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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: jlmack1 on Thursday 12 November 09 12:38 GMT (UK)

Title: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: jlmack1 on Thursday 12 November 09 12:38 GMT (UK)
I have a decendant who was in the South African Constabulary in early 1900.

He was James Frederick Green, born 1881 London, can someone confirm that he was part of this Constabulary?

Thank you
Lee
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: DelvaP on Saturday 14 November 09 14:27 GMT (UK)
Hi Lee
My grandfather (also born 1881 in Hampshire) arrived in South Africa with the S.A. Constabulary.   The other day I spoke to someone at our Church and she said there are records and that she would try to get my grandfather's.   Will ask her about your family.   Where was he stationed do you know?
Regards
Delva
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: rutti tutti on Saturday 14 November 09 19:10 GMT (UK)
Hi there Lee,
In Naairs there is a record of conduct for James fred. If you apply to the archives for a copy of the document , you may get more details.
Delva - if I remember correctly you have access to the vab archives. My grandad was also in the constabulary - his name being Otto James Mariano Steffen. My grandad was in various places in the Free state but ended up in Harrismith. Perhaps your friend could see if he is listed at all. There are 2 documents in the vab archives relating to his conduct etc and wondered if you are ever in there if you could get me details. No rush - years will do!!
Thanks so much
Ruth
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: jlmack1 on Sunday 15 November 09 06:20 GMT (UK)
Delva & Ruth - Many thanks for your reply.

The only reference I have is on his WW1 Service Application wherein he says he was part of the SAC.
I have been unable to find him in the UK Census in 1901 s0 perhaps he was over in South Africa then.
James Frederick Green B 1881 Lambeth Middlesex UK.
I do not know where he went or any more. Sorry.

Lee
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: rutti tutti on Sunday 15 November 09 15:21 GMT (UK)
Hi Lee - he probably was, as this document shows. Order it from the archives through eggsa and it may give you more details.So the answer is yes he was in the constabulary.
                                                             
RECORD OF CONDUCT AND SERVICE OF SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTABULARY. JAMES   
FREDERICK GREEN.                                                     
STARTING  1901                                                                 
ENDING    1903   

Ruth
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: jlmack1 on Sunday 15 November 09 21:51 GMT (UK)
Thank you for that, I will look into the archives and look for any more info.

Lee
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: DelvaP on Tuesday 17 November 09 06:50 GMT (UK)
Hi Ruth
Only a pleasure, do you have any references?
Thanks
Delva
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: Gregc on Sunday 29 November 09 08:31 GMT (UK)
My Great Grandfather was in the Cape York Mounted Police during the Boer War but I can not find anything other than the reference he made on his enlistment papers when he joined to fight in the first ww.  His name is Charles Magnus Soderman.  I am not sure if he went straight there from Sweden or after he moved to Australia.  Can anyone help or conform?????

Thanks

Greg
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: izabel on Wednesday 30 December 09 13:45 GMT (UK)
SODERMAN CHARLES MAGNUS

http://members.pcug.org.au/~croe/ozb/oz_boer_more.cgi?record=18518

Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: girlbrain! on Friday 09 April 10 20:33 BST (UK)
I am also tracing a relative who apparently was in the South African Constabulary but I have been unable to find anything - any help would be greatly appreciated!

His name was Henry Walter Humby Brown, born Romsey, UK 1882, and was in South Africa somewhere between 1904 and 1935.

The family story is that he was quite a senior figure within the police, but who knows?!

With thanks in advance for any assistance...
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: Dragoman on Saturday 29 May 10 18:57 BST (UK)
I'm researching a great uncle, Edgar Etches, who fought in the Boer Wars with the 13th Hussars and then joined the South African Constabulary. It's the SAC that I'm mostly interested in.

I've discovered that he joined 1006 B Division and 54 Reserve Division and want to see what information is contained in his record of Service and Conduct. The NASA website shows the reference nos. but I can't seem to access them and NASA themselves don't seem to want to assist - even though I've said I'm prepared to pay for any copying/postage etc.

Can anyone out there help me please ?
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: JillStatton on Wednesday 23 June 10 01:24 BST (UK)
I too am searching for an ex-Boer War veteran, Allan Henry BUSKIN born 1876 in India, who supposedly joined the South African Constabulary in Johannesburg in December 1900.

NAAIRS has been busy each time I've tried to search online.  Can anyone help please?  I would like to know what happened to him, whether he married, had issue and remained in South Africa.

Any help will be gratefully received.  Thanks.

Jill Statton, Adelaide, South Australia.
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: Snoozi on Sunday 01 May 11 22:04 BST (UK)
I was researching some cousins who both joined the SAC. The South African Constabulary records being available at the National Archives of South Africa held within the Free State Archives Repository in Bloemfontein, (www.national.archives.gov.za)  I decided to try and obtain the records and  I logged into the website for the Free State Provincial Archives and found them very easy to navigate (thankfully). I found the appropriate reference numbers and used the contact us page to enquire about an estimate for copies. There were a few emails back and forth to Donald van Wyk fsarch@sacr.fs.gov.za I paid for the copies and very quickly I received a very substantial package through the post with the service records.
Hope this helps
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: Mole on Sunday 29 May 11 10:17 BST (UK)
The Archives staff have limited time for helping with personal research, so you'd need a local researcher working regularly at Transvaal Archives to get the copies of the Record of Conduct and Service: see the list of Professional Freelance Researchers at Public Archives repositories on the NASA site.       

Regards
Mole

I'm researching a great uncle, Edgar Etches, who fought in the Boer Wars with the 13th Hussars and then joined the South African Constabulary. It's the SAC that I'm mostly interested in.

I've discovered that he joined 1006 B Division and 54 Reserve Division and want to see what information is contained in his record of Service and Conduct. The NASA website shows the reference nos. but I can't seem to access them and NASA themselves don't seem to want to assist - even though I've said I'm prepared to pay for any copying/postage etc.

Can anyone out there help me please ?
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: Snoozi on Sunday 29 May 11 12:38 BST (UK)
I had absolutely zero help from the national archives main office but once I got through to the local officer at Bloemfontein they were really helpful, as long as I had the reference numbers. At no time did I use a local researcher, but I was lucky enough to have the reference numbers.
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: Mole on Sunday 29 May 11 13:56 BST (UK)
It's not difficult to get the source references from NAAIRS. The problem is usually acquiring copies from the busy staff working at the various repositories, particularly if there are several pages e.g. in a Record of Conduct & Service.

Mole


 
I had absolutely zero help from the national archives main office but once I got through to the local officer at Bloemfontein they were really helpful, as long as I had the reference numbers. At no time did I use a local researcher, but I was lucky enough to have the reference numbers.
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: les972 on Thursday 21 July 11 01:45 BST (UK)
I'm trying to help someone with their family research but there isn't a lot to go on. The relative she is interested in is Joseph Greenwood born 1883 at Sedbergh/West Riding of Yorkshire.I think he had a middle name of Edwin. In the 1901 census he was living and working in Liverpool/Lancashire. From now on it is only guess work. He joined the British army and went to the Boer war, he was then in the South African Mounted Police and lived at Napal. He also had a mealie farm [I don't even know what that is] She also thinks he got married in S.A. and that is all she can tell me except that every year he sent money to his niece to bet on the Grand National.Can anyone tell me where to start looking for this information please.
Les
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: Mole on Thursday 21 July 11 07:26 BST (UK)
There is a deceased estate file in the National Archives Transvaal for a Joseph Edwin Greenwood dated 1970 - surviving spouse Florence Beatrice born Lewis. If this is the Joseph you seek he would be 87 years at death. Not impossible.

Perhaps for 'Napal' read 'Natal'?
He could have been in the Natal Mounted Police - later called the Natal Police. This was a permanent regular force.
There were, however, numerous mounted colonial forces, both regular e.g. the British SA Police, and volunteer e.g. Natal Mounted Rifles etc , as well as special emergency corps raised at the beginning of the Anglo-Boer War, such as the South Africa Light Horse etc.

A mealie farm - mealie a SA term meaning maize.

Here is the relevant deceased estate file reference from NAAIRS at www.national.archives.gov.za/

DEPOT     TAB   
SOURCE    MHG                                                                   
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE 12961/70                                                             
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          GREENWOOD, JOSEPH EDWIN.                                              STARTING  19700000                                                             
ENDING    19700000                                                             
REMARKS   SURVIVING SPOUSE FLORENCE BEATRICE GREENWOOD (BORN LEWIS).       

First step would be to access the deceased estate file.; the Death Notice should be informative.
If Greenwood was in the Natal Police, there are records of this corps held at Pietermaritzburg Archives, Natal. A search would require dedicated hours.

best,
Mole

     






Les wrote:
Joseph Greenwood born 1883 at Sedbergh/West Riding of Yorkshire.I think he had a middle name of Edwin. In the 1901 census he was living and working in Liverpool/Lancashire. From now on it is only guess work. He joined the British army and went to the Boer war, he was then in the South African Mounted Police and lived at Napal. He also had a mealie farm [I don't even know what that is] She also thinks he got married in S.A. and that is all she can tell me except that every year he sent money to his niece to bet on the Grand National.
Title: Re: Boer War - South African Constabulary?
Post by: les972 on Thursday 21 July 11 10:31 BST (UK)
WOW thanks very much Mole for all that information. I shall send it off to the person who is doing the research and see if she wants to follow it through
Les