Francis Farewell
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant
Francis George Farewell (1784–1829), the father of the Port Natal Colony in South Africa
, was born at Holbrook House near Wincanton in the Vale of Blackmore in 1784. His father was Reverend Samuel Farewell, who died when Francis was young.
Francis and the rest of the Farewell family then moved from Holbrook to Tiverton. There he became a Scholar at Blundell's School
until the age of 13, when he left to become a Midshipman in the Royal Navy
.
He fought against the French in the Napoleonic Wars
, including the Battle of Trafalgar
. Two years later he was to have a small part in creating the British Empire
.
He later left England
for the Cape Colony
. There, under the leadership of Governor Lord Charles Henry Somerset, in 1823 he planned to establish an ivory business in Natal, in order to make contact with King Shaka
of the Zulus. In 1824 he left for Natal, accompanied by his crew, which included his friend Henry Francis Fynn
, a physician.
Their ship was caught in a storm in the Indian Ocean
, but they managed to reach the shores of Natal. It was there they met with the Zulus.
Farewell and his team of men went with the Zulu soldiers to KwaBulawayo, near present-day Eshowe, the Zulu Royal Kraal and home to King Shaka Zulu himself.
In late 1824, Farewell asked for Shaka's permission to establish a trading post in Natal. Shaka agreed, and Farewell established Port Natal (today's Durban
) as a place for ships travelling to India to stop at, and also for Farewell to trade with the Zulus for ivory
.
In the 1820s, Shaka was at war with several tribes, including the Ndwandwe
. Farewell and his group fought with the Zulus at the Battle of Gqokli Hill
, where they defeated Zwide
, the King of the Ndwandwe.
Prior 1827 Farewell had obtained Shaka's permission to establish a peace treaty
between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom, but it failed. Farewell returned and remained at Port Natal.
In 1829, Farewell was killed as he returned to Port Natal. After being received in a friendly way by Nqeto, chief of the Qwabe, Farewell and 2 of his companions, Thackwray and Walker, were ambushed and killed by Qwabe warriors. Farewell's death deprived Port Natal of its founder and most energetic builder and promoter.
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Francis George Farewell (1784–1829), the father of the Port Natal Colony in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, was born at Holbrook House near Wincanton in the Vale of Blackmore in 1784. His father was Reverend Samuel Farewell, who died when Francis was young.
Francis and the rest of the Farewell family then moved from Holbrook to Tiverton. There he became a Scholar at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
until the age of 13, when he left to become a Midshipman in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
He fought against the French in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, including the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. Two years later he was to have a small part in creating the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
.
He later left England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for 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...
. There, under the leadership of Governor Lord Charles Henry Somerset, in 1823 he planned to establish an ivory business in Natal, in order to make contact with King Shaka
Shaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
of the Zulus. In 1824 he left for Natal, accompanied by his crew, which included his friend Henry Francis Fynn
Henry Francis Fynn
Henry Francis Fynn was an English traveler and trader. His diary covers the period from 1824 to 1836 and is the story of the first white settler in Natal, the earliest account of life in Natal...
, a physician.
Their ship was caught in a storm in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, but they managed to reach the shores of Natal. It was there they met with the Zulus.
Farewell and his team of men went with the Zulu soldiers to KwaBulawayo, near present-day Eshowe, the Zulu Royal Kraal and home to King Shaka Zulu himself.
In late 1824, Farewell asked for Shaka's permission to establish a trading post in Natal. Shaka agreed, and Farewell established Port Natal (today's Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
) as a place for ships travelling to India to stop at, and also for Farewell to trade with the Zulus for ivory
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
.
In the 1820s, Shaka was at war with several tribes, including the Ndwandwe
Ndwandwe
The Ndwandwe clan are a subgroup of the Nguni people who populate sections of Southern Africa.The Ndwandwe, with the Mthethwa, were a significant power in present-day Zululand at the turn of the nineteenth century...
. Farewell and his group fought with the Zulus at the Battle of Gqokli Hill
Battle of Gqokli Hill
The Battle of Gqokli Hill was conducted in 1818, a part of the Zulu Civil War, between Shaka of the Zulu nation and Zwide of the Ndwandwe, in Shaka's territory just south of present-day Ulundi....
, where they defeated Zwide
Zwide
Zwide kaLanga was the chief of the Ndwandwe clan from about 1805 to around 1820. He was the son of Langa KaXaba, a Ndwandwe Chieftain. Legend has it that Zwide's mother, Queen Ntombazi was a sangoma.- Political life :...
, the King of the Ndwandwe.
Prior 1827 Farewell had obtained Shaka's permission to establish a peace treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom, but it failed. Farewell returned and remained at Port Natal.
In 1829, Farewell was killed as he returned to Port Natal. After being received in a friendly way by Nqeto, chief of the Qwabe, Farewell and 2 of his companions, Thackwray and Walker, were ambushed and killed by Qwabe warriors. Farewell's death deprived Port Natal of its founder and most energetic builder and promoter.