Letter by Gert van Rooyen, Pietermaritzburg, to G.M. Rudolf

Gert T. van Rooyen was an elective member of the Legislative Council for the County of Umvoti in 1885 when this letter was written on a Legislative Council, Natal, letterhead. In the Natal almanacs from 1878 to 1907, van Rooyen is listed as "farmer, Pinedale, Greytown". Gerhardus Marthinus Rudolph, the recipient of the letter was born in Port Elizabeth in 1828, the son of Johann and Elizabeth Rudolph, who trekked to Natal in 1838. Due to his ability to speak Zulu fluently, G.M. Rudolph joined the Natal civil service as clerk and interpreter in 1855, afterwards occupying several civil service posts.  In June 1881 G.M. Rudolph became magistrate at Klip River, a position he occupied until he retired in 1899.  He died in Greytown on 14 April 1906.