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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: pinefamily on Thursday 24 April 08 11:51 BST (UK)

Title: Railway records
Post by: pinefamily on Thursday 24 April 08 11:51 BST (UK)
I would like to know what records exist for railway employees for the 1899-1902 Boer War period. I have an ancestor, Nathaniel Pine, who was in the railways in South Africa about this time. Family story has it that his younger brother, Nelson, arrived as a soldier and was met by Nathaniel with a stern rebuke. Nathaniel was listed in the 1891 census, but does not appear in the 1901 census. The next record I have of him is his marriage record in 1911 in Barnstaple, Devon.
Any help or tips appreciated.
Darren
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: Fear na mara on Wednesday 10 December 08 01:10 GMT (UK)
I too am trying to find records of the S.A. Railways. Have you made any progress?
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: pinefamily on Wednesday 10 December 08 04:27 GMT (UK)
No I haven't, but I haven't done a lot of looking either, admittedly......
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: Scatza on Sunday 25 January 09 23:44 GMT (UK)
Have just seen this post. My gg grandfather also went to South Africa, from Scotland, in the 1880's. My Dad contacted several people whom he hoped might be able to help him with records relating to his grandfather's employment with the Railways, but without success. I still have the letters he wrote and the notes he made. However, the newspaper archives did yield a positive result. He found an article written in the 1920's when his grandfather retired as Station Master in Kalk Bay Cape Town.  It gave his whole career from sweeping the platforms in Ceres Road to station master at Claremont, St. James, and then Kalk Bay stations. The "purse of gold" presented to my gggrandfather was a fob watch ...a treasure that I now have :) All this to suggest that you might also get lucky searching newspaper archives!?
Good luck.
Scatza
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: -Glen- on Sunday 16 January 11 16:14 GMT (UK)
Hi,

I've also been trying to find records of South African Railways employees, but with no joy yet.

I've not tried newspaper archives yet though, so thanks for posting the idea!

I'm looking for records on Thomas Foster Staples.

Where can i find newspaper records?

Many thanks, Glen.
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: adam smith on Sunday 16 January 11 17:29 GMT (UK)
Hi, would the Johannesburg Public Library be able togive you some guidance about where to look for these records?

Looking to the colonies, as they were then , makes it hard to locate records.

adam
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: izabel on Monday 17 January 11 04:41 GMT (UK)
Nelson shows up on the Imperial Yeomanry Roll of the Boer War
Pine, Nelson    6555, Bugler    27th Coy., 7th Bn. I.Y.
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: -Glen- on Saturday 22 January 11 23:51 GMT (UK)
Hi,

Does anyone know if South African Newspaper archives are searchable online anywhere? I would like to try and find if Thomas Foster Staples has an obituary, recording his life on the South African Railways. He died in 1949 and was recorded on his estate papers as a Retired Station Master.

Kind regards,
Glen.
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: BCmom on Wednesday 16 February 11 09:06 GMT (UK)
Has anyone come up with Railway Employee Records as of yet?

I too am looking for family William "Willie" Buchanan worked for the railway about 1914, he was foreman of his job in 1919 living in Observatory at that time, I believe he may have been moved up country after that and then he disappears.
His brother Alfred "Alf" Buchanan also came form Sct. and was working with Willie in 1919.

Any ideas how to search for this family.
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: braw on Monday 28 February 11 13:07 GMT (UK)
There are Estate papers listed in the KAB archives for:
Buchanan William Alexander (1937)
Buchanan William (1939)
Buchanan William James (1946)
Buchanan William Porter (1950)

Maybe worth futher investigation
Title: Re: Railway records
Post by: BCmom on Monday 28 February 11 14:17 GMT (UK)
Thank you for your help, I will check them out :)