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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: leofred on Tuesday 25 August 09 19:17 BST (UK)
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Hi
I would be very grateful if anyone can tel me about Amy Louise Mclean, in our family bible it says she died in Durban, South Africa in October 1906.
I have her working as a chambermaid in Bexley, Sussex in 1901, she was born in 1875 in Shepherds Bush or Hammersmith London.
I have checked marriage records to see if she married prior to emmigrating but have found nothing.
I just think it strange that a young woman in that day and age would go to South Africa on her own. On the 1901 census she worked at the Sackville Hotel Continental and wondered if she was offered another job in South Africa.
Any information would be lovely.
Thanking you in anticipation
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NAAIRS has the following Document. Rootschatters with more SA knowledge will be able to assist/help with what the content may be. Kanskar
NAB (Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository)
MSCE/LEER
Ref: 28/22 McLean, Amy
Date 1906
Further Ref: (IO256/1906)
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Hi
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I do hope your right about other rootchatters helping, thanks for getting the ball rolling.
kind regards
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Hello Leofred
I'm sure someone this side of the world will help ;)
Ouma
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Hi
thanks for the reply I would really like to know if possible how long she lived in South Africa what she was doing out there and if posible what she died of.
kind regards
janice
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:)
Hello Leofred, Kanskar and Ouma
Well, from an ex-SA, now in the UK, I cannot praise the PmBurg Archives Repository enough, they are incredibly helpful there.
Try sending an email to them, quoting the NAAIRS Ref Nos; for Amy McLean's death, requesting her Death Notice. The PmBurg Archives email address is on the NAAIRS site. There will be a very nominal charge for the certificate and for the postage.
Round about this time, in the Colony of Natal, the Death Notices were SO detailed. You should be able to glean quite a bit of info about Amy from it.
What an interesting time for Amy to have been in SA, during both Boer Wars!
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)
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Hi Danchaslyn
many thanks for your reply its certainly made things easier to understand.
Also I had no idea she was there at the time of the Boer Wars in fact she was only there for 5years before she died.
I Would still love to know what she was doing there unaccompanied it just seems such a big thing for those days. Wouldnt it be great to have a time machine to go back and ask her what she was doing.
Thanks once again much appreciated.
Janice
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:)
Hello Janice
Glad to be of help.......... ;)
It is terribly sad that Amy was there such a short time and like you, I also think it unusual, that it would appear, that in those times, she travelled such a long distance, seemingly, by herself.
Have you any ideas from her shipping record? sometimes it might appear a passenger is alone, but you may recognise some of the other names.
Some names might be the same, as reflected as being in the same household, as according to your Census record for her, of 1901?
In 1906, in Durban, there was probably only Addington Hospital. If she died in hospital, it was probably this one. Her Death Notice will tell you her place of death and cause of her death etc.
Well worth it to order it from Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository.
Cheers
Danchaslyn
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Hi again.
thanks for your reply, I have no idea when she left England or on what ship ,if anyone could supply this information that would be great. Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received.
Thank you once again for your interest.
kind regards
Janice
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:)
Hello Leofred
Would love to help you with a UK Shipping List, but can't, as I live very remotely and have dial-up internet only, no broadband available, so can't check shipping lists.
Have tried and tried!! >:(
Try a new, separate Thread, in RootsChat, say in the England section, maybe in Sussex, as that is where Amy once was and head it as a "Look up Request, Shipping Lists.
Then you can give a quick recap of Amy's life in the UK, her possible departure years, and her arrival in South Africa, and hopefully, someone will help you.
You may even strike gold and someone comes up with more about Amy's life in the UK, I do hope so!! ;)
Good luck, Janice
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)
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Hi Danchaslyn,
Thank you for your reply and wonderful suggestion I will do that. I have been on Ancestry and they have nothing for South Africa and was wondering where to go next.
I will order the death certificate tomorrow.
Thank you so much for your help and encouragement.
Very best wishes
Janice
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:)
Hello Leofred
Well, hope this thread, and your new thread in the English section 'flies' for you. Please let me know which section you site it in?
And how you get on with N.A.A.I.R.S..............try to be patient, they can take a while answering, but you will get the Notice eventually. ;D
Of course, you can try googling UK Passenger Lists to South Africa, giving the rough years, you never know what you will find!! ;)
But with your thread in Sussex as well, am sure you will find out more about Amy! :D
Cheers and good luck
Danchaslyn
:)
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Hi again
thanks for your reply and continued interest. Ive posted on Sussex county and had some good replies from Chatters with dates and point of departure. I will follow this up.
Have emailed SA site this morning asking for cost of death certificate and am prepared to wait but will let you know when I eventually get the cert, where she lived and cause of death. It would appear she left Southampton in 1903 for Durban Port Natal.
Thank you once again youve been brilliant.
best wishes
Janice
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:)
Hello Janice
Oh, great result.................so happy for you, am sure there will be more! ;D
As Amy left Southampton 1903 for Durban Port Natal during 1903, the last of the Boer Wars was still raging in Natal!
Wonder how long her sea trip was and what she did after arrival. It is so intriguing!
Good luck and best wishes
Danchaslyn
:)
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Hi again
Thanks for your best wishes I just want to put some flesh on Amys bones so to speak.
As I said before I will update this page when I have some news, your help has been invaluable.
very best wishes
Janice
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:)
Hello Janice
Just a small coincidence, but in RootsChat, South African section, member Kanskar has a Thread on his Stoodley Family and during 1909, members of the family returned to Southampton, from South Africa, on board, the "GAIKA"!! :o
Also, during the 1970's I knew a McLean family, in Kloof, near Durban, whose ancestors were originally from the UK. A long shot, but why not google, the South African White Pages phone directory, look up McLean's in Kloof or Durban (within 15 miles of each other) and phone and few and enquire??! ???
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)http://
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Hi again
thanks for your reply, that is very interesting what you have posted but as far as I know no more Mcleans went to South Africa. As she was unmarried when she died its unlikely there are any children from her. Unless she was an unmarried mum in South Africa and left children who were adopted out. As she was only there for four years before dying it seems unlikely but stranger things have happened.
There is no mention of this in my family indeed they might have been unaware of any children. Hopefully the death certificate will answer this.
Isnt great with this genealogy for every answer you find there are more questions to be answered.
Thanks again
Janice
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:)
Hello Janice
22 McLean Families now in the Durban area, with TWO now in Kloof!! Well, as you say, strange things do occur, and who knows, possibly Amy was a single Mum, all those years ago, in Durban?
Like yourself, I just love these trails and likewise, as more answers come in, more and more and more questions arise!!
Hoping, hoping, hoping her Death Notice will give you the clues you need.
Have an idea that Amy may have left the hotel in the UK, with her lover, he maybe had great ideas about his possible prospects in the Colony? If you could match up a male name from the UK Census where she is shown at the hotel, to the same name, possibly right nears to hers, on the shipping list? Bingo!!
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)
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Hi again Danchaslyn
I will buy some credits with find my past tomorrow as Im off this evening for a Mexican night and have a lot to do before I go.
If I find any passengers who also worked at the same hotel will let you know.
Thats very interesting about all the Mcleans in Durban as its quite possible one of her brothers went with her, will have to look into this. Its never ending thank goodness Im retired and have more time although there is never hours in the day for me. I just wish my father was still alive he would have loved all this
Thanks once again
janice
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Just a correction- the second boer war ended in 1902 so she came out after that. Many people were encouraged to settle in SA after the War and many soldiers stayed on in the country. There was so much movement between continents at that time, for many different reasons, it is difficult to speculate.
Ruth
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:)
Thank you, Rutti Tutti is absolutely correct, officially the Second Boer finished in 1902, BUT, the reality of life throughout the Colony of Natal, was one of continued hardship and danger.
Boer forces still roamed, uncontrolled, at will, ambushing etc. The British forces were "required" elsewhere, so as and when, it suited, politically, they withdrew.
As with any conflict, the population was affected in diverse ways, .............Boer numbers dwindled not only due to casualties, but to internments on the Island of St Helena, some British soldiers remained and since the British 1820 Settlers arrival in South Africa, Brits continued, for so many reasons, to emigrate to South Africa,.
With Amy's "background" in particular, as Leofred stated, it is unusual, for a young woman, supposedly unaccompanied, to have undertaken such an enormous adventure. The funding for her sea passage, at this stage, is a mystery?
Cheers
Danchaslyn
:)