The career of Griffith has been a varied and interesting one, having fought for, and served his country with distinction in a variety of capacities. His father, a captain of the Royal Marines, landed on the shores of the Cape in 1818. Twelve years later Griffith was born at Grahamstown. He was educated there and at Cape Town; his father introduced merino sheep into the Cape Colony.
Colonel Griffith next featured as a fighter in the 1840s; he fought in all the Kaffir Wars of the period. He was a lieutenant in the Hottentot Levy, also in the Kaffir Police; and was a captain commanding the former in the Kaffir War of 1851–52. For his services he was awarded the medal, and repeatedly commended in General Orders. He was appointed Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate of Albert in 1858, and was subsequently promoted to the districts of Queenstown, Grahamstown, and Albany. By special request of Sir Philip Wodehouse, he was transferred in 1869 to the important division of King William’s Town.
In 1871 he was Governor’s Agent and Chief Magistrate of British Basutoland. Six years later he was again in the “tented field” commanding the Frontier Armed Mounted Police Force. He quelled, in that year, the outbreak of the Galeka and Gaika tribes, at which period he ranked in the Transkei Command as a colonel in His Majesty’s Army, and was commander-in-chief of the Imperial and Colonial Troops on the eastern side of the Kei River.
Later he was made Commandant-General of the whole of the Colonial Forces of the colony, and soon afterwards received the cordial thanks of both Houses of Parliament for the great services he had rendered the country.
In the field of politics he has not been less successful, as was evidenced in 1888 when he contested the Tembuland and defeated a strong opponent. At the general election of the same year he was returned unopposed for the same seat.
Griffith returned to England after his service in the Cape and resided at 30, St. James’ Road, Southernwood, East London, he married Dorothea Mounsey Gilfillan,[1] the daughter of 1820 Settler, Lieutenant William Frederick Anderson Gilfillan, C.C., of the Cradock District.[2]
Sir Henry Barkly was appointed High Commissioner of the Cape Colony on 31 December 1871. He annexed Basutoland and Charles Griffith was appointed Chief Magistrate and Governor's Agent.[3]
Referencesedit
^ ab"Colonel Charles Duncan Griffith b. 5 Sep 1830 Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa d. 17 Oct 1906: British 1820 Settlers to South Africa". 1820settlers.com.
^Biographical Index to Men of the Times: Old Colonists of the Cape Colony and Orange River Colony, Johannesburg, 1906). Johannesburg: Transvaal Pub. Co. 1906. p. 190. OCLC 11147032.
^Mabille, H. E. (July 1906). "The Basuto of Basutoland". Journal of the Royal African Society. 5 (20): 370. JSTOR 715113.
January 01, 1970
charles, duncan, griffith, other, people, named, charles, griffith, charles, griffith, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, c. For other people named Charles Griffith see Charles Griffith disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Charles Duncan Griffith news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Colonel Charles Duncan Griffith CMG 5 September 1830 17 October 1906 was a British colonial administrator and army officer 1 ColonelCharles Duncan GriffithCMGMember of the Cape Colony Legislative AssemblyMonarchQueen VictoriaConstituencyThembulandGovernor s Agent and Chief Magistrate of BasutolandIncumbentAssumed office 1871Prime MinisterSir John Gordon SpriggGovernorSir Henry Barkly 1870 1877 Henry Bartle Frere 1877 1880 Personal detailsBorn 1830 09 05 5 September 1830Grahamstown Eastern CapeDied17 October 1906 1906 10 17 aged 76 LondonSpouseDorothea Mounsey Gilfillan m 1856 1898 wbr Children12ParentsCharles Griffith father Maria Steyne mother Military serviceAllegianceCape ColonyRankColonelBattles warsMorosi s Mountain 1879 The career of Griffith has been a varied and interesting one having fought for and served his country with distinction in a variety of capacities His father a captain of the Royal Marines landed on the shores of the Cape in 1818 Twelve years later Griffith was born at Grahamstown He was educated there and at Cape Town his father introduced merino sheep into the Cape Colony Colonel Griffith next featured as a fighter in the 1840s he fought in all the Kaffir Wars of the period He was a lieutenant in the Hottentot Levy also in the Kaffir Police and was a captain commanding the former in the Kaffir War of 1851 52 For his services he was awarded the medal and repeatedly commended in General Orders He was appointed Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate of Albert in 1858 and was subsequently promoted to the districts of Queenstown Grahamstown and Albany By special request of Sir Philip Wodehouse he was transferred in 1869 to the important division of King William s Town In 1871 he was Governor s Agent and Chief Magistrate of British Basutoland Six years later he was again in the tented field commanding the Frontier Armed Mounted Police Force He quelled in that year the outbreak of the Galeka and Gaika tribes at which period he ranked in the Transkei Command as a colonel in His Majesty s Army and was commander in chief of the Imperial and Colonial Troops on the eastern side of the Kei River Later he was made Commandant General of the whole of the Colonial Forces of the colony and soon afterwards received the cordial thanks of both Houses of Parliament for the great services he had rendered the country In the field of politics he has not been less successful as was evidenced in 1888 when he contested the Tembuland and defeated a strong opponent At the general election of the same year he was returned unopposed for the same seat Griffith returned to England after his service in the Cape and resided at 30 St James Road Southernwood East London he married Dorothea Mounsey Gilfillan 1 the daughter of 1820 Settler Lieutenant William Frederick Anderson Gilfillan C C of the Cradock District 2 Sir Henry Barkly was appointed High Commissioner of the Cape Colony on 31 December 1871 He annexed Basutoland and Charles Griffith was appointed Chief Magistrate and Governor s Agent 3 References edit a b Colonel Charles Duncan Griffith b 5 Sep 1830 Grahamstown Eastern Cape South Africa d 17 Oct 1906 British 1820 Settlers to South Africa 1820settlers com Biographical Index to Men of the Times Old Colonists of the Cape Colony and Orange River Colony Johannesburg 1906 Johannesburg Transvaal Pub Co 1906 p 190 OCLC 11147032 Mabille H E July 1906 The Basuto of Basutoland Journal of the Royal African Society 5 20 370 JSTOR 715113 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Duncan Griffith amp oldid 1216328191, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
