Author Topic: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?  (Read 6876 times)

Offline groom

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Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« on: Thursday 10 November 16 00:45 GMT (UK) »
I'll give you the background which may help.

Regina Mary Spurway born 1872 in Cheshunt Hertfordshire married Adrian Freshney Bell on 21st July 1894. They had a son Adrian George Freshney Bell in 1896. Adrian senior died in 1897.

Regina Mary Bell then married Roland Nielson in 1898 in Edmonton, Middlesex. They have a daughter Phyllis Maud D Nielson in 1900 (she died in 1923) They appear together with stepson Adrian in the 1901 census in Great Clacton, Essex. Roland was a bricklayer's labourer.

However, by the 1911 census Regina Mary is using the name Burgess and says she is a widow. She is living with her son in the house of Frederick Hopewell in Nottingham. She has with her a daughter Elsie Maud Burgess born 1903 Transvaal, South Africa.  In July 1911 she married Frederick Hopewell.

By his marriage in 1919, Adrian George Freshney Bell has changed his name to Burgess and keeps this for the rest of his life. So Burgess must have been important to him.

So my questions are:  Why/when did Regina go to South Africa? It has to be after the census in 1901 and before Elsie's birth in 1903.         
                                 Who was Elsie Maud Burgess's father?
                                 Did Regina marry him?
                                 When did she return to England?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Jan




Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline groom

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 10 November 16 01:08 GMT (UK) »
Just found what I think is Elsie's baptism, but there is no image or date.

E .M . Burgess
Baptism Place:   South Africa
Church:   St. Georges Cathedral Cape Town

A tree on Ancestry has her birth in Fort Klipdam, Peitersburg, Transvaal but doesn't have a source attached!

From a later passenger list crossing from America to the UK after Elsie Maud married I have found her date of birth as 17 Apr 1903.




Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Online ShaunJ

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 10 November 16 08:43 GMT (UK) »
Quote
E .M . Burgess
Baptism Place:   South Africa
Church:   St. Georges Cathedral Cape Town

That one may be Elizabeth May Burgess who was born 1898 and baptised at St George's Cathedral in 1924 aged 25.
UK Census info. Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 10 November 16 08:55 GMT (UK) »
Thank you, that eliminates her. I've been told that Cape Town and the Transvaal are at different ends of the country as well, so unlikely it was my Elsie Maud.

I've just googled Fort Klipdam and it said it is a farm, so even stranger, why would Regina have been there?

I think my next strategy is to try and trace Roland Nielson after 1901, just in case for some reason he changed his name to Burgess and went to S Africa.
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline 3sillydogs

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 10 November 16 09:30 GMT (UK) »

It seems that Fort Klipdam was used during the Anglo Boer War

If you google it and add anglo boer war a number of images come up.

I thought it had to be of significance, perhaps the military connection would be worth exploring.....

added


http://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/south-african-units/350-kitcheners-fighting-scouts?showall=1
4th paragraph down.......
Paylet, Pallatt, Morris (Russia, UK) Burke, Hillery, Page, Rumsey, Stevens, Tyne/Thynne(UK)  Landman, van Rooyen, Tyne, Stevens, Rumsey, Visagie, Nell (South Africa)

Offline Christine53

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 10 November 16 09:59 GMT (UK) »
Possible for Roland ?

Roland Neilson b 1879 Dec 1918 Godstone , Surrey 2a 576
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Offline Christine53

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 10 November 16 10:14 GMT (UK) »
Regina Mary Burgess of 13 Lindum Street , Newark  gave evidence against a neighbour in a case of child cruelty in February 1907 so that narrows the opportunity for travel to and from South Africa a little.
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Offline groom

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 10 November 16 11:25 GMT (UK) »
Thanks 3SD and CB53. I'm working on this tree with Greensleeves, for a friend of hers, and she wondered if the Boer War might be significant.

If that is Roland Neilson, unless she divorced him, she must have married bigamously - perhaps twice, once to Burgess in South Africa and once to Frederick Hopewell in 1911.
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline 3sillydogs

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Re: Why was Regina Mary in South Africa?
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 10 November 16 11:33 GMT (UK) »


It looks as if the military connection may be the way to go.  A number of Burgess appear on the Boer War website some with English regiments.  1907 could fit with the return of those regiments to England. Perhaps she travelled to South Africa after the war to join her husband...
Paylet, Pallatt, Morris (Russia, UK) Burke, Hillery, Page, Rumsey, Stevens, Tyne/Thynne(UK)  Landman, van Rooyen, Tyne, Stevens, Rumsey, Visagie, Nell (South Africa)