Vryburghers 1716 Database

Vryburghers of the Cape 1716 Database

This Database was compiled by Dr Ronald van der Spiegel for the Indian Ocean and Maritime Slave Trade Databases

Copied for this website by Lara Seaward  under specified license

Notes to the above Database:

Free Burghers Cape of Good Hope 1716

By Dr Ronald A. van der Spiegel

National Archives, VOC Archive [1.04.02], inv.nr. 12604, Copy roll of free burghers at the Cape of Good Hope dated 02-05-1716

This includes a copy roll of qualified civilian and military VOC servants at the Cape of Good Hope.

The VOC Archives contain 45 volumes of copy rolls of free burghers at the Cape of Good Hope for the period 1716-1791. Some volumes also contain copy rolls of qualified civilian and military VOC servants at the Cape of Good Hope. Here, I provide a transcription of the oldest surviving copy roll, which is from May 2, 1716 (inv.nr. 12604). At the back of this roll, a copy roll of qualified civilian and military VOC servants at the Cape of Good Hope from March 31, 1721 is included. The importance of the 1716 roll lies in its detailed description of households. The roll includes a list of who belongs to the family of the free burghers, an overview of the slaves (M/F), the livestock, and the crops cultivated.

The 1716 roll consists of 25 double-sided, folded sheets, slightly taller than a folio sheet and wider than 4 folio sheets, in a folded cardboard cover. Behind this, also in a cardboard cover, is the roll from 1721. On the front of this latter cover is written: "Rol van S E compagnies gequalificeerde persooen d'a 1721 voor d'camer Zeelandt" (Roll of S E company's qualified persons d.d. 1721 for the chamber Zeeland). This contains 8 double-sided sheets, also slightly larger than the folio format. Both cardboard covers are in a parchment cover. On the front of it is written: "Rol 9074" and in modern handwriting: "1721 9074". On the side of the register is written: "Caaps Gequalificeerde ROL ONDER Ultimo Maart 1721" (Cape's Qualified ROLL UNDER Ultimo March 1721).