The Mission at Griquatown 1801-1821 - Karel Schoeman (book at this link)
Several important references related to the Griquatown coins can
be seen in Karel Schoeman’s book “The Mission at Griquatown 1801-1821”. Schoeman was given access to diaries and letters
from the Cape Town Archives and the London Missionary Society.
The Griquatown coins did not arrive in 1815-16
The Griquatown mission in their report to the London
Missionary Society (LMS) say in their 1815-16 report: An Auxiliary Mission Society has been
established in Griquatown, the subscribers to which, having no money (for
money is utterley unknown in that part of the world) have contributed property
which is to be sold for the benefit of the Society. (pg 85 Schoeman)
Comment: Why "having no money" in the 1815-16 report
from the LMS Society in Griquatown? and also in this same report... (pg 85 Schoeman) An auxilliary mission has been established in Griqua Town, the
subscribers to which, having no money, (for money is utterly unknown in that
part of the world) have contributed property which is to be sold for the
benefit of the Society. The following is a list of the subscriptions: elephant's
teeth, 30 pounds; nine young bulls; four hefers; one ox; twehty three sheep;
five goats. To remedy the inconvenience
sustained by the people (who have now made considerable progress in
civilization) by their want of a circulating medium, the Directors are now
procuring for them a coinage of silver tokens.
Comment: even the LMS admit that the coins are token
coins.
Lack of acceptance of Griquatown coins
south of the Orange River reason Griquas rejected the coins
In August 1820 Campbell notes in his diary while in Griquatown (13th August)
"Conversed also on the coin. They said if it would pass in
the colony the Griquas would readily take it. I promised to apply to the
Governor to sanction its passing in the districts of Graaff-Reynet and
Beaufort." (pg 104 Schoeman)
Rijksdaalder not Griquatown
coinage used.
On page 131 to 133 Schoeman transcribes a letter
written by the resident Griquatown missionary H Helm written to Dr John Philip
in Cape Town on 21 June 1821 which reads as follows: Andries
Waterboer has for some years assisted me in the school. Since he became Captain
he could not regularly attend, as his duty required frequently his absence from
home. I have therefore discharged him in May last. And indeed the school has not
lost much in him. The natives like much to be preaches but not schoolmasters, if
they think that work to be too mean or too troublesome I do not care. Br
Anderson made the agreement with him that he would receive for payment 60
Rijksdaalders a year from the society. Having no money, he has for the
last two years received nothing except 13 Rijksdaalders 4 Schillings. As
most of the members of our Auxiliary Society have payed (sic) their contribution
for the past year partly in money and partly in corn, sheep and goats, I have
been able to give him about 36 Rijksdaalder more. He has therefore still to
receive 70 Rijksdaalder 4 Schilling. Will you be so good as to send for him that
sum by a safe opportunity. Of what I have received from the Griquas for our
society I shall give an account as soon as all is payed. The greater part of the Griqua money is still in our
Society’s property which Br Anderson when leaving delivered to my care. As Mr
Campbell thought that Br Anderson had dispersed the silver pieces at too cheap
rate, I asked him to let me know the real value of a piece of each which he
promised to do, but I have as yet received no account and it is therefore still
in my possession. I should be glad if you, dear sir, would have the goodness to
inform me what I am to do with it.
Note: Greater part above should be GREATEST part; and dispersed above should read DISPOSED (edit 21 Feb 2016)
The relevant scan of Schoeman's book can be seen at this link
It is likely Campbell brought the Griquatown
coins with him to South Africa on his second trip in 1820. He had a
meeting with the Griqua who refused to accept them over the Rijksdaalder. They
were then stored by Anderson before being handed over to Helm who took over the
missionary services and probably returned to Britain to be melted down.
Several important points.
From these first hand accounts transcribed by Schoeman we can confirm that the Griquatown coins did arrive at Griquatown sometime between 1817 and 1820 but were never used as currency or accepted by the Griqua. They could well have later circulated as jewellery and trinkets but the Rijksdaalder was used as currency even in this remote settlement. The main reason the Griquatown coins failed was because they could not be used south of the Orange river where there were trading stores. Consider this failure to the incredible success of the Strachan and Co currency tokens over nearly sixty years.
