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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: graham44 on Friday 14 June 13 17:44 BST (UK)
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Hi,
Would like to know all I can about this man. He married Flora Jamieson in Port Elizabeth 1904, and was in Prince Alfred's Guard from 1882 after a career in the British Army.
In particular, there is a document in the Cape Town repository of SA National Archives that I would like to see. Anyone know how I could do that? Details below.
Thanks, Graham
DEPOT KAB
SOURCE DOC
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 4/1/414
SYSTEM 02
REFERENCE 137
PART 1
DESCRIPTION MORTGAGE BOND. JOHN THOMAS MCKEOWN.
STARTING 18950000
ENDING 18950000
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If you email the archives in Cape Town and give them the NAAIRS reference, they will send you a quote for copying the documents and air-mailing them to you. Last time I did this it took about 4 weeks and cost less than £5 for about 20 pages. ;)
Cape Town Archives Repository
Postal address: Private Bag X9025, CAPE TOWN 8000
Street address: 72 Roeland Street, CAPE TOWN
Tel: (021) 466 8100. Fax: (021) 465 2960.
Email: Archives@pgwc.gov.za (for General Correspondence)
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hi,,when and where was he born?
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Here is his estate notice.
DEPOT TAB SOURCE MHG TYPE LEER VOLUME_NO 0 SYSTEM 01 REFERENCE 9376 PART 1 DESCRIPTION MCKEOWN, JOHN THOMAS. STARTING 19040000 ENDING 19040000 REMARKS SURVIVING SPOUSE FLORA JANNIESON MCKEOWN (BORN MCINTOSH).
To obtain pictures of documents held in the National Archives. Go to http://www.eggsa.org and select Content --> On Line Shop --> order Archive documents. Once you have selected the currency, select "Enter the Shop" and then select "Archive photos" (in yellow on the blue band) and follow the instructions. They are only able to organise the photographing of documents from the South African Archives at Pretoria (TAB), Bloemfontein (VAB), Pietermaritzburg (NAB) and Durban(TBD). Other archives such as KAB require a researcher to transcribe documents by hand as no copying by camera or photocopying is allowed. Rates are cheap especially if ordering from overseas.
Here is a picture of the nominal roll for Prince Alfred's Guard surname beginning with M, go to this link http://www.angloboerwar.com/component/content/article/5-south-african-unit-histories/452-prince-alfreds-guard-mounted-infantry?start=1 No mention of his name and here is a link to the full nominal roll for Prince Alfred's Guard at http://www.britishmedals.us/files/127_PAGMI.html no mention iether!
Hope this helps regards Derek.
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Hi, Thanks to all for prompt replies, I only put this on last night !!
Have now emailed KAB for a copy of his mortgage record that I found yesterday
And ordered a copy of his estate notice from eGGSA
If this is his estate notice, it suggests he died in 1904? I'm just surprised because I have a copy of his marriage record on order which is also dated 1904.
He was born 1854 in Jersey, Channel Islands. Army from 1870 to 1882, invalided out. I have most details of his family from Jersey and his Army record, but don't know much about him in South Africa.
Was in Port Elizabeth in time for presentation of his Afghan Medal, so probably v. soon afterwards. Also in Prince Alfred's Guard at that time.
Both the records you mention are for the Mounted Infantry and also for Boer War. No suggestion that he was in that branch, or fought in that war. He had been in 15th Foot Regiment of British Army in India.
Anything else about McKeowns from Jersey, or where in Ireland they came from originally also most welcome. I have more details about his father, grandfather and siblings if anyone is interested
Thanks, Graham
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If he was born in 1854 then in 1904 we would have been 50 already. Army from 1870 to 1882, why was he invalided out? Must have had some war wounds that caused an early death!
Derek
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He had phthisis, which is TB by any other name, so I didn't expect him to last that long. I have a press cutting of his wedding, but not year-dated, so I assumed it was soon after 1882. But just found his marriage record recently which appears to be 1904. Anyway, 50 in those days was not such an early death
Graham
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Marriage, Presbyterian Church, Port Elizabeth, 1st March 1890:
John Thomas McKeown, full age, bachelor, musician, residence Uitenhage, after banns
Flora Jamieson McIntosh, spinster, residence Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth Directories:
1899: McKeown, J T, painter, St Paul's Hill
1901, 1902, 1903, 1904: McKeown, J, T., Richmond Hill
1905: McKeown, Mrs T.J., Richmond Hill [assume this should be J.T., no later listings for her]
Flora Jamieson McIntosh was born 29 February 1872 in Port Elizabeth, baptised 22 April 1872 in the Presbyterian Church, Port Elizabeth. Parents John McIntosh & Jane Hill Scott.
John McIntosh (Scotland 1835 - PE 17 Oct 1912) was in the Royal Navy, went to Kimberley, then PE. Among first members of Prince Alfred's Volunteer Guard - guard of honour to Prince when he visited PE.
Let me know when you have the date of his death - even though he died in the Transvaal, there may be an obituary in the PE newspapers....
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Wonderful information Sandy, thanks so much for looking this up. Presumably these were things you looked up in South Africa, as I hadn't been able to find much of this on the internet? Or was I just not looking in the right places?
Now I know why I couldn't find Flora McIntosh in Greenock, which is where her father came from. I have her as Flora Jamieson at the time of her marriage to McKeown, second daughter of John McIntosh of Greenock, and I took Jamieson to be her previously married name, but I see now it could be a middle name.
The document I have on order from ancestor.co.za appeared to be a marriage document, mentioning spouse etc, but I'm thinking now it's more likely to be concerning his estate.
Thanks again for taking the time to do this
Graham
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Graham look at the example of an Estate file notice by Empea posted on the site when you click on South Africa, you will see this document should have info on Spouse details etc.
Regards Derek
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John McIntosh & Jane Hill Scott had four children:
Isabella Cooper McIntosh born 1870 in PE, then Flora in 1872, John Scott McIntosh born 1876 died 1907 and William Jamieson McIntosh born 1877 died 1881 so Jamieson appears twice as a middle name in their family.
I only have access to general histories of the PAG - do you perhaps know the specific date when he received the Afghan medal - it might be mentioned in the PE papers.
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Thanks again for looking this stuff up.
I have a newspaper cutting already, attached here, but sadly it mentions no date. It mentions Major Deare, who I checked was Major from 1876 to 1888, and there are nominal rolls for the regiment at Kew, which I haven't seen yet, though I go there from time to time as it's only an hour away.
Also attaching his marriage clipping, though again no year, and neither say which paper.
These were both saved by my grandfather's brother, who told his daughter all about his boyhood and family on Jersey, though if John Thomas left in the 1870's they couldn't have known each other. His daughter, who is my cousin and is still alive, kindly copied these for me some years ago.
Graham
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This was quick, I have his estate notice already, and attach it here.
Died 18 Feb 1904 in Port Elizabeth. And, guess what, there is a child mentioned
Jane McIntosh McKeown, b.c. 1893
So there might be press reports of her birth as well as his death, and any information on her later life?
Thanks, Graham
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Sorry, did not logon yesterday but will check for an obit tomorrow, and also if there is anything on the daughter.
I do not have access to Uitenhage papers but I found a notice of the marriage (same wording but not the same as yours) in "The Port Elizabeth Telegraph and Eastern Province Standard" of March 4, 1890. I suspect that the notice probably appeared in both the Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth papers. To date the other article is more difficult as the PE newspapers are not indexed - the No 6 (Uitenhage) Company of the PAG was formed on 9 June 1880 and disbanded in 1889, the Afghan War was 1878 - 1880 and John was here in 1882 ....
Regards
Sandy
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I could not find any obit or death notice in the PE newsapers (checked till the end of the month), and also nothing on his daughter in the PE church records to which I have access.
Sorry
Sandy
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No need to apologise at all, Sandy. You've done an excellent job. I put the original notice up, not really expecting any replies, but I've already learned in a week, so much extra about this guy.
Thanks again for all your help
Graham