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Infobunny
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Capetown Archives - Completed
« on: Saturday 24 February 07 09:09 UTC (UK) »
Hi there,

I'm trying to find one of my family who emigrated from New Zealand to South Africa and who ended up dying while in Barkley West (is it Barkley or Barkly??).

Walter Hellebore Jackson was born in 1878 in New Zealand.  His father was George Albert Jackson and his mother was Mary Ann (Minna) Julia Leach.  At some point in his life Walter decided it would be a good thing to emigrate from NZ to South Africa to do some diamond prospecting.  Family story has it that he was a mining engineer and a diamond prospector and that he was prospecting when he was killed in 1921.

I don't know how he was killed or exactly when in 1921.  I also don't know when he emigrated from NZ or when/where he arrived in Africa.

Has anyone access to cemetery transcriptions for Barkley West that might be able to locate maybe a headstone or death/burial entry for Walter?? 

Or anything, for that matter?  Apologies for being so vague but that's all the info I have on him.  I'll happily try to answer any questions anyone may have.

Thank you so much

Infobunny Cool
« Last Edit: Sunday 06 September 09 14:29 UTC (UK) by rutti tutti » Logged
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rutti tutti
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Re: Barkley West - Help Needed!!
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 24 February 07 11:47 UTC (UK) »
Hi there,
Why dont you apply for a death notice from the archives - this would give details of his death - see notes at the top of the board about death notices and lookups.
Ruth
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Infobunny
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Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 18 June 09 04:02 UTC (UK) »
Hi there Chatters,

This is a bump on my old post.  I'm still looking for help on this one but I have located the details in the Capetown Archives if someone is available to go and have a look for me (please, please, pretty please):

DEPOT     KAB
SOURCE    MOK                                                                 
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
VOLUME_NO 1/1/355                                                               
SYSTEM    02                                                                   
REFERENCE R8/710                                                               
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          JACKSON, WALTER HELLEBORE. DECEASED ESTATE PAPERS.                    STARTING  19210000                                                              ENDING    19210000

I don't know anything about this guy except for what I have written below.  Would love to know what details are in the estate papers. 

So sad to hear that cameras are no longer allowed!! Cry  Can anyone use their phone instead?  Grin

Would love to hear from anyone who has a sadistic streak that needs to be satisfied only by transcribing files  Cheesy.

Cheers
Bunny Cool
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ouma
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Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #3 on: Friday 10 July 09 15:05 UTC (UK) »
Hi Infobunny  Smiley

Here's some info for you. Poor Walter was murdered at Dwarsrand (Barkly West) on the 28 Feb 1921.
Death Notice stated that he was 36years old, parents unknown and his occupation was a digger.
He was listed as unmarried and ordinary place of residence Barkly West it was signed on the 5 April 1921 by a Sydney Graves an Inspector of Police. There's a note among the papers dated 7/3/1921 written  by a policeman ? that Walter was engaged to a Miss Andrews but the engagement was subsequently off! On the 23 Jan 1923 the Police wrote to the Magistrate of Barkley West requesting instructions on what to do with the personal effects in their custody, (old portmanteau, suit of clothes and a few odds and ends).They doubted if the effects would "realise ten shillings at public auction."

Now there was also a Diamond!  Shocked  Unfortunately it was worth nothing! Cry  It was used as an exhibit at the trial of the murderers (doesn't state any names) early in 1921 and then the diamond was mislaid and only traced at the end of 1923! It was then sent for valuation 21 Jan 1953 and the licenced diamond dealer certified that the inferior fragment of diamond weighing .15 of a carat was of no commercial value. It was disposed of as a valueless exhibit!

Hope this answers some questions. There are 20 pages in the file some are duplicates but what I've given you is the important bits.

Ouma
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Danchaslyn
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Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 11 July 09 23:29 UTC (UK) »


Smiley

Hi Ouma

Infobunny can be well pleased with your Miss Marples sleuthing, what a piece of detective work and more to the point, what an amazing piece of family history!   Roll Eyes

Can imagine though, that the diamond exhibit, during its THREE YEAR DISAPPEARANCE, suddenly was swapped for the inferior stone, which miraculously re-appeared!    Angry

Poor Digger was probably murdered for his genuine find of the century, the whereabouts of, will remain one of life's "Unsolved"!   Undecided

So gaan die ou liewe!

Cheers

Danchaslyn

Smiley
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MOE,   Norway, Swaziland, and Zululand, South Africa
JORGENSON, Hole, Ringerike, Buskurud, Norway
AITKEN,  Scotland, England, India, Island of St Helena, South Africa
LOBB,  India and London
WALSH,  India and England
SHORT,  Yorkshire, England, Island of St Helena
BATEMAN,  Island of St Helena, U.S.A.
YUILL,  U.S.A.
FIRTH,  Yorkshire, Engand
LIPTROT, various counties of England
SMITH,  various counties of England
LYNCH,  Yorkshire, England, Rhodesia and South Africa
Infobunny
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Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #5 on: Monday 13 July 09 04:16 UTC (UK) »
Dear, dear, dear Ouma,

THANK YOU!!!!! Grin Grin  You are a total complete star!!  Or should I say gem  Grin

It's nice to finally put a story to this relative of mine even though it was unfortunately a sad one.  I had wondered if he had had a family over there and now I know that for sure he didn't (one knotted loose end).  The diamond story is fantastic and like Danchaslyn says it may have been swapped for a dud.  Oh the wondering.

I love everything that you have done, I really appreciate it!!  But now I have two more questions:

1.  Where would you bury someone who had died in Barkly West / Dwarsrand?  Which cemetery is he likely to be at?

2.  Are there any online newspapers for South Africa which may have carried the story?  Or if not online, which would be the most likely one so I can request another look up?

Love you HEAPS
Bunny Cool
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Danchaslyn
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Posts: 596


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Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #6 on: Monday 13 July 09 16:15 UTC (UK) »


Smiley

Oh infobunny

I can hardly wait for the next installment.  I have some ideas which newspapers might have been going at the time, in that area, but as Ouma found the story for your originally, let's let her, possibly post the info!   Grin

Same about the possible burial spot.......................... Cry

Chat again soon

Cheers

Danchaslyn

Smiley
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MOE,   Norway, Swaziland, and Zululand, South Africa
JORGENSON, Hole, Ringerike, Buskurud, Norway
AITKEN,  Scotland, England, India, Island of St Helena, South Africa
LOBB,  India and London
WALSH,  India and England
SHORT,  Yorkshire, England, Island of St Helena
BATEMAN,  Island of St Helena, U.S.A.
YUILL,  U.S.A.
FIRTH,  Yorkshire, Engand
LIPTROT, various counties of England
SMITH,  various counties of England
LYNCH,  Yorkshire, England, Rhodesia and South Africa
Infobunny
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Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #7 on: Monday 13 July 09 22:36 UTC (UK) »
Oh hey now Danchaslyn, keeping secrets is cruel!  Grin

Go on, you can tell me...I won't tell  Wink

Time to unbury the dead!!!!! Grin

Cheers
Bunny Cool
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Danchaslyn
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Posts: 596


Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #8 on: Monday 13 July 09 23:15 UTC (UK) »


Smiley

Hello Infobunny

Really was hoping Ouma would reappear..............but, as she hasn't yet.......   Wink

The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Anglican, seems to me to be the most likely one that Walter Hellebore Jackson would have attended, or have been buried at, as it would have been English speaking.    Cheesy

Barkly, not Barkley West, also has its own Mining Musuem  (don't have ocntacts for it yet, sorry!)   Undecided, so, with a story like Walter's, he may well be featured?   Huh

There used to be a newspaper published in Barkly West, called "The Barkly & Digger's News", it was established in August, 1897, but I think it is long before Walter's time.    Shocked

Will try to find out more for you.  Just bear in mind, Barkly West is in the Northern Cape Region of South Africa.    Cool

Cheers

Danchaslyn

Smiley
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MOE,   Norway, Swaziland, and Zululand, South Africa
JORGENSON, Hole, Ringerike, Buskurud, Norway
AITKEN,  Scotland, England, India, Island of St Helena, South Africa
LOBB,  India and London
WALSH,  India and England
SHORT,  Yorkshire, England, Island of St Helena
BATEMAN,  Island of St Helena, U.S.A.
YUILL,  U.S.A.
FIRTH,  Yorkshire, Engand
LIPTROT, various counties of England
SMITH,  various counties of England
LYNCH,  Yorkshire, England, Rhodesia and South Africa
ouma
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Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #9 on: Tuesday 14 July 09 14:37 UTC (UK) »
Hi  Infobunny and Danchaslyn  Smiley

Tried to get onto internet yesterday but due to bad weather a no go!

I don't really know much as I'm also pretty new to this and I'm still feeling my way around!

Barkly West is near Kimberley so its a little out of my reach (Cape Town) but hopefully Danchaslyn

can provide us with more rivioting news Smiley

Poor Walter, I was thinking perhaps he was buried as a pauper as he had no family and was a victim

of a murder.

I have been trolling through the gensa. cemetery site looking for a tombstone for Walter but nothing!

Coming back to the diamond can you believe that it took 30 years to have it valued  and then

disposed of  Shocked

Ouma
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Danchaslyn
RootsChat Veteran
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Posts: 596


Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: Capetown Archives - Help Needed!!
« Reply #10 on: Tuesday 14 July 09 17:27 UTC (UK) »


Smiley

Hello Ouma and Infobunny

Poor Ouma, nothing worse than not being able to use the pc!!!   Angry Angry  Mine wouldn't work on day, just because it wouldn't switch on!   Undecided

Ouma it also crossed my mind, that as Walter had no apparent family, he may have been buried in an unusual way?    Huh  But, who knows, perhaps the elusive Miss Andrews, may well have still been nearby, and sympathetic?   Wink

I get the feeling there is far, far more to this story that we already know.  Who murdered him?  Was Miss Andrews involved?  Had she perhaps already swapped the diamond in advance?    Huh  The possibilities really are endless.

Well, in bygone days I have visited the Kimberley Mine museum.  Infobunny, perhaps you can contact both them, and the Barkly West Museum, to see what they might know of this sorry tale.   Cry

Also, the DFA,  Diamond Fields Advertiser, has been on the go for about 130 years,.......try google them, perhaps their Editor, will be kind enough to check their archives for you?   Shocked

30 years to value a diamond, that beggars belief, how can people be so crooked?   Angry

Cheers

Danchaslyn

Smiley
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MOE,   Norway, Swaziland, and Zululand, South Africa
JORGENSON, Hole, Ringerike, Buskurud, Norway
AITKEN,  Scotland, England, India, Island of St Helena, South Africa
LOBB,  India and London
WALSH,  India and England
SHORT,  Yorkshire, England, Island of St Helena
BATEMAN,  Island of St Helena, U.S.A.
YUILL,  U.S.A.
FIRTH,  Yorkshire, Engand
LIPTROT, various counties of England
SMITH,  various counties of England
LYNCH,  Yorkshire, England, Rhodesia and South Africa
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