Until now all my ancestors have been a homely lot, with the odd one travelling the length of the UK, but that's as adventerous as they got! until I came across one of my ancestors mentioned in a parish magazine (Nercwys, Flintshire) the entry simply read...sparse on details...
"Robert Woodward of the Gelli, Nercwys, left for South Africa in 1895"
Have I a hope with this one-liner in finding out more info??
How old was he in 1895? Was Robert his only first name?
Regards Moira
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South Africa - Wessels/Vorster South Africa - Behr/Toerien South Africa - Pnematicatos/Chimato Cornwall, England & South Africa - Hicks/Breach Yorkshire & Durham, England & South Africa - Kenney/Hucks
I'm presuming it refers to either Robert b.1857 or his son Robert Adam b.1884 (both living in Gelli, Nercwys in 1891) both appear back in the UK living in Northumberland in 1901....is it feasible that they sought work overseas for a few years??!!...both were miners.
I don't think you will find any reference to them about their daily lives unless they applied for bonds or divorced or some such.
Just by coincidence, in the Pretoria Archives there is a death Notice for a Robert Adam Woodward in 1916 - maybe he returned here?
DEPOT TAB SOURCE MHG REFERENCE 28405 DESCRIPTION WOODWARD, ROBERT ADAM. STARTING 19160000 REMARKS SURVIVING SPOUSE SELINA WOODWARD.
There are not many references to Woodward in the Archives - the other one around that time is Sarah Woodward who applies in 1901 for a special marriage licence. A sister maybe?
Unless of course these people are related to the Robert Woodward who died in the Cape in 1887 - long before yours came here.
It may be worth your while getting a copy of the Death Notice unless you can trace him in the UK after the 1901 Census.
Regards Moira
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South Africa - Wessels/Vorster South Africa - Behr/Toerien South Africa - Pnematicatos/Chimato Cornwall, England & South Africa - Hicks/Breach Yorkshire & Durham, England & South Africa - Kenney/Hucks
South Africa - Wessels/Vorster South Africa - Behr/Toerien South Africa - Pnematicatos/Chimato Cornwall, England & South Africa - Hicks/Breach Yorkshire & Durham, England & South Africa - Kenney/Hucks