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By order of the governor, JH Fischer, landdrost at Tulbagh in 1818 investigated and reported on the necessity to create new sub-districts between Tulbagh and Graaff-Reinet. In the same year a sub-district of Graaff-Reinet was established at Beaufort (West). Fischer also recommended that the farms “Lange Rug” and Roode Draai” near the Hex River Poort be bought for the establishment of a new sub-district to serve the inhabitants between Tulbagh and Swellendam. In October 1819 a sub-district of Tulbagh was established at Worcester and JF van de Graaff was appointed deputy landdrost. Initially, he was assisted by a sheriff, mounted police, a messenger and a clerk. In April 1820 the boundaries of the sub-district were defined.

On the recommendation of the landdrost and heemrade of Tulbagh a court consisting of the deputy landdrost and at least two heemrade as well as a matrimonial court was created at Worcester in January 1822.

The sub-district at Worcester existed until November 1822 when the seat of magistracy of the Tulbagh district was moved to Worcester. As a result of the damage to the drostdy buildings at Tulbagh by a storm in July 1822, Captain Charles Trappes, then landdrost at Tulbagh, persuaded the governor to move the seat of magistracy to Worcester. The sub- district of Worcester was abolished and the former district of Tulbagh was renamed the district of Worcester. Trappes was appointed the first resident magistrate at Worcester in November 1822 and in 1827 he also became civil commissioner. At Tulbagh a special heemraad, assisted by a clerk, who also officiated as postmaster, was appointed. From 1 January 1828 the special heemraad was replaced by a justice of the peace who took over his functions. The latter post existed until 1848 when Tulbagh became an independent magistracy.

In December 1847 members were elected to form, together with the civil commissioner, a Board of Public Roads for the Worcester division.

In 1848 the district of Worcester comprised thirteen field cornetcies.

An assistant resident magistrate for the district was appointed in June 1899 and in September 1899 a periodical court was established at Matjesfontein.

The Archives:

A close interrelation exists between the earliest archives of the magistrate of Worcester and those of the magistrate of Tulbagh and the introductions of these two archives naturally compliment each other.

As can be seen from the main series and the inventories the archives of the former district of Tulbagh covering the period 1804 – 1822 was incorporated with the archives of the magistrate of Worcester thus forming an integral part of the latter archives.

The archives of the special heemraad and justice of the peace at Tulbagh for the period 1822 – 1848 was transferred to the archives of the magistrate of Worcester, since these officials fell under the jurisdiction of the latter magistrate.

On 11 July 1804 the district of Stellenbosch was subdivided into two districts. The southern portion of the original district retained the name Stellenbosch, while the northern portion was named Tulbagh. A former Landdrost of Stellenbosch, Hendrik Bletterman was temporarily appointed to institute the administration of the district of Tulbagh. The inhabitants strongly opposed the proposed boundaries of the new district as well as the decision to establish the seat of the magistracy at Jandisselsvlei. Therefore, Bletterman was instructed to investigate the matter and find a solution.

In his report of September 1804 Bletterman recommended that the Government purchase the farm Rietvalley in Roodezand (Land van Waveren) as the seat of the Landdrost. He also divided the district into 16 field-cornetcies and appointed field-cornets. Bletterman’s proposals were accepted and he was authorised to make any changes which he deemed necessary in the interests of the inhabitants of the district. He was granted 25000 rixdollars to build a residency. H van de Graaff was appointed as the first landdrost of the district.

In February 1808 an Adjunk-Landdrost (Deputy Magistrate) was appointed at Jandisselsvlei, and in 1819 an Adjunk-Landdrost was also appointed at Worcester. After the residency and other public buildings had been damaged by a storm in July 1822, it was decided to move the seat of the Landdrost from Tulbagh to Worcester and to change the name of the district to Worcester. On the recommendation of the Landdrost a Special Heemraad was appointed at Tulbagh in October 1822. When the system of Landdrost and Heemraden was changed to that of Resident Magistrate and Civil Commissioner in 1827, the Special Heemraad was replaced by a Justice of the Peace.

In March 1848 the district of Worcester was divided into the districts of Worcester and Tulbagh. The latter consisted of the field-cornetcies of Tulbagh, Voorste Omtrek (Koue Bokkeveld), Warm Bokkeveld, Voor Vier-en-twintig Riviere and those parts of the field-cornetcies of Breede Rivier and Achterste Omtrek (Koue Bokkeveld) which fell within the parish of the Dutch Reformed Church of Tulbagh. H Piers was appointed as the first Resident Magistrate of the new district.

On 1 January 1872 the seat of the magistracy was moved from Tulbagh to Ceres, while a periodical court was established at Tulbagh. In 1877 a Special Justice of the Peace was appointed at Saron, while a Special Justice of the Peace, with jurisdiction over the field-cornetcies of Tulbagh, Waterval and Vier-en-twintig Riviere, was appointed at Tulbagh in February 1880.

An Additional Resident Magistrate was appointed at Tulbagh in March 1886. He was to hold court at Tulbagh on Mondays and Thursdays and was to act as Road Magistrate for the district of Tulbagh under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 1846.

These measures remained in force until May 1889, when the district of Tulbagh was divided into the district of Ceres and Tulbagh, with the town of Tulbagh as the seat of the latter district. The new district of Tulbagh comprised the field-cornetcies of Tulbagh, Winterhoek, Waterval, Breede Rivier, Koopmansrivier and Vier-en-twintig Riviere.

Apart from his normal judicial and administrative functions, the Magistrate of Tulbagh performed the functions of Chairman of the Divisional Council, Chairman of the Licensing Court and, during the Anglo-Boer War, Deputy Administrator of Martial Law in an ex officio capacity.

The Archives:

From the foregoing it is clear that a close interrelation exists between the earliest archives of the Magistrate of Tulbagh and those of the Magistrate of Worcester. Therefore, the archives of the Magistrate of Tulbagh for the period 1804 – 1822 was left with the archives of the Magistrate of Worcester. The archives of the Special Heemraad (since 1828 the Justice of the Peace) at Tulbagh for the period 1822 – 1848 was also transferred to the archives of the Magistrate of Worcester, since that official fell under the jurisdiction of the latter magistrate.