One of the first in a series of military forts built on the western side of the Great Fish River, between 1813 and 1819, it guarded a drift which was known as the ‘gateway to Kaffraria’.
One of the first in a series of military forts built on the western side of the Great Fish River, between 1813 and 1819, it guarded a drift which was known as the ‘gateway to Kaffraria’.
One of the first in a series of military forts built on the western side of the Great Fish River, between 1813 and 1819, it guarded a drift which was known as the ‘gateway to Kaffraria’.
One of the first in a series of military forts built on the western side of the Great Fish River, between 1813 and 1819, it guarded a drift which was known as the ‘gateway to Kaffraria’.
Fort Willshire was built by the Royal Engineers under Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Willshire of the 38th Regiment, on the orders of Lord Charles Somerset, in 1819.,From 1824 – 1830 weekly trade fairs were held at the Fort, where licensed British Settlers could trade in ivory, hides etc with Xhosa. At first cattle could not be traded, and trade in fire-arms and liquor was forbidden.
3228 Kei Mouth, South Africa 1:25000 sheet. Compiled and drawn in 1960 by the Trigonometric Survey Office. Magesterial districts as at August 1960. T.S.O. 404/971. (Saamgestel in 1960 en geteken in 1960 deur die Driehokesmatings Kantoor.)
