Fort England as a military base

Abstract

• Opsomming: Tans is Fort England in Grahamstad 'n sielsieke-inrigting. Dit het oorspronklik bekend gestaan as die East Barracks en was die brandpunt van die vroegste nedersetting op die Kaapse Oosgrens. Fort England was trouens die bakermat en vesting van die militêre eenheid wat later die Cape Mounted Rifles geword het. Ofskoon dit in werklikheid sIegs as barakke gedien het, is die naam Fort England in 1832 aan hierdie kompleks gegee. Die 'fort' was vir 'n halfeeu die militêre hoofkwartier op die Oosgrens, behalwe vir 'n kort rukkie toe die hoofkwartier na King William's Town verskuif is. Fort England het tot 1870 – toe die Imperiale troepe onttrek is – 'n belangrike bydrae gelewer ten opsigte van die militêre verdediging en die mediese, maatskaplike en burgerlike ontwikkeling van Grahamstad. ; • Summary: Fort England, today a mental institution in Grahamstown, was originally known as the East Barracks. It was a focal point of the infant settlement of the unit which evolved into the Cape Mounted Rifles. Though it never became more than a barracks in effect, its name was changed to Fort England in 1832. For fifty years the 'fort' served as the military headquarters of the Eastern Frontier (except for a brief spell when the headquarters was at King William's Town). It was closely integrated not only with military defence, but with the medical, social, and civic development of Grahamstown, until the Imperial troops withdrew in 1870.