Notes |
- He was christened on 16 October 1863 in Riversdale?
1876 moved to the Transvaal.
1877 was present at the raising of the British flag in Pretoria on annexure.
1880-1881 in Pretoria Carbineers, Anglo Boer War.
16 December 1880 taken prisoner, but released 2 days later.
29 December 1880 was wounded in foot during the Red House Krall engagement - mentioned in despatches
1881 worked for Standard Bank in Kimberley
1886 in Barberton as a comapny secretary and accountant
9 Jan 1889 back in Johannesburg.
An eminent incorporated accountant of Johannesburg, is the fifth son of Mr Samuel Melville, who occupies a niche in history as the Surveyor-General of the Transvaal during the British occupation of 1877-81 and subsequently until the time of his death, assistant Surveyor-General of the Cape colony.
The subject of this epitomised biography was born at Riversdale, Cape Colony, on the 16th of October, 1863, and his success in life is indicated by the fact that he is a Fellow of the Society of Accountants and Auditors (incorporated 1885), England, and a member of the Transvaal Society of Accountants. Mr Melvill came to the Transvaal in 1876, and was present at the hoisting of the the British flag in Pretoria in 1877 on the annexation, and till the retrocessionhe acted as a clerk to the Colonial Traesury, Pretoria.
When the 1880-81 Anglo-Boer War broke out Mr Melvill joined the Pretoria Carbineers, and in the course of service with them he was taken prisoner on the 16 December, 1880, with Sergeant Tom Webster of the same corps, being released two days later. On the 29th of that month he was wounded in the foot at the Red House Kraal engagement, and was mentioned in despatches by Lieut-Colonel Gildea in the following complimentary terms:- "I would beg to bring to the special notice of the colonel commanding the conduct of Trooper L Melvill of the Carbineers, who behaved exceptionally well; for after he was severely wounded in the foot early in the fight he remained in action till one of the last, and notwithstanding his having no horse as it was shot under him, assisted in protecting the men who were carrying Captain D"Arcy to the rear by keeping hotfire on the enemy."
It is also noteworthy that Colonel Bellairs, the officer commanding in the Transvaal District in forwarding the dispatch remarked, "...led to the temporary loss of the services of such good officer as Captain D"Arcy and bravement as Trooper L Melvill" ...
Mr Melvill left Pretoria after the retrocession and joined the Standard Bank staff at Kimberley. In 1886 he returned to the Transvaal capital and thence proceeded to Barbeton where he practiced as an accountant, and secretary of companies. He came to Johannesburg in January 1889, and he has since conducted a lucrative professional business on the Rand.
In June 1892, Mr Melvill was married to Miss Mary Kate White, the daughter of Mr C Kember White, of Barbeton, by whom he has had four children, one girl and three boys.
His clubs are the New, Johannesburg, the Pretoria and Wanderers, and his office is at 22 Robinson Buildings, at the corner of Commissioner and Simmonds Streest, Johannesburg, while his residential address is 48, Karl Street, Jeppestown, Johannesburg.
Men of the Times
Transvaal Pub. Co 1906
968 OS Men
Cory Library, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
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