theharveyfamily

William Harvey

Born: 10/05/1815 | Died: 29/05/1883
William Harvey was born 10 October 1815 in the parish of Harthill in Yorkshire to William and Ann (Marsh) who were married on 16 September 1810 and also had a son John , born on 2 May 1813. At an early age he was apprenticed to his father as a sackcloth and sail weaver. On 29 May 1840 he joined the British Army and was sent to Dublin, Ireland with an occupying regiment. From there his regiment went to the Falkland Islands and soon after landed in Cape Town. His regiment, under the command of Major Donavan was then sent to Bloemfontein in the then 'Orange River Colony' to serve as deterrent against raids from the neighbouring Basotho. One of the regiment's duties was to construct a fort, which can still be seen in Bloemfontein today. William then took his discharge from the army and, together with a certain Mr Simpson, purchased an oxwagon and contracted with a local trader to undertake transport of his imported goods from Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein. The trader was Gustav Arthur Fichardt, who later became a famous business and community personality in the Orange Free State. William then married the widow of one of his former fellow soldiers, namely Mrs Scully. He then built a house on the south side of the 'Bloemspruit" which, apart from the legislature building, was the only residential building in that area. Together with Major Donavan he also played a major role in obtaining land to build a Catholic Church and convent. Whilst the convent no longer exists, the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral is still a well known part of the city life as is its community hall known as Donavan Hall. The only traceable child from his marriage at the time of writing was Henry. William outlived his wife by several years and eventually died of a stroke on 29 May 1883. His obituary in The Friend newspaper of 31 May 1883 describes him as one of the founding fathers of Bloemfontein and a great character. Harvey Road in Bloemfontein was named after William as it was the original wagon trail leading into Bloemfontein, passing by his house. tumour.

William's children
Henry