I recently came across an article about Barberton written by Esmé Lownds (click here to read). At that time I knew very little about James Stopforth apart from the fact that he had known my grandfather when he lived in Durban and I felt that Ms Lownds would perhaps like to know a bit more about Stopforth’s earlier days.
I have since learned of course that Stopforth became famous and that there is a museum in Barberton and that his earlier life is very well documented. There were however still a few small facts that I could perhaps have conveyed to Ms Lownds about Stopforth and also some facts about his partner Bill Bowman.
Stopforth House Barberton (Google Maps)
I have since learned, of course, that Ms Lownds is deceased. However, here are still some facts about the two men which might or might not be of interest to the heritage community.
My interest in this subject originally arose from an extract from an article that I had read many years ago written by W.C. Scully in his Reminiscences of a South African Pioneer which refers to Stopforth & Bowman. It read as follows :-
We arrived at the Lower Camp one morning at about nine o'clock, more than half-starved. I shall never forget my wolfish sensations as we flung down our swags at...
