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389:", to make the Cape's Executive democratically accountable (or "responsible" as it was known), and thus give the Cape a degree of independence from Britain. As this movement grew in power throughout the 1860s, Godlonton redirected his considerable resources towards opposing it. Finally, as a member of the Legislative Council, he chaired the 1871
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He was immensely influential for his work in elaborating on and immortalising the trials and grievances of the 1820 Settlers. His influence on frontier historiography was far greater than his effects on the affairs of his day. During his lifetime his political movement was largely thwarted, and he
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and in 1839 he took over the business. The firm, now renamed
Godlonton & White, became the leading newspaper in the Eastern Cape. He eventually developed a wide range of business interests, but his primary activity remained newspapers and the printing industry. He gained a controlling stake in
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Godlonton swiftly came to the forefront as the leader of this
Eastern Cape settler movement. He used his newspapers to condemn Stockenström's treaty system and advocate seizing the Xhosa lands. He also used his considerable influence in the religious institutions of the 1820 Settlers to drive his
343:
From his leadership of the frontier settlers' attacks on
Stockenstrom's treaty system, Godlonton had acquired a very prominent and powerful position in the Eastern Cape. In the 1840s he thus began to take on the role of self-appointed leader of the Eastern Cape separatist movement. This movement
486:
Memorials of the
British Settlers of South Africa: Being the Records of Public Services, Held at Graham's Town and Port Elizabeth on the 10th of April, and at Bathurst on the 10th May, 1844 in Commemoration of Their Landing in Algoa Bay, and Foundation of the Settlement of Albany in the Year
310:. This system was underlain by formal treaties to guard the border and return any stolen cattle from either side. Importantly, Stockenström forbade colonial expansion into Xhosa land. With this key provision, the treaty system soon brought a degree of peace to the frontier.
359:. In the wake of this "Convict Crisis", the Governor appointed him to the Cape's Legislative Council, resulting in the other Council members resigning en masse in protest. Godlonton also unsuccessfully opposed the implementation of the multi-racial
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as member of the board of defence and, although never elected a municipal commissioner, he diligently attended town and committee meetings in the area. Later, as his business enterprises grew, he began to take a much stronger role in Cape politics.
611:
The Life and Times of Sir John
Charles Molteno, K.C.M.G., First Premier of Cape Colony: Comprising a History of Representative Institutions and Responsible Government at the Cape and of Lord Carnarvon's Confederation Policy & of Sir Bartle
446:, like a great many of the 1820 settlers of the Eastern Cape, who was strongly involved in Church and Missionary activity. He was a prominent leader of the Cape's Methodist community, friends with other powerful churchmen such as John Ayliff,
370:, with the old Legislative Council becoming an elected upper house – sharply divided between representatives of the Eastern and Western Cape. Godlonton represented the Eastern Cape in this new Legislative Council for the next 25 years.
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opinions, declaring that "the
British race was selected by God himself to colonise Kaffraria". In the face of massive pressure and ruinous lawsuits, Stockenström was eventually dismissed and his treaty system was dismantled by
236:
the
Kingwilliamstown Gazette, the Uitenhage Times, the Queenstown Free Press, the Eastern Province Herald, the Eastern Province Monthly Magazine, the Friend of Bloemfontein, and Het Grahamstads Register en Boeren-vriend.
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in a last-ditch attempt to split the Cape and weaken the
Responsible Government movement, but the following year Molteno gained parliamentary control and became the Cape's first Prime Minister.
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accused the Cape Town-based government of being overly lenient in its frontier policy, and called for the political capital to be moved to a city nearer the frontier or, barring that, for the
302:, who professed considerable respect for the Xhosa, had developed a completely new frontier policy that involved the exchange of diplomatic agents as reliable "ambassadors" between the
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and Henry
Calderwood among others and, together with such men, formed a powerful business clique. They also formed the majority of the municipal commissioners in the Eastern Cape.
396:
The new Prime
Minister immediately included several representatives of the Eastern Cape into his government. This, together with the rising economic prosperity of the Cape and the
197:
Robert Godlonton was born in London on 24 September 1794. He was a weak and sickly child and after he was orphaned at the age of twelve he was apprenticed at a printing office.
757:
631:
469:
A Narrative of the Irruption of the Kafir Hordes Into the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope, 1834-35: Compiled from Official Documents and Other Authentic Sources
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was eventually out-maneuvered by his Western Cape opponents, nonetheless in years to come his legacy was to survive and influence the expansionist policies of the later
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However many frontier colonists resented Stockenström's restrictions on their expansion into Xhosa land. As one settler ominously remarked of the Xhosa lands:
385:
Meanwhile, Stockenström's old protege, Molteno, claiming direct British rule in southern Africa to be unjust and inept, was leading a growing movement for "
321:
331:
Stockenström died soon afterwards but crucially, Godlonton's attacks on him and his treaty system made an opponent of Stockenström's friend and ally
71:
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Signed copy of Robert Godlonton's publication in defence of settler grievances against the Xhosa and their liberal defenders in Cape Town.
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finally extinguished the separatist movement. Godlonton was permitted to retain his parliamentary seat until its dissolution in 1878.
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After unsuccessful attempts at farming, he became a clerk at a landdrost's office and was gradually promoted over the next ten years.
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Review of the Condition of the Frontier Hottentots from 1799-1851, and of the Incipient Stages of the Rebellion of the Latter Year
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With the time and resources of his business success, he able to concentrate on additional personal publications, such as
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to be allowed to secede as a separate state. It also supported greater British imperial involvement in southern Africa.
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Godlonton's early political career was taken up by a long campaign against the Lieutenant-Governor of the Eastern Cape,
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The Cape was finally given freedom of the press in 1828, due largely to the efforts of the journalist and politician
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In the new parliament, Godlonton led the separatist cause in the upper house of parliament, while his colleague
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Godlonton began to involve himself in politics soon after he arrived in the Cape. He took an active role in the
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His first wife, Mary Ann, died in 1844, and the following year he married his second wife Sarah Richards.
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Robert Godlonton was outspoken in his beliefs and earned the nickname "Moral Bob". He was a staunch
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324:. A fresh wave of frontier conflicts soon broke out, eventually building up to the
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The Borders of Race in Colonial South Africa: The Kat River Settlement, 1829–1856
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315:"The appearance of the country is very fine, it will make excellent sheep farms."
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Sketches of the Eastern Districts of the Cape of Good Hope: As They are in 1842
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Status and Respectability in the Cape Colony, 1750–1870: A Tragedy of Manners
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245:"Notes on the Separation of the Eastern from the Western Province"
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In 1849 – 50 Godlonton took a controversial stand in support of
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Robert Godlonton as architect of frontier opinion, 1850-1857
181:, who developed the press of the Eastern Cape and led the
632:"A Quest for a Treaty Stockenstrom, Godlonton And Bowker"
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211:
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241:"Narrative of the Irruption of the Kafir Hordes (1836)"
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separatist movement as a representative in the Cape's
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Members of the Legislative Council of the Cape Colony
204:, taking with him a small printing press. However,
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414:frontier opinion mirrored the powerful role that
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276:Confrontation with Lieut-Governor Stockenström
480:. Office of the Graham's Town Journal. 1842.
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410:Godlonton's role as the press advocate of
231:. In 1834 Godlonton became partner in the
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510:History of Cape Colony from 1870 to 1899
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200:He emigrated to the Cape as part of the
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456:He died in Grahamstown on 30 May 1884.
422:) played as leading press advocates of
173:) was an influential politician of the
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339:Leader of the Eastern Cape Separatists
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377:led the movement in the lower house.
212:Business career and printing industry
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381:Opposition to responsible government
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255:to the Eastern Cape to bolster its
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366:In 1854, the Cape was granted its
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702:History of South Africa 1873-1884
49:Member of the Legislative Council
391:Commission on Federal Devolution
355:'s attempt to use the Cape as a
156:Printer, politician, businessman
615:London: Smith, Elder & Co.
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681:. Cambridge University Press.
590:. Cambridge University Press.
489:. R. Godlonton, printer. 1844.
472:. Meurant and Godlonton. 1836.
136:Eastern Cape Separatist League
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399:Seven Circles Bill (May 1874)
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148:Sarah Richards (married 1845)
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664:le Cordeur, B. A. (1960).
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497:. Godlonton & White.
361:Cape Qualified Franchise
52:for the Eastern Division
738:Cape Colony politicians
705:. London: George Allen.
328:which equpted in 1846.
733:19th century in Africa
387:Responsible Government
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675:Ross, Robert (2013).
606:Molteno, Percy Alport
584:Ross, Robert (1999).
438:Later life and family
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251:and calling for more
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697:Theal, George McCall
523:Notes and references
514:Andries Stockenström
294:Andries Stockenström
286:Andries Stockenström
146:Mary Ann (died 1844)
257:European population
253:British immigration
233:Grahamstown Journal
187:Legislative Council
138:(1854 to mid 1870s)
448:Henry Hare Dugmore
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688:978-1-107-66001-4
622:978-1-277-74131-5
597:978-1-139-42561-2
432:Progressive Party
426:liberal opinion.
322:Governor Maitland
206:Governor Somerset
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99:24 September 1794
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177:. He was an
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117:(1884-05-30)
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753:1884 deaths
743:1794 births
636:New History
418:(and later
363:in 1851/2.
326:Amatola War
304:Cape Colony
175:Cape Colony
171:"Moral Bob"
126:Cape Colony
122:Grahamstown
115:30 May 1884
727:Categories
612:Frere's...
508:See also:
193:Early life
153:Occupation
95:1794-09-24
63:1860s–1878
646:4 October
572:Ross 1999
548:Anon 2010
536:Ross 1999
444:Methodist
143:Spouse(s)
59:In office
699:(1919).
608:(1900).
504:See also
306:and the
24:The Hon.
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516:, and
406:Legacy
102:London
66:(also
249:Xhosa
683:ISBN
648:2014
617:ISBN
592:ISBN
487:1820
243:and
112:Died
89:Born
72:1858
68:1854
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
