Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
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Description area
Dates of existence
History
Karl Antonio Spilhaus (known as “Carlos”) was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in December 1876 but was brought up by is grandparents in Lübeck, Germany. He came out to the Cape, South Africa in 1896 to join his uncle in the Cape Town business already established as Wm Spilhaus Co. In November 1903 he married in Cape Town Nellie Brown Muir. Nellie, who was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1878. She was the daughter of the Superintendent General of Education in the Cape, Dr Thomas Muir (knighted in 1915, so becoming Sir Thomas Muir).
Carlos Spilhaus was a prominent Cape Town businessman. Early in his career he was South Africa’s Commissioner of Commerce in Europe, and the family spent the period 1922 to 1925 based in the Netherlands. On his return, his business skills were enlisted by Sir David Graaff and Carlos became involved in the business of Imperial Cold Storage in 1925, becoming its Managing Director from 1927 to 1929. Thereafter he devoted his business attention to the stevedoring company in Cape Town, Poppe, Schunhoff Guttery, which he owned jointly with the Weinlig family.The business had offices in Dock Road, Cape Town and was the foremost stevedore in Table Bay.
Nellie Spilhaus pursued her own parallel career. She was on the Cape School Board during the period 1925 to 1944, an active member of the National Council of Women, and was treasurer of the Settlers’ Club for over 20 years. Nellie was the first woman member of the Cape Provincial Council on which she concentrated on her interests in education, hospitals and poor relief. She was also a member of the Council of the University of Cape Town from 1927 until her retirement in 1954, when she was awarded an honorary LLD by the university in June 1955, principally recognising her lifetime services in defending and progressing the rights of women in South Africa. She was South African President of the National Council of Women from 1944 to 1948.
The children of Carlos and Nellie Spilhaus were Karl William, Thomas Muir, Margaret Virginia (married name “Barry”), Mary Antonio (married name “Elliott”) and Athelstan Friedrich. The children of Carlos and Nellie Spilhaus were Karl William, Thomas Muir, Margaret Virginia (married name “Barry”), Mary Antonio (married name “Elliott”) and Athelstan Friedrich.
The children of Carlos and Nellie Spilhaus were Karl William, Thomas Muir, Margaret Virginia (married name “Barry”), Mary Antonio (married name “Elliott”) and Athelstan Friedrich.