Area Information - Michael Thompson Estates - Stanford - South Africa

Stanford is a village known for its rich history, in the true South African tradition, but with evident British influence, dates back to 1729 when a farmer from Caledon discovered the land and made application and received a grazing permit to graze his cattle and sheep on the land. Over the years the grazing permit changed hands several times until Robert Stanford bought the land in 1838, when he retired from the British Army on half pay.

Robert Stanford supplied the Cape with fresh meat, fruit and vegetables from his farms and built a large mill for milling wheat. In 1849 he became the victim of anti-convict agitation protesting against the British Government's decision to settle convicts in the Cape. He was in full agreement with the protest, but because he was still on half pay as an officer of the British Army he was left no choice but to provide the convict ship, Neptune, the army and the government with supplies from Stanford's Bay, by sea to Cape Town.

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Revised: 20 Oct 2008 10:51:11 -1200.