Sir David Graaff, 1st Baronet


Sir David Graaff, Bt
Sir David Graaff as mayor of Cape Town
Sir David Graaff as mayor of Cape Town
Born(1859-03-30)30 March 1859
Villiersdorp, Cape Colony
Died13 April 1931(1931-04-13) (aged 72)
Cape Town, Union of South Africa
OccupationBusinessman, politician
NationalitySouth African
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Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, 1st Baronet (30 March 1859 – 13 April 1931) was a South African cold storage magnate and politician. Graaff revolutionized the cold storage industry in Africa. He founded the Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company in 1899, and aggressively ran it until he left to serve in government. Graaff grew the company into one of the largest in Africa.[1] Graaff's wealth soared, at the turn of the century. During World War I he personally part financed the South African war effort and for this he was knighted as well as for services at the Paris Peace Conference 1919.

  1. ^ Brooke Simons, Phillida (2000). Ice Cold in Africa: The History of Imperial Cold Storage & Supply Company Limited. Cape Town: Fernwood Press. pp. 18–55. ISBN 1-874950-50-4.