George Christopher Cato (79), Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies

Date: 9 Jul 1893
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

George Christopher Cato (79), Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies

George Christopher Cato, Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies in the city on 9 July 1893. Cato was born in London, England in 1814. He came to South Africa as a trader. He was asked to plan Durban while it was still under the Natalia Republic Government and when Durban achieved municipal status in 1845 he was elected as the first Mayor. In 1865 Cato was granted an area of land behind the current day Natal University. The area was named Cato Manor, it was an extensive piece of colonial acreage awarded by royal decree to George Christopher Cato, in exchange for harbour frontage land expropriated by the military. This densely populated area thrust Durban into world headlines on more than one occasion.

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How we know this

01Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.
02Durban Club, ‘The Durban Club founding and a short history’, [online], available at www.durbanclub.co.za (Accessed: 08 July 2013)
03South African History Online, ‘George Christopher Cato’, [online],available at www.sahistory.org.za (Accessed: 08 July 2013)

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). George Christopher Cato (79), Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011153

South African History Online (2011) 'George Christopher Cato (79), Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011153 (Accessed: 30 September 2026).

South African History Online, George Christopher Cato (79), Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011153, (accessed 30 September 2026).

"George Christopher Cato (79), Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011153. Accessed 30 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "George Christopher Cato (79), Natal pioneer and first mayor of Durban, dies." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011153.