Christoffel Brand
Encyclopedia
Sir Christoffel Joseph Brand (21 June 1797 Cape Town
– 19 May 1875 Cape Town) was a South African jurist, politician, statesman and first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cape Colony
.
After receiving his initial education in Cape Town, Brand attended the University of Leiden from 1815, where he obtained a doctorate in law in 1820 with a dissertation on the relationship that colonies have to the mother country – Dissertatio politico-juridica de jure coloniarum. He also earned a doctorate of letters with a thesis Quaestiones in Socratis sententiam de Deo.
He returned to South Africa and in 1821 established a law practice in Cape Town taking an active interest in politics. He was one of the founders of the Zuid-Afrikaansch Athenaeum in 1828, and was one of the first advocates in the Supreme Court in 1829. A founder member of the newspaper De Zuid-Afrikaan, he was also its editor and championed the Dutch language in his editorials. Together with John Fairbairn
, he campaigned for representative government and supported the Anti-Convict Movement. Together with F.W. Reitz, Sr. (father of State President Francis William Reitz
of the Orange Free State
), Fairbairn and Stockenström, he agitated for an elected Legislative Assembly. When representative government was finally introduced, Brand became the first Speaker of the House of Assembly – a position he held for 20 years. He was knighted in 1860. He was also the first Speaker of the Cape parliament under responsible government
, which was instituted by the Molteno Ministry
in 1872.
Sir Christoffel was a high-ranking Freemason and Deputy Grand Master National of the Grand Orient of the Netherlands (Het Groot Oosten der Nederlanden) in South Africa from 1847 to 1874.
Christoffel Brand was married to Catharina Fredrica Küchler. His son was Johannes Brand who became 4th State President of the Orange Free State
. His second name "Joseph" was after the naturalist Sir Joseph Banks
, a close friend of Christoffel's grandfather.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
– 19 May 1875 Cape Town) was a South African jurist, politician, statesman and first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
.
After receiving his initial education in Cape Town, Brand attended the University of Leiden from 1815, where he obtained a doctorate in law in 1820 with a dissertation on the relationship that colonies have to the mother country – Dissertatio politico-juridica de jure coloniarum. He also earned a doctorate of letters with a thesis Quaestiones in Socratis sententiam de Deo.
He returned to South Africa and in 1821 established a law practice in Cape Town taking an active interest in politics. He was one of the founders of the Zuid-Afrikaansch Athenaeum in 1828, and was one of the first advocates in the Supreme Court in 1829. A founder member of the newspaper De Zuid-Afrikaan, he was also its editor and championed the Dutch language in his editorials. Together with John Fairbairn
John Fairbairn (educator)
John Fairbairn was a newspaper proprietor, educator, financier and politician. According to the Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, “The embryo of the State education system we know today, trial by jury, the principle of the mutual life assurance company – all these were fruits of his...
, he campaigned for representative government and supported the Anti-Convict Movement. Together with F.W. Reitz, Sr. (father of State President Francis William Reitz
Francis William Reitz
Francis William Reitz, Jr. was a South African lawyer, politician, statesman, publicist and poet, member of parliament of the Cape Colony, Chief Justice and fifth State President of the Orange Free State, State Secretary of the South African Republic at the time of the Second Boer War, and the...
of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
), Fairbairn and Stockenström, he agitated for an elected Legislative Assembly. When representative government was finally introduced, Brand became the first Speaker of the House of Assembly – a position he held for 20 years. He was knighted in 1860. He was also the first Speaker of the Cape parliament under responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
, which was instituted by the Molteno Ministry
John Charles Molteno
Sir John Charles Molteno KCMG was a soldier, businessman, champion of responsible government and the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.-Early life:...
in 1872.
Sir Christoffel was a high-ranking Freemason and Deputy Grand Master National of the Grand Orient of the Netherlands (Het Groot Oosten der Nederlanden) in South Africa from 1847 to 1874.
Family
Presidents of the Orange Free State
List of State Presidents of the Orange Free State-References:* -External links:...
. His second name "Joseph" was after the naturalist Sir Joseph Banks
Joseph Banks
Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences. He took part in Captain James Cook's first great voyage . Banks is credited with the introduction to the Western world of eucalyptus, acacia, mimosa and the genus named after him,...
, a close friend of Christoffel's grandfather.
Further reading
- Kilpin, R.: The Old Cape House, being pages from the history of a legislative assembly. Cape Town: T.M. Miller, 1918.
- Molteno, P.A.: The life and times of Sir John Charles Molteno, K. C. M. G., First Premier of Cape Colony, Comprising a History of Representative Institutions and Responsible Government at the Cape. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1900.