Saturday 26 December 2015

Sarah - what a brave one.

Settler women, if not Sarah, then she would have known them
Sarah Newman was born in Wiltshire on the 28th September 1794.

Sarah married Robert Rogers in 1817. This sealed her fate into coming to a wild land and living a stressful life. 

She had two daughter before leaving England, One named Jessica and the other named Emma. When they left England on the Weymouth on the 7th of January 1820 she was a mother of a 4 year old and a 1 year old. By the time she reached the Cape on the 25th of April she had lost a daughter. The baby did not survive the harsh trip from England to the Cape colony. The baby died on the 10th of February. I don't know what was going on board the boat but during a two week period a whole lot of children died.



Sarah eventually got off the ship in Algoa bay, Port Elizabeth to everyone that doesn't live there, on the 15th of May 1820. Can you imagine sailing for 4 months and 1 week, watching so many people dying on the way. At which point did she realize that this may not have been such a great idea.

She seems to have got over it soon enough as 2 month later she had conceived her next child. I think at this point she had lost her mind a bit as she named her new child Emma. Thank goodness she had a girl. A boy would have had to grow up tough with a name like that.

Over the next few years she had 4 more daughters. A far as I can see these all went forth and reproduced. There seems to be a plethora of individuals that share dear Sarah's DNA. The thing is that only producing girls does tend to lose the advantage of having an easy surname to follow. Though in this case every one seems to have named their daughters Emma or Mary. Chances are if you are currently named Emma, be wary you may be a Sarah carrier.

Sarah and Robert pottered about the Eastern Cape, creating babies every two to 3 years until about 1833. This may or may not be a coincidence, but, they marry off their oldest, now aged 16 to Jacob 
Trollip. Jacob is a mature 25 year old. Well by the end of the year they have made Sarah into a grandmother and poor Rob stops having his own babies to bounce on his knee.

Before Christmas in 1834 (22nd), Sarah experiences loss once more. Her husband is slaughtered by the locals. Now what is a girl to do. She now is a mother of 5 girls ranging from about 2 to 13 years old. She is living in the wildest part of the Eastern Cape. This must have been a devastating blow to the family.

The next blow to Sarah is the news that her eldest daughter was killed on the 14th of May 1835. This is now both Christmas and Easter messed up! Her grand daughter, Esther is younger than one and a half and only has a father. The worst part, is that her mother died protecting her father. What a silly Trollip! She get a step-mother when she is 6 years old. This lady is named Margaret, she is 3 years older than her father and will only be around for another 12 years. 

Hopefully Sarah and Esther saw each other.  Two years later we have a wedding. The wedding is held in Grahamstown, Albany. So I think they have moved off their farm and back into town.  The person getting married is not Sarah but rather her 15 year old daughter Emma. The thing is as far as I can see, Emma (15) marries a man who is 41. Surely he should have married Sarah and taken on the children. Sarah at this point would have been 43. I supposed when faced with a dilemma of just to old or just too young, we all know where the pendulum will swing. James Welch is my great 
XX grandfather so thanks to him, I have my genes. 

Sarah had another wedding to go to. Elizabeth born in 1823 married 1844 (21) Grahamstown. She married John Brooks, fresh from England. They had 8 children with the first being born in 1850. Here husband reached the age of 91 which implies that they did not have such a hard life.

I found a sad little side note in the archives. 
First we have the fact that Sarah has a Memorial for Robert. It has taken her 5 years to get this done. She now asks to get to Roberts' burial site to lay down this commemoration. Being a widow she has learned to be cheeky and asks for free passage to where she thinks her husband is.

DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    LG                                                                    
TYPE      LEER                                                                  
VOLUME_NO 532                                                                   
SYSTEM    01                                                                    
REFERENCE 634                                                                   
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          MEMORIALS RECEIVED ORDINARY. S ROGERS. REQUEST FOR FREE PASSAGE FROM  
           PORT ELIZABETH TO TABLE BAY.                                         
STARTING  18390000                                                              

ENDING    18390000

She spends three years looking for the body and then in 1842 she asks for help.  I will need to ask for this to see what the whole story is.                                                                                                                                                                                                          


James and Emma only made Sarah a grandmother again in 1846 when she was 52. Emma eventually had 4 children, 2 husbands and lived until she was 88. 

According to the South African Commercial Advertiser  Mrs Rogers died on the 20th of July 1847. They said she was a widow which is correct but then said she was aged 58 , not so correct. She would have been 53 at the time.  This may be her or the National archives have a record where Sarah dies in 1887. This would make her 95.  That would be nice but highly unlikely, it is more likely that is her daughter that was born in 1926. This would make her 61.  Sarah does not seem to be married and produced no children. This is far better a match.

Her youngest two, Mary Ann and Maria were both  married and both produced a child.

Sarah did South Africa proud. In just one leg of her family I know that we have gone forth and made genetic spreaders.

All hail Sarah!

Please leave a comment if you like Sarah, she could be yours or someone you knows ancestor!



Friday 25 December 2015

James find his party

 The WILKINSON's Party, sailed in the privately chartered Amphitrite.  This ship was built in 1817.It sailed to the cape in 1819 and Arrived on  the 19th March 1820.. It then took up transporting prisoners to Australia, where it was caught in a storm and wrecked in 1833 .



The book lists a Michael Welsh but in all of the correspondence James Welch is referred to,



WILKINSON, Rev. Thomas (father of George WILKINSON, 1820 Settler)
Written by Sue Mackay.

National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 416

RectoryBulvan near Orsett

Essex

1st Sept 1819

Sir

I called at the office last week with the enclosed letter from Lord KENYON but had not the good fortune to meet either with Lord BATHURST or yourself. I therefore now enclose his Lordship's letter.

My object is to get out one of my sons to the Cape. He is well calculated for the purpose being young, possessed of a strong constitution & much perseverance. Neither is he by any means unacquainted with Agriculture for his age. But I have been informed that the applications are very numerous, so much so that all cannot be accommodated, & the rest will be very much crowded. On [obscured] accounts a party going from this neighbourhood would sail at their own [expence] if Government wd make them a compensation in land allowing them at the same time the other privileges [offered] to the other settlers. It would also be desirable that their allotments [obscured] when they could add more land contiguous to the same, as 100 acres though [sufficient] to begin with will not be sufficient for a permanent establishment.

Another inquiry I take the liberty of making is whether any settlement cld be made in the neighbourhood of Saldanha Bay, which as a [obscured] station is far preferable to Algoa Bay & is protected from every wind, & might at a small expence be fortified from any attack by sea. The old objection of want of water then turns out erroneous and by the new practice of boring is completely removed. Even here when labor is so high, it costs 15£ only to go 120 foot, & excepting an iron pipe of 6 feet length labor is the only expence.

Perhaps as land is plentiful 3 or 400 acres might be allotted to those who go out at their own expence with [page cut] to each labourer they may take out [with] them, the plan of this party being to take each one laborer or mechanic. Being of course much interested in this matter I could come up to town & wait on you Sir or his Lordship personally if you think it convenient or necessary.

I remain

Your hble svt

Thomas WILKINSON

[Notes for GOULBURN's reply]

I have received & laid before Lord B the letter which you did me the honor of addressing to me on the 1st inst & am directed to acquaint you in reply that although he has every disposition to forward the object of your wishes yet that he considers the plan of assigning larger grants of land to persons who proceed to the Cape at their own expence liable to serious objection. If however your son is disposed to proceed with settlers to the Cape & will specify the number whom he proposes to convey Lord B will readily take into consideration whether some arrangement may not be made for permitting them to [receive] their own passage recovery on his arrival at the Cape the sum which the Govt would have expended in providing them with tonnage.

[Enclosed letter]

Gredington

Aug 25, 1819

My dear Lord

My worthy friend the Revd Mr WILKINSON of Bulvan in Essex desires me to introduce to your Lordships favourable attention the name of his son who wishes to go out to the Cape as a settler. Having for some years had the gratification of an intimate acquaintance with Mr W, whom I highly respect, I can not but anxiously wish him [all] success.

Believe me my dear Lord, with sincere respect from your Lordships obliged & faithful servt

KENYON

My excellent Diocesan of Chester has recommended another distinction to the clergyman in whose behalf I addressed your Lordship lately.



National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 453

Bulvan Rectory near Orsett

17 Sept 1819

Sir

I called on Tuesday at the office to inquire if there were any answer to mine of the 26th ult inclosing a letter from Lord KENYON to Lord BATHURST. I was informed that the applications would receive their answers on 1st Nov. but that there was no reply to my application respecting parties going out at their own expence, & Mr PAYNE advised me to repeat that application, which I now do.

I take the liberty then Sir, of requesting to know what advantage would be given to those who went out at their own expence. In the first place it is obvious that there would be no occasion for the deposit of 10£ as their sailing at their own expence both insures their going out & their being possessed of pecuniary resources to a certain [extent]. As the party whose names I have inclosed would save Governmt, by going out at their own expence, at least 200£ & thus make room for others. They [hope] that some compensation would be made them in a way very easy indeed not in quantity of land, & that they should be reperated, as they would, if they receive a favorable answer, buy for the joint use a movable threshing* machine, corn mill & especially boring instruments, which are now used in this neighbourhood with great success, [producing] water at 120 foot depths for 2/2d labor per day. One of the party will learn the use of the instruments which are exceedingly simple soon as your determination is known.

As they are all agriculturists & as my son is to form one of the party so going out, instead of Mr BAILEYs, I take the liberty of carrying on this correspondence for them. You will perceive from the list inclosed that their plans are well laid. They have all held or managed farms. Mr MORTONs father was steward for Lord PETRE'S Estates, part of which is in this Parish. He afterwards assisted his father in a farm at Fyfield near Ongar, & I have a very good account of him from the Clergyman there. Their ages range between 20 & 35.

It will be obvious, I am sure to you, that 100 acres is too small a quantity for a farm at the Cape, & if the occupier has his portion hedged in by his neighbours if he hereafter procures more, it must be at a distance from his first settlement whilst on the other hand the three miles allowed by the Dutch Government were as much in the opposite extreme. If each party be allowed to select a spot at any appointed Bay, & no party allowed to settle near them [for] the distance of 5 or 8 miles for a given number of years, the distance varying according to the number of the settlers, perhaps the objections above made would be provided agst [against]. I have taken the liberty of suggesting as above from having seen a letter of Mr PITTs in answer to some suggestion made to him & apologizing for so doing, in which he said such suggestion was at all times most acceptable to him for he had not Leisure to turn his attention to particular objects as those who were solely occupied in those objects could more easily do. An early answer would be a particular favor to us.

Your obdt srvt

Thomas WILKINSON

*The present practice is the dirty mode of treading out by oxen. No laborer at the Cape will thresh



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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 483

Rectory Bulvan

27 Sept 1819

Sir

Having heard nothing to the contrary I presume there is no objection to the party whose names & descriptions I [disclosed] on the 17th. There is a vessel, The Garland, Capt Brown which sails Oct 14 by which they are all prepared to go, if there be no objection on the part of Government, and as it will be necessary for them to produce to the Governor some documents in proof of their coming with Earl BATHURST's approbation I take the liberty of applying to you now on that point. They have engaged an additional Sawyer & wish to procure a collar maker & blacksmith provided there be no objection. The men they have already procured are in the prime of life & excepting the carpenter brought up from their childhood as working labourers. If you choose to [meet] the principals Mr MORTON & my son will wait upon you at the office any day you should appoint.

I have the honor to be

Yr obdt hbl svt

Thomas WILKINSON

Be so good as to inform Mr CHAPMAN that at a neighbouring farm water has [just] been procured at 170 feet which seems [obscured] by the mode I mentioned to him & we intend introducing at the Cape. A line directed to Barnards Inn Coffee House Holborn will find me there the three last [days] of this week.



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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 519

Rectory Bulvan near Orsett

7th Octr 1819

Sir

I have herewith inclosed an accurate list of the party intending to go out to the Cape in a private ship as already explained & respectfully request that you will have the goodness to inform us of the documents which must be taken with them to satisfy Lord SOMERSET that they come with the approbation of this Government & are therefore entitled to the specified quantity of land. It will also be esteemed a great favor, if those documents be speedily prepared as they hope to sail by Oct 20th.

Your obliged humble servt

Thomas WILKINSON

The sealed paper is on a different subject.

please to turn over
As the party have been fortunate enough to engage a ship which will take them to any part of the Coast, it would be of advantage & a saving of considerable expence if they could have the place [plan] of landing assigned before they sail and if they might be permitted to they would prefer Saldanha Bay.
Mr W will be in London at Barnard's Coffee House Holborn the beginning of next week where an answer is requested to be sent, if not sent before that time.
[Enclosed list]
Principals, age, occupation
John MORTON, 28, Farmer
George WILKINSON, 20, Farmer
Richard SATCHWELL, 21, Farmer
Peter GAUGAIN, 31, Silversmith*
John ANDERSON, 30, Farmer
Stephen ALGAR, 26, Farmer
Robert KING, 28, Farmer
John CLEAVER, 28, Soapmaker
Joseph CLEAVER, 24, Soapmaker
James SMITH, 37, Carpenter
Mary Anne SMITH, 25, his wife
Sarah Fish SMITH, 8, his child
James SMITH, 3, his child
Sophia SMITH, 2, his child
Labourers
Charles CLACEY, 29, Carpenter
James NEAL, 26, Carpenter
Edward REGAN, 21, Carpenter
James CANNON, 28, Carpenter
James LAY, 26, farming labourer
Charlotte LAY, 21, his wife & 2 children
William BULLOCK, 30, Collar maker**
Mary BULLOCK, 26, his wife & two children
John ASTHORP, 30, Carpenter
Ann ASTHORP, 27, his wife
Thomas ASTHORP, 10, his son
John HARRIS, 26, farming labourer
James WELCH, 26, farming labourer
Edward FLETCHER, 27, farming labourer
James JENKINS, 28, farming labourer
Charles JENKINS, 25, farming labourer
Joseph JENKINS, 22, farming labourer
George TUCKER, 26, farming labourer
John SORRELL, 38, farming labourer
In all

Men principals 10, 1 wife & 3 children
Servants 15, 3 wives & 5 children
Total - Men 25, Wives 4, children 8
----------------------------------------------------~~~~~~~~~~~---------------------------------------------------- National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 37

[Transcriber's Note}

* The man listed here as Peter GAUGAIN was actually Philip John GAUGAIN, who had originally applied to take out a party which included George WILKINSON and John MORTON (see CO48/43)

** William and Mary BULLOCK are not listed in The Settler Handbook but they did go to the Cape, as this is mentioned in letters from William's mother and brother in 1823 (see CO48/61)
----------------------------------------------------~~~~~~~~~~~----------------------------------------------------
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 551

[Undated, probably late October 1819]

Sir

Understanding that it is your wish I should name a sum for the conveyance of our party to the Cape, I beg leave to say that we shall be satisfied with the repayment of twelve pounds per head although we have already contracted at a larger sum for the steerage, & still more for the cabin passengers. I have inclosed the list as it stands at present but it is every day varying. Therefore I promise on Honor to give in an exact list of those who shall sail from Gravesend countersigned by any officer of the Customs there or other you may appoint. Being acquainted with both the Col & the Major of [blurred] I would request either to [countersign] the same if you thought proper.

Let me intreat dispatch on these terms as the ship is engaged to [obscured] Gravesend next week.
Yr obt hle svt
Thomas WILKINSON
N.B. we have agreed with our party that the 3 children should pass as one as to payment.
Principals
Messrs MORTON, 28, Farmer
WILKINSON, 20, Farmer
GAUGAIN, 31, Farmer
SATCHWELL, 21, Farmer
SMITH, 37, Carpenter
wife, 25, 3 children & boy all young
J. CLEAVER, 28, Grower of [tropical] plants
HARRIS, 26, ditto
Jo CLEAVER, 24, ditto
Labourers
Ch CLACEY, 29
James NEALE, 25
J. OAKES, 21
FLETCHER, 29
WELCH, 25
& 2 boys servants to Messrs CLEAVER
James JENKINS, 28
Chs JENKINS, 24
Joseph JENKINS, 20
John JENKINS, 18
James CANNON, 26
George TUCKER, 25
19 men
1 woman
3 boys
3 children
26 in all
----------------------------------------------~~~-----------------------------------------

National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 579

Rectory Bulvan

Essex

12 Nov 1819

Sir

After returning you my sincere thanks for the attention paid to my former letters permit me to make another request which I hope under present circumstances will be deemed trifling.

Your liberal conduct towards the party conducted by Mr MORTON & my son has enabled them to add five more labourers to their list, a gardener, a blacksmith & three common hands, & all they request is to have land for them as for the rest. If for this purpose any further order be necessary beyond what you have already sent I hope it will be intruding too much if I should beg of you to send it per post directed to Messrs MORTON, WILKINSON & Co on board the Amphitrite off Gravesend.
After many delays she leaves dock this evening, will be at Gravesend tomorrow & sail on Monday [late] or Tuesday.
As a very considerable party belonging to Mr LEIGH* will probably locate near them I hope soon to be enabled to request the appointment of a clergyman.
Your much obliged & very humble servt

Thomas WILKINSON

[note from GOULBURN across second page]
Acquaint him that it will be too late to allow the [illegible] to be given to the Governor but that a further memorandum will be made to him by an early opportunity

* [Transcriber's Note: See the correspondence of John LEIGH in CO48/44]

Rogers Getting to the Cape of Good hope

Here is some interesting reading. This is the correspondence leading up to and the final list of people coming to the Cape. I have added them with the most interesting thing first and then the letters in which they dither back and forth. Our family are the Rogers. Here is another interesting link It is the whole book of all of the settlers. It is fun to page through.



RETURN of SETTLERS proceeding to the CAPE OF GOOD HOPE under the Direction of Mr. Samuel WATSONJAMES of Westbury, Wilts.
Total Number of the Men12
Total Number of the Women8
Total Number of Persons above Fourteen Years of Age1
Total Number of Children under Fourteen Years of Age18
Total Number of the Whole Party39
Total Amount of Deposit Money for the Whole Party£137:10

Names of the Men
Their
Age
Profession or TradeNames of the Women
Their
Age 
Names of the
Male Children
Their
Age
Names of the
Female Children
Their
Age
Deposit Money
payable by the
respective settlers
Samuel WATSON37FarmerPhoebe WATSON36Charles WATSON15Elizabeth WATSON13£20
Thomas WATSON5Sarah WATSON1
John WATSON3
Samuel JAMES31 Carpenter Elizabeth JAMES 33Edward JAMESEliza JAMES
Stephen JAMES12:10 
Robert ROGERS25 Carpenter Sarah ROGERS26 Rebecca ROGERS
Emma ROGERS10
Charles MAIDMENT24CarpenterEsther MAIDMENT2010
John WATTS34Carpenter & Millwright10
Robert MERRETT26Blacksmith10
Thomas LANHAM27Plaisterer & Mason10
Phillip HOBBS26GardenerCharity HOBBS25Daniel HOBBS3Sarah HOBBS110
John MASON32LabourerJane MASON34James MASON10Eliza MASON4
Charles MASON7Sarah MASON215
Samuel WARD25LabourerJane WARD25Alfred WARD1Louisa WARD310
Richard TOWNSEND29LabourerNaomi TOWNSEND25James TOWNSEND110
Samuel BOURNE35Labourer10
£137:10

Here is the correspondence.

1820 Settler Correspondence before emigration

ALL the 1819 correspondence from CO48/41 through CO48/46 has been transcribed whether or not the writers emigrated to the Cape. Those written by people who did become settlers, as listed in "The Settler Handbook" by M.D. Nash (Chameleon Press 1987), are labelled 1820 Settler and the names of actual settlers in the text appear in red.
JAMES, Samuel, 1820 Settler
Written by Sue Mackay .

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 102

----------------------------------------------------------~~~//~~~-------------------------------------------------


Westbury

Wiltshire

August 31 1819

My Lord,

Thos. LANHAM of this place having received a circular letter from your office specifying the conditions on which his Majestys government take emigrants to the Cape of Good Hop, I take the Liberty to inform you that I've engaged ten families to go to that Colony & the money will be redy to be Deposited in the hands of government as soon as I hear from you whether we can be accepted

Your answer as soon as convenient will oblige

Your Obd. Humble Servant

Samuel JAMES



----------------------------------------------------------~~~//~~~-------------------------------------------------



National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 130

Westbury

October 26 1819

Sir,

Your last came to hand stating the amt. of money which would be nesasary to send you. Amting to £137:10:0 which the parish of Westbury has in contemplation of making up some of the amt for those who is not able to pay their own way which is to be settled on Sunday next, but since the first of our application our foreman Mr.WATSON with three or four of the others has Rinag'd but should it meet with your approbation I will ingage to fill up Mr.WATSON's station as foreman & also get the compliment to fill up those who has left. Your answer to the above will greatly oblige your obed. Serv't.

Sam'l JAMES

NB Please to Say the Day when the money must be sent & also when it will be nessasary for us to come to London or where we embark.



----------------------------------------------------------~~~//~~~-------------------------------------------------



National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 142

Westbury

November 8 1819

My Lord,

In compliance to your Directions stated in a Letter to Mr. Steph'n BROWN of the third Inst. inclosed you have here the Report desired and the money will be remitted in the course of the Present week and when you will be kind enough to write to say on what Day the Partie must be in London and at what Place as it shall be duly attended to

I am my Lord your ob'd serv't

Samuel JAMES



----------------------------------------------------------~~~//~~~-------------------------------------------------


National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 147

Westbury

December 20

Sir,

I have been to Portsmouth with my Partie and stating the surcumstance of my wife being just put to Bed with 2 children – to Mr.CHEESMAN he advised me to write to you thinking you would see it nessasary to allow the wife and children something more and this you will please to way over in your mind & Do the Best you Can for me.

I am your obd. Servt.

Samuel JAMES



----------------------------------------------------------~~~//~~~-------------------------------------------------



National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 152

Gosport

26 Dec 1819

My Lord,

In Apply to John HOPKINS letter dated 22nd instant from Mr. GOULBURN acceptances of him and his wife and family in the substituted of William WATTS and family By my Recomention I therefore strongly recommend him as a usefull an fit man for this Emigration to the Cape of Good Hope. I also state that Richard TOWNSEND and family is not coming but in substituted for them this Gentleman of Westbury have sent up Thomas LANHAM Plaster & Tiler aged 30 his wife aged 24 and children aged 2? Also Richard HINTON Blacksmith aged 34 his wife aged 33 their daughter Rebecca 10 George their son age age 7 Linard their Daur [sic] aged 3 years Jane their Daughter 6 months all waiting now at Portsmouth for your Lordship's approbabtion upon the Busness By the Returns of Post if your Lordship think proper.

I am my Lord your Lordships humble servant

Samuel JAMES

[postscript] My Lord I rote a Letter to Mr. GOULBURN requesting a Extra allowance for my two Invent Children but have had no answer as yet. I therefore Relay on your Lordships Goodness for the same. I have inclos'd the list for attention if your Lordship think proper



----------------------------------------------------------~~~//~~~-------------------------------------------------



National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 156

Portsmouth Harbour on board the Weymouth Store Ship

27 Dec 1819

My Lord,

I beg leve to state that I promised to give you the neams of my two sons yesterday. I am very sorey I should be so trubelsome, the neam of the First is Samuel William JAMES and the other Thomas JAMES they are three weeks old yesterday & are very likely to live. But the worst is the Mother have not any Milk to suckle them which is a deal more trubel to express. I also strongly recmd. Thomas LANHAM in the place of Richard TOWNSEND, Being a very usfull to good workman. Also Richard HINTON Blacksmith if you have a vacance in any Party as they are in Gosport awaiting your reply.

I am your ob'd humble servant

Sam'l JAMES

Head of the Westbury Party



----------------------------------------------------------~~~//~~~-------------------------------------------------



National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 160

From on board HMS Weymouth

Dec 30th 1819

Sir,

You will find enclosed a correct list of persons proceeding under my direction to the Cape of Good Hope on receiving this I hope you will lose no time in remitting the nessary order for my future [page torn off]

Believe me Sir your obedient servant

Samuel JAMES

Thursday 24 December 2015

Georgina, Bertha, Patricia and the yellow diamond


Pat on bike, Jack standing , Bertha on bumper and another chap.
 Georgina married Alfred Markham. We know this as they were divorced in 1925.Georgina was only 20 when she divorced him. Patricia was born on the 25th of February 1923 at which point Georgina was barely 18.   I wonder what he did that made her be so brave and actually get rid of him and face bringing up her daughter by herself. 


I have a feeling that she moved back home. Every picture that I have seen of Pat growing up has Bertha in it. Bertha is normally holding her for the photo. Was this due to Bertha being a bossy person or was poor Georgina made to suffer due to getting divorced. This is quite a joke seeing as both of her parents married each other with spare partners in the wings.

Georgina only got married again when she was 30 and Patricia was 12. At this point Bertha had been paying for Patricia's education for 6 years. Patricia went to St Alban's in Pretoria.  I am sure she was a boarder as the family lived in Johannesburg. Patricia always had a certain polish about her. It is sad to think that Georgina was not allowed to have her child with her. In all the things that Bertha did in her life you have to ask whether paying school fees cancels out the badness of taking a child away from her mother.
Rose on Jessie's lap, Max on Bertha and either Pat or Georgina behind

Bertha got married to Jack Wolff . Jack was 20 years older than Bertha and an excessively nice person. I think this is how he was able to put up with Bertha's bossiness. Jack was an old fashioned transporter. He would transport goods all over the show. One of the places he took goods was the diamond mine in Kimberley. The story goes that one evening when he was sleeping at Kimberly, he had a dream of a diamond in the dirt outside his tent. In the morning as he climbed out of his tent there it was. A great whopping yellow diamond. This he took, had it polished and presented to Bertha. This little bauble was always on her finger and almost her personal talisman.

In 1945 Victor, Bertha's oldest brother died of pneumonia. He left behind a sweet in ineffectual wife and two small children. It would seem that Bertha took over the situation and took in the whole family. Poor Jessie only lasted another 2 years and then went and joined her husband. Rosemary was 12 and Max was 10. These two stayed with Bertha and Jack for the next ten years. There was the impression that this was done with an unkind heart and great resentment. In the time that Bertha was paying for Patricia's expensive education, she would not allow Rosemary to finish school, but rather sent her out to work as soon as she could. If this story was told in England, there would be snow and half gloves.

Bertha dies many years later and once again the Yellow diamond becomes the indicator of who she loved the most. I wonder who has the ring now. That is the tale of a yellow diamond and how it was used right until the end to show favoritism.

Hope you have an amazing day!

Please leave a comment so I know that you have seen this.

Kathy and Manie

Here is our tree. Full of those people things that are not very original with names.

Have a happy day.

Family tree - Crone

This is what I have been busy doing. It looks quite cool.
Hope you enjoy.

Investigations

The way that I have achieved so much of my information that I am using is by looking at the national archive. The national archives keep all bits of legal data that pass through our hands. I have found death notices for so many of the people that I have been interested in. I found a notice for the first James Welch that arrived here in 1821. I put in a request for the data and was told that the document was too old and had been withdrawn. I have now put in a request for this document to be photographed by the genealogical society. It is really is horrid to think of all of the rich and textured history we have in this country being squandered due to people not caring at all. I did a phone call to the farm where our great grand mother grew up and asked for family photo graphs. I am living in hope that I will receive a few. 

On the good side, I have yet another photo of Emma Rogers. She was quite a pretty girl. It is always nice to see.



Hope you all are having a wonderful day!

Saturday 19 December 2015

Welch - Holiday

The whole family went to visit Durban, which makes sense if you think that their grandmother lives there.














Welch - Farm

I have not been able to find this farms name as yet. Here are some fun pictures of the life let there.























Just a little bit of fixing and it will be a fine motor