1863 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1863 in South Africa.

← 1862 1861 1860 1863 in South Africa → 1864 1865 1866
Decades:	1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir Philip Wodehouse.
• Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal: John Scott.
• State President of the Orange Free State:
  • Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (until 17 June).[1]
  • Jacobus Johannes Venter (acting from 20 June).[1][2]
• President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic: W.C. Janse van Rensburg (acting until instated).[3]

Events

March

• 18 – Joseph Allison becomes acting State President of the Orange Free State until 17 June during the absence of M.W. Pretorius.[2]

April

• 1 – The Cape Town and Green Point Tramway Company commences with the first horse-drawn trams in Cape Town from the foot of Adderley Street and out along Somerset Road to Green Point.

June

Inaugural train arriving at Wellington

• 17 – M.W. Pretorius resigns as State President of the Orange Free State.
• 20 – Jacobus Johannes Venter becomes acting State President of the Orange Free State.[2]

October

• 23 – Acting President Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg becomes President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic.[3]

November

• 4 – The Cape Town-Wellington railway is officially inaugurated.[4][5]

Railways

Railway lines opened

• 4 November – Cape Western – Stellenbosch to Wellington, 27 miles (43.5 kilometres).[6]

References

1. Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices, Orange Free State: Heads of State: 1854-1902 (Accessed on 14 April 2017)
2. Muller. Oude tyden in den Oranje-Vrystaat. pp. 54, 74, 76, 87, 127, 131, 134, 143, 145, 147, 158, 159, 172, 256.
3. Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices, South African Republic (Transvaal): Heads of State: 1857-1877 (Accessed on 14 April 2017)
4. Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1943). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter I - The Period of the 4 ft. 8½ in. Gauge. South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, June 1943. pp. 437-440.
5. The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, pp. 4, 8.
6. Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 181, ref. no. 200954-13