39:
479:
149:
390:
121:
346:"bright" one. The demand for "light" continued and in 1907 the Municipality of Kalk Bay and Muizenberg to supply their customers, built a power station near the beach. A year or so later in 1908 the Woodstock Municipality received their electricity supply from the Dock Road Power Station. Then in 1912 the Cape Town City Council bought the assets of the Claremont Electric Light Works and became the suppliers of both the city and the suburbs.
307:
210:
475:, which the family still part own today, as well as large mining and later property interests and investments. His trademark mansions are still scattered around Cape Town today. His beach house Zonnekus on Woodbridge Island, was built by Italian artisans and the material was shipped to South Africa during the great depression. Previously he had built De Grendel, an 8000 hectare stud farm where he bred prized Arab horses.
441:
855:
370:
gem diamonds in the world, and even though in those days the rich beach terraces stretching north from the Orange River had not been discovered, it was a large-scale producer and as a result of this transaction Anglo
American's position as an important factor in the diamond industry had been firmly established.
502:
369:
It was during this time that Graaff, together with Ernest
Oppenheimer, eventually succeeded in bringing all German mining interests together to form the Consolidated Diamond Mines of South-West Africa, under the general control of the Anglo American Corporation. C.D.M. is now the largest producer of
156:
David Graaff was the fourth child of Petrus
Novbertus Graaff and Anna Elisabeth. He was born in the small town of Villiersdorp, named after his maternal grandfather, Pieter Hendrik de Villiers, who founded the town in 1841. Little is known of his early childhood other than that his family was very
345:
had begun to operate when a power station was erected near the
Molteno reservoir on Table Mountain. The Graaff part of the name refers to David Pieter de Villers-Graaff (created Sir in 1911) who was between 1891 and 1892 Mayor of Cape Town and convinced that the future of electricity was a very
377:(1899–1902), Graaff obtained lucrative contracts to supply the British Army in the field, but he also made substantial donations towards alleviating the suffering of Boer prisoners of war, and providing medical supplies to Boer women and children held in British Army concentration camps.
169:
was discovered in 1869 the city was flooded with prospectors and investors hoping to capitalise on the discovery. At the time Cape Town was the largest and best developed settlement in southern Africa and served as a major logistics center for prospectors.
191:. Graaff, realizing the importance of this technological innovation for his butchery business, spent much of the 1880s extensively traveling around the world. Learning all he could about the meat markets and abattoirs of the United Kingdom as well as the
380:
When the meat market slumped after the war, Graaff invested in property in and around Cape Town. He bought the farm De
Grendel in Plattekloof, outside Cape Town, where he built up a Friesland cattle stud as well as his beloved Arabian horses.
444:
David Graaff and his brother
Jacobus Graaff presenting a £100,000 donation to the De Villiers Graaff High School in 1907. David Graaff is making a speech, Jacobus Graaff is sitting to the right and Jan Smuts is seated in the extreme
358:. The company grew into one of the largest meat processing and distribution companies in the world and was responsible for generating much of Graaff's fortune. They concentrated on supplying ships, and in conjunction with the
164:
Graaff arrived in Cape Town during a time of rapid economic and population growth. Three years earlier one of the largest deposits of diamonds in history had been discovered in the interior of the county. By the time the
195:
of
Chicago and the rest of United States. He spent much of the rest of the 1880s and 1890s implementing the techniques and technologies he learned from these trips in his businesses in addition to serving in government.
410:
136:
in 1899, and aggressively ran it until he left to serve in government. Graaff grew the company into one of the largest in Africa. Graaff's wealth soared, at the turn of the century. During
1235:
1200:
719:
1569:
161:, while being privately educated. His great-uncle, Jacobus Arnoldus Combrinck, hoped that Graaff would take over his successful butchery so that he could enter colony politics.
1509:
132:(30 March 1859 – 13 April 1931) was a South African cold storage magnate and politician. Graaff revolutionized the cold storage industry in Africa. He founded the
1549:
330:, which is still in use, and took the lead in introducing electricity into the city. Building the city's first power station which still stands today next to the
595:
1308:
1210:
1105:
1175:
409:, he was created a baronet in 1911 and served as Minister of Public Works and of Posts and Telegraphs (1911–1912), Minister without Portfolio (1912–1913),
1225:
1135:
843:
Simons, Phillida Brooke. (2000) "Ice cold in Africa: The history of the
Imperial Cold Storage & Supply Company Limited". Fernwood Press, Cape Town.
1145:
1371:
1180:
1150:
1115:
639:
140:
he personally part financed the South
African war effort and for this he was knighted as well as for services at the Paris Peace Conference 1919.
1120:
1215:
1185:
1155:
1125:
803:
227:
274:
246:
1170:
777:
1519:
253:
1301:
947:
334:. He also played a large role in the construction of many new reservoirs to supply the city with water. Graaff was also a member of
1205:
1060:
1012:
522:
355:
133:
1356:
1346:
972:
932:
260:
1564:
1534:
982:
608:
242:
1294:
1366:
1090:
900:
487:
38:
1544:
1317:
922:
414:
840:
Graaff, De
Villiers. (1993) "Div Looks Back: The memoirs of Sir De Villiers Graaff". Human & Rousseau, Cape Town.
614:
566:
293:
1559:
472:
450:
342:
231:
859:
267:
157:
poor. In 1870, at the age of eleven, he went to work in his great-uncle's butchery, Combrinck & CO., in
326:
in 1891–1892 when he was 32 years old making him the city's youngest mayor. He presented the city with its
181:
47,000 (£24,300,000 in 2010 pounds). One year later, in 1882, the first commercially successful shipment of
1514:
1407:
1005:
1160:
491:
182:
869:
653:
335:
1539:
393:
The first cabinet of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Graaff is the first person on the far right.
417:(1915–1916). He was a Member of House of Assembly for the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1920.
397:
Graaff was a member of parliament again from 1908 to 1920. He was Minister without Portfolio in the
1080:
1351:
1220:
1065:
998:
319:
220:
174:
1554:
1045:
152:
Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company was founded by Graaff and his brother Jacobus in 1899.
1140:
1100:
527:
429:
406:
91:
695:
354:
Graaff left office to focus growing his business and in 1899 he and his brother founded the
1529:
1524:
471:
Apart from his political career his most notable achievements were the construction of the
421:
8:
1055:
318:
Graaff was also active in public affairs. He was a volunteer soldier, and commanded the
1331:
1275:
1021:
744:
700:
633:
323:
192:
1417:
1265:
1250:
1035:
604:
562:
559:
Ice Cold in Africa: The History of Imperial Cold Storage & Supply Company Limited
495:
359:
1286:
1488:
1463:
1443:
1387:
1361:
166:
584:, Relative Value of a UK Pound Amount – average earnings. Retrieved 4 October 2010
1165:
1075:
1050:
957:
882:
750:
517:
1402:
1070:
1468:
1453:
1230:
1195:
1095:
1040:
755:
751:"The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)"
458:
374:
187:
178:
25:
482:
The tombstone of Sir David P. Graaff at De Grendel in Cape Town, South Africa.
322:
for a few years. He was a Cape Town city councillor from 1882, and served as
173:
In 1881, eleven years after arriving in Cape Town, he and his younger brother
1503:
1478:
1473:
1458:
1448:
1245:
1130:
363:
327:
310:
Photograph of the newly completed Graaff Electric Lighting Works next to the
306:
1483:
1412:
1240:
478:
464:
When Sir David died in 1931, his estate was consolidated into one company,
461:
100 000 (equivalent to £13,362,000 in 2024) endowment fund for the school.
454:
67:
1397:
501:
Along with other Cape politicians, Graaff is depicted in the 1899 artwork
1255:
1190:
1110:
402:
398:
389:
331:
311:
137:
120:
71:
148:
1438:
1422:
234: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
990:
1392:
1336:
1270:
1260:
1024:
915:
888:
425:
158:
87:
47:
209:
593:
440:
401:'s last cabinet (1908–1910). A close friend and confidant of Gen
199:
581:
424:
peace conference in 1919. He was also a close confidant of Gen
854:
804:"Obituary: Jannie Graaff, pioneer of modern welfare economics"
685:," Cambridge University Press, London, United Kingdom, pg497
177:
took over the business. At the time the business was worth
16:
South African cold storage magnate, politician, and baron
1570:
High commissioners of South Africa to the United Kingdom
1316:
411:
High Commissioner in London for Union of South Africa
449:
Graaff and his brother financed the building of the
833:Barnard, Prof L. and Kriek, Prof D. (Eds) (1990).
468:, one of the largest land owners in South Africa.
185:meat arrived in London from Australia on board the
778:"Prized 'military land' at centre of Cape tussle"
1510:Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
1501:
130:Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, 1st Baronet
1550:Members of the House of Assembly (South Africa)
384:
200:Public service and political career (1882–1897)
486:He was succeeded as baronet by his eldest son
428:and Winston Churchill. He was a member of the
1302:
1006:
795:
561:. Cape Town: Fernwood Press. pp. 18–55.
556:
490:. He was also survived by his youngest son,
801:
638:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
737:
594:Fox, Justin & Westwood, Alison (2016).
1309:
1295:
1013:
999:
747:inflation figures are based on data from
717:
294:Learn how and when to remove this message
694:
523:Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company
477:
439:
388:
356:Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company
305:
147:
134:Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company
1020:
1502:
720:"GRAAFF, Sir David Pieter de Villiers"
1290:
994:
828:Dictionary of South African Biography
748:
683:Smuths: The Fields of Force 1919–1950
552:
550:
548:
546:
544:
542:
713:
711:
646:
232:adding citations to reliable sources
203:
821:
587:
13:
603:. Cape Town: JONGLEZ. p. 68.
539:
405:, the first prime minister of the
14:
1581:
1520:Finance ministers of South Africa
1318:Finance ministers of South Africa
847:
708:
349:
341:In 1895, in Cape Town itself the
948:Minister of Posts and Telegraphs
870:Baronetage of the United Kingdom
853:
802:Chris Barron (25 January 2015).
557:Brooke Simons, Phillida (2000).
208:
119:
37:
360:Union and Castle shipping lines
243:"Sir David Graaff, 1st Baronet"
219:needs additional citations for
770:
688:
671:
575:
473:Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
451:De Villiers Graaff High School
343:Graaff Electric Lighting Works
1:
1565:South African philanthropists
1432:Post-Apartheid (1994-present)
704:. 30 June 1911. p. 4833.
654:"About - Company Information"
533:
143:
1535:People from the Western Cape
420:He accompanied Botha to the
385:Political career (1908–1919)
366:enterprise in South Africa.
7:
511:
362:, they developed the first
10:
1586:
1545:Cape Colony army officers
1431:
1381:Apartheid-era (1948-1994)
1380:
1325:pre-Apartheid (1910-1948)
1324:
1031:
979:
970:
964:
954:
945:
939:
929:
920:
912:
907:
897:
880:
875:
868:
503:Holiday Time in Cape Town
435:
118:
113:
105:
97:
77:
54:
36:
23:
973:Minister of Public Works
457:in 1907, establishing a
749:Clark, Gregory (2017).
320:Cape Garrison Artillery
175:Jacobus Arnoldus Graaff
101:Businessman, politician
835:Sir De Villiers Graaff
483:
446:
394:
315:
153:
1560:People from Cape Town
528:Meat packing industry
481:
443:
430:National Liberal Club
407:Union of South Africa
392:
309:
151:
92:Union of South Africa
862:at Wikimedia Commons
658:heritage.eskom.co.za
338:from 1891 to 1897.
228:improve this article
31:Sir David Graaff, Bt
1515:Mayors of Cape Town
923:Minister of Finance
837:. Digma, Pretoria.
415:Minister of Finance
193:meat packing plants
908:Political offices
901:De Villiers Graaff
745:Retail Price Index
701:The London Gazette
484:
447:
395:
316:
154:
1497:
1496:
1284:
1283:
989:
988:
980:Succeeded by
955:Succeeded by
930:Succeeded by
898:Succeeded by
858:Media related to
610:978-2-36195-140-5
496:Welfare Economist
304:
303:
296:
278:
127:
126:
1577:
1540:Afrikaner people
1311:
1304:
1297:
1288:
1287:
1015:
1008:
1001:
992:
991:
965:Preceded by
940:Preceded by
913:Preceded by
866:
865:
857:
822:Other References
816:
815:
813:
811:
799:
793:
792:
790:
788:
774:
768:
767:
765:
763:
741:
735:
734:
732:
730:
715:
706:
705:
692:
686:
675:
669:
668:
666:
664:
650:
644:
643:
637:
629:
627:
625:
620:on 2 August 2018
619:
613:. Archived from
602:
597:Secret Cape Town
591:
585:
579:
573:
572:
554:
299:
292:
288:
285:
279:
277:
236:
212:
204:
167:Cullinan Diamond
123:
84:
64:
62:
44:Sir David Graaff
41:
21:
20:
1585:
1584:
1580:
1579:
1578:
1576:
1575:
1574:
1500:
1499:
1498:
1493:
1427:
1376:
1320:
1315:
1285:
1280:
1027:
1019:
985:
976:
968:
960:
958:George Leuchars
951:
943:
935:
926:
918:
903:
894:
891:, South Africa)
885:
850:
824:
819:
809:
807:
800:
796:
786:
784:
776:
775:
771:
761:
759:
742:
738:
728:
726:
716:
709:
693:
689:
677:Hancock, Keith
676:
672:
662:
660:
652:
651:
647:
631:
630:
623:
621:
617:
611:
600:
592:
588:
582:Measuring Worth
580:
576:
569:
555:
540:
536:
518:Graaff Baronets
514:
438:
387:
352:
300:
289:
283:
280:
237:
235:
225:
213:
202:
146:
86:
82:
66:
60:
58:
50:
32:
29:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1583:
1573:
1572:
1567:
1562:
1557:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1537:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1495:
1494:
1492:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1435:
1433:
1429:
1428:
1426:
1425:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1384:
1382:
1378:
1377:
1375:
1374:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1328:
1326:
1322:
1321:
1314:
1313:
1306:
1299:
1291:
1282:
1281:
1279:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1221:Sulcas Kreiner
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1032:
1029:
1028:
1018:
1017:
1010:
1003:
995:
987:
986:
981:
978:
969:
966:
962:
961:
956:
953:
944:
941:
937:
936:
931:
928:
919:
914:
910:
909:
905:
904:
899:
896:
879:
873:
872:
864:
863:
849:
848:External links
846:
845:
844:
841:
838:
831:
823:
820:
818:
817:
806:. Sunday Times
794:
769:
756:MeasuringWorth
736:
707:
687:
670:
645:
609:
586:
574:
567:
537:
535:
532:
531:
530:
525:
520:
513:
510:
466:Graaff's Trust
437:
434:
386:
383:
375:Anglo-Boer War
351:
350:Boer War years
348:
302:
301:
216:
214:
207:
201:
198:
145:
142:
125:
124:
116:
115:
111:
110:
107:
103:
102:
99:
95:
94:
85:(aged 72)
79:
75:
74:
56:
52:
51:
42:
34:
33:
30:
26:The Honourable
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1582:
1571:
1568:
1566:
1563:
1561:
1558:
1556:
1555:Graaff family
1553:
1551:
1548:
1546:
1543:
1541:
1538:
1536:
1533:
1531:
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1508:
1507:
1505:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1436:
1434:
1430:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1385:
1383:
1379:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1329:
1327:
1323:
1319:
1312:
1307:
1305:
1300:
1298:
1293:
1292:
1289:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1211:van der Velde
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1033:
1030:
1026:
1023:
1016:
1011:
1009:
1004:
1002:
997:
996:
993:
984:
975:
974:
963:
959:
950:
949:
938:
934:
925:
924:
917:
911:
906:
902:
893:
890:
886:
884:
878:
874:
871:
867:
861:
856:
852:
851:
842:
839:
836:
832:
829:
826:
825:
805:
798:
783:
779:
773:
758:
757:
752:
746:
740:
725:
724:ukwhoswho.com
721:
714:
712:
703:
702:
697:
691:
684:
680:
674:
659:
655:
649:
641:
635:
616:
612:
606:
599:
598:
590:
583:
578:
570:
568:1-874950-50-4
564:
560:
553:
551:
549:
547:
545:
543:
538:
529:
526:
524:
521:
519:
516:
515:
509:
508:
505:by James Ford
504:
499:
497:
493:
489:
480:
476:
474:
469:
467:
462:
460:
456:
452:
442:
433:
431:
427:
423:
418:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
391:
382:
378:
376:
371:
367:
365:
361:
357:
347:
344:
339:
337:
333:
329:
328:mayoral chain
325:
321:
313:
308:
298:
295:
287:
276:
273:
269:
266:
262:
259:
255:
252:
248:
245: –
244:
240:
239:Find sources:
233:
229:
223:
222:
217:This section
215:
211:
206:
205:
197:
194:
190:
189:
184:
180:
176:
171:
168:
162:
160:
150:
141:
139:
135:
131:
122:
117:
112:
109:South African
108:
104:
100:
96:
93:
89:
81:13 April 1931
80:
76:
73:
69:
65:30 March 1859
57:
53:
49:
45:
40:
35:
27:
22:
19:
1341:
1166:D. Bloomberg
1131:A. Bloomberg
1085:
1051:D. van Breda
1036:M. van Breda
971:
946:
933:Henry Burton
921:
892:
881:
877:New creation
876:
860:David Graaff
834:
827:
808:. Retrieved
797:
785:. Retrieved
781:
772:
760:. Retrieved
754:
739:
727:. Retrieved
723:
699:
690:
682:
678:
673:
661:. Retrieved
657:
648:
622:. Retrieved
615:the original
596:
589:
577:
558:
506:
500:
485:
470:
465:
463:
455:Villiersdorp
448:
419:
396:
379:
372:
368:
364:cold-storage
353:
340:
317:
290:
284:January 2023
281:
271:
264:
257:
250:
238:
226:Please help
221:verification
218:
186:
183:refrigerated
172:
163:
155:
129:
128:
83:(1931-04-13)
68:Villiersdorp
46:as mayor of
43:
18:
1530:1931 deaths
1525:1859 births
1176:Mauerberger
1161:Friedlander
983:Thomas Watt
718:Who's Who.
696:"No. 28509"
488:De Villiers
413:(1914) and
403:Louis Botha
399:Cape Colony
373:During the
332:Molteno Dam
312:Molteno Dam
138:World War I
106:Nationality
72:Cape Colony
1504:Categories
1489:Godongwana
1464:Van Rooyen
1444:Liebenberg
1418:Du Plessis
1408:Diederichs
1276:Hill-Lewis
1191:S. Kreiner
1181:L. Kreiner
1136:Sonnenburg
977:1910–1912
952:1910–1912
927:1915–1916
895:1911–1931
830:Volume II.
810:25 January
534:References
494:, a noted
422:Versailles
336:parliament
254:newspapers
144:Early life
98:Occupation
61:1859-03-30
1196:Markovitz
1025:Cape Town
1022:Mayors of
916:Jan Smuts
889:Tygerberg
782:TimesLIVE
681:(1968). "
634:cite book
426:Jan Smuts
159:Cape Town
114:Signature
88:Cape Town
48:Cape Town
1372:Sturrock
1266:de Lille
1226:Solomons
1156:Dommisse
1146:Honikman
1141:Thompson
1116:A. Lewis
1096:Liberman
1076:Inglesby
1061:C. Lewis
787:16 April
729:26 April
663:2 August
624:2 August
512:See also
492:Johannes
314:in 1895.
1484:Mboweni
1469:Gordhan
1454:Gordhan
1413:Horwood
1388:Havenga
1367:Hofmeyr
1362:Havenga
1251:Mfeketo
1186:van Zyl
1151:Gradner
1121:Gradner
1081:de Waal
1066:Hofmeyr
1056:Stigant
967:Started
942:Started
883:Baronet
268:scholar
188:Dunedin
1474:Gigaba
1449:Manuel
1403:Dönges
1357:Burton
1347:Burton
1342:Graaff
1246:Morkel
1241:Marais
1231:Bantom
1216:Keegan
1206:Oliver
1201:Muller
1126:Foster
1101:Baxter
1091:Thorne
1086:Graaff
1046:Jarvis
679:(W.K.)
607:
565:
445:right.
436:Legacy
270:
263:
256:
249:
241:
1398:Naudé
1337:Smuts
1271:Plato
1261:Plato
1256:Zille
1171:Tyers
1111:Hands
1106:Smith
1071:Kotzé
1041:Smuts
762:7 May
618:(PDF)
601:(PDF)
324:mayor
275:JSTOR
261:books
1479:Nene
1459:Nene
1439:Keys
1423:Keys
1393:Louw
1332:Hull
1236:Hill
887:(of
812:2015
789:2024
764:2024
731:2017
665:2018
640:link
626:2018
605:ISBN
563:ISBN
247:news
78:Died
55:Born
1352:Orr
743:UK
459:GB£
453:in
230:by
179:GB£
1506::
780:.
753:.
722:.
710:^
698:.
656:.
636:}}
632:{{
541:^
498:.
432:.
90:,
70:,
1310:e
1303:t
1296:v
1014:e
1007:t
1000:v
814:.
791:.
766:.
733:.
667:.
642:)
628:.
571:.
507:.
297:)
291:(
286:)
282:(
272:·
265:·
258:·
251:·
224:.
63:)
59:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
