SOUTH-AFRICA-L Archives

Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 2002-12 > 1039229139


From: jacaster <>
Subject: Re: [ZA] Christmas Greetings
Date: Sat, 07 Dec 2002 10:45:39 +0800
In-Reply-To: <002701c29c25$9843d320$fc91a7cb@computer>


Dear List,

I totally agree with Pat's sentiments. This List has given me such a great
year for all the same reasons. May I tell you my story?

Once upon a time, when I was a child, my English grandmother told me about
her father who she said was an 'artist' and who had gone to Africa and never
returned. I married, Grandma died and my family flew the nest. In the
past few years, genealogy has been at the edges of my interest and I have
half-heartedly thought of G.Grandfather in Africa. With retirement last
year, I resolved to do the job properly and started by sending away for
certificates.

To my surprise, Grandma's marriage certificate in 1918 stated that her
father's occupation was 'photographers assistant' and that he was deceased!
Now, I clearly remembered that she had told me that when she passed through
Cape Town on the troop ship enroute to Australia, soon after her marriage,
she had met her father and had never heard from him again. This fired my
fertile imagination and being a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society, I
realised that there was a mystery afoot!

After posting G.G.'s name on various Internet sites, up came a notice from
Cape Town Archives which stated that he was charged with Culpable Homicide
in 1938 - 'Whoopee!!!' I sent away and eventually received the transcript
of his trial - 80+pages in faded shorthand!! Great disappointment as I was
unable to find anyone who could tackle the job of transcription. All the
answers were in that bundle of paper and I was unable to access them.

Then I found this List! I was soon directed to Cape Town NAAIRS and found
GG's deathnotice in 1934. The 'murderer' was his son bearing the same name.
There was also a death notice for his wife and information about another
son. Great excitement!

Not long afterwards, I commenced corresponding by email with SKS from Cape
Town who offered to help. The name of the youngest son was found in the
White Pages. My new friend offered to telephone. I knew that he must be
very old but hoped that perhaps it was his son at this address, so I paved
the way by writing with my request for information. Nothing. I wrote
again, with no response. My SKS made the telephone call. It was the widow
of the son, a very deaf and cranky old lady in her nineties. She was
shocked with the disclosure about her father in law and did not want to have
anything to do with me.

I sent a nice card with a letter of apology and included, in big black
letters, my email address. I hoped that she might show it to someone and
they would make contact. Sure enough, she showed it to her nephew and
swore him to secrecy, not to tell the rest of her family. He memorised the
address, wrote it down as soon as he got into his car and emailed me the
minute he arrived home! He was fascinated and wanted to know the whole
story.

In the meantime, I had mentioned to my SKS that I was travelling to the UK
and, "For two pins I would stop off in Cape Town." He replied that he and
his family would be happy for me to stay with them and why not come? That
did it! No thought that I was accepting an invitation from a strange man,
in a foreign country, met through the internet. I was off to the travel
agent to book my ticket! My husband knows that I can look after myself and
did not object.

The hospitality was warm and the help invaluable. A search of the
newspapers at the time of the homicide found that it was a car accident
where a passenger was killed - and the son was acquitted. My friend even
drove me to Castle Bridge to see the spot where it all occurred! I stood at
the grave of my GG Grandfather, his wife and his eldest son and also drove
down Long St. where GGG had been licensee of a hotel. A lovely day was
spent with the nephew and he promised that when Auntie died, he would see
that any documents pertaining to the family would come to me, as neither
brother had any children.

To my horror, I received an email from him a week or so later to say that
Auntie had died. My daughter in the UK said that my revelations had
probably killed her! She was very old and unwell but it did make me stop
and think that although we are mostly unfazed about any family scandals, the
older generation do not share our worldly composure. We do have to tread
carefully and be sensitive to their reactions.

I am now (patiently?) waiting for the promised papers and, hopefully, a
photograph of my great grandfather. After that, my research and contact in
S-Africa will be finished. But can I bear to leave this List? The warmth
and caring attitude of regulars is wonderful and makes my day. Keep it up
and to everyone, have a very special Christmas. You are indeed, very
special people.

Judy...........Perth. W.Australia



on 5/12/02 6:43 AM, Doug & Pat Frykberg at wrote:

> Best wishes to all on the list. It has been a good year, with warmth,
> helpfulness, generosity and good humour from all
> It's the best list.
> Pat Frykberg
>
>
> ==== SOUTH-AFRICA Mailing List ====
> *****************************************************************
> If you need a translation from Afrikaans into English please visit my
> website at http://home.global.co.za/~mercon/words.html for a list of
> volunteers who
> are prepared to do translations for you.
>
>

This thread: