East Cape Chronicles

February
We look at the life of General Louis Botha and the Socio-Political climate of 1914 and the people involved in the Afrikaner Rebelie. The South African army‘s involvement in the German South West Africa campaign. There's an interesting view by one of our members, Donovan Penaluna, on ‘Collaborative Genealogy', ie the advantages and disadvantages of sharing ones family tree information on the internet.

May
The background story of the children book: Jock of the Bushveld. The life and exploits of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick researched. John Paterson, the founder of South Africa's oldest newspaper and promoter of the founding of Standard Bank. Author Ian Uys gives us an account of the lighter side of the bloody war of Delville Wood. Our Guest speaker, Harold Lancaster, gave us a talk on the Lancaster name in English history. Meet our member, Peter Cowan. William Alcock, a Mayor of Walmer, owned the first car in Port Elizabeth.

August
Stories of the people of Lower Albany: The founding movers and shakers of Port Alfred and its environs. The endeavours of William Cock in creating a harbour in the mouth of the Kowie River at Port Alfred; of George Pauling who built the railway line from Port Alfred to Grahamstown; of Henry Putt, the general manager of the Railways; and the five men who established the Royal Port Alfred Golf Course. Also, the story of the re-housing of our library and photograph.

November
Over the past year our branch has been addressed by very good speakers. At our annual Les Williams Memorial Lecture our keynote speaker was Ian Uys who spoke of his Voortrekker Uys ancestors. Maureen Heath spoke to us of her research to the Shetland Islands while Grizel Hart spoke of her husband's side of Robert Hart's descendants. Basil Hawtrey spoke of the Hawtrey Room at Chequers, the British Prime Minister's Country home. In a well research and documented talk Billy Rowan spoke of his progenitor William Brown Rowan. Another talk was by Ken Garvie on an introduction to Genetic Genealogy.

Index of names 2015 Articles

February
The Scots have had a significant influence on the world in general and South Africa in particular. Articles on: Golf (Bobby Lock & Gary Player); Literary (Robbie Burns & Sir Walter Scott), Thomas Pringle and the Pringle Family; Steam Engineering (James Watt & George Stephenson) and the Railways in South Africa. Road and Civil Engineering (John McAdam & Thomas Telford) and our Colossus of Roads: Andrew Geddes Bain and his son Thomas Charles John Bain. Religion John Knox, George Thom and Andrew Murray and his sons and daughters. There is also a story on Dr John Philip and his son-in-law John Fairbairn. TV and Radio (Alexander Graham Bell) and our Edward Alfred Jennings.

May
We record the influence of the Huguenots on South Africa. To appreciate their long struggle they had to endure we look at the era in which they lived their daily life: From Kings, to Reformers, to Endurance, to their Future at the Cape. We carry stories on the families of: Francois Villion, Hercules du Preez, Charles Marais, Pierre Joubert and Francois du Toit.

August
Us South Africans: The Cowley family by Gavin Cowley; Our Portuguese Community by John Vieira; Albert Charles Isaac Wheeler by Cheryl Vermaak; The Gouws Family by Peter Gouws; Sir Rufane Donkin by Sarel de Wet; The making of the War Horse by Hilary Barnes and the Huguenot family of Barend Burger. Their first generations are listed.

November
Just over 100 years have passed since The Great War and we look at the circumstances leading up to the conflict. At our Les Williams Memorial Lecture Prof Otto Terblanche spoke on the Kohler Family. Our members, Rose Trehaeven and Liz Eshmade spoke at our October meeting on Thelma Kohler(Period clothing displayed at the NMMM Museum) and The Fishing Fleet (the girls who sailed to India to get husbands) respectively

February, 2012
The series "The Power of One" is continued in this issue, Wolraad Woltemade's act of bravery is discussed in this edition. There are some notes on the Melvill and Aspeling Families and interesting stories of recipients of the Victoria Cross are related. There were 143 VC awards to people that were born, lived, died or fought in South Africa.

May, 2012
In this our 100th Newsletter we repeat some of the articles from our very first news letter. Topics covered - James Langley Dalton VC. “Die Peter van “Petersburg” Anyone heard of this town? The STRUBEN family and their German heritage,as well as his wife's Dutch ancestry.

August, 2012
From the Platteland to the Highlands, with a detour through the lowlands of the Netherlands, Cheryl Vermaak takes us on the rollercoaster journey of the family history researcher with a family legend to solve. Also of interest are articles on the Dickens Medal by Tiaan Jacobs, historical pharmacology by Ian Wiseman, and inter-racial genealogy by Walter Renze. All in all one of the most interesting issues yet.

November, 2012
In this issue we explore Grahamstown and it's surrounds. Stories from the First Frontier War to Colonel John Graham and many others. To WH Matthews a schoolmaster at Salem, The Sixth Frontier War, James Henry Greathead, progenitor of the Underground Railway in London, Sir Basil Schonland a botanist and founder of Rhodes University, Prof JLB Smith, William Smith, George Cory, Benjamin Norden and the Islands of Algoa Bay. An interest read with many facts from bygone days.

February
The story of Jeremiah Goldswain who wrote of the Settler country in his unique phonetical manner. An interesting story of Harold and Rosemary Burnett and their family. Anders Stockenström, the father of Sir Andries Stockenström. Extracts from the memoirs of Archdeacon AT Wirgman.

May
“What a clan” – the other Schreiners record the siblings of Olive Schreiner's siblings; Gottlob and Rebecca Schreiner's family tree included. Immigrants from the island of St Helena. The story of James and Rhoda Collett including their family tree. A tribute to two of our members: Rose Trehaeven and Liz Eshmade.

August
We record the life and times of the three interlinked families of Henry Lovemore; Lieut. Joseph Crowe and his sons Joseph Crowe VC and Thomas Crowe; and Joseph Storr Lister. Also the story of Dr George Dunsterville.

November
At our Les Williams Memorial Lecture our Guest Speaker was Liz Eshmade who spoke on the 1820 Settlers: The Scheme and the ordinary people. The Cawood family is listed as well as the McNaughton History.

February, 2011
This issue is dedicated to our German ancestry with stories of the Legionnaires recruitment, their new environment and ultimate recruitment for active duty in the Indian Mutiny. The life and times of Michael and Dorothea Peinke and their children. The story of the leader of the German legionnaire scheme, Baron von Stutterheim. Op ons Duitse voorouers se voetspore deur on lid Trudie Marais.

May, 2011
An in-depth account of the men behind our road infrastructure like; Sir Lowry Cole, Charles Michell, John Montague, Andrew Geddes Bain and his son Thomas Bain. Thomas Hartley, the founder of “The Pig & Whistle” in Bathurst, and his family tree. William Campbell recalls his Musical Memories in Grahamstown in the early 1900s.

August, 2011
We often think: “but what can I do?” Here are examples of the power of one: Richard Gush who faced an Xhosa impi alone (his family tree is included); William Wilberforce who assisted with the abolition of slavery; Captain Fairfax Moresby who assisted with the landing of the 1820 Settlers in Algoa Bay: Florence Nightingale, the so-named Lady of the Lamp; Capt Francis Evatt, Commandant of Fort Frederick. King James I who authorised the translation and publication of the Bible in 1611.

November, 2011
Further stories of the Power of One with stories of Dick King and his ride of fame (including his family tree); Florence Nightingale, not only nurse but also mathematician in analysing hospital patients; Emily Hobhouse, the campaigner of the atrocities of the Concentration Camps; Robert Baden Powell, the founder of the Boy Scout movement world wide.