Jacobus Arnoldus Graaff
Encyclopedia
Sir Jacobus Arnoldus Combrinck Graaff, also known as 'Sir James', was a South African cabinet minister, Senator, businessman, and South African Party
whip.
Jacobus Graaff, younger bother of Sir David Graaff
, was born on the Wolfhuiskloof farm near Villiersdorp
in 1863. Following his fathers death in 1875 he left Villiersdorp to work with his bother David at the Combrinck & Co. butchery in Cape Town
. In partnership with his brother he took over the business in 1881. In 1899 he and his bother co-founded and was a partner in the Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company
.
He was chairman of the Afrikaner Bond
's Cape Town branch and was elected to Legislative Council representing the northwestern Cape in 1903. After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 he became a senator. From 1913 to 1920 he was minister without portfolio in Louis Botha
's cabinet. He was minister of public works, posts and telegraphs in Jan Smuts
's second ministry. He was knighted Order of St Michael and St George
(KCMG) in 1917.
In 1907 Jacobus and his bother made a GB£
100,000 donation (equivalent to £41,100,000 or R
471,195,167 in 2010) for the establishment of the De Villiers Graaff High School in Villiersdorp.
He lived in a large mansion
, Bordeaux, on the beach front in Sea Point
.
South African Party
The South African Party was a political party that existed in the Union of South Africa from 1911 to 1934.-History:The outline and foundation for the party was realized after the election of a 'South African party' in the 1910 South African general election under the leadership of Louis Botha...
whip.
Jacobus Graaff, younger bother of Sir David Graaff
Sir David Graaff, 1st Baronet
Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, 1st Baronet was a South African cold storage magnate and politician. Graaff revolutionized the cold storage industry in Africa. He founded the Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company in 1899, and aggressively ran it until he left to serve in government. ...
, was born on the Wolfhuiskloof farm near Villiersdorp
Villiersdorp
Villiersdorp is a small town located in the Western Cape province of South Africa in the Overberg region; population 15,678.Unlike most of the geographical region which specialises in wheat and canola farming, the Villiersdorp Valley is now agriculturally and micro-climatatically more similar to...
in 1863. Following his fathers death in 1875 he left Villiersdorp to work with his bother David at the Combrinck & Co. butchery in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. In partnership with his brother he took over the business in 1881. In 1899 he and his bother co-founded and was a partner in the Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company
Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company
Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company was one of the largest meat processing, storage, distribution and marketing companies in South Africa, dominating the South African packaged food sector for almost a hundred years. The company was formally registered and listed as ICS in 1899, originally...
.
He was chairman of the Afrikaner Bond
Afrikaner Bond
The Afrikaner Bond was a political party in the Cape Colony. It was formed by the union in 1881 of the Genootskap vir Regte Afrikaners of Rev S.J...
's Cape Town branch and was elected to Legislative Council representing the northwestern Cape in 1903. After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 he became a senator. From 1913 to 1920 he was minister without portfolio in Louis Botha
Louis Botha
Louis Botha was an Afrikaner and first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa—the forerunner of the modern South African state...
's cabinet. He was minister of public works, posts and telegraphs in Jan Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
's second ministry. He was knighted Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(KCMG) in 1917.
In 1907 Jacobus and his bother made a GB£
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
100,000 donation (equivalent to £41,100,000 or R
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
471,195,167 in 2010) for the establishment of the De Villiers Graaff High School in Villiersdorp.
He lived in a large mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
, Bordeaux, on the beach front in Sea Point
Sea Point
Sea Point is one of Cape Town's most affluent and densely populated suburbs, situated between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, a few kilometres to the west of Cape Town's Central Business District . Moving from Sea Point to the CBD, one passes through first the small suburb of Three Anchor Bay,...
.