Liege Hulett

Sir James Liege Hulett (17 May 1838 – 5 June 1928) was a British sugar magnate,[1] politician and philanthropist in Colony of Natal, South Africa.

[5] James Liege Hulett was originally from Kent, and arrived in Durban at the end of May 1857, aboard the Lady Shelbourne with an offer of a position with a chemist, William Henry Burgess, a friend of his father.

He experimented with maize, sweet potatoes, chillies, arrowroot and coffee and also established a trading store.

The double-storied Kearsney house with a small turret projecting above the roof level was erected on the highest point of the estate and built on the farm.

[9] Governor General Sydney Buxton remarked that the capitalist class in Natal "want the labour and they are afraid that if they allow the Zulu to go and assist the Empire, they will suffer in their pockets.

[14] Another legacy of Sir Liege's is his founding of Kearsney College in 1921, a now world-famous private school for boys.

Sir Liege cherished the idea of establishing a boys' school for Methodist ministers and their sons and those of the families of the free churches.

In November 2004, Kearsney House was bought by Paul and Erica Kalil of Kloof, who have made it their ongoing challenge to renovate and restore the home to its former glory.