DIARY OF A NATAL MOLE

JANUARY 2005

1 Celebrated the last day of the Old Year by spraining my ankle, and when signing my e-mails "The Hobbling Mole" was informed that this is the name of a UK pub which used to be a lighthouse. Is someone winding me up?

Completed a piece for eGSSA's Genesis newsletter on "Hidden Sources in Natal". More 1850s passenger lists uploaded on genealogyworld, including arrival of the Rev IRELAND and his wife on the Douglas, and departure of the brig Wee Tottie carrying Natal settlers to Australia in 1853. Also busy with BELL ancestry, trying to get it into some sort of cohesive whole: the usual problem - too much material. I find my great grandmother BELL, plus one of her brothers, among Pietermaritzburg Presbyterian baptisms; up to now the family has been regarded as Anglican. Heard from David GADSDEN of Bristol, who, among other Gadsden descendants, received a commemorative medallion struck for the recent Gadsden Celebrations in US. Stories of the appalling tsunami disaster continue to flood in. A tragic New Year for thousands of people.

2 For Winston Churchill fans (I'm one) Burke's Peerage & Gentry Newsletter brings news about THE CHURCHILL MUSEUM which will be the first major museum in the world that is solely dedicated to the life, achievements and legacy of the great man. The museum is an integral part of the Cabinet War Rooms, London, comprising over 9000 square feet of displays of artefacts, photographs, documents and film, including material never before seen by the public and with numerous interactive exhibits. Wonder if they've got the photo of Churchill addressing the crowds from the old Durban City Hall (now the Post Office) after his escape from captivity during the Anglo-Boer War
... http://www.burkes-peerage.net/sites/common/news/news231204.asp

4 Mike GADSDEN of St Albans sends wonderful photos taken at the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of The Gadsden Purchase; the pix will be uploaded on my GADSDEN Pages (linked on genealogyworld) with some background on James GADSDEN who negotiated the Purchase with the Mexican government.

5 Mail from Marion ABBOTT, who continues to transcribe Cumberland newspapers despite some detractors of her efforts. Mole (as an addict of such sources) shall be eternally grateful for Marion's input on BELL. Similarly to Derek ELLWOOD, UK maritime fundi.

Working on more passenger lists for genealogyworld.

7 Query about a possible member of the 45th Regiment of Foot (Sherwood Foresters) in Natal, George MILNE. Often elusive ancestors to track down, many ex-45th soldiers settled in the Colony after their discharge from the army. The 45th were stationed in Natal from 1843-1859. At Estcourt's Garden of Remembrance there is a stone in memory of Private John ASHTON of the 45th who drowned in the Bushman's River in 1848. Fort Napier near Pietermaritzburg was built by the 45th under Captain SMITH, and later garrisoned by numerous other regiments.

9 The fascinating SELIGMANN search continues: Adam YAMEY's article on his ancestor Joseph will appear in "Familia" in due course.

11 A new Anglo-Zulu War article by SAPPER Mason, "We Came Back", just uploaded on genealogyworld.

At PMB Archives trying to unravel the story of one of the defenders of Rorke's Drift, a V.C. recipient.

I note that the Natal Mercurys for the first half of 1879 are not among the collection at Natal Society Library. All the original newspapers at the Library were handed over by Pietermaritzburg Archives, and apparently the volume for January to June 1879 was not among them. Killie Campbell Library is the alternative - they have microfilm copies, and an excellent new reader acquired at great cost.

13 Watch two episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?", a BBCTV series where (reasonably) famous living personalities discuss tracing their own ancestry and find a few surprises along the way. Interest in family history in UK has been boosted by this programme to the extent that delivery times for certificates ordered have gone from a week to three weeks.

14 The story of the loss of the "American" uploaded on genealogyworld.

15 Still trying to get to the bottom of the phrase "by the roadside", occurring among English baptisms of the 18th c. Some help acquired from the Buckinghamshire Mailing List. Further discussion on gypsies and travellers came about through this, and yet another site for those interested in the gypsy topic can be found at www.passing-through.co.uk

16 There's much said about "sharing" family history research, but some people need reminding that that word implies a two-way street, give and take. If a family member has never shown the slightest interest in the family tree, it's unreasonable to expect someone else who has spent years of painstaking research (not to mention expense) to hand it over in a suitably pre-digested format so that the tree can be framed and stuck on a wall of the dining-room as a conversation piece.

In-depth information and accuracy appear to be unimportant to those who shout "Gimme the Family Tree" without having made a contribution of any kind towards its development. Let such people go to the shopping mall and acquire a printed page of dubious veracity on the possible origins of the surname - that's more in their line, so to speak. There's no obligation on the part of any dedicated family historian to submit to such superficial demands.

17 Having difficulty finding out anything on Robert Griffith WILLIAMS who was a policeman in the Transkei; his twin sons were born at Idutywa in 1914. He married Annie MCNAIR at Emjanyana sometime before that date, and by 1924 was in Australia; died there 1926. SAPS (South African Police Services) unable to help on WILLIAMS. Emjanyana was a Mission Station and Leper Asylum and at one time the Cape Mounted Riflemen were stationed in the area.

20 Several enquiries coming in about ancestors who fought in the Anglo-Boer War; an article on sources for such research is planned for genealogyworld soon.

24 Anniversary of the death of my maternal grandfather Joseph HAMILTON, 24 January 1948, in Durban. Born in Ayrshire, Scotland, he came to Natal in 1910 and was Works Manager of Gilbert Hamer. Strangely, my paternal grandfather, Sydney Bartle GADSDEN, was Works Manager of James Brown - the two engineering companies later amalgamated, becoming known as James Brown & Hamer.

27 A frequently-asked question: will the parents of the bride (or groom) be shown on a South African marriage record? The answer is No. SA marriage certificates are of little use genealogically.

In England and Wales marriages from mid-1837 only name the father of both parties (and it's not always mentioned if he is deceased at date of the marriage). Scottish GRO entries from 1855 are more helpful, both parents usually being recorded. A pity more marriage entries don't follow the format found in the example below from York, showing not only parents but grandparents and location.

"ACOMB, Ainsty of York: 17 July 1791 (16 July) Robert s. of Bigling Tateson of Knapton, farmer (s. Thomas Tateson of Knapton, farmer by Jane) and Elizabeth (d. James Fordington, p Alne)." Another entry for Robert's brother shows that his paternal grandmother was Jane Colbeck. Instant family tree!

29 In Sutton Parish Churchyard a brief epitaph speaks volumes:
    "Here lies my poor wife,
    Without bed or blankit,
    But dead as a door-nail,
    God be thankit."

Mole