Johannesburg Newsletters

"Last month we mentioned the new information  downloaded onto the familysearch.org site and this month we bring you two success stories. Natalie and Margaret relate how they started Genealogy and we include an article on the Natal Foundation Society plus a bit of light relief on the back page. Enjoy the newsletter and tune in to our Thursday program on Radio Today."

September Newsletter

Letter from the Chairman.
Report on choice of a bible for restoration.
A Scottish baby and some Genealogy Tips.
Branch questionnaire for a course to be held in the not too distant future.

Inhoud o.a die volgende:

Verlief oor die loop van ’n geweer;Adriaan Frans Roscher – Die grondlegger van Ventersdorp; En dan wonder ek: Waar is dié Ventersdorp; My “unexpected” connection to Klerksdorp; Plekname van weleer: Die verowerde gebied”; Restourasie van plaasbegraafplaas in die Oos-Kaap skep ’n eerbiedwaardige rusplaas; Martin en Linda Zöllner; Sosiaal; Riglyne vir publikasies; Agterblad: Tronk toe met ’n ompad.

In our last Newsletter for the year, you will find all the usual suspects such as news on our meetings, a bit of humour, a list of new library acquisitions and a book review. We also tell our member about the exciting competitions that are planned around the GSSA's 50th birthday celebrations.

Lees die aanbieding by die Wes-Gautengtak. LM & MARIANA DU PLESSIS : BETROKKENHEID BY DIE DORSLANDTREK-VERENIGING:Weens die beperkte spasie beskikbaar, is dit onmoontlik om reg aan die geskiedenis te laat geskied. As ‘n gebore (1945) Suidwester, het ek al die jare ‘n belangstelling in geskiedenis gehad. In Augustus 2003 en 2008 het ek byeenkomste as ‘n nasaat van die Dorslandtrekkers se feesvieringe by Swartbooisdrift in Kaokoland bygewoon. In 2008 het ek van daar ook Angola besoek, om te kyk waar my ouers gebore is. In my soeke na my wortels, het ek 8000 kilometers gery! Dit het verdere belangstelling by my gewek, en so het ek my familie-navorsing begin.

The letter by Robert Douglas Norman, a 28 year-old electrical engineer from Glasgow, was written at his sister's house in London where he was staying before setting sail on board the famous Titanic on 10 April 1912. Robert's letter was to become his last will and testament as he was to perish six days later when the liner sank in the Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912. When his estate was settled, the letter was authenticated and copied into the register of inventories in Edinburgh Sheriff Court. The original was preserved in the Books of Council and Session, a legal register of the Court of Session. Read more about  one of those exciting discoveries we make in the archives, a link to a world famous though tragic event. One can also read about the progress that has been made with The Johannesburg Branch's Bible project

Inhoudsopgawe.
1. Sewende Paul Kruger gedenklesing.
2. Who “Hansupped” Winston – Follow-up article.
3. Oorlogstorie -  CJ Scheepers – Strydom
4. Die Broers Opperman – Bouers van die Geref Kerk.
5. Dopper – Vanwaar
6. Susanna Maria Vs Susanna Maria Margaretha. – dieselfde name ly tot verwarring.
7. Publication of the Year – Penelope Ann Forrest
8. Toekenning vir Uitnemendheid – Me. ME Pretorius.
9. Sosiale blad.
10. Agterblad – Die Ruiter van Skimmelperdpan.

This newsletter includes the good news that the photographing of Stellawood Cemetery is back on track.  We welcome 2 new little "buds" to two family trees. There's an article on how many words and expressions crept into our everyday language from WW1;  also a report on a wonderful talk given by Jayne Moir on the lonely Anglo-Boer War graves on St Helena  ... and more.

New listings available for perusal from the LDS website familysearch.org. Introduced by the government of King Charles II in 1662, the Hearth Tax required householders to pay a duty for every hearth or stove in their dwelling. The surviving paperwork can prove highly important for genealogists researching people in the 17th century. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Marvin A. Clark vanished during a short trip to Portland on Halloween weekend 1926, but the search to find out what happened to him may finally be drawing to a close nearly 90 years later. Do you know about the following website in Holland? http://www.openarch.nl/?lang=en

Our speaker this month is Stan Close who will be telling us about his visit last year to Belarus in search of his Jewish Roots. This promises to be a very interesting meeting and has raised my interest me so much that when I realised how little I knew about the Jews in South Africa, I visited The Jewish Museum in Cape Town. As it happened they were celebrating “175 years of Jewish Life in South Africa”. More about that later.“I was born in Bulawayo in (then) Rhodesia, attended primary school in Bulawayo and Ndola, and senior school in Johannesburg. I served 12 years as a SA Naval Officer, 12 years with Eskom as a business performance management specialist, and since 1989 have owned and operated a business which assesses, trains and coaches entrepreneurs. This company has helped some 2500 small businesses to start up and grow in South Africa and in four other African countries.

The story of the RSS Discovery, a ship that was used for exploring the Antarctic waters in the beginning of the 20th century is told. The story is being told from the search for a crew and a commander, the construction in Dundee and how the provisions for such a ground breaking voyage was put together.

It represented a major contributionto the understanding of the Antartic Continent.

A proper Christmas newsletter

In this Newsletter a visit to the museum of the United Transport and Allied Union is described. In this museum memorablia dating back to 1904 is exhibited and brings back fond memories of the old railway days. A short description of a history book with a difference "The War Reporter"by J.H. Grobler with images and stories of the Anglo Boer War is provided.

In this issue of the news letter an article about the GSSA's coat of arms can be read. Valda Napier researched the origin and registration of the Coat of Arms. I also found the following notification in the newsletter: "I don't know how many of you have 1820 settler ancestors but with over 4000 of them having arrived the chances are pretty good you'll find a link somewhere! Sue Mackay a staunch supporter of the 'share genealogy' ideology, spends a great deal of time in London photographing the Grahamstown Journal and then transcribing the information she gleans from these and then shares it to our eggsa (http://www.eggsa.org/1820- settlers/index.ph) and the rootsweb list (south-africa-immigrants-british@rootsweb.com) ...so if you don't already subscribe to this list, you really ought to sign up. It's free and very easy to use.

Read Dave Kinghorn's overview of the activities of the branch. There were a few outstanding contributions.
He also addressed the membership status of the branch, something of value for all members of the GSSANeed to ask questions like
− What contribution have I made to the branch?
− What have I learned and what new skills have I developed?
− How can I improve in terms of my own research and furthering the good of the GSSA as a body?
− To start off with, it is important to recognize why people join non-profit organizations and what causes them to be fully functioning and effective board members. People join non-profits out of a passion for the issues or cause, personal experiences or because someone they know asked them to join.

Our speaker this month is George Shaw and he has sent a very comprehensive e-mail to David explaining his lifelong interest in Genealogy as well as his story of the diary.The Boer War Diary of Jocelyn F de F Shaw.Last month David gave a talk on the Lighthouse Stevensons and the lighthouses they had built along the coast of Scotland. Among them is the Bell Rock lighthouse, built on a rock that is only exposed for four hours a day. Also read the Story of Durban High School that celebrates 150 years

Read a review of the book by Eviatar Zerubavel, Ancestors and Relatives - Genealogy, Identity and Community.

Margaret Gundry tells a fascinationg story about the search for the mother of a boy called George Smith who had no Birth Certificate. After a long and tedious search she found a an inscription in the 1911 Census in England. The mother was identified as Mathilda. Read this amazing success story.

My Wish: I want ancestors who could read and write, had their children baptised in recognised houses of worship, went to school, purchased land, left detailed wills (naming a huge extended family as legatees), had their photographs taken once a year - subsequently putting said pictures in elaborate isinglass frames annotated with calligraphic inscriptions, and carved valuable and informative inscriptions in their headstones. Read more:  Now it's easy to find out as these fascinating records are available online for the first time, in association with the Royal Archives. Previously the records were only accessible at Windsor Castle by appointment.

This newsletter is packed with news and photos of our activities the past 3 months. We continue to introduce other branches to our readers. Also: see the list with latest additions to our library

This edition is full of advice on how best to use Google in your research;  the 50 best solutions to breaking down "brick walls";  an article on Port Shepstone lighthouse.  Our trip down memory lane includes Addington Hospital and a "Welcome to Durban" pamphlet from WWll.