Ancestors death in South Africa

[AlasdairGTW]

Hello,
I have just found a death notice for my Great grandmother's brother Alfred Gretton in Reitfontein, Gauteng (I assume this might be the district within Pretoria) to me the document reads at "Chronic Sick Home" on the 7th October 1907.

I assume he stayed in SA after serving through the 2nd Boer war.
How might I go about finding the cause of death or any other information on him being there from the end of the war until the time of his death?.

Kind regards

Al.

[hanes teulu]

South African Records (NAAIRS)   http://www.national.archives.gov.za

Click on link and select "Search National Automated ...."
Click on "TAB"
Enter gretton in "Search words"and hit "Search"
Click on "Saved Queries"
Click on Gretton in "Query text"

Should see 2 references to a "Gretton Alfred" - click on to view.
Possibility?

NAAIRS documents aren't available on line - you have to request them. For help check out [Home], [NARS], [NAAIRS], [NAAIRS HELP]

[AlasdairGTW]

That's excellent thanks, I did visit the archives already however I must have Been doing something wrong as I couldn't find anything, it's not the easiest site to navigate so your walk through is much appreciated.

Thanks again.

AL

[hanes teulu]

it's not the easiest site to navigate ....

AL

Agreed.
Under "Type", the records show "Leer" which = "Correspondence file"
I checked out a couple of other sites within NAAIRS - there's a possible entry under "RSA All Archives Repositories ....".
 

[TreeSpirit]

I assume he stayed in SA after serving through the 2nd Boer war.

1 - An "A Gretton" b abt 1874 immigrates in 1898 from the UK to SA (Note: the second Boer War took place between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902)
2 - I cannot find an "A Gretton" or "Alfred Gretton" among the active participants of the Boer War .

Question: Where did you find that Alfred served in the 2nd Boer War?

[AlasdairGTW]

I have a copy of his service papers, an uncle of mine still has at least one of his medals, his service number is 5659, Alfred served with the Highland light infantry.

[TreeSpirit]

Interesting how he seems to be missing from some of the major Boer War listings.

Initially I can see a Private Alfred Gretton, HLI who was a witness in England in Sep 1895 regarding a fire on the Iona. That would fit with the 1895 enlistment year for Alfred Gretton HLI/5659 b abt 1877 (versus an 1875 birth date according to the 1907 probate).

Eventually I can find him in SA via the Highland Light Infantry Chronicle
1 - In the April 1902 edition: he is definitely in SA where he is the goalie in a football match in Aliwal North (on the Orange River, Eastern Cape Province)
2 - In the  July-October 1902 edition: In August 1902 Private A Gretton was transfered to A.R
I’m wondering whether this might have led him to join the SA police:
DEPOT     TAB                                                                   
SOURCE    SAC                                                                   
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
VOLUME_NO 87                                                                   
SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE H2215                                                                 
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION   RECORD OF CONDUCT AND SERVICE OF SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTABULARY. ALFRED GRETTON.
STARTING  1904                                                                 
ENDING    1906 

[AlasdairGTW]

Yes that was him on the Iona, he was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1876, the Iona was leaving there at the time of the fire and was heading for England.

He also served during the occupation of Crete in 1898 before the Boer war.

His father Joseph Gretton was a police Constable/Sergeant in Edinburgh at the time so the record you suggested could well be him.

[shirl27]

Hi Alasdair

The Rietfontein Sick Home also known as the Rietfontein Lazaretto (Tropical Diseases Hospital) is situated in the Linksfield area of Johannesburg. Sadly there is much controversy over the site at present: http://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/grave-story-rietfontein-sizwe-hospital https://www.sajr.co.za/news-and-articles/2018/03/08/the-grave-truth-behind-the-proposed-sizwe-housing-scheme)

I had a quick look through the Johannesburg Civil registration - Death records on Familysearch which are unfortunately not indexed but managed to find Alfred Gretton's Information of Death and it It appears that he was buried at Rietfontein. You can find a copy of the document here:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91P-2QQ8-1?i=1840&cat=591980



Best wishes, Shirley