Butterworth History

 The area around Butterworth was populated by amaXhosa, KhoiKhoi and San people.

Butterworth was first established as a Wesleyan mission station in 1827 north of the Great Kei River in British Kaffraria.^[5] It was named after Joseph Butterworth. The mission station and white settlement of Butterworth was burnt down 3 times during the Cape Frontier Wars.^[3] Nonetheless, it is one of the oldest white settlements in Eastern Cape. When the British seized the Cape of Good Hope, many of the Boers trekked north to establish their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) in South Africa spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The town was close to the seat of Hintsa ka Khawuta, the King of the Xhosa people. It was of great strategic importance.

Around that time, a young girl, Nongqawuse, had a vision that her forebears would help the Xhosa drive the English out. The disastrous result weakened the Xhosa. The Ninth Frontier War spelled the end of the Xhosa, and the Transkei area was incorporated into the Cape Colony. But it was never quiet. There were raids between settlers and Xhosa, and turf wars between different Xhosa groups. Missions were established here and there to try to bring Christianity to the local people, with limited success.^[6]

Butterworth is the birthplace of Marmaduke Pattle, the highest scoring RAF ace of World War 2.

At the end of the Frontier Wars in 1878, traders began to settle here and the town has grown to become a small industrial centre. Butterworth became a municipality of the Cape Colony in 1904. The town was incorporated into the former Transkei bantustan during the apartheid years. It is one of the fastest growing towns in terms of the economy and the population.^[7]

Currently Butterworth is home to nine townships.