Sugar and Settlers: A history of the Natal South Coast, 1850-1910

Duncan L. Du Bois

Description

Duncan Du Bois provides a detailed and fascinating history of a hitherto much-neglected part of what was the colony of Natal. Based primarily on original archival research, he traces the southward advance of the white settler frontier and its sugar-based economy from Isipingo to the Mzimkulu river and, without the sugar engine, to the Mtamvuna.

Sujets

• Littérature Sud-Africaine
• Littérature sud-africaine
• The Settlers
• Colonisation
• Shipping
• Settlement
• Indentured servant
• Settler
• Commercial agriculture

Informations

• Publié par: UJ Press
• Date de parution: 01 septembre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781920382711
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 22 Mo

Extrait

Sugar and Settlers A history of the Natal South Coast 1850-1910

Duncan L. Du Bois

Sugar and Settlers A history of the Natal South Coast 1850–1910

Duncan L. Du Bois

Sugar and Settlers: A history of the Natal South Coast, 1850-1910

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First edition 2015

ISBN: 978-1-920382-70-4 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-920382-71-1 (e-book) DOI: https://doi.org/10.18820/9781920382711

Set in Minion Pro 11/13.5 Cover design, typesetting and production by Sun Media Bloemfontein

Research, academic and reference works are published under this imprint in print and electronic format.

This printed copy can be ordered directly from: [e-mail] The e-book is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.18820/9781920382711

Acknowledgments Graeu anks or Inancîa conrîuîons owards e puîcaîon o îs work îs erey acknowedged o e oowîng peope and însîuîons:

Arnand Moodey Jon Du Boîs Mark Peruma Tony Roînson Anon Koc Crookes Bros. ïovo Sugar

he îmage on e cover, daed 1914-1915, îs o e pîvoa Mkomanzî rîdge, wî e Umkomaas cenra sugar mî o e et (Kîîe Campe îrary, Duran).

he map on e cover page o caper ree îs used wî e kînd permîssîon o S. O’B Spencer.

hanks o Gooam Vaed o UKZN or comîng up wî “Sugar and Seers” as an înroducîon o e orîgîna esîs îe.

Contents

PREFACE .......................................................................................................

PART 1 ................................................................................................ CHAPTER 1: THE SETTLEMENT OF ISIPINGO ........................................ Introduction .................................................................................................................. Agricultural experiments ........................................................................................... Labour shortage .......................................................................................................... Sugar mills: A yardstick of progress ........................................................................ IndenturedIndians..................................................................................................... End of an era ................................................................................................................ Forging community ..................................................................................................... Concluding remarks ................................................................................................... In closing .......................................................................................................................

i

1 3 5 11 15 17 20 23 26 30 32

CHAPTER 2: SOUTHWARD COLONISING PRESENCE ........................... 33 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 35 Chief Mnini’s relocation ............................................................................................ 37 Missions and missionaries ........................................................................................ 39 Henry Francis Fynn .................................................................................................... 41 Settlement of Lower Mkomanzi ............................................................................... 45 Umzinto Sugar Company .......................................................................................... 48 Framing the future ..................................................................................................... 50 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 52

CHAPTER 3: THE BIRTH OF ALFRED COUNTY ....................................... 53 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 55 Nomansland ................................................................................................................. 56 Alfred County, 1866-1870 ........................................................................................ 66 Stagnation ..................................................................................................................... 68 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 72

CHAPTER 4: ALEXANDRA COUNTY, 1860-1870 ..................................... 73 Pioneering growth ....................................................................................................... 75 Labour question ......................................................................................................... 80

Travel and transport ................................................................................................... 81 Sugar prospects ........................................................................................................... 86 Shipping ........................................................................................................................ 89 Growing European presence .................................................................................... 93 Georgina Nelson ........................................................................................................ 97 Grant violations ........................................................................................................... 100 Economic trends ......................................................................................................... 102 Recession in Alexandra County, 1865-1866 ......................................................... 104 Sugar planting at crossroads .................................................................................... 106 Social relations ............................................................................................................ 109 Africans ................................................................................................................ 109 Settler society ..................................................................................................... 113 Public works ................................................................................................................. 118 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 119

CHAPTER 5: A DECADE OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES .............................. 121 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 123 Alexandra County ........................................................................................................ 123 Bridge over the Mkomanzi ........................................................................................ 125 Roads ............................................................................................................................. 127 J.B. Aiken and the Railway Bill .................................................................................. 128 Seagoing transport .................................................................................................... 130 Labour and sugar production ................................................................................... 134 Economic growth ........................................................................................................ 138 Political representation .............................................................................................. 139 The Anglo-Zulu War ................................................................................................... 141 Social life ....................................................................................................................... 143 Alfred County ............................................................................................................... 146 Minimal government .................................................................................................. 146 Lost opportunities ....................................................................................................... 148 Aiken enterprise .......................................................................................................... 149 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 152

CHAPTER 6: THE THOMAS REYNOLDS YEARS ...................................... 153 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 155 Accessing the Mzimkulu ............................................................................................ 156 Mzimkulu harbour works: The struggle for government funding ..................... 159 Roads, a post office and a township ....................................................................... 164

Request for a magistracy in Lower Umzimkulu .................................................... 166 Official indifference .................................................................................................... 168 Telegraph link .............................................................................................................. 170 Applying for fiscal port status: 1883 ....................................................................... 173 Applying for fiscal port status: 1884 ....................................................................... 173 Applying for fiscal port status: 1885 ....................................................................... 176 Elements of handicap: The Mkomanzi – the punt, shipping, a bridge ............ 178 Marburg’s Norwegian settlers .................................................................................. 181 Development overview: Alfred County .................................................................. 184 Development overview: Alexandra County ........................................................... 185 Political engagement .................................................................................................. 187 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 190

CHAPTER 7: CINDERELLA COUNTY ......................................................... 191 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 193 General Sir John Jarvis Bisset ................................................................................... 193 Fiscal port status ......................................................................................................... 196 Bridge over the Mkomanzi ........................................................................................ 199 Factionalism ................................................................................................................. 199 Gold fever .................................................................................................................... 201 Tardy progress ............................................................................................................. 204 Hime and the bridge over the Mkomanzi .............................................................. 206 Coastal shipping .......................................................................................................... 210 Mzinto Bay .................................................................................................................... 212 Mzimkulu mouth ......................................................................................................... 213 Fiscal port ..................................................................................................................... 214 Evaluation of “Cinderella” status ............................................................................. 215 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 220

PART 2 ................................................................................................ 221 CHAPTER 8: A REVIEW OF AFRICAN INTERACTION  WITH COLONISATION ......................................................... 223 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 225 Land and labour .......................................................................................................... 225 Drunkenness ................................................................................................................ 231 Crime and security ...................................................................................................... 233 Environment ................................................................................................................. 236

Education ..................................................................................................................... 237 Health ........................................................................................................................... 239 Unrest ............................................................................................................................ 241 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 242

CHAPTER 9: INDIANS ON THE SOUTH COAST ...................................... 243 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 245 Domestic conditions amongst the indentured: Pre-Wragg Commission (1885-1887) .................................................................... 246 Human rights abuses and the Wragg Commission of 1885-1987 ................... 249 Human rights abuses post-Wragg Commission ................................................... 251 Land grants ................................................................................................................... 254 Education ..................................................................................................................... 256 Indian commercial presence .................................................................................... 258 Public representatives and Indians ......................................................................... 260 Some remarks ............................................................................................................ 264 Case study: Reynolds Bros. exploitation of indentured labour ......................... 266 The Reynolds Inquiry ................................................................................................. 269 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 275

PART 3 ................................................................................................ 277 CHAPTER 10: ECONOMIC GROWTH, PESTILENCE AND WAR ........... 279 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 281 Shipping on the Mzimkulu ........................................................................................ 281 Railways ........................................................................................................................ 286 The Isipingo–Umzinto railway ................................................................................. 289 The Park Rynie–Port Shepstone railway ............................................................... 293 Other developments ................................................................................................... 296 Property investment ................................................................................................... 299 Tourism ......................................................................................................................... 300 Commercial agriculture ............................................................................................. 300 Locusts and rinderpest .............................................................................................. 302 Settler society .............................................................................................................. 306 Patrician lifestyles ....................................................................................................... 308 Politics ........................................................................................................................... 309 Recreation .................................................................................................................... 310 The Anglo-Boer War .................................................................................................. 312 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 313

CHAPTER 11: COAST OF DREAMS AND STAGNATION ......................... 315 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 317 Property development ............................................................................................... 317 Social life ....................................................................................................................... 322 Railway service and extension ................................................................................. 326 Port Shepstone harbour ............................................................................................ 333 Political issues and trends: Towards union ........................................................... 341 African unrest and the Bhambatha rebellion ............................................... 341 Alexandra’s representatives ............................................................................ 342 The 1906 election ............................................................................................. 344 The Union issue ................................................................................................. 346 In closing ....................................................................................................................... 349

CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 351

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................ 365

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................... 376

INDEX ............................................................................................................ 377

APPENDIX A: EMPLOYMENT OF INDENTURED INDIANS ..................... 384

APPENDIX B: DIRECTORIES OF MALE INHABITANTS ........................... 385

APPENDIX C: SHIPPING MOVEMENTS TO AND FROM  DURBAN, 1880-1902 .......................................................... 391