GC4VWF4 Butt's Grave (Traditional Cache) in Eastern Cape, South Africa created by Matashgan

This cache has been archived.

Knagur Green: Due to no response from the CO after the request to maintain or replace the cache, I am archiving it to, stop it showing on the listings and/or to create place for the geocaching community.

The Geocache Maintenance guideline explains a CO's responsibility towards checking and maintaining the cache when problems are reported.

Please note that if geocaches are archived by a reviewer or Geocaching HQ for lack of maintenance, they are not eligible for unarchival. This is explained in the Help Center

If the CO feels that this cache has been archived in error please feel free to contact me within 30 days, via email or message via my profile ,quoting the GC number concerned

Thank you for understanding

Knagur Green
Groundspeak Volunteer Reviewer

GC4VWF4 ▼

A cache by Matashgan Message this owner

Hidden : 12/26/2013

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is situated at the Butt's grave, the founder of Kenton-on-Sea.

Please be respectful finding this cache as it is a grave site. Please also replace the cache as found.

The cache is placed on the boundry of the site, but please go inside to see the grave.

Here is some information about Charles Butt and Kenton:

During the early days of the British settlers at Albany, Charles Butt and George Wood inspected the area between the Bushman’s and Kariega Rivers, known as "Kara" and decided to purchase this crown land. After the land was transferred into his name in 1880 he moved his family down to the sea. Eve's Retreat is part of the original farm South Gorah which Charles Butt and George Wood wanted to buy. When everything was finalized, George’s son, Joseph Garbett Wood, died in1883 "leaving his share to his daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Bell. She received her share on 16 January 1883. The Bell's had no interest in the place and Charles Butt bought the share". After his wife's death, Frances Hannah Butt nee Gravett, some of the farm was sold. In the end the portion near the sea became "Kenton-on-Sea". The farm Eve's Retreat was kept by one of the Butt brothers, Charles Butt, and later belonged to Stanley Butt. Many of the family members still live in Kenton (& Bushman’s). Charles discovered a hidden reef on the coast and thereby safeguarded the lives of mariners. The reef was almost hidden except at occasional points at very low tide. The length was approximately opposite Alexandria right of the Pondo coast near Durban. The reef was immediately surveyed officially and when proved correct, added to the charts of mariners. For this he was mentioned in an issue of the Landrost. He was known as a skipper. He knew all about the tides, currents, etc and built at least one boat. He was trained as a carpenter and architect, and his father, William George, trained him to become an excellent blacksmith. The family was well educated, with the brothers also able to embalm a body, which Charles did when his mother, Louise, died on his farm, South Gorah.

Charles set out on his own to open a workshop to make ox-wagons and carts along the route taken by the Settlers, which later proved to be the route taken by the Voortrekkers. The Grahamstown Journal, January 1870, reported that Charles Butt had been appointed as Field cornet of the Lower Bushman's River ward in the division of Albany. He was 36 years old, and he was very diligent in carrying out his duties. Soon part of the bakery building he owned was turned into a jail with one tiny window - a slit in the wall. After his appointment ended he continued to trade as a General Dealer in Salem and attempted to preserve the peace in the district. Although the ninth Kaffir war of 1877 took place further north, many signed up with the Rovers, a mounted force under the command of Bertram Edgerton Bowker, which affected the village of Salem. Florence Latham, nee Harvey says that "at Salem there is a double storey house made of great stone blocks and timbered with yellow wood floors, ceilings, etc which was built by Charles Butt where Caroline, Florence Harvey's mother was born.

There are multiple accounts of the rescue that resulted in Charles receiving a medal from the Royal Humane Society in England. Charles Butt received the silver medal for saving the entire crew and their cat from the wreck of the Volo at Kareiga Mouth, now Kenton-on-Sea in 1891. He saw the wreck from his house in South Gorah swam across the Bushman's River and saved the sailors after three hours in the surf. One version states that a gentleman, Mr. Schemers, arrived on the scene on horseback, and assisted Charles. Mrs. V. G. Patterson donated a photo of Charles Butt, head and shoulders, wearing medal to the Albany museum in Oct. 1969. In 1896 the Norwegian barque Volo ran aground near the mouth of the Bushman's River. For his part in the rescue of the Volo crew, Charles Butt was awarded half the timber from the Volo wreck. He used it to build his home and planted two Norfolk pine seedlings on the ridge. These prospered and became such a landmark that they are marked on all navigational charts. Charles Butt's home eventually became the popular Kenton Hotel. Norfolk Ridge is located on the highest point in Kenton and is steeped in history, as the 1820 Settler Butt Family owned it.

He died near Kenton Hotel, Kariega Mouth Division, Bathurst. Eva Maud says he died on South Gorah, the farm's name before it was sold and was called Kenton-on Sea. His occupation at death is listed as farmer, but at the time of his marriage as a wagon-maker.