Coventry family
The Coventry’s, John Willie and Sarah Martha Leonard lived in Iron Acton near Bristol, England. Their original intention was to settle in Australia, but they were unable to get a ship for that destination. In 1860 they were recruited by the Robben Island lunatic institution as ‘Lunatic keeper’ and ‘Matron’. The voyage per sailing vessel to Cape Town lasted three months. On arrival all belongings were brought ashore in lighters, as there were no docking facilities. A grandfather clock, which was then 200 years old, and is still a valued family possession, was one of these. On Robben Island they found that the inmates were subjected to extremely harsh conditions, if they committed an offence or refused to work they were confined to punishment cells 2m x 1.5m in size. Sarah was matron to 36-40 inmates and was able to obtain clothing for the children from wrecks.
John and Sarah remained at Robben Island for about a year before farming at Salt River, Fort Beaufort, the Karoo, King Williamstown and Bathurst. The family moved to the farm Driefontein, just north of Ladysmith in Natal, and from there they moved to Venters Spruit. Later when, in 1870, John Coventry bought this farm he named it Acton Homes. Eventually John and Sarah moved to Rangeworthy with the two youngest sons, William and Harry, living there for the rest of their lives, leaving Acton Homes to the eldest son, George. The second and third sons, Charles and Fred went to adjoining farms, Frampton and Earthcote. Six farms which belonged to the Coventry family in that area are named after Market Towns around Iron Acton: Hambrook, Earthcote, Thornbury, Rangeworthy, Fairview and Frampton. There is also another farm, owned by the Coventry family called Thorny, also named after a Market Town near Iron Acton. The five sons farmed all their lives on these farms.
Once the Kimberley diamond fields opening up, John, with the three eldest sons, went to dig there. After selling some diamonds worth 70 pounds, he returned, leaving the sons there. When the three brothers returned they started transport riding from Durban to Johannesburg as Coventry Bros. By these means they were able to pay for the farms.
When the Boers invaded Natal many of the Coventry’s, were besieged in Ladysmith. Charles Coventry served with the Ladysmith Town Guard in the Klip River Rifle Association. George Leonard Coventry and family spent the night at Easby, when Natal was invaded, and was then ordered to go to Ladysmith for safety by the military. They spent much of their time at Ntombi camp helping the sick, George himself became ill as a result of this but recovered. John William and Mary Lucy had a daughter, Siege, born in Ladysmith during the siege, but the baby died within three months.
Enteric was a killer-disease and claimed many victims during the siege of Ladysmith and Sarah Coventry also fell ill. It was arranged that she return home and two of her sons accompanied her. She died near Winterton, aged 78, and her sons sneaked back to the Rangeworthy farm cemetery to bury her. John Coventry died on the 3rd February 1894 and is buried in the family cemetery on Rangeworthy.
While the Coventry’s were besieged in Ladysmith some of the hardest fought battles of the war occurred on their farms, the most important of these being the battle of Spioenkop. When Charles returned to Frampton he discovered that his home and farm had been thoroughly looted. Due to all the unexploded shells on the farms a major cleaning up operation had to take place before the brothers could recommence farming.
John’s eldest son, George, became Field Cornet and Justice of the Peace for Bergville Township, and was the foundation president of the Bergville Farmers Association. He, with his brothers, built the Acton Homes Methodist Church and, with his brother William served as lay preachers.
The Doidge family, are an important adjunct to the Coventry history, because Richard Doidge came to Acton Homes in 1898 to be tutor to George Coventry’s children and other pupils, teaching school and pianoforte, eventually becoming part of the family. The Anglo Boer War interrupted the schoolwork when the Boers arrived across the Venterspruit, along with the rest of the Coventry’s Richard was ordered to Ladysmith. There, with the family, he spent the duration of the Siege in Intombi Camp, suffering many privations and Enteric fever. After the Siege was lifted, Richard managed to get to Colenso on a Plate Layers Trolley. There, though terribly weak, he was able to crawl across the bridge, and so get a train to Pietermaritzburg, to convalesce with his parents.
Richard married Alice Coventry, George Coventry’s second daughter in 1901, a former pupil of his. They lived in Pietermaritzburg until 1907 when Richard, Alice and three small children went to join his brother in Dundee, where he had opened a stationer and music store, as well as printing and book binding department. Richard also edited the Dundee Courier. In 1918 Richard was asked to come back to old Acton Homes with his wife and family to join Alice’s brothers and neighbours in a cheese factory venture. After a successful year making Cheddar cheese, the Government Diary Division
required a proper factory building. The cost of this was found to be too great an outlay so the Cheese Factory was closed and a butter-making factory was started. Fine end over end churns, a butter worker and printer were then purchased, all manual power! Richard was organist at Acton Homes Church from 1918 until his death in 1942.
In 1915, Leonard, Richard’s eldest son, decided he wanted to farm. After attending Dundee Government schools and Weston Trades and Agricultural College at Mooi River he returned to Acton Homes as assistant to Cecil Coventry for three years experience at Easby. In 1921 Leonard leased approximately 300 acres from Arthur Coventry, which included the old Coventry homestead at Acton Homes. Setting out on his own with very little, but with great hopes, determination and ambition, he started with nine cattle and a few second-hand implements.
In 1933 a cottage of green brick under iron roof was built, by Leonard and his labourers, and was the home for Leonard and his bride when he married Joyce Green, second daughter of A. J. Green, Middledale in the Ladysmith District. They developed the poultry considerably during this time. In 1943 Leonard purchased Nineveh, 2068 acres in extent.
Information supplied by Russell Mapps