The town was founded in 1818 and initially named Beaufort after Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort, who was the father of Lord Charles Henry Somerset, then governor of the Cape Colony.
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At the time the Four-coupled Joy locomotives entered service in 1883, the Eastern System mainline from East London was open as far as Queenstown, the two Midland System mainlines from Port Elizabeth were open to Graaff Reinet and approaching Rosmead via Cradock, while the Western System mainline from Beaufort West was approaching De Aar.
Fowlds emigrated to South Africa in 1882 and lived in Cape Town, Beaufort West, and Bultfontein.