Robert August Frederick CROWTHER, was born in England on the 10 August 1822, the son of Jonathan and Susan Crowther. 

Robert left England when he was only 13 years old. He departed from Portsmouth England, on 10 January 1836, on the ship ‘Henry’. The ship arrived in Cape Town on 22 March 1836, with 30 boys ranging in ages, but Robert being the youngest. These boys formed part of the initiative of the Children’s Friend Society, whose aim was to create a better future for children in the colonies.

In April 1836, less than a month after his arrival, Robert was placed with William Proctor of Drooge (or Droge) Valley as a farm servant. The better future turned out to be a hard one, as was evident in the interview conducted with Robert on 4 October 1839, six days shy of his 17th birthday. At this time, he was still working for William Proctor, as a Stable hand.

Robert Crowther – I am three years and six months in Mr. Proctor’s service; I work in the stables; I get sufficient clothes, but not quite enough to eat; I sleep in a room with some other juveniles; I have no bed, but I got a rug when I first came here; I get soap and wash my own clothes on Sundays, not having any other time; I was unwell for about three days; I got some medicine and one cup of rice; I have been unwell at different times since I came here; I find no difference in my situation since the emancipation; I was once flogged by my young master with a cane; I can read, but cannot write; I receive no instruction; I attend divine service every Sunday; occasionally read by a clergyman; I work on Sundays as other days; I get a little pocket-money now and then; my father and mother are both alive; I wrote to them twice and received one letter in reply.
Witness, Fk Buhn                                                                                                                                                                 His X mark, Robert Crowther

Then for 11 years, no record is found for Robert, until 9 September 1850 in Colesberg, when he married Louisa Catherina Maria Sophia (Catharina) LUBBE, the youngest child to Schalk Willem Lubbe and Martha Aletta van Heerden.

Catharina’s mother died when she was less than 2 years old. Catharina was adopted by Hendrik Willem van Heerden *~1791 and Maria Magdalena Coetzee. However Schalk Willem Lubbe, her biological father, only died on 5 June 1863 on the farm Spreeufontein, Bethulie. In his distribution account, Catharina was indicated and married to Robert Crowther.

Robert and Catharina Crowther, relocated to the Eastern Free State, probably as early as 1855. Their 3rd child, Schalk Willem Crowther, was baptised in Fauresmith in 1856. All subsequent children were baptised in the South Eastern and Eastern Free State.
In 1870, with the marriage of their eldest child Maria Magdalena, Robert and Catharina were farming on Groenkloof, Ladybrand, now district Rosendal. When their daughter, Martha Aletta died in 1885, Robert farmed on Caledonsdraai, district Ladybrand.

Robert August Frederick CROWTHER passed away on 28 January 1889 on the farm Saaihoek, Ladybrand. He was 66 years, 5 months and 18 days old.

His wife, Louisa Catherina Maria Sophia (Catharina) LUBBE, survived him by another 21 years, when she passed away on 6 August 1910 on the farm Vlakbult Fickburg, the residence of her son-in-law Henry William Taylor. Vlakbult is now in the district of Clocolan and is still owned by Taylor/Crowther descendants.

Robert and Catharina had 11 children.

b1 Maria Magdalena *Smithfield, 3.04.1852 ≈Colesberg, 23.05.1852 †Ladybrand, 12.09.1922 Ω Ladybrand x Ladybrand, 28.11.1870 Daniel Jacobus Johannes OOSTHUIZEN *≡12.1839, s.o. Ockert Andreas Oosthuizen & Adriana Cecilia Oosthuizen, †Eerstekamp, Ladybrand 19.11.1905. Twelve (12) children: 9 sons, 3 daughters.

b2 Jonathan (Jan) *Hantam, 20.10.1853 ≈Colesberg, 29.05.1854 General: Ladybrand during ABW. Surrenders together with Genl Prinsloo at the Brandwaterkom, now called “Surrender Hill” close to Clarens †Bankies, Ladybrand, 24.11.1926 Ω Ladybrand.x Ladybrand, 31.05.1875 Cecilia Johanna Petronella DELPORT d.o Izak Andreas Delport & Johanna Cecilia Schoeman, *Oudtshoorn, 20.07.1856 †Vegkop, Heilbron 01.08.1941 Ω Ladybrand. Eleven (11) children: 4 sons, 7 daughters.

b3 Schalk Willem *3.05.1855 ≈Fauresmith, 27.01.1856, under Colesberg DRC †25.04.1913 (on grave) Ω Rebecca Str, Pretoria x Ladybrand, 23.09.1878 Elizabeth Margaretha Sophia SCHUTTE *3.07.1859, Colesberg, ≈Colesberg, 5.01.1860, d.o Roelof Jacobus Schutte & Elizabeth Margaretha Cornelia Botha, †Elofsdal, Pretoria, 14.01.1939 Ω Rebecca Str, Pretoria. (Elizabeth xx Pieter Willem Bester). Eight (8) children: 6 sons, 2 daughters

b4 Susan Elvira (≈ Susanna Aletta) *13.12.1856 ≈Smithfield, 25.07.1858 †Pretoria, 21.05.1941 (on grave) Ω Rebecca Street, Pretoria.x Ladybrand, 21.5.1876 Petrus Arnoldus PIENAAR *Fauresmith, 8.09.1854 ≈Fauresmith, 15.10.1854, s.o Johannes Jacobus Michiel Pienaar & Adriana Margaretha Joubert, †Potchefstroom, 18.11.1889 Ω Potchefstroom. Seven (7) children: 2 sons, 5 daughters.

b5 Martha Aletta *Bethulie, 5.01.1859 ≈Smithfield, 1.05.1859 † Vlakfontein, Ladybrand, 15.04.1885, (26.3.8) Ω Pelham, Clocolan x Ladybrand, 1.03.1880 Henry William TAYLOR *Riversdale, 21.07.1854, s.o Henry William Taylor & Sophia Maria van Zyl, †Pelham Clocolan, 25.09.1923, Ω Clocolan. (Henry xx Sarah Ann Crowther b7). Four (4) children: 1 son, 3 daughters.

b6 Louisa Catharina *6.07.1860 ≈Smithfield, 12.05.1861 †9.07.1956 (on grave) Ω Upington x Ladybrand, 1.12.1879, Abel Albertus ODENDAAL *30.06.1860 ≈Colesberg 30.12.1860, s.o. Hendrik Petrus Odendaal & Hester Sovija Pienaar,†3.09.1946 (on grave) Ω Upington. Six (6) children: 4 sons, 2 daughters.

b7 Sarah Ann *Bethulie, 10.10.1863 ≈Bethulie, 14.02.1864 †Pelham, Clocolan, 29.05.1948 (on grave) Ω Clocolan x Ladybrand, 30.10.1885 Henry William TAYLOR *Riversdale, 21.07.1854, s.o Henry William Taylor & Sophia Maria van Zyl, †Pelham, Clocolan, 25.09.1923 Ω Clocolan. (Henry previously x Martha Aletta Crowther, b5) Two (2) children: 1 son, 1 daughter.

b8 Robert Frederick August (Bob) *15.09.1865, Syferfontein Bethulie, ≈Bethulie, 5.11.18651890, Commandant: Thaba Nchu during ABO, P.O.W. Diyatawala (now Sri Lanka) During Rebellion, app. as General by Genl. CR de Wet, surrendered to his brother, Jan (b2) †Roemryk Ladybrand, 15.11.1950 (80.1.-)
Ω Ladybrand x Ladybrand, 23.09.1890 Petronella Maria BOTHMA *11.07.1871 ≈Smithfield, 24.12.1871 d.o Johannes Cornelius Bothma & Susanna Elizabeth Coetzee †Excelsior, 3.09.1923. Ω Excelsior xx Ladybrand 11.01.1927 wed. Sarah Hester INGRAM born VAN ZYL *24.04.1886 ≈Ladybrand, 11.7.1886, d.o Johan Theodorus van Zyl & Sarah Hester Anderson, †Roemryk, Ladybrand 24.08.1961 Ω Ladybrand. (Sarah Hester previously x Wessel Jacobus Ingram)
1st Marriage: Ten (10) sons.

b9 Hester Jacoba *7.10.1868, ≈Bethulie, 6.12.1868, †Clocolan, 20.11.1948 Ω Clocolan.x Ladybrand 8.05.1894, Johan Theodorus (Jan) FERREIRA *5.08.1871 ≈Mossel Bay, 14.09.1871, s.o Frans Albertus Ferreira & Judith Jacoba Terblanche. †Clocolan, 11.02.1951. Ω Clocolan. Seven (7) children: 3 sons, 4 daughters.

b10 Peter (≈Pieter) *Groenkloof, Ladybrand, 29.08.1871 ≈Ladybrand, 29.10.1871 †Mooiplaats, Ficksburg, 16.06.1942, Ω Ficksburg x Ladybrand, 5.11.1895 Louisa TAYLOR *6.02.1870, d.o Henry William Taylor & Sophia Maria van Zyl, †Ficksburg, 17.09.1956. Ω Ficksburg. One (1) daughter.

b11 David William George *30.12.1873 ≈Ladybrand, 26.04.1874 Fieldcornet: Ladybrand during ABW, †22.06.1957 (on grave) Ω Reitz x Ladybrand, 29.09.1896 Martha Susanna LINDEQUÉ *5.11.1866 ≈Potchefstroom, 7.04.1867, d.o. Jan Abraham Lindequé & Martha Susanna Janse van Vuuren †Concentration Camp, Bloemfontein, 6.01.1902 xx Ladybrand, 16.06.1903 Martha Aletta VAN ROOYEN *27.08.1877 ≈Ladybrand, 11.11.1877, d.o Cornelis Johannes van Rooyen & Adriana Josina Terblanche, †Reitz, 16.10.1953 (on grave) Ω Reitz. 1st marriage: Three (3) daughters. 2nd marriage: Ten (10) children, 8 sons, 2 daughters.

Reference:
Blackburn, G. (1993). The Children's Friend Society: Juvenile emigrants to Western Australia, South Africa and Canada, 1834 - 1842. (1st Edition ed.). Northbridge, Western Australia: Access Press.

Bull, E. (1991). Aided Immigration from Britain to South Africa 1857 to 1867. (D. J. Basson, Ed.) Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council.

Crowther, R.F. (2015) Stamouers Robert August Frederick Crowther, Louisa Catharina Maria Sophia (Catharina) Lubbe en hul kinders. Familia 52 Volume 2 (2015), pp 1 - 22

eGSSA Library: Gravestones http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=43

South African National Archives- Pretoria, - Cape Town, - Bloemfontein.

Familysearch https://familysearch.org/search

Suid-Afrikaanse Geslagregisters Vol - 1 (A –C), - 2 ( D – G),- 5a (L), - 8 (Pi – Q), - 11 (Scho – Sny) & -13 (T-U), Stellenbosch: GISA

Melville, J., & Ferreira, E.S (1998), Ferreira Familie - Family, Port Elizabeth: Genealogiese Publikasies

Contributors:
Carol Beneke, Johann Crowther, Annelie Els, Kowie Esterhuizen, Moekie Joubert, Lee McGovern, Johan Pottas, Elana Prinsloo, Lukas Rinken, Hannes Saaiman, Tian Schutte, Marietta van Zyl and numerous Crowther descendants.

Compiled by:
Bobbie Crowther
bob.crowther@mweb.co.za