South Africa: LAING

[LaingClan]

I am a LAING by marriage and have been stuck for several years now with my husband's illusive Laing ancestors and wondered if anybody out there can assist.

Harry George LAING was born 23 Nov 1881 in Cape Town. I have managed to get copies of his Death Notice (suicide 4 Sept 1920 Natal), his Police Service Record from 1909 to 1913 and a copy of his marriage certificate with wife Isabella Gertruida RIES in 1913 from the SA Archives.
None of these records give his parent's names.
On his Police Service Record he gives his brother up as next-of-kin but only puts his initials L.P Laing. We have no idea what the initials are for as there is no such naming pattern in the subsequent generations.
Harry's nationality appears as "Scotch" - and he is listed as Church of England.
I have not been able to find any birth records/baptism for either Harry nor L.P and there are no records for L.P Laing in SA Archives (I have searched them all.) His last location was given as Knysna in 1909 and then L.P disappears.

Harry did have two children with Isabella -
John Henry Laing born 22 Oct 1915 and
Maude Isabella Laing born 20 Nov 1916.

The names John, Henry, Harry and George as well as Maude and Isabella appear to be popular as they appear in subsequent generations.
I am trying to find Harry's parents and his brother's full name so that I can get the link back to Scotland - as that is where we live and it would be nice to know where exactly my husband's family originate from.
Thanking you in advance for any help.
Carrie Laing

[pampoen]

Was his name Harry or Harold George Laing?

[LaingClan]

Hi

Thanks for your message. I'm not exactly sure - Harry is more a diminutive of Harold or even a nickname for Henry. On his Death Notice he's down as Harry George and on his Death Certificate he is Henry George. But I'm willing to pursue all angles as I'm not 100% sure of my hubby's line - they didn't have much history passed down to the generations regarding them and a lot of it was "made up". It's all been a mystery up until what I've discovered. Any help and suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks