John Charles Molteno

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir John Charles Molteno KCMG (5 June 1814 - 1 September 1886) was a politician, British administrator and first prime minister of the Cape Colony, from 1872 to 1878.

Born in London, Molteno emigrated to the Cape Colony in 1831 and settled in Cape Town, where he became an assistant to the public librarian. He bought Claremont house in in 1841 and fought in the Amatola War in 1846.

Molteno was elected as member of the Cape Colony's legislative assembly for Beaufort West in 1854. He was appointed as the Cape Colony's first prime minister in 1872, but was dismissed by the Governor of the Cape Colony, Sir Henry Bartle Frere, on 3 February 1878.

He was married three times and had a total of nineteen children.

Molteno died on 1 September 1886 and was interred at St Saviour's, Claremont, Cape Town.

The town of Molteno was named after him.

Preceded by None

Prime Minister of Cape Colony 1872–1878

Succeeded by John Gordon Sprigg