THE SWISS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 1652-1970 - swissroots-za.ch
THE SWISS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 1652-1970 - swissroots-za.ch
THE SWISS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 1652-1970 - swissroots-za.ch
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Luxemburg en route to France was quarantined there December 1788 to Mar<strong>ch</strong> 1789. 3<br />
When difficulties arose with the King of Kandy, and the Governor of Ceylon requested<br />
reinforcements from the Cape, Kiburg volunteered to lead them. 4 Departed for Colombo<br />
3.10.1791 on Meeutje. Returned on Jonkvroue Sibilla Anthionetta, departing Galle<br />
12.1.1793 and arriving in Cape Town 7.4.1793. Prominent in the defence of the Cape in<br />
1795, and resigned from the regiment in the same year, made a living as businessman<br />
and farmer. 5 In 1791 he had bought a house with packing-shed and garden 6 and in 1796<br />
he bought yet another house. 7 After unsuccessfully requesting the farm Karnemelk<br />
Fonteijn in the Groene Kloof on 1.10.1795 8 he sold both houses and 1797 bought the<br />
farm Paarde Valley in Hottentots Holland from Johanna Smuts 9 where he farmed for<br />
four years. According to the 1800 census he had one farmhand, 18 male slaves and two<br />
female slaves, 72 horses, 43 beasts and 780 sheep, 18 leaguers of wine (produced from<br />
his own vines) and had harvested 135 bags of grain. 10<br />
At the end of 1801 he sold the farm to Ryno Johannes van der Riet and moved back to<br />
town where he bought a house, again with a packing shed, at No. 1 Buitenkant from<br />
Oloff Martinus Bergh. 11 He went into the transport business, moving anything from<br />
bricks to corpses (his book of transactions is preserved in the Ar<strong>ch</strong>ives) and at the same<br />
time wrote to his brother Bernard in Basel for help in obtaining commission agencies.<br />
When he could spare money he sent it home and on occasion wrote to his parents asking<br />
them to send <strong>ch</strong>eese and kirs<strong>ch</strong> for whi<strong>ch</strong> he had a great longing. 12<br />
Kiburg was co-founder and first president of the Societeit Concordia 13 the first social<br />
club in Cape Town. It was started during First British Occupation by 36 members. A<br />
house with garden bought to serve as their meeting place were registered in Kiburg’s<br />
name 14 . The original name of the house, Rosenburg, was <strong>ch</strong>anged to Concordia. The<br />
house stood behind St. Mary's cathedral in what is now Concordia Street, and had a<br />
wine cellar, billiard table, skittles and library. Ea<strong>ch</strong> new member paid an entrance fee of<br />
46 rix-dollars (£8) and placed 25 bottles of wine in the cellar. The monthly subscription<br />
of 12 shillings paid for the slave stewards. Every year members placated their wives by<br />
giving a ball and supper. All kinds of political discussion and gambling were<br />
prohibited. 15 Nevertheless General Dundas had his doubts about the club, and thought it<br />
might be a meeting place for men inspired by Fren<strong>ch</strong> revolutionary ideas. In response to<br />
an official enquiry, senior members J.U. Kiburg, J.J.F. Wagener and S. Eckard 6.1.1799<br />
called on General Dundas and were told that he was satisfied with the explanation given<br />
to the Fiscal and conveyed to him. 16<br />
During the Batavian period Kiburg was Captain and Commander of the Kaapse<br />
Jagers. 17 He also owned the place Lutgensburg on the Black River. 18 In 1806 the British<br />
again occupied the Cape and Kiburg again had to turn to business for a living, but 1807<br />
he is recorded as living alone, owning 6 slaves and 2 horses. 19 1815 Dr. Lies<strong>ch</strong>ing was<br />
called to his deathbed. 21 The account for the funeral expenses includes one interesting<br />
item, the hire of a messenger to carry the news of Kiburg’s death to family living<br />
outside town. 21<br />
Married 15.4.1787 Petronella Jacoba Steyn of Darmstadt, and 1803 Elisabeth<br />
Wilhelmina de Villiers. Both marriages remained <strong>ch</strong>ildless.<br />
/ 1 CH, Liestal, Staatsar<strong>ch</strong>iv Basel-Lands<strong>ch</strong>aft; 2 Meuron, Guy de: Le Régiment<br />
Meuron, 1781-1816, p. 312; 3 KAB, C181: Resolutiën van de Raad van Politie, 13<br />
January 1789; 4 Leibbrandt: Requesten 1791:72; 5 KAB, MOIB 2/2/3, folder marked<br />
J.U. Kibourg: Kiburg's diary; Bruijn JR, Dut<strong>ch</strong>-Asiatic Shipping, vol. II, p. 748, and vol.<br />
III, p. 564; 6 KAB, DO ZK 8/4/1: T6576, 8.8.1791, erf, house, packing shed and garden<br />
from Estate late Johannes Steyn, sold T7444, 1798; 7 KAB, DO ZK 8/4/1: 7085,<br />
30.9.1796 sold T7220, 1797; 8 KAB, BO 20; 9 KAB, DO ZK 8/4/1: T7132, 27.1.1797<br />
sold T110/1802; 10 KAB, J 226: Opgaaf Roll der Ingezetenen, 1800, Stellenbos<strong>ch</strong>; 11<br />
KAB, DO ZK 8/4/1 T461/1801 sold T104/1809; 12 KAB, MOIB 2/2/3: Estate J.U.<br />
Kiburg, Diary; 13 KAB, MOIB 2/2/3, folder marked JU Kibourg, undated letter from B.<br />
S<strong>ch</strong>ulz, G.F. Henning and M.G. Ekkert to J.U. Kiburg, inserted in Kiburg's diary; 14<br />
100
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