Ablett Family /Papers

89/43

MS Title: 
Ablett family papers
MS Date: 
1871 - 1994
MS Extent: 
4 files
MS Physical description: 
manuscripts, typescripts, printed material, photographs
MS Historical note: 

William Henry Ablett came to Natal on the 'Amazon' in 1850 with 3 of his sons, William, James and Auther. His wife, Sarah, and another child, Charles, followed in January 1854 on the 'Lady of the Lake'. The family farmed in various parts of Natal. James Potter Ablett was born in England on 31 December 1835 and came to Natal with his father in 1850. He was married to Rosario Winn on 10 March 1863 at Verulam. In 1867 he went bankrupt and had to sell his sugar estate 'Kirkly Vale'. In the early 1870s he went on trading trips up the east coast from Durban and appears to have been based at Lourenco Marques for a time from July 1870. Later he went to Kimberley and Johannesburg where he worked as an auditor for several gold-mining companies. He returned to Durban in 1916 and died on 19 May 1917, two days after the death of his wife Rosario.

MS File list: 
Online
MS Scope and Content: 

This collection comprises four files, the most important contents of which are two accounts of trips made by James Potter Ablett: 1) of a journey made from Lourenco Marques via Swaziland and Zululand to Port Natal, 1871-1872, and 2) a journey made from Lourenco Marques to the Gold Fields, Eastern Transvaal, [c1873?]. There is also biographical material on the Ablett family and a file containing photographs. Note: File 1 which contains the original manuscripts is restricted. A photocopied set is available in File 2 for research purposes.

MS Bibliography: 

Bonner, Phillip. Kings, commoners and concessionaries, Johannesburg: Raven 1983

Cartwright, A P. Valley of gold, Cape Town: Timmins, 1961

Matsebula, J S M. A history of Swaziland 3rd ed. Cape Town: Longmans, 1987

Spenser, Shelagh O'Byrne. British settlers in Natal 1824-1857, v.1, Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press, 1981

MS Shelf: 
ABL
MS Provenance: 
Original collection, circa 1950
MS Local system number: 
KCAL256721
MS Restriction: 
Restriction on File no. 1

Manuscript Inventory:

89/43/004

MS Item Dates

undated

MS Item Description

5 items: photographs

89/43/003

MS Item Dates

undated

MS Item Description

2 items containing biographical material regarding the Ablett family. Printed

89/43/002

MS Item Dates

March 1990, March 1994

MS Item Description

3 items. Contains photocopies of the manuscripts in File 001 and typed transcriptions and notes by J M Simpson and Huw Jones.

89/43/001

MS Item Detailed Description

KCM 89/43/1/1 James Potter Ablett: Notes on a journey from Lourenco Marques to Port Natal via Amaswaziland and Zulu Country, 20 Dec 1871 - 21 Feb 1872

9 page manuscript (pencil)

KCM 89/43/1/2 James Potter Ablett: Account of journey from Lourenco Marques to Gold Fields, Eastern Transvaal, 18 Oct - 1 Nov [1873?]

page (1 page missing) manuscript (pencil)

MS Item Dates

20 December 1871 - 1 November [1873?]

MS Item Description

Digital Index. Contains 2 items - accounts of 2 trips. This file is restricted, researchers are to refer to the photocopy in File 002

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