The Van der Stel family was among the fabulously rich and well connected of Amsterdam throughout the 17th century, dominating the silk trade there. In 1679 Simon was made Commander of the Cape settlement, followed by his son Willem Adriaan, the oldest of six siblings, 20 years later. Both used company (that’s the Dutch East […]

[Category: Travel, André van Rensburg, David Bristow, Sir Charles Barlow, Sir Lionel Phillips, Vergelegen, Willem Adriaan van der Stel]