Genealogical Society of South Africa
Durban and Coastal Branch
Volume 26 Issue 2/2010
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to our
new members Clive Bayley, Don Davies, Prof. Michael Thurlow and Bonita
Bricknell, and wish them lots of success in their research and a fruitful
association with the Society.
Message from the
Treasurer
Membership Fees
Please
note that the cut-off date for the renewal of membership and payment of fees
for 2010 is 31 May 2010.
After that date your name will unfortunately have to be deleted from our
membership list and you will no longer be receiving our newsletters. You would by now have received a friendly
reminder from our Treasurer, and we ask you, should you not already have done
so, to kindly advise us whether you wish to either resign or remain as a member
of the Society. We value your
membership and sincerely hope that you will renew.
Please
note that even though you may not have renewed your membership, you will still
be eligible to receive the first issue of Familia for 2010 and this will then
be the final newsletter of the branch that you will receive. We look forward to hearing from you.
***
Report Back
Visit
to Bergtheil Museum, Westville
Saturday
13 March 2010
(Speaker : Joan Rachmann)
Members who attended this outing enjoyed a very informative tour. A big thank you to our member Joan Rachmann who
conducted the tour and relayed many fascinating stories of the hardships that
the Settlers had to face when they first arrived in Natal. The
exhibits at this museum centre on the first German settlers that were brought
to Natal by Jonas Bergtheil, Director of the Natal Cotton Company, and their
contribution to the settlement of Westville, Claremont and New Germany. If you
haven’t visited the museum yet, it is a must !!
“History of English Writing”
Saturday
10 April 2010
(Speaker : Dave Honour)
The presentation on the History of
English Writing, which was attended by 24 members and guests, was a great
success. Once again Dave’s presentation
was well researched and presented, and thoroughly
enjoyed by everyone.
Thank you Dave for all the contributions you have made to the Branch and
your endless enthusiasm!
***
Retirement of John Yelland
We
would like to record the retirement of John Yelland, one of the founder members
and ex-Chairman of the Durban & Coastal Branch, who has been a member of
the GSSA for 27 years.
John
has also been a member of numerous societies including the SA Military History
Society and has been our resident expert on anything military. He also contributed articles to the
beautifully presented book “A Warriors’ Gateway : Durban and the Anglo-Boer War
1899-1902”. There is a copy of this
book in the FHC library which was presented by John.
John
Yelland (B.Arch) was born in Kimberley in 1931 and educated at the Kimberly
Boys High School and the University of the Witwatersrand. He worked as an
architect in various African countries, Australia and England and returned to
South Africa in 1989 as head of the Durban office of Boutek and the CSIR.
We
would like to thank John for the significant contribution he has made to the
establishment of our branch and for always being ready to support our causes –
he is a real gentleman of note!! Happy
retirement from us all John!
***
Stellawood Cemetery Registers
Indexing Project (SCRIP)
(Eleanor Garvie, Project Leader)
Durban
Coastal Branch in 2008 undertook to transcribe the Stellawood Cemetery records into
digital format. The intention is to
store this on DVDs. Digital images of
the old hand written records are being taken and the information from the
interment registers is transcribed onto an Excel spreadsheet. The latter will contain limited information
and will then become the index look up of the deceased record. The digital
photograph which will be included with the DVD will have additional information
which is not indicated on the index look up, for example the cause of death
etc.
To date
just over 11800 new images have been taken.
As some of these record books are double paged entries, an individual
photograph of each page has been taken and then stitched together. It was found that taking both pages as a
single image had left what photographers call “noise” on the image and
therefore rendered it almost unreadable.
We have almost completed photographing and stitching all the interment registers. As we go to print there are about two books
still to be located and the images recorded.
We also intend
including photographs of the block books which give the burials per block of
the cemetery.
For those
of you who are interested in the different formats of records, please contact
Eleanor to view images of the different registers. Eleanor’s email address is :
garviek@dbn.stormnet.co.za
***
Bulletin Board
v
New Opening Times at Family History
Centre
Please note that there
are new opening times at the Family History Centre. The FHC will no longer be open on the last Saturday of the
month as the attendance on this day has, for some time now, been minimal. Kindly note that if you do have a lot of
films to view and cannot get to the FHC during working hours, you can view
these by appointment ONLY on the last Saturday of the month and by
making an evening booking. Please contact
Bonita Bricknell on 074 174 7222
v
Natal Marriages Indexing
Project
The NMIP has now
reached 312,044 names in their database. Project leader, Adrian Rowe stated that the project was moving
forward slowly mainly because work has commence on the films which have been partly
transcribed. These transcriptions are being proof-read whilst not
increasing the number of names added to the Index.
v
LDS Family Search
Website
Members may wish to
visit the new Familysearch website (http://labs.familysearch.org – click on Africa). We understand that the data captured by the NMIP will eventually
appear free of charge on the new site. Quite
an achievement. To view this site
follow these steps :
On the
Home page click the ‘Search’ tab - on the drop down menu under Search Records click
‘Record Search Pilot’ - click ‘Browse our Record Collection’.
You
will then have a map of the World, where you will be able to look at the
un-indexed OFS Estate Files. The Natal
Marriage Indexing project will appear in the same format as this DRC Free State
Estate link.
We are looking
forward to being able to look up information captured by this project on the
Familysearch site.
v
Are you researching the Wright / Harris /
Wium Families?
Robert Suberg recently
rescued a file containing the family history of Lt. James Ottiwell Wright,
of the SA Engineer Corp, who received an Immediate Award of the Military Cross
for his part played in WWII. The family
history on the life of James Wright, who was married to Geraldine Clementia
Wium, also contains many documents of his war time experiences and makes very
interesting reading. If you are researching these families and are interested
in reading this file you can contact me at kdee@mweb.co.za
v
1984 RSA Voters Roll –
Volunteers needed
The GSSA National office is looking for volunteers to assist with the
transcribing of the 1984 RSA voters roll.
If you are interested in assisting please contact us.
v
Wanted : Two Door Steel
Cabinet
We are desperately in need of a two door steel cabinet to take the
overflow from our library cabinet. If
anyone has one for sale or knows of anyone selling one please let us know.
v
GSSA Cemetery Project
CD – Version 8
The GSSA Cemetery CD Ver.8 is now available from the National office at
the price of R70-00 + R10.00 postage and packaging. This can be purchased online through the eGGSA shop.
v
GSSA Products 2010
Attached is the price list for GSSA products for 2010. Please note that these can also be purchased
online through the eGGSA shop.
v
Eastern Cape and PE
Cemeteries CD
The following items are available for purchase from the GSSA Eastern
Cape branch :
·
CD : of all PE and surrounding cemeteries,
many no longer exist – over 34 cemeteries and 27 000 names available at
R80
·
CD : of a large number of southern and
eastern Cape cemeteries, including the Transkei – R80
·
Book : “1820 Settlers Country Cemeteries” –
also contains stone inscriptions, photos and plans of many cemeteries – R150,00
If you are interested in purchasing please contact Liz Eshmade on
(041) 368 2213 or email her on eshmade@mweb.co.za
***
Honorary Degree awarded to Ms Shelagh O’Byrne Spencer
The
University of KwaZulu-Natal had conferred honorary degrees on seven distinguished
individuals for their outstanding contributions in the humanitarian, business,
political, community and academic sectors at the graduation ceremonies in
April, amongst these individuals was Ms Shelagh O’Bryne Spencer.
Ms Shelagh O’Byrne Spencer, a Midlands GSSA member, was awarded a
Doctor of Literature honoris causa for distinguished services
in the advancement of South African historiography. She is the author of seven volumes which comprise British
Settlers in Natal. A Biographical Register in Natal, 1824-1857 (University of
Natal Press). These volumes have made Ms O’Byrne Spencer internationally known
as the foremost researcher and genealogist of colonial Natal. Together, they
make an invaluable contribution to the historiography of colonial Natal. Ms
O’Byrne Spencer began her research into the biographies of British settlers in
Natal in 1963 and the first volume reflecting her work was published in 1981.
Twenty years later in 2001 a further six volumes had been published.
The GSSA Durban and Coast Branch congratulates Shelagh Spencer on
receiving her doctorate and thanks her for recording the history of the British
Settlers. Her 7 volumes are well
used by the members of our branch.
About her Work
Since the 1960s historian Shelagh O'Byrne
Spencer has been compiling biographies of the first wave of British settlers
(the term 'British' encompasses English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh).
Her project covers the approximately 2800
settlers that came to Natal, South Africa between 1824 and 1857.
The reason why the research stops at 1857 is
that a new wave of immigration began in that year and 1857 functions as a cut
off point between the original settlers and the next group to arrive.
Today Mrs Spencer has published seven volumes
of these biographies in the critically acclaimed series known as 'British
Settlers in Natal 1824 - 1857: a Biographical Register'.
At present the register is published as a
series of volumes organised alphabetically - 'Abbot to Ayres', 'Babbs to
Bolton' and so forth. The most recent volume to be published is volume 7:
Gadney to Guy.
Mrs Spencer looks at who the settlers were,
where they came from, why they chose to emigrate, who they married and who
their children were. Each entry consists of a biography of the head of the
household (male or female) or persons emigrating alone.
This is followed, where applicable, by a list
of children, with brief details of their careers, their dates and places of
birth, marriage and death and the places of birth and death of their spouses.
Finally, there is a source list for each entry. To date 1057 biographies have been published.
Every volume after the first contains an
Addenda and Corrigenda section where additions or corrections to biographies
already published are included.
For
more information about Shelagh please visit her on her website at
http://www.shelaghspencer.org/.
***
Military Websites – Military and General
Thank you to Robert Suberg
for supplying us with the following military websites :
|
Anglo Boer War
Philatelic Society |
|
|
Asplin Military
History: Boer War rolls & research |
|
|
Australian
participants in the Boer War |
http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/nominal_rolls/pre_ first_ world_war/ |
|
Bibliography of
the Boer War |
|
|
Boer War
Casualties |
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Databases/BoerDetailed/index.html |
|
British and
Indian Armies |
|
|
British Medals |
|
|
British Medal
Forum |
|
|
British Medals
from 1793 to the present |
|
|
British SA
Police Regimental Assoc |
|
|
Commonwealth War Graves Commission |
|
|
Genealogy World |
|
|
|
|
|
Ladysmith
History |
|
|
Land Forces of
Britain, Empire & Commonwealth |
|
|
Leicester
Imperial Yeomanry |
|
|
London Gazette
entries from 1 Jan 1900 |
|
|
Mafeking Cadet
Corps |
|
|
New Zealand
participants in the Boer War |
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/new-zealand-in-the-south-african-boer-war/database |
|
Researching in
South Africa |
|
|
Soldiers of the
Queen |
|
|
Victoria Cross
Organisation |
Museums
|
Anglo Boer War
Museum, Bloemfontein |
|
|
Johannesburg
Military Museum |
|
|
McGregor Museum,
Kimberley |
|
|
Melrose House
Museum |
|
|
National Army
Museum |
|
|
Talana Museum |
More to follow in our next
newsletter.
***
Early Days in Natal
(Snippets from Family Letters, captured by Moira
Tarr and kindly donated to the GSSA by our member, Allan Moor)
The OTTO girls: Winifred
Florence Emma (Freda), *5.7.1881 + 20.4.1970 x Thomas Chapman.
Avice Elsie * 31.8.1882 +
8.1.1956 x Owen Solomon
Helen Ethel (Thella) *
31.12.1885 + 13.1.1977 x John Price Moor
Part 2.
Freda’s Diary
Freda began writing in her diary when she was 10yrs
old. She opens with the comment that she had a cold bath, which “nearly freased
me”.
The governesses hired by their parents gave lessons to
the three Otto daughters in Languages, Arithmetic, Music and Art, which Freda
favoured above all else. She wrote “I wish that music would be good to me and
let me learn it quickly, because I like it but it hates me like poison”. She
was an avid reader and enjoyed walking, riding and being outdoors, collecting
butterflies and snake skins. She was fond of teasing and playing practical
jokes on family members and friends, often landing in hot water when the
recipients complained bitterly. Her parents led a very active social life,
welcoming many visitors to the home on Otto’s Bluff. Freda, being the eldest
daughter, was called upon to acquire the special skills called for in their
social echelon. Whilst still young, she was responsible for filling all the
vases with fresh flowers, as well as decorating the dinner table. She
especially loved the “vacarda” pears, (poor man’s butter!) that Mother brought
home after a visit to Camperdown.
In August 1896 when she was 15, she became a boarder
at St. Anne’s Collegiate, in Pietermaritzburg. (Her father paid the school fees
in golden sovereigns!) Her introduction to boarding-school was not an
auspicious occasion. The dormitory was
partitioned off into cubicles, with calico sheeting. The juniors were obliged
to share a cubicle, while Freda as a senior was allowed to have her own
accommodation, at the end of the dormitory. Her cubicle consisted of two
sections, one for sleeping and one to be used as a dressing room. Her little dressing room was furnished with
a fixed wash stand, a chest of drawers and a few pegs on the wall on which to
hang her clothes. A small mirror hung from one of the pegs. Her “bedroom” was
furnished with a narrow bed next to a small open “box” with two shelves. She
covered this with a white cloth brought from home and decorated it with
ornaments and photos. After a restless first night, she was awakened the
following morning by “someone knocking about a tin in a vigorous way”. On
enquiring the reason for the noise she was told it was time to get up. When the
din erupted for the second time, it was time to go downstairs. The third time
heralded the entrance to the dining room for breakfast. The food was simply
prepared. Porridge was served at breakfast, with no milk or sugar. During
breaks the girls would be given two slices of bread, spread with butter OR jam.
Most of the pupils chose butter as the jam usually contained worms! Strict
silence was observed at mealtimes. Disobedience earned order marks and the
number of marks against the pupil would determine whether or not she was
granted a free Saturday or Sunday.
Bathing throughout the year took place in a big square
hole at the bottom of the stairs. The girls would wait in line for their turn
to stand under a tap of cold water. They were expected to be ladylike at all
times. No swearing or screaming and absolutely no contact with the boys from
Maritzburg College. One girl was
actually expelled for writing to a boy whom she addressed as her “Jam Tart”.
The school uniform of light and dark blue, with black
shoes and stockings, was worn throughout the year, although white dresses were
allowed for church in summer. Blue veils were compulsory in the chapel at St
Saviour’s Cathedral, which they attended three times a day.
Freda was at best an average student. She remarked in
her diary how difficult she found the lessons. Clearly her artistic ability was
her forte. She suffered from headaches, eye strain and a sore throat on a
regular basis, and often missed exams due to illness. However, when she was well,
she enjoyed the many plays and social evenings held at the school.
From time to time rumours of the war being waged in
Dundee and Ladysmith reached the girls in St Anne’s. For instance, on Oct 24th 1899 the Lady Warden called
all the girls who were expected to travel home for the All Saints holidays,
into her study. She and Miss Moore were on the verge of tears and told the
girls that Mr Bennett the Magistrate of Ladysmith, advised her to allow no
holidays then or even at Christmas. All the girls were instructed to write to
their parents to ask if they would send an escort to see that the girls arrived
home safely. On November 9th, Mother wrote to say that if she
continued to receive bad news from the war, the girls were to take the train to
Durban immediately and proceed to Mrs Eastwood, where she had reserved rooms
for them. “But nobody will catch me leaving my mother to the mercy of the
Boers”, writes Freda. Some of the
seniors volunteered to roll bandages for the Thornycroft Regiment and they also
sewed shirts for the soldiers. Freda was responsible for the buttonholes.
Happily for St Anne’s, schooling proceeded without
interruption, and by the end of 1900 Freda had left her school days behind her,
but her brother Ryno decided that his sister’s education would be incomplete
without an inspection of the Natal Battlefields, which he planned to undertake
in a couple of months time.
(See
Part 4)
Freda’s health was still a cause for concern to her
family. The headaches and associated symptoms did not abate with the ending of
her school days. Frequent tension in the family home did little to ensure a
healthy happy atmosphere. The three girls felt that their brothers were spoilt,
especially by Mother, and Father was always very difficult to please. Consequently
an overseas trip was arranged for Freda and her younger sister, Avice. They
were to be accompanied by their three Vanderplank aunts on a voyage to England
and Switzerland. Freda had learnt to
sew at an early age, making clothes for her dolls as well as for herself. She
became an talented designer of elegant gowns and in March Mother purchased
yards and yards of material for new outfits. She hired a seamstress to assist
Freda and the sewing commenced.
A welcome break came when the family was taken to
witness the gardener’s wedding. “When
we arrived at the huts, about 300 of the couple’s friends had gathered, dressed
in beads and flaming colours. The men danced first, and performed their
war-like steps, while women, young and old, played “antics” and yelled and
squealed the most horrible noise, in front of them.
The
slim young girls danced next, the few bead ornaments which were their sole
garments, showed their beautiful limbs off to perfection. After further dancing
of men and girls together, the bride, decked out in beads, with her maiden’s
escort, proceeded from out behind the warriors. She was then questioned by a
policeman, sent by the Natal Government, to ascertain whether or not she was
marrying of own free will. After a further talk with Father, she advanced
towards her intended and threw him her umbrella. She then distributed presents
all round and the bridegroom gave her one pound all for her own. There was more
dancing and shouting and we all went home”.
(Thank you to Shirley Richardson for supplying
us with this article. Part 3 will be
published in the next newsletter.)
****
Diary Dates : 2010
My apologies
for the discrepancies in the diary dates which appeared in the last
newsletter. Below is the updated list.
08 May Personal Research
12 June Personal Research *
10 July Personal Research *
14
August Morning visit to
Warriors Gate/Old Fort
11
September Visit to PMB Archives/to
be confirmed
09
October Speaker to be
announced
13
November Personal Research
11 December Ancestral Tea
* Please
note changes in diary events due to the 2010 World Cup Soccer which
starts on 11 June and ends in the second week of July.
We
will advise you timeously of any changes of events, or forthcoming outings that
do not fall on the 2nd Saturday of the month, as arrangements are
made.
****
Committee
Members 2010
Chairman
Matthys van
Niekerk Cell : 083 338 7316 E-Mail : matthysv@iafrica.com
Vice-Chairman
David Honour Cell
: 082 906 4875 E-Mail : dave.honour@wspgroup.co.za
Treasurer/Membership
Dawn van Nierkerk Cell:
083 338 7316 E-Mail : matthysv@iafrica.com
Secretary/Newsletter
Judy Letard Cell: 072-146-7922 E-Mail : kdee@mweb.co.za
Librarian
Liz
Marson Cell:
08 698 0961 E-Mail : busiliz@telkomsa.net
Committee
Nigel McFerran Cell : 083 229 8788 E-Mail: mcferran@vodamail.co.za
Cynthia
McFerran Cell : 082 927 3701 E-Mail: mcferran@vodamail.co.za
****
Our Venue
for Meetings
Family History Centre,
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints,
144 Silverton Road.
Entrance in Montgomery
Road
Phone: (031) 202 3024
Our meetings are held at 2.30 on the 2nd Saturday of every
month. Our AGM is held on the 3rd
Saturday in January.
KINDLY NOTE THAT DURING THE 2010 SOCCER WORLD CUP THE FHC
WILL ONLY BE OPEN ON A WEDNESDAY
FROM 09H00 TO 16H00.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES PLEASE CONTACT BONITA BRICKNELL
DIRECT ON 074 174 7222
For the record, after the
World Cup, the F.H.C. will be open at the following times:
Tuesday 10 am – 12 noon.
Wednesday 1 pm
– 4 pm
Thursday 9
am – 12 noon and 6.30 pm – 9 pm
Last Saturday of every month by appointment ONLY.
****