Augustus Joseph Tancred (30 August 1804 – 4 January 1867) was a founding member of the Cape Legislative Assembly.

Early life and immigration

Born in Cork, Ireland, as Augustin Joseph Tancred, he did his doctorate in divinities (DD) and preached at several locations around the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

as a curate. He married Ms Mary Theresa Evelina Lattey and they emigrated to the

Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...

with their three sons in 1842. His first wife died on 20 March 1847. On 22 December 1853 in Clanwilliam he remarried, to Ms Geesje/Geesie Martha Maria van Zyl.

Cape Parliament

The Cape Colony attained its first parliament in 1854. Dr Tancred stood for election as MLA for Clanwilliam and was elected. He served from 1854 until 1858. Later he served again for a year from 1862 until 1863. He was briefly elected to represent Piquetberg too in 1866. He died in January the next year though, in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

in 1867. He was notable for being one of the minority of MPs who supported the separatist movement of the Eastern Province (even though he represented a constituency in the Western Province). He was also renowned for his alcoholism and raucous antics in parliament. On several occasions he was forcefully removed from the building for disruptive behaviour or drunkenness, and was also the cause of the Sergeant-at-Arms being called. At one point, he challenged the MP

Jeremias Ziervogel Jeremias Frederik Ziervogel M.L.A. (26 April 1802 - 2 July 1883) was a founding member of the Cape Parliament, in which he represented Graaff-Reinet, South Africa, and was prominent in fighting the Eastern Province Separatist League. Early life ...

to a duel in parliament, when his interruption of the elderly Ziervogel's speech got a verbal put-down.J.L. McCracken: ''The Cape Parliament, 1854-1910''. Clarendon Press: Oxford. 1967

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tancred, Augustus Joseph Cape Colony politicians Members of the House of Assembly of the Cape Colony Cape Colony people 1804 births 1867 deaths