Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
- 1/WOC
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Contact area
Description area
Dates of existence
History
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.
Places
Cape Province.
Cape Colony.
Worcester.
Tulbagh.
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
Mandates/sources of authority
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Access points area
Subject access points
Place access points
Occupations
Control area
Authority record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
- Latin
Sources
Cape Town Gazette and African Advertiser.
Archives of the Colonial Office.