Greytown chronological history

1847	29 December	Government Commission engaged upon the division of the country into Magisterial Districts.
1850		Thomas Okes surveyed a town on the farm of L J Nel.
1853	31 December	Meeting of the residents of the District called and decided to name the town Pretorius after Andries Pretorius. The Government refused to allow this as Pretorius had borne arms against the British. A tentative name had already been fixed to the plan drawn by the surveyor and this was adopted. The town was called Greytown in honour of Earl Grey, the renowned British politician. (Note: This information is taken from the District Records Book at the Magistrate's Office. It seems that the town was actually named after Sir George Grey, the Governor of the Cape from 1854 to 1861)

1854	24 June	A district of Umvoti proclaimed and boundaries fixed by Government Notice No 55 of 1854. G G Kelly appointed as Resident Magistrate.
	September	Hermannsburg Mission founded by Pastor Louis Harms.


1856	November	Hermannsburg School commenced by Reverend H Hohls.

1859	15 October	Branch Courts established at Rietvlei and Hermannsburg.


1861	July	Fort Buckingham erected by the military at Kranskop.
1862	27 September	Louis Botha born. The eighth child of Louis Botha and Minnie van Rooyen and later to become the first Prime Minister of South Africa.

1863		Second Court House recorded as having been in existence. Uncertain when it was started. Located inside the space afterwards enclosed as a jail yard

1873		Five local men steal the local Dutch Reform Church Bell. They bury it but unfortunately they take the secret of where they buried it to their graves!! It was uncovered by chance during excavations in the darden of H Holst - 73 years later in 1946!

1886		Fred Markham starts gold rush to Mfongosi.

1887		Third Court House built on corner of Pine and Bell streets.

1889	May	Rev. T Taylor and Mr Shapley discover "silver" at the farm Burrups.


1894		Natal divided into 26 Magisterial Districts. Greytown appointed the seat of Umvoti Magisterial District.

1900	25 July	Railway lines opened to Greytown.


1906	6 April	Bambatha Rebellion starts Read more
1908	3 March	Special court held in Greytown to try King Dinizulu. He was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. He was released with the advent of Union in 1910 with the help of Louis Botha. Click here to read more.
1914		Start of The Great War (WW1) which lasts until 1919

1915		Greytown declared a borough and J C Bekker installed as the first mayor.

1918	29 March	Whirlwind wrecks the town.


1919		Spanish flu epidemic kills many.

1924	14 October	Foundation stones, one in English and one in Dutch, laid by Lady Leuchars for Fourth Court House.


1925		Second Court House demolished.
		Third Court House demolished.
	30 October	Fourth Court house occupied
	24 December	Local limits of the district redefined by proclamation No. 302 of 24/12/1925. The total area of the district constituted 1853 square miles (226 317 ha).


1928		Commissioners court established.

1938		Centenary celebration of the Groot Trek
1939		World War II begins and lasts until 1945
	30 August	Louis Botha's birth place declared a National Monument.


1946	13 April	Church Bell found during building excavations in the garden of H Holst - see 1873.

1976	16 June	Soweto riots start and spread throughout the country
1978	26 May	Greytown Museum declared a National Monument
	24 November	Fort Ahrens declared a National Monument.
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1980	22 August	Greytown Town Hall declared a National Monument.


1982	10 December	Hermannsburg Lutheran Church declared National Monument.
1984	January	Cyclone Demoina causes severe flooding throughout RSA including the Umvoti District
1987	September	Severe floods. Umvoti River floods the Pietermaritzburg road.
1994	27 April	First democratic elections. ANC achieve majority in local authority.

2000	December	Second local government elections. ANC retain majority
2001	23 June	Street Race revived after 35 years.
2006	1 March	Third democratic local government elections - Inkatha gain majority Voter turnout for the elections was 50.83%. Inkatha Freedom Party obtained 54.55% of the votes; ANC 37.72%; D.A.: 5.71%; National Democratic Convention:1.81% and Independent 0.21%
2009	22 April	National and provincial elections
	24-7 April	Mighty Men Conference attracts an estimated 200 000 people to Shalom