Clement-Jones family 12/22 - Person Sheet
Clement-Jones family 12/22 - Person Sheet
NameColonel Charles Duncan GRIFFITH CMG , 2677
Birth1830, Grahamstown, South Africa
Death1906
FatherCharles GRIFFITH , 2392 (1787-1856)
MotherMaria Cornelia Wilhelmiha STEYNE , 2398 (1789-1874)
Spouses
Birth1834
Death13 Apr 1898
FatherWilliam Frederick Anderson GILFILLAN , 2644 (1796-1855)
MotherAnna Margaret THORNHILL , 2647 (1807-1879)
ChildrenJohn (Jack) Thorne , 2400 (1867-1941)
 Elizabeth”Bessie” Gray , 2405 (1859-1943)
 Maria Olivia , 2406 (1860-1939)
 Anna Charlotte , 2407 (1862-1916)
 Charles , 2408 (1865-1923)
 Hugh Ferrier , 2409 (1869-1944)
 Llewelyn , 2410 (1872-1934)
 Dora Katherine , 2411 (1874-1955)
 Owen Glendower , 2412 (1876-1937)
 Eliza Mary , 2416 (1857-1938)
 William Gillfillan , 2420 (1871-1948)
 Dorothea Bridget , 2597 (1864-1864)
Notes for Colonel Charles Duncan GRIFFITH CMG
Commandant King William's Town Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Inspector of Auxiliary Forces at King William's Town, Cape of Good Hope. High Commissioner’s Agent in Basutoland (now Lesotho) three times beween 1871 and 1881.

A Paramount Chief of Basutoland (now Lesotho) was called after him-Paramount Chief GRIFFITH [Nathaniel Griffith Lerotholi] 1913-1939, born c1871-and his children all included Griffith in their names (Paramount Chief SEEISO [Simon Seeiso Griffith] (who himself became Paramount chief 1939-40), Chief Reentseng Griffith, Chief of Matsieng, Chief Mosoeu Griffith, Chief Bereng Griffith)

See entry in South Africa Dictionary of Natonal Biography and also HISTORY OF
SOUTH AFRICA FROM 1873 TO 1884 by GEORGE M C CALL THEAL, Litt.D., LL.D. GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD

From http://www.desmond-mcallister.info/Eng/Ancestors/aqwg99.htm

The investiture of Col. C. D. Griffith by His Excellency the Governor Sir H. Bartle Frere, Bart, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., etc . with the insignia as a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George took place in King Williams Town on January 19, 1878 in token of appreciation by Queen Victoria' s Government for long and meritorious service.

From http://www.knowledge4africa.com/eastlondon/griffith.htm

Charles Duncan Griffith was born in Grahamstown in September 1830 and was educated both there and in Cape Town. He found himself involved in the War of the Axe as a Lieutenant in the Hottentot Levy . By 1848 he was a member of the Frontier Police where he commanded the Second Division which was stationed at Queenstown and became Captain during the Mlanjeni War.

After the war, Griffith settled into more civic occupations, becoming Civil Commissioner and Magistrate of the District of Albert in 1858 and of Queenstown from 1859 to 1868. In 1871 he was appointed the High Commissioner's Agent in Basutoland until 1877 when he again found himself in service at the command of the Frontier Armed Mounted Police . He thereupon fought in the Gcaleka War, with the rank of Colonel in the Cape Mounted Guards . He later became Commandant-General of the Colonial Forces but when the war ended, he returned to Basutoland until his retirement in 1881, at which stage he moved to East London.

Once in East London, Griffith became involved in commercial activities and for a time served as commissioner on the Harbour Board. In 1888 he was elected to Parliament for the Tembuland constituency. He became involved with the East London Town Council in November 1886 when he was elected to represent Ward 1 but resigned the seat in December because it was discovered that his rates were unpaid and his election was therefore "irregular". He was immediately re-elected. He resigned in June 1889 to move to Cape Town but, on his return to East London, was re-elected to the Council in January 1895. He lost the elections of February 1896.

Griffith died on 17 October 1906, at the age of 76, and was buried at East London. Letter to BT Griffith-Boscawen of 1878 in TCJ’s files.
Last Modified 21 Aug 2012Created 4 Mar 2023 using Reunion for Macintosh