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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: kanskar on Wednesday 22 October 08 23:22 BST (UK)
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I would be grateful please if SKS would could find out any additional information about the following family in South Africa between 1871-1885 (or later)
William Stoodley born 1835 Awbridge, Hampshire - a Blacksmith
marries Eliza Harvey c1857 in London
Frederick William Thomas Stoodley born 1858 Freemantle
1861 UK Census living at 24 Richmond St, Plumstead, Kent
They then move to South Africa.
Frederick's great-grandson had been told the following:
He had 3 sisters (may have been 5) - two could have been Ada & Edie (now known to have been Amy & Emily)
William Stoodley ran or owned a plantation nr Johannesburg (?)
William Stoodley is believed to have died about 1869 (Now after 1871 as he is in Alverstoke, Hants at census time)
Frederick next appears in 1878 - and a mortgage bond for a property is on the NAAIRS DB.
We now know (with thanks to Rutti Tutti) that 2 years later, Frederick, now a blacksmith, was living in Green St, Port Elizabeth (1880 Port Elizabeth Directory).
By 1885 Frederick has returned to the UK, where he marries Agnes Willis and emigrates to Australia where their descendants still live.
Many Thanks
Kanskar
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Mabel Ann, the third daughter of William and Eliza, was born on 14 Jan 1871 in Gosport, Hants, where according to the 1871 census the family was living at the time.
The census index has the family listed as (sic) Steedley.
So the move to South Africa would at least have to have been after that date.
vbond
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VB - Many Thanks for the revelation for 1871. Looks like they left for South Africa in the 1870s instead.
Do you have a Stoodley link ?
Cheers
Kanskar
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Yes.
My link is my Great Grand Father and his wife Agnes immigrated to Australia in 1885 after getting married in Southampton ... etc (see above)
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VB - Will send you a PM shortly. Cheers Kanskar
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Updated from original post:
VBond & myself would be grateful please if SKS would could find out any additional information about the following family in South Africa between 1871-1885 (or later)
William Stoodley born 1835 Awbridge, Hampshire - a Blacksmith
marries Eliza Harvey c1857 in London
Frederick William Thomas Stoodley born 1858 Freemantle
1861 UK Census living at 24 Richmond St, Plumstead, Kent
1871 UK Census living at North St, Alverstoke, Hampshire
They then move to South Africa.
Frederick's great-grandson had been told the following:
He had 3 sisters (may have been 5)
Amy Eliza Eugenie born 1862
Emily Louise born 1868
Mabel A born 1871
William Stoodley ran or owned a plantation nr Johannesburg (?)
William Stoodley is believed to have died about 1869 (Now known to be after 1871 as he is in Alverstoke, Hants at census time)
Frederick next appears in 1878 - and a mortgage bond for a property is on the NAAIRS DB.
We now know (with thanks to Rutti Tutti) that 2 years later, Frederick, now a blacksmith, was living in Green St, Port Elizabeth (1880 Port Elizabeth Directory).
By 1885 Frederick has returned to the UK, where he marries Agnes Willis and emigrates to Australia where their descendants still live.
No knowledge as to what happened to Amy & Emily
Mabel A died in 1955 (as Mabel A Panton) and her estate File is on NAAIRS. At least 3 children (only info I have is Master F, Miss M and Miss G). They were back in the UK in 1909 returning to the Cape on 15 May from Southampton on board the Gaika.
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Grateful please for any further assistance/information on this family in South Africa.
Thanks
Kanskar
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Small Update as at Aug 09:
Frederick Stoodly/Stoodley is now known to have been in Jansenville in 1876.
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Hello Kanskar and vbond
1874 the first bridge ever, commenced built over the Sundays River, at Jansenville.
It's possible that Frederick Stoodly/Stoodley left the Cape, for for the further northen shores of Jansenville, between present day Port Elizabeth and Graaf Reniet to be a bridge builder, using his Blacksmith skills?
And, in 1878 he's living in Port Elizabeth itself, not far away, after the bridge was completed?
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)
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Danchaslyn - Thankyou for the information. Could you please clarify the type of bridge ?
Cheers Kanskar
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Hello Kanskar
Sadly, not exactly, but know that the 'pillars' of the old bridge, exist to this day and can be seen alongside, and beneath the current road.
Most bridges in SA, of that era, were, I think, like the Ironbridge in the UK.
For instance the old rail and road bridges of Zululand were all "metal".
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)
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Danchaslyn - Thanks for the clarification on that. Kanskar
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Hello Kanskar
I did read somewhere once, that the boom years of the early Cape started in 1874 or thereabouts?? ???
I'm curious, how did you place Frederick Stoodley in Jansenville?
Do you know if Amy & Elizabeth emigrated to South Africa, to, or did only Mabel and Frederick?
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)
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:)
Hello Kanskar
With regard to 'William Stoodley ran or owned a plantation nr Johannesburg?'
The Eastern Transvaal as it used to be known, North East of Johannesburg, is renowned for its tree plantations, mostly pines. And, there are a few very 'old' towns there.
Again, the boom in these plantations was round about the 1870's!
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)
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A - He's listed on the muster roll for the Jansenville Yeomanry.
B - It is believed that the following emigrated:
William Stoodly/Stoodley - Blacksmith
Eliza (nee Harvey)
Frederick William Thomas
Amy Eliza Eugenie
Emily Louisa
Mabel A
C - The plantation ownership is still a story at present. Until there is further evidence on William's whereabouts - it remains so.
D - Vbond (Frederick's great-grandson) & I can only trace Frederick & Mabel at present. We do not know what happened to the others as yet.
Thanks
Kanskar
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Oh ok, thank you. So, the whole family as in Mr & Mrs W Stoodley and one son and three daughters, did definitely all emigrate together to SA.
Well done finding Frederick on the muster roll for the Jansenville Yeomanry!
Apparently the first two policeman for Jansenville were placed in 1874.
With regard to the plantation, there were also cotton and tobacco plantations in the 1870's at Rustenburg, also north of Johannesburg.
Cheers
Dancahslyn
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Hi Dancahslyn,
Sorry I am a bit slow to reply but I did not get a notification and I have only just caught up.
Thanks for showing an interest. Your comment about building the bridge at Jansenville is interesting as the first job Frederick had when he arrived in Australia was to cost the building of a bridge over a creek in suburban Brisbane. He then went to work for the railways and state works departments as what we would now call a Project Engineer for 30 years.
We have his life reasonably mapped except from between 1871 (census england) and c1877 (Jansenville). After that he was in Port Elizabeth (1880) and Craddock (bought property 1882), and then England 1885 to marry and then, Australia.
In the lost period he would have done his apprenticeship as a Blacksmith. That could have been around Johannesburg. Specially if that is where is family was.
Or equally I believe that there was a railway built out of Port Elizabeth starting 1873 to Kimberly. This would have been an ideal training ground for a blacksmith/engineer.
Any insight is appreciated.
vbond
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VB - Did you hear anything back from Jansenville regarding the family ?
Kanskar
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No. unfortunately nothing heard to that query.
vbond