RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: bgaywood on Sunday 26 June 05 04:59 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
I am doing my family history and have just discovered that my great grandfather was born in South Africa... (according to his death certificate). I had always thought that he was born in England. Are there any census' that have survivied in South Africa.. and are they readily available online? Harry Joshua was born around 1886, his father was a farmer and his name was Edward Herbert Gaywood, no info on his mother. Harry had migrated to Australia by about 1905 or 1910. I don't know if his family came as well or if it was just him.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Bronwyn
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Hi Bronwyn :)
have a look at this site which explains about records in South Africa.
Regards
Darcy
http://www.rupert.net/~lkool/page2.html
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You are out of luck. No information from South African censuses is avilable to the public apart from the processed statistical information.
Secondly no census was taken until 1911. 8)
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Just a thought....perhaps if you know what religion he was born into you might be able to chase up a baptism.
The familytree.co.za site has Methodist records and has started putting Anglican records on as well. The family on the Rootsweb mailing list might also be able to help with a birth.
Good luck
Lynn
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Just a thought....perhaps if you know what religion he was born into you might be able to chase up a baptism.
The familytree.co.za site has Methodist records and has started putting Anglican records on as well. The family on the South African Rootsweb British immigrants mailing list might also be able to help with a birth.
Good luck
Lynn
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Hi Bronwyn,
Although it looks like I have been quiet, I have been digging the last few days! I can see that you have registered on the familytree site so you know the info that is there, as well as knowing the use of the archives and death notices.
There are only 3 Gaywoods in South Africa - 2 of whom are in my area, so will give them a call when I have time on the weekend - maybe they know something.
Ruth
Ps no Gaywoods on the latest burial disc
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Hi Ruth,
Thank you so much for looking and offering to give the 2 Gaywoods a call... I greatly appreciate it. I have come to a bit of a standstill on that side of the family, and have been looking through the British Isles Vital Records to see if I could find Harry's fathers birth or death certificates, as the family would of come from there at some stage, but no luck so far. Anyway, thanks again for you help.
Cheers
Bronwyn
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Hi Lyn,
The family was and still is, Roman Catholic. He was married in a Roman Catholic Church, and buried in a Roman Catholic Cemetry, so I assume he was baptised a Roman Catholic.... It might be worthwhile checking the Anglican records though.
Thanks.
Cheers
Bronwyn
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I have traced my long lost great uncle caleb edwin jesse irving to Cape Town. He was an engine driver there. He returns to his hometown Greenwich England in 1908. He went to South Africa in 1889. So that is why he was not on 1891 census /1901 census for england. But he must have got back on the boat in 1908-10 cos he is not on the 1911 england census. I wonder if there is a record of him getting married in South Africa and baptising his children he was C of E. Born 1871. And a death reg has never been found for him in England.
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There is a death record for a Caleb Irving age 54.
Greenwich Jan-Mar 1903 vol.1d. For some reason I cannot see the page number.
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I bought that death cert 15 years ago from Greenwich Register Office He was my great uncle Caleb Irving who died in jan 1903. It is his son Caleb Edwin Jesse Irving born 1871 who emigrated to South Africa in 1889 I have been looking for. I have found him on a ship passenger list docking at the Port Of London in 1908. But it seems a sad story cos Mrs Heather MacAlister has just sent me an email telling me he was i9n an institution down as a Lunatic from 1909 untill 1912. Never mind I suppose he came back home to Greenwich and either to see his mum cos he knew he was ill and wanted to say farewell mother. Or the Greenwich Union Workhouse sent him packing again back to the Cape. It is a bit of a mystery. God bless the poor man. But at least now I know what happened to him.
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I am pleased to have found this website. I have had many replies in just two days since joining two days ago. Thank you all for your replies Best Wishes John Dedman (Greenwich London England)
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I am searching for a family named Silva and wonder if anyone can help me locate them. In 1918 Reginald Eric Silva married my grandmother in St Pancras London. Max Silva (the father) attended the wedding and was residing at 175 Park Avenue. In 1919 a child - Melville Eric Silva de Shepstone- was born. Since then none of the male members of this group can be located in the UK. I don't know if there is a link with SA but Silva de Shepstone suggests there may be.
Maggimott
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You can try here:
http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm300dl
There are only "abstracts" of the actual items on file, but often this is insightful.
M
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Thank you very much for this link Gramler I will certainly follow it through. Maggimott
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Where did you get the SA from? SA could also stand for south australia? Derek.
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Hi Pampoen,
The SA came about because of the name Silva da Shepstone given to my maternal grandmother's first child. In Italian 'da' means 'from' as in Leonardo da Vinci (from the village of Vinci). We couldn't find any relatives with that name in the UK and the only place called Shepstone is in South Africa. At least that was our starting point.
Thank you for the alternative suggestion though as South Africa turned out to be a red herring!!
Maggimot