Thomas Draper, gardener, arrived in South Africa aged thirty-three, accompanied by his eight year old son, also named Thomas, in a party of 1820 settlers. In England he was married to Sarah Hill, but she did not come to South Africa with him, probably because she died shortly before his departure. In South Africa, in 1846, he married Eleanor, born Loxton, who had formerly been married to William Roach. One of the children of this second marriage was the geologist David Draper*.

By October 1843 Thomas was employed by Baron von Ludwig* as gardener in his famous Ludwig's-burg gardens in Cape Town. He worked there until the Baron's death in December 1847, after which he became the first head gardener (or curator) of the newly established Government Botanic Garden in Cape Town. This venture was funded partly by public subscriptions and in December 1849 Draper himself donated one pound sterling, which shows that he was not poor. He resigned from this post in 1850 and was succeeded by C.L.P. Zeyher*. Draper then settled in Grahamstown where he became the first curator of the Grahamstown Botanic Garden from 1855 to 1860. He left Grahamstown in the latter year.

List of sources:

Bradlow, F.R. Baron von Ludwig and the Ludwig's-burg Garden. Cape Town: Balkema, 1965.

Thomas Draper Snr. Geni, at https://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-Draper-Snr-SV-PROG/6000000028675530946 as on 17 February 2017.

Hockly, H.E. The story of the British settlers of 1820 in South Africa (Appendix C). Cape Town: Juta, 1948.

McCracken, D. & McCracken, E.M. The way to Kirstenbosch. Cape Town: National Botanic Gardens, 1988.

Munro, Sue. Personal communication, February 2017.

Pama, C. British families in South Africa. Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 1992.

South African Commercial Advertiser, 12 December 1849, p. 1, Botanic Gardens.

Compiled by: C. Plug

Last updated: 2024-02-15 11:43:32