CHAPTER FOUR
HARRIET SUSANNAH QUESTED
The head of the Quested family in Natal was Mrs Harriet Susannah Quested (002) who was born in England about 1799. Her birthplace is not known. It is believed her maiden name was Coulter but nothing has come to light so far regarding her parents. She may have been born and brought up in the Maidstone district of Kent, where families of Coulters have lived for some generations and where some of them still live today.
In her will, drawn up in the latter years of her life, Harriet declared that she had formerly resided in Maidstone, but it does not mean that she lived there all her life. She did live there at some time after her marriage, because her youngest daughter was baptised there at the parish church in 1834, but she had lived at Stockbury and Ashford before that.
Harriet married Thomas Quested, on 19th July 1821, and she had five children of whom information is available:
William (003) Born 7th July 1822 and baptised at Stockbury 11th August 1822.
George (253) Born 25th July 1824.
Harriet Susannah (348) Born 10th August 1826.
Caroline Emma (354) Born 29th April 1830 and baptised at Ashford 11th June 1830.
Eliza Ann (358) Born 13th November 1833 and baptised at Maidstone 8th January 1834
Thomas Quested was apparently alive when his elder son, William, married on 13th May 1844, but he died before the end of 1852, because when Mrs Harriet Quested (002) arrived in Natal early in 1853, she was a widow.
At the age of 53, with her youngest daughter, Eliza Ann, Harriet (002) sailed from London in the brig Roscoe and arrived at Port Natal on 20th January 1853.
The Widow Quested, as she became known in Durban, was evidently an energetic person and adaptable too. She quickly made up her mind as to how she could make a living for herself in her new surroundings.
An event of local interest took place shortly after Harriet's arrival in the Colony. This was the occasion of the ceremony of the laying the foundation stone for the original church of St Paul in Durban, in March 1853, by Mr Lloyd Evans Mesham, magistrate of Inanda Location. A special service was conducted by the Colonial Chaplain, the Reverend W.H.C. Lloyd, in the little Government school situated at the corner of Field and West Streets, where the teacher was the Reverend William Nesbitt. A newspaper account of the proceedings included the information that the Widow Quested supplied the ginger beer and buns given to the children at the reception which took place after the stone laying ceremony. Thus it seems likely that she had already entered the catering trade. Harriet was evidently a supporter of the church and her name appeared in a list of donors to the building fund for St Pauls.
In his 'History of Old Durban', George Russell, a Minerva survivor, mentioned that the Widow Quested lived in a pretty little thatched cottage, set back from the road, behind neat palings and with flowers in front. This cottage was situated in West Street on sub-division 6, Block E, erf 1, on the site now occupied by Ackerman's store. (Now no longer there.) This plot was rented from John Gavin, but Harriet evidently bought it from him in due course. Here, with her daughter Eliza, she made ginger beer for sale. This soon became popular and Harriet built on an extra room to the cottage so that her patrons could sit and enjoy their ginger beer in comfort. This did not satisfy all of her customers however, so in October 1856, Harriet applied for, and was granted, a retail licence for wines and spirits. Following on this she later obtained a licence for brewing hop beer.
There is a possibility that she may have had previous experience as a brewer in England, because when her son William married in 1844, his marriage certificate stated that his father was a licensed victualler, that is, an inn or tavern keeper. In those days inn-keepers and taverners brewed their own ale or beer and it was, in fact, the women who normally did the brewing.
Although in her will, Harriet declared that her husband had been a veterinary surgeon, this was not the whole story and does not rule out that he may have been a taverner as well. Enquiries have established that Thomas Quested was never a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and, therefore, he had no academic qualifications. On the other hand, not all veterinarians in those days were formally qualified. It was quite common for so-called 'horse doctors' to call themselves veterinary surgeons and this may have been the case with Thomas. It is clear that he must have had experience with horses because he was a carrier when his eldest child, William, was baptised in 1822, and was still a carrier when his daughter, Caroline, was baptised in 1830. From his dealings with horses he may have progressed into becoming a horse doctor. It is, therefore, possible that although he became a licensee as an inn-keeper or taverner, Harriet may have done the brewing and day-to-day running of the business while Thomas carried on his activities as a horse doctor or veterinarian.
In the course of time, Harriet's cottage in West Street was developed into what became known as The Kentish Tavern, and as such, was a popular place of call for many years.
Harriet's eldest daughter, Harriet Whittaker, assisted her at The Kentish Tavern for some time, but later, a Mr Thomas Robbins was employed as manager, and eventually he took a lease on the business for himself.
Harriet must have done well out of her tavern-keeping, because she was able to acquire a number of properties over a period of years. According to the valuation rolls from 1865, she owned plot No. 12 at Congella with a cottage thereon, in which George Quested had formerly lived; a freehold erf with buildings in St Georges Street, Lot No. 11, Block W; another plot in St Andrews Street; a plot in Acutt Street; a plot of vacant land, Lot b of f, Block J in Umbilo Road; and a large property at Umbilo where she made her last home. She was also a stock holder in the Natal Permanent Building Loan and Investment Company and she held ten £100 Durban Corporation Debenture Bonds. Altogether, she prospered over the years and was well provided for in her old age.
At Umbilo, Harriet's neighbours were James Brickhill, manager of the Natal Bank and the attorney H.J. Mellor, both of whom were well known in the Durban business community.
Incidentally, James Brickhill was a pioneer grower of coffee and tea on his property named Prospect at Umbilo. The tea grown there was said to have been of good quality and it won awards for it's producer.
Harriet died at Umbilo on 8th September 1876 at the age of 77, having outlived her daughter Eliza and her son George. She was buried in the West Street cemetery not far from The Kentish Tavern which she had owned for a number of years had where she had made her first home in the Colony of Natal.
Harriet's will, drawn up in 1868, read as follows:
"In the name of God Amen I, Harriet Susannah Quested lately of West Street Durban at present residing at the Berea near Durban in the Colony of Natal Hotel Keeper formerly residing at Maidstone in the County of Kent in the Kingdom of England Widow of Thomas Quested Veterinary Surgeon deceased being weak in body but of sound and diposing mind memory and understanding do hereby make my last Will and Testament - I give devise and bequeath unto my dear Daughter Harriet Susannah Whittaker now residing with me All my watches jewels ornaments of the person and wearing apparel and all my plate plated articles furniture linen glass china-ware pictures and all other articles of household use or ornament to and for her sole use and benefit absolutely Then I give devise and bequeath unto my Executrix and Executors hereinafter named All those my pieces of Freehold Land situate at Congella and in Acutt Street and St Georges Street all in the Borough of Durban and all moneys bonds bills notes ready money and securities for money and all other my estate and effects not hereinbefore specifically bequeathed as aforesaid of which I shall die possessed or to which I may be entitled at the time of my decease movable and immovable real as well as personal and wheresoever situate and whether the same be in possession reversion remainder or expectancy Upon Trust that they do and shall with all convenient speed after my decease sell and dispose of my said immovable property by Public Auction at such time or times and upon such terms and conditions as they shall think most advantageous and upon receipt of the purchase price thereof make pass and give good and effective transfer to the purchaser or purchasers thereof and that they also do and shall with all convenient speed collect get in and receive all the rest residue and remainder of my said estate and on receipt of the moneys arising therefrom that they my said Executrix and Executors do and shall stand seized and possessed thereof Upon Trust in the first place to pay thereout all debts which shall be due and owing from me and the costs charges and expenses which they shall or may sustain incur or be put to in and about the execution of the trusts of this my Will and that they do and shall from time to time as they may deem convenient after making thereout such payments as aforesaid pay apply and divide the clear residue of my said estate and effects unto between and among my dear Children William Quested George Quested Harriet Susannah Whittaker and Caroline Emma Webb wife of John Webb formerly residing at Durban aforesaid but now or lately residing at Bendigo Australia and my Son-in-law James Catterall of the Tongaat in the County of Victoria in the said Colony in trust for his children by his marriage with my late daughter Eliza Ann in equal shares and proportions share and share alike. And I do hereby declare my Will to be that in the event of the death of any or either of my said dear Children the said William Quested George Quested Harriet Susannah Whittaker and Caroline Emma Webb before my decease without leaving issue lawfully begotten then that the share or shares or such my child or children so dying without issue shall be paid to and divided among my surviving children and James Catterall in trust as aforesaid in equal shares and proportions but in case of the death of any of my said dear Children leaving issue lawfully begotten then the child or children of him or her so dying shall take the share of his her or their parent so dying as aforesaid And I do hereby expressly declare my Will to be that the bequests hereby made in favour of my Daughters Harriet Susannah Whittaker and Caroline Emma Webb shall be for their and each of their own sole and separate use and benefit only independently of their or either of their husbands and shall not in any way be liable or subject to the debts control or engagements of any present or future husband and that the receipts of my said dear Daughters alone whether married or single shall at all times be respectively a good and sufficient receipt and discharge or receipts and discharges to my said Executrix and Executors for all moneys received by my said dear Daughters under this Will And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said dear Daughter Harriet Susannah Whittaker Executrix and my friends Edward Kermode of Durban aforesaid Gentleman and James Giles also of Durban Shoemaker Executors of this my Will hereby giving and granting unto them all such powers and authorities as are required and allowed in law and especially those of Assumption subscription and surrogation And lastly I do hereby revoke cancel annul and make void all former and other Will or Wills and other testamentary documents by me at any time heretofore made or executed by me and especially a Will executed by me before the Notary John David Shuter on the twelfth day of September in the Year of our Lord on thousand eight hundred and sixty one and do hereby declare this to be my last Will and Testament
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Durban aforesaid this Twenty Fifth day of November in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and Sixty Eight.
Signed: Harriet Susannah Quested"
From the above it is seen that Harriet was living at the Berea, near Durban in 1868 and by this she meant the property at Umbilo.
The will is interesting because it shows that Harriet Whittaker inherited the largest portion of her mother's estate. No mention is made in the will to The Kentish Tavern or the Umbilo property and it is clear that these had already been transferred to Harriet Whittaker because the latter was shown as the owner of them in the valuation rolls of 1875/76.
The Kentish Tavern, which was started by Harriet Quested, carried on in the hands of Mr Robbins for a good many years. Then and later, under new ownership, it continued to prove popular with generations of patrons who enjoyed it's hospitality in it's club-like bar until it was finally closed down in the year 1935.