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Mrs Lidderdale's family ties with the Cape can be traced back to
a romance between her great grandfather, a young officer in the
Scotch Brigade named Hamilton Ross, and a local girl, Catharina
Elizabeth van den Berg, during the First British Occupation in 1798.
A portrait of this young man is to be seen on the eighteenth century
bureau bookcase in the morning room at Bertram House. Imagine his
state of mind on learning that not only was his suit rejected by
Catharina's father, but that she was intended as bride for the son
of her hated new stepmother.
Subsequent events were dramatic. Early in September 1798 Ross sailed
for Madras on HMS Sceptre and was followed about a fortnight later
by Catharina. The elopement was noted by Lady Anne Barnard in one
of her letters to Henry Dundas, Secretary of War, dated 24 September
1798 in which Ross is described as "a young man of very good
character". The couple were married at Fort St. George, Madras,
in the following year and returned to the Cape in 1803 where Ross
became a successful merchant and prominent citizen in his adopted
country.
Hamilton Ross made a valuable contribution to the economic, political
and cultural life of the Colony through his activities as Sponsor
of the Cape of Good Hope Bank and membership of the Legislative
Council. He lived at his country estate, Sans Souci, in Newlands,
and in January 1843 bought the Mount Nelson estate for his daughter
Maria Johanna and her family.
There is a charming water-colour of the Mount Nelson house and front
garden painted by Maria, who received lessons from Thomas Bowler,
in the entrance hall of Bertram House. Maria's first husband, Joseph
Hodgson, died leaving her with four young children.
She then married her cousin, John Ross. Their eighth child, Ellen
Hamilton, born on the Mount Nelson estate was Mrs Lidderdale's mother.
A small water-colour of Maria wearing a dark blue dress painted
during her honeymoon can be seen on the amboyna bureau in the drawing
room of Bertram House.
The Mount Nelson estate, registered in Maria's name, provided ample
accommodation for the Ross family; beautiful grounds, including
a deer park, were vividly recalled by Mrs Lidderdale who spent many
happy hours playing there as a child.
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