The economics of trade on the Eastern Cape Frontier, 1820-1860: a study of the glass and metal artefact assemblages from Huntley Street, Farmerfield and Fort Double Drift

Abstract

The collections-based research reported upon in this dissertation focuses on three sites in the Eastern Cape: Huntley Street in Grahamstown, Farmerfield, a nearby Wesleyan mission station, and Fort Double Drift, a British fortification on the Great Fish River. The collection, which is housed in the Albany Museum, derives from Patrice Jeppson’s excavations, completed in the 1980s. Analyses of the excavated glass and metal, augmented by a close reading of tender and shopkeepers’ advertisements in The Graham’s Town Journal, chronicle how merchants, settlers, soldiers, missionaries and local African communities were involved in, and affected by, trade between 1820 and 1860. The study explores aspects of the mercantile economy, consumerism and military provisioning relating to a wide range of imported glass and metal merchandise. The burgeoning trade linked various enterprises, groups and individuals through monetary and social transactions, reflecting the steady incorporation of the Eastern Cape into the British colonial trading network.

Die versamelingsgebaseerde navorsing waaroor in hierdie verhandeling verslag gedoen word, fokus op drie terreine in die Oos-Kaap: Huntley-straat in Grahamstad, Farmerfield, ’n nabygeleë Wesleyaanse sendingstasie, en Fort Dubbeldrif ’n Britse vesting aan die Groot-Visrivier. Die versameling, wat in die Albany-museum gehuisves word, is afkomstig van Patrice Jeppson se opgrawings, wat in die 1980's voltooi is. Ontledings van die opgegraafde glas en metaal, aangevul deur ’n grondige studie van tender- en winkelieradvertensies in The Graham’s Town Journal, boekstaaf hoe handelaars, setlaars, soldate, sendelinge en plaaslike Afrika-gemeenskappe by handel tussen 1820 en 1860 betrokke was, en daardeur beïnvloed is. Die studie verken aspekte van die handelsekonomie, verbruikerisme en militêre bevoorrading met betrekking tot ’n wye verskeidenheid ingevoerde glas- en metaalhandelsware. Die bloeiende handel het verskeie ondernemings, groepe en individue deur monetêre en sosiale transaksies met mekaar verbind, wat die geleidelike opname van die Oos-Kaap in die Britse koloniale handelsnetwerk weerspieël.

Uphando lwezinto eziqokelelweyo ekunikwe ingxelo ngalo kule disetheyishini, lugxile kwiindawo ezintathu eziseMpuma Koloni ezizezi: eHuntley Street eRhini, eFarmerfield, esisitishi seMishini yamaWesile, naseFort Double Drift, eyinqaba yamaBhilitane ekwiGreat Fish River. Le ngqokelela, egcinwe eAlbany Museum, isuka kwizinto ezazigrunjwe nguPatrice Jeppson, grunjo olo olwagqitywa phaya koo1980. Uphononongo lweeglasi neentsimbi ezagronjwayo, oluxhaswa nakukufundwa kweentengiso ezakhutshwayo zeethenda nezoonovenkile kwi-The Graham’s Town Journal, lunika iinkcukacha zeendlela abarhwebi, abemi ababesuka kwamanye amazwe aphesheya kweelwandle, abefundisi ababesuka kwamanye amazwe, amajoni noluntu olumnyama lwaloo mimandla ababebandakanyeka ngayo nebabechatshazelwa ngayo lurhwebo olwaqhubeka phakathi ko-1820 no-1860. Olu phando luvelela imiba yoqoqosho lorhwebo, ukhuselo lwabathengi, nobonelelo lwezinto zomkhosi lwezinto eziliqela zeeglasi nezentsimbi. Olu rhwebo olwaluhlumile lwahlanganisa amashishini ahlukileyo, amaqela kunye nabantu nje abazimeleyo ngokuthi barhwebelane ngeemali nangezinto zentlalo, yaye oku kubonisa ukungeniswa kweMpuma Koloni kuthungelwano lorhwebo lobukoloniya lwamaBhilitane.