Date |
Scans of original correspondence and documents held in the Balson Holdings Family Trust Collection from leading numismatists, museums, historically important figures and other contacts : |
Originator or signatory |
| 6th January 1677 | One of the very first land grant issued at the Cape of Good Hope, dated the 6th January 1677 (just 12 years after the first settlers arrived at the COGH in 1665). Less than twenty freehold blocks were issued in 1677 - the first in South Africa). This is one of the original title deeds. | van Banitan, VOC Secretary
and others |
| 15th March 1677 | 1677 debenture dated 15 March 1677 | Hendrik Crudorp |
| 26th June 1715 | Cape of Good Hope complete manuscript document on two sides. The document is complete with 12 Stuiver VOC (Dutch East India Company) Colour Less Revenue. One of the last title deeds granted before the seal was applied on grants. | van der Meer Petersoon
witnessed by H. Swellengrebel (later Governor) and D. Leumes members of the Council of Policy |
| 29th June 1718 | Cape of Good Hope complete manuscript document on two sides. The document is complete with uncracked "CDG Hope" seal and 24 Stuiver VOC (Dutch East India Company) Colour Less Revenue | Adriaan can Kervel, Secretary of the Council of Policy , Willem van Flaack, generaly regarded as the father of South African Sheep Farming and futue Governor Swellenfrebel |
| 10th July 1730 | Cape of Good Hope complete manuscript document on two sides of a watermarked page being a land grant dated 10 July 1730. It was issued by members of the Council of Policy (Privy Council) and signed by Nicholas Leij and two members of the Council of Policy with a complete but cracked red wax "CDG Hope" seal. | Nicholas Leij
Olaf Martini Berg, Secretary of the Council of Policy |
| 1735 | Three hand coloured original plates from the extremely rare 1735 book "Modern History or the Present State of All Nations, Describing Their Respective Situations, Persons, Habits and Buildings, Manners, Laws and Customs, Plants, Animals and Minerals
 |
Thomas Salmon |
| 12th Sept 1811 |  Letter from Rev John Campbell
to Mr Kent, Bookseller
The letter reads: Shaklewell, 12th Sept 1811 Dear sir, I have received your statement of T. and Voyages of a bible which I believe is very accurate - Respecting "Walks of Usefulness", an edition of which was presented after the former, I find is all sold off. If you choose to print an edition of it like that of Voy. & Trav. and on the same terms, you may begin it as far as you please. Be so good as to let me know if it suits you to do it. I am Yours John Campbell |
Rev John Campbell - the missionary accredited with producing the Griqua
Town coins.
Click on images above for screen-sized image |
| 15th October 1811 | The large Iron Ore Saldanna Bay Harbour is situated on the land given
under this grant to Jabobus Retief, the oldest brother of Piet Retief,
who led the Great Trek with Gert Maritz.
Cradock writes in ink on this document: This is the last landgrant I will sign in Dutch |
Lieutenant General Sir John Francis Cradock (Governor of the Cape of Good Hope) |
| 7th July 1816 | This Dutch landgrant was written by Pieter Gerhard Brink on behalf of Governor Lord Charles Somerset. The Governor refers to the deed in his diary which was for the open block of land on the Table Mountain side of what is today Green Market Square, a cobbled square in the centre of Cape Town and a bustling antique and bric brac market on weekends. |  Lord Charles Henry Somerset, Governor of the Cape |
| 15th June 1823 | Pieter Retief was the recipient of this authenticated original land
title at Grahamstown and later a leader of the Voortrekkers whose great trek
took them from the Cape north through Griqua territory on their way
to Natal. (see below).
The capital of Natal, Pietermaritzburg is named after him and Gerrit Maritz - the other Voortrekker leader. The authenticity of this document is supported by the book "In the steps of Piet Retief" - which can be seen at this link. |
Lord Charles Henry Somerset, Governor of the Cape |
| 9th March 1826 | Cape of Good Hope receipt from the Slave Registry Office | |
| 1847 | Sketch Map of New Boundary of Cape of Good Hope 1847
Sketch No2in Sir H.G.Smith's Despatch Dec 18th 1847: |
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| 1847 | Colonial Boundary Occupied by Emigrant Framer 1847
Rough Sketch Mapof the Country beyond the COLONIAL BOUNDARYof the Cape of
Good Hope, South Africa, occupied by the Emigrant Farmers (on the southern
border of the lands occupied by Adam Kok II and the Griquas - now the Orange
Free State) |
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| 1864 | Original signature of Scottish Missionary Dr Livingstone
Providence - from an old Victorian collection Livingstone arrived back in England from Africa on 23 July 1864. After a week of feting in London he visited his aged mother and his children in Scotland. In September he attended the meeting of the British Association at Bath and read a paper on Africa. He then went with his daughter Agnes to stay with his old friend Mr. Webb at Newstead Abbey, and remained there for eight months, writing "The Zambesi and its Tributaries," compiled from his own and his brother Charles's journals. During this period he signed this card. |
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| 1864 | Original photograph of Scottish Missionary Dr Livingstone
Providence - from an old Victorian collection. The photograph was produced by H N King "Photographer to the Queen". |
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| 3rd May 1869 |  Title deed issued by the government of Nieuw Griqualand
to Willem Krantz at Mount Currie for a lot measuring about 3,000 acres.
This extraordinarily rare document has a complete Griqua seal (seen here) and is signed by Adam Kok III
Providence: ex Offices of Elliot and Walker - a legal firm based in
Kokstad. (The firm operates out of the home funded by James Cole in the 1800s
for his daughter. |
|
| 19th October 1875 | Letter signed by Robert Moffat who had returned from South Africa to London. In the two page letter Moffat recommends Pelican House School in South Africa to his friend Mr Scott. | Signed by Robert Moffat |
| 13th August 1877 | Land grant dated 7th August 1877 in favour of Jacobus Johannes Gideon Nel in the Village of Katkop in the Division of Calvinia in the Eastern Cape. | Signed by Sir Henry Bartle Frere |
| 1877 | Document signed by Queen Victoria appointing John Arthur Milne Gardiner - Lieutenant of land forces. 3 folds with tax stamps. | Signed by Queen Victoria |
| 17th January 1878 | Land Grant signed by the Governor Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere designated for new Fish Market situated near the Causeway signed 17th January 1878.governor Frere was governor from from Mar 31 1877 toSept 15 1880.Has his colourless seal of office embossing (poor).The watermark of the paper is "E.Towgood 1876" |  Signed by Sir Henry Bartle Frere |
| 4th January 1879 | Original grant by the Governor of the Cape, Sir Henry Bartle Frere to Adam Eta
Kok, the cousin of Adam Kok III who ran the Griqua government in Nieuwe Griekwaland in the 1860s. Signed in Pietermaritzburg, Natal The name of the farm at Mount Currie is Tigerkloof |
 Signed by Sir Henry Bartle Frere and George Charles
Brisley |
| 1st July 1879 | Original grant by the Governor of the Cape, Sir Henry Bartle Frere, for
the farm Rietfontein at Mount Currie (Kokstad) to Donald Strachan's business
partner in Strachan and Co - George Charles
Brisley. Scan of document at
this link
Signed in Cape Town, Cape Province. |
 Signed by Sir Henry Bartle Frere and George Charles
Brisley |
| 28th June 1880 | This copy of the original letter penned by Orton comes from the Cape Archives and has the original string binding through the left hand border. It was printed in very limited numbers by order of the House of Assembly in Cape Town. The historic document dating back to 1880 looks at the background to the Griqua uprising in East Griqualand. |
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| 1st September 1881 | Original agreement signed between Messrs Saber and Co and Richard Burbrook drawn up and witnessed by W E Hudson who was one of the British merceneries famously captured and tried by the Boers in the aborted attempt to take over Johannesburg. (They started their aborted coup from Mafeking - More at this link. More scans of the historic document below.
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| 9th August 1883 |  Original land title issued in Kokstad to
Jan Poppin for a block of land in Kokstad. |
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| 15th July 1884
|
Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of Jan Bezuidenhout, authorised at Cape Town on 18 July 1884 with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Settlement at Cape Town”, and with the signature of Governor and High Commissioner Hercules Robinson, and that of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Public Works. The deed pertains to a lot of land in the town of Kokstad, and is accompanied by a surveyor’s diagram. (zoom here) |
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| 18th July 1884
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Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of Jan de Bruin (Ludowijk Kok’s son), authorised at Cape Town on 18 July 1884 with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Settlement at Cape Town”, stamped “TRANSFERRED”, and with the signatures of Governor and High Commissioner Hercules Robinson, and that of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Public Works. The deed pertains to a lot of land in the town of Kokstad, and is accompanied by a surveyor’s diagram. (zoom here) |  Signed by Governor and High Commissioner Hercules Robinson |
| February 1884 | All treaties entered into by the British Governors (1803 - 1884)
This includes several controversial treaties made with the Griqua people at Philippolis. The transcripts of the original treaties are displayed and reflect the manner in which the Griqua were deserted by politically expedient types like Sir Harry Smith. Click on this link for a page with the treaties. This original extremely rare 1884 transcript is held by the Balson Holdings Family Trust |
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| 12th November 1884 | Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of John Peter Wildredge, authorised at Cape Town on 12 November 1884 with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope”, stamped “TRANSFERRED”, and with the signatures of Governor and High Commissioner Hercules Robinson, and that of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Public Works. The deed pertains to a piece of land in the town of Kokstad, and is accompanied by a surveyor’s diagram. (zoom here) |  Signed by Governor and High Commissioner Hercules Robinson |
| 12th March 1891 | Original land grant for the land now taken up by Simonstown naval Base. | Lieutenant General Carnavon, in his capacity as Officer Administrating the Government and High Commissioner |
| 19th March 1898 | Original title deed for efr 1826 in favour of "burgher" Hendrik Lodewigh Joubert, being a block of land in Soutter Street, Pretoria. (Soutter Street is a main one-way street running through the centre of the Pretoria CBD) | Paul Kruger President of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek |
| March 1899 | Original war map used by the British during the Boer war to secure the
lands around Griquatown. The map identifies individual farms and all roads.
Cover of the map; The farms around Griquatown; unfolded map. |
War map of Griquatown lithographed by the Argus Company. Printed on paper and mounted on linen, folds into blue cloth |
| 14th September 1900 | The original proclamation
claiming that Paul Kruger had deserted the boers.
"his desertion of the boer cause should make it clear to his fellow-Burghers that it is useless for them to continue to struggle any longer". |
Field Marshall Roberts, Commander in Chief in South Africa |
| 28th September 1900
|
Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of John Vesazie (C’s son), authorised at Cape Town on 28 September 1900 with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope”, stamped “TRANSFERRED”, and with the signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred Milner, and some other signatures. The deed pertains to a piece of land in the town of Kokstad, and is accompanied by a surveyor’s diagram. (zoom here) |  Signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred
Milner |
| 13th November 1900
|
Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of Adam Kok (Widow of Cornelius Schalkwyk), authorised at Cape Town on 13 November 1900 with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope”, stamped “TRANSFERRED”, and with the signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred Milner, and some other signatures. The deed pertains to a piece of land in the town of Kokstad. It is without the surveyor’s diagram. |  Signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred
Milner |
| 13th November 1900 | Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of Adam Kok (Gert Tee’s son), authorised at Cape Town on 13 November 1900 with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope”, stamped “TRANSFERRED”, and with the signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred Milner, and some other signatures. The deed pertains to a piece of land in the town of Kokstad. It lacks the surveyor’s diagram. |  Signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred
Milner |
| 14th December 1900 | Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of Jacobus Krontz, authorised at Cape Town on 14 December 1900 with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope”, stamped “TRANSFERRED”, and with the signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred Milner, and some other signatures. The deed pertains to a piece of land in the town of Kokstad. It is without the surveyor’s diagram. |  Signature stamp of Governor and High Commissioner Alfred
Milner |
| March 1901 | Papers relating to terms of surrender between Commandant Louis Botha (boers) and Lord Kitchener (British): see also this link. | Lord Kitchener |
| March 1901 | South African Despatches - 8th March 2001: see also this link | Lord Kitchener |
| 30th May 1901
|
Grant, on perpetual quitrent, made in favour of Jan [Ian?] Bezuidenhout (H’s son), authorised at Cape Town on 30 May 1901, with the official embossed “Public Seal of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope”, stamped “TRANSFERRED”, and with the signature (hand-stamp?) of Governor Walter Hely-Hutchinson, and some other signatures. The deed pertains to a piece of land in the town of Kokstad, and is accompanied by a surveyor’s diagram. (zoom here) |  Signature stamp of Governor Walter Hely-Hutchinson |
| 24th July 1907 | Letterbook copy of letter
from Strachan and Co regarding their tokens - verified by Ken Strachan (Original letterbook now held in Killie Campbell Library - see "Book 2" near bottom) |
Strachan and Co |
| 2nd December 1929 | Statement by illiterate Griqua regarding an attack on Smith Pommer by Baca natives in East Griqualand. | John Dawes |
| 21 June 1977 | Letter regarding tokens and his upcoming book: page one; page two; page three, page four. | Dr G P Theron |
| 18 July 1977 | Letter from well known numismatist Martin Badenhorst discussing token coin swaps | Martin Badenhorst |
| 23 Aug 1977 | Letter from M Rainier, author of the book "Donald Strachan, autocrat of Umzimkulu" | Margaret Rainier |
| 7 Sep 1977 | Letter from M Rainier regarding proposed sale of tokens to S Balson (page 1, page 2) | Margaret Rainier |
| 26 Sep 1977 | Letter from Dr Frank Mitchell, Fellow of the S A Numismatic Society | Dr Frank Mitchell |
| 5 Oct 1977 | Letter from African Museum Library, Johannesburg, re: the book "Kence" | Mrs L J De Wet |
| 6 Apr 1978 | Letter from M Hersch re the company's token coins | M Hersch |
| 14 Aug 1978 | Ken Strachan letter re: the book "Kence" (page 1, page 2) | Ken Strachan |
| 9 Sep 1978 | Letter from M Rainier re book "Kence" | Margaret Rainier |
| 20 Sep 1978 | Letter from Killie Campbell Library re book "Kence" | Miss J F Duggan |
| 26 Sep 1978 | Letter from M G Hibbard, UCT re book "Kence" | M G Hibbard |
| 9 Oct 1978 | Letter from Dr Frank Mitchell re: the book "Kence" | Dr Frank Mitchell |
| 19 Dec 1978 | Letter from Barclays National Bank re the book "Kence" | Mrs Sue Smith |
| 22 Dec 1978 | Rupert Percy Larkan's letter re his mother (F C Larkan) token coins. (page 1, page 2) | Rupert P Larkan |
| October 1998 | Exchange of letters between Donald Kannemeyer (Married into the Strachan family) and Justice Tom Mullins (Magistrate in Umzimkulu in the late 1940s) discussing the book "Kence" and confirming the name "Kence as the native name for the tokens. Kannemeyer letter; Mullins reply. Tom Mullins authored the paper about the Mt Currie Express stamp. | Donald Kannemeyer and Justice Tom Mullins |
| 5 Dec 2001 | Funeral Service of Ken Wallace Strachan | |
| 2 Sep 2005 | Letter from Milner Snell, the Trustee of the Kokstad Museum and author of the book on Strachan and Co | Milner Snell |
| 12th December 2007 | Allyn Jacobs is one of South Africa's most respected numismatists and
a close personal friend of mine.
This card was sent to wish me Merry Christmas.. more on the card. |
 Allyn Jacobs |
