Hanchant in Pretoria

[DeanneandTony]

My great uncle - Walter Alfred Thomas Hanchant left Australia c 1902 bound for South Africa and the Boer War.  After the war he settled in SA and also took part in WWI.
His first marriage was to an Elizabeth Shelton (I believe that she had been previously married) and his second to a widow Mrs Gillespie.

Although I have had contact with 2 grandchildren they know little of their grandfather's life in South Africa - he died c 1942 - and I would love to know more about his life there.

He worked for the Pretoria Portland Cement company.

Deanne

[EmPea]

Hi Deanne

From the National Archives in Pretoria:

DEPOT     TAB                                                                   
SOURCE    MHG                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 0                                                                     
REFERENCE 3325/42                                                               
DESCRIPTION          HANCHANT, ALFRED WALTER THOMAS.                                       
STARTING  19420000                                                             
ENDING    19420000                                                             
REMARKS   SURVIVING SPOUSE ALETTA HENDRICA HANCHANT. (BORN VAN DER WESTHUIZEN).

DEPOT     TAB
SOURCE    MHG                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 0                                                                     
REFERENCE 69887                                                                 
DESCRIPTION          HANCHANT, ELIZABETH CATHERINE. BORN FRANCIS.                         
STARTING  19290000                                                             
ENDING    19290000                                                             
REMARKS   SURVIVING SPOUSE ALFRED WALTER THOMAS HANCHANT.

From the above it looks like his second wife was Aletta.  In the Archives there is also this reference:

DEPOT     TAB                                                                   
SOURCE    MHG                                                                   
VOLUME_NO 0                                                                     
REFERENCE 7005/57                                                               
DESCRIPTION          GILLESPIE, ETHEL MAY. BORN HANCHANT.                                 
STARTING  19570000                                                             
ENDING    19570000                                                             
REMARKS   SURVIVING SPOUSE JOHN WILLIAM GILLESPIE

which may suggest that one of his children married a Gillespie and not that he married a Gillespie.

You can google Pretoria Portland Cement and on their website you will find this timeline which may be of interest: http://www.ppc.co.za/ppc/view/ppc/en/page53

The best advice is to obtain copies of the documents in the Estate Files listed above.  The Death Notice will list all children and the Liquidation & Distribution Accounts will give you some insight into their standard of living.

Regards
Moira

[jorose]

Also from the NA Archives, there is a record for Shelton, James
surviving spouse Elizabeth Catrine Shelton (born Francis)
in 1908.

Here's a son of his who died in WWII:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=993979

[DeanneandTony]

Thanks very much JoRose and Moira - I'll look at those References.
When I first went to Pretoria in 1990, it was almost impossible to get to look at things and when I went back 10 years ago I just wasn't there for long enough.

With regards to Uncle Walter's second wife Aletta she was a Gillespie by marriage and his daughter Ethel married her son John - makes for some very complicated family ties!  The whole Gillespie clan has inter-family marriages through it and in 1990 I met one man who was related to me in about 7 different ways!

Can either of you tell me, when I apply for the document copies should I specify that I need them in English? My written Afrikaans is non existent even though I can understand the spoken.  Also what sort of costs are there do you know?

Deanne

[chat9]

Dear Deanne,

My great great grandmother was Elizabeth Catherine Francis, married to James Shelton who died: 13 April 1908 in Pretoria. Our family knew she remarried but we didn't know who she married. How wonderful to find a relative. Their son James Ernest Shelton B. 1903 was my great grandfather. Do you know anything about Elizabeth and your great uncle? Do you have any pictures or information regarding her family?

Thanking You

[DeanneandTony]

How wonderful!  Finally another relative!  I'll PM you and let you know what we have we unfortunately is very little!

Kind Regards

Deanne

[JKI01]

Hello
I think I have details on the Hanchetts

My great grand father john gillespie was married to Aletta hanchett
And it appears Elizabeth Catherine was the first wife

Any more you can shed on this line as to Walters line

[JKI01]

Deanne
Could you contact me as my mother was gillespie
And Ethel was my grandfathers sister

[DeanneandTony]

Have contacted you via PM
Deanne