The Story of the Settlement with a Sketch of Grahamstown as it Was and Grahamstown as it Is

Enlarged and illustrated with 29 half-tone and line engravings. Ex-libris bookplate of previous owner pasted in front. Blue cloth and gilt title to front and spine. 327 pages.

The first edition was printed in pamphlet form on the opening of the Settler’s memorial Tower on 24th May 1892, as “The Story of the of the Settlement of the Eastern Province by the British Settlers of 1820” The 2nd Edition, the first in book form, was extensively enlarged. It included the first printed and complete list of all the original settlers, English Dutch and Huguenot, their wives and children.

While there are scarce copies of the third edition (1912) available, the 1st Edition appears not be extant outside of library archives, and the 1894 edition is almost unavailable. 

The brothers Thomas (1847-1904) and George (1849-1916) Sheffield came to Grahamstown in 1860 from Kidderminster in Worcestershire and entered the printing and publishing industry rising to their own firm, T & G Sheffield printers and publishers, and their own newspaper, 'The Eastern Star' (1871 onwards). Both men were active in the affairs of the Cathedral. Thomas, who was a long serving member of the Select Vestry, being the more active. The brothers were strong supporters of Dean Williams and 'the old Church' though Thomas was later to be Churchwarden of St Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg. The Sheffield’s left Grahamstown in the period 1887-9 and moved to the brighter lights of the new Goldfields - taking their newspaper with them where it continues as The Star to this day.