Baron von Ludwig

Carl Ferdinand Heinrich von Ludwig aka Baron von Ludwig (6 October 1784 Sulz am Neckar – 27 December 1847 Cape Town), the son of a clerk in the ecclesiastical administration, he was a German-born pharmacist, businessman and patron of the natural sciences, noted for having started Cape Town's first botanic garden.

In 1805 he responded to an advertisement in an Amsterdam newspaper and applied for a post as pharmacy assistant to a certain Stuttgart-born Dr Liesching of Cape Town.

She had inherited a stately dwelling in St. George's Street, and a small but lucrative business from her husband who had been a brewer, and a tobacco and snuff merchant.

The business continued to thrive and Ludwig became one of the notables of the Cape community, in 1824 helping to found the South African Literary Society.

On his return from Europe, Von Ludwig bought about 3 acres of land in Kloof Street, Cape Town, and over the next couple of years planted the groundwork of a botanic garden.

In 1834 he and his wife visited Oudtshoorn, the nearby Cango Caves and the coastal town of Knysna, staying with the enigmatic George Rex.

From Ecklon he acquired a collection of insects, from Andrew Smith he obtained rare birds, and plant specimens from Zeyher and Drège.

In recognition of these contributions Curtis's Botanical Magazine dedicated an issue to him (Vol.62 of 1835) as was Harvey's 1838 Genera of South African Plants.

The hospitality Von Ludwig displayed to passing scientists and collectors was legendary - Joseph Burke had stayed with him when he arrived at the Cape in 1840.

Rich copper deposits were known to exist in Namaqualand since the days of Cape governor Simon van der Stel in 1685, but had received little attention because of the remoteness of the location and its severe conditions.

Various horticulturalists, such as Thomas Draper and Carl Zeyher were employed, but either resigned or were discharged due to differences with the Botanic Garden Committee who were bent on profit.