was born in April 1810, thus having entered his 78th year. He arrived in the Cape Colony by the ship John on April 19, 1820, with his father, Mr. David Cawood, and five brothers - James, William, John, Joshua, and Joseph - all of whom he outlived. Mr. Cawood was of an old Yorkshire family, his birthplace being Waybank Hall, at which place his father was engaged in farming till he decided to take part in the great emigration to South Africa, which took place in 1820. His youth was spent at Kaffir Drift Post, where his father had settled as a farmer. In 1832 Mr. Samuel Cawood and two of his brothers were at the kraal of the treacherous Zulu chief Dingaan, shortly before the frightful massacre of the Boers and their families under Retief.From a similar fate the Cawoods had the narrowest escape. It was with great difficulty that they got permission to leave the place, and, as they afterwards discovered, a body of men had been sent on before to waylay them on their return to Natal. The men fell in on the way with a hunting party of Hottentots, all of whom they killed except one lad. The Cawoods on their return towards Natal crossed the river 24 hours before the Zulus came up, and, owing to the heavy rains, no spoor was left at the drift, which led their pursuers to suppose that they had taken another road, and therefore the chase was abandoned. In 1840 the firm of Cawood Bros. was started in Port Elizabeth, and soon afterwards in Grahamstown and Cradock, four or five smaller branch houses being started in course of time. In 1880 he was elected Mayor of Grahamstown and on May 7, 1882, he presided as Acting Mayor at the opening of the new Town Hall. The chief mourners were the following relatives and family connections of the deceased:-
Messrs. Thomas, William and George CAWOOD.
Messrs. Herbert BAKER and Charles DYER, of King Williamstown
Mr. J.W. KING, of Adelaide, Mr. R.W. NELSON, of Grahamstown
Mr. Frank KING, of Bedford, and Mr. Richard CAWOOD
The grandsons present being - Joseph, Charles, and Willie CAWOOD, sons of Mr. W.D. CAWOOD
Willie Albert CAWOOD - son of Mr. Thomas CAWOOD and R.W. NELSON, jun and
George C. NELSON, sons of Mr. R.W. NELSON.
In addition to these were numerous distant relatives, together with Mr. John ATHERSTONE, of Albany, and Mr. VARDY, of Port Elizabeth. The following gentlemen, who are among the oldest Grahamstown friends of the deceased, acted as pall-bearers, namely Messrs. C.H. HUNTLY, Reuben AYLIFF, W.A. FLETCHER, Josiah SLATER, Henry WOOD, C.J. STIRK
- Colonies and India 22 July 1887
- Famous big-game hunter and pioneer in Natal, together with his brothersJoshua and David.
Member of the House of Assembly, 1859, and of the Legislative Council,1883.
Traded in Natal in 1832. He was the Mayor of Grahamstown in 1880. He was a member of the House of Assembly from 1855-1862 and a Member of the Legislative Council from 1860-1873.
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