George Rex

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Rex was a British-born entrepreneur, who spent most of his adult life in the Cape Colony, South Africa. He founded the town of Knysna in the Western Cape and played a key role in its development. Rex filled a number of positions in the Cape Colony - including Marshal of the Vice-admiralty Court, notary public to the Governor and advocate for the Crown - before settling on the farm Melkhoutkraal, in the Knysna district.

Much of Rex's life is steeped in myth. It has often been stated that he was the son of King George III and Hannah Lightfoot, and that he was banished to the Cape to prevent a Royal scandal. The allegation has been thoroughly disproved, although Rex himself never made such a claim. According to another legend, Rex arrived at Melkhoutkraal in a carriage that bore George III's coat of arms. Rex was also said to have possessed great influence with people in high office in the Cape, and he regularly entertained distinguished visitors such as Lord Charles Somerset, the Earl of Caledon and, later, Sir Lowry Cole at his estate.

[edit] Alleged royal descent

Little is known about Rex's childhood. It was rumoured that King George III met a Quakeress Hannah Lightfoot, during his teens and fell passionately in love with her,^[1] and furthermore that he had several children by her, which included George Rex. Another rumour stated that, while still Prince of Wales, George had secretly married Lightfoot and never divorced.^[2] In June 1866, during a case which considered the documentary evidence of George's own alleged marriage to Lightfoot, a Certificate of Marriage to Lightfoot was presented before an Appeal Court.^[2] It bore George's signature and was supported by signed affidavits and expert testimony as to the legitimacy of these signatures.^[2] However, the Judges denounced the certificate, as well as certain other documents of proof, as forgeries.

When George became king, he married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and allegedly banished his son, George Rex, to the Cape Colony, in order to prevent a royal embarrassment.^{[citation needed]} According to myth, Rex received an annual allowance of £1 000 from his father.^{[citation needed]}