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Looking for suggestions.

I have been blessed with a short-notice free trip to Johannesburg next week. I will have a half-day free to do as I please on Saturday morning before my plane leaves to fly back (I'm based in the UK) so I am looking for any suggestions as to places to visit.

My great grandfather Joseph Caswell died in Durban in 1898 and was recorded as "Underground Manager" of the Randfontein gold mine at that time. I have a great deal of data on Joseph from the SA archives concerning his death but little about his life before that.

One of the documents in the archives was a letter from the Freemasons stating that he was a member, are there any membership archives searchable?

Joseph's elder son John (my grandfather's elder brother by 10 years) was also in the country as he fought in the Boer war (with the Bethunes - I have that). He witnessed his father's death certificate and inherited a small sum. He lived in Boston, Natal and died in Pietermaritzburg in 1906. There is some peripheral data on him in the archives - I have that too.

John married Lilian Sarah Howard in 1901 but had no children. After he died I believe she remarried (1908) a Herbert Edward Mingay.

These are, I believe, the most Johannesburg/South Africa relevant details of Joseph and John that I can think of. Do ask if you need more - but ask soon, I fly out day after tomorrow. I expect to be able to visit here during the week.

I am hoping for some ideas on where to go to help my research, or even feel a little of his life.

Paul

Hi All,

The original is here:

http://www.bereregis.org/Docs/Historical/Villagers%20Wills/1600s/tn_VW16C198f.jpg

Please can someone confirm the two names on this section. I think the daughter is Joan(e) but I cannot make out the wife's name - is it Martha?

During my hunt for the citation of my grandfather's Medaille Militaire I stumbled across this interesting little gem.

I cannot find any reference to it anywhere else - n'or can I work out what the medal was. It appears on page 10 of the in the 13 Dec 1918 issue.

Paul

I picked these up from a market stall for just a few pounds. I would love to find a good home for them. They are in excellent condition and look like this lovely pair - although the ribbons aren't quite so pristine.



All my old subscriptions have lapsed and I still can't get my head around the TNA searches so I hand the baton over to you wonderful people.

Would all newcomers please remember the rules - no posting details of possibly living people. It is reasonable to assume his siblings and parents can be discussed but if anyone finds children or nephews/nieces please PM me or make direct contact and point them here.

We are looking for an F. Sutton - regimental number 2373 (I think - the stamping is not the best) - a Staff Serjeant in the Army Ordnance Corps

I picked up a one of those tiny (about 4" high) diaries for 1938 for the name John H D Bate.

There were a number of other documents that looked like they were his but it was one of those "Three books for £1" stalls and OH found 2 and couldn't find a third. If someone is interested I could go back next week to see if there are more.

My research suggests:

John H D Bate
b. 1922 (Q1) in Croydon MMN Jenkins (Croydon/2a/617)
m. 1956 (Q4) a Hamer (Camberwell/5c/268)
d. 1968 (Q4) aged 43 in Leigh (Leigh/10D/20)

There are some children listed - a couple from Bury are almost certainly not his because there is an Alan E Bate marrying a Hamer in Bury at the appropriate time.

There is one birth record in Farnworth which could be a son but please do not post the details here as this person may still be alive.

I'm really posting this so that if anyone comes looking for details about him they may like to have the diary. Most of the entries are trivial and mundane. Some are rather entertaining but overall it is a year in the life of a 16 year old schoolboy.

Some little samples:

Jan 23 - Go to Crusaders. Uncle Charles came to talk about me.

13 Feb - My Birthday. Go to Crusaders. 2nd Studland cup Clapham spoke. It snowed hard.
...
17 Feb - Go back to school. Stay at home in afternoon music mummie & ?? went to "Faust". Snowed.

Week of 6th Jun - 12 - Mems:- In charge of house for week.

9 Mar - Kit breaks a window.
...
12 Mar - Mend window with Clavell.

Mar 29 - In the afternoon just do nothing but read and sit in the garden.

Apr 9 - Take the dog for a long walk.

Apr 29 - Came home, quite a lot of people sick.
Apr 30 - Go back to school. Have a General Knowledge paper. Go to the pictures. Heidi & Return of Scarlet Pimpernel.

He just seems like an intelligent, reliable lad and absolutely nothing like a 15 year old nowadays. He goes to "Crusaders" every Sunday and often notes who spoke. I guess it is this group:

http://www.e-n.org.uk/p-3488-From-Crusaders-to-Urban-Saints.htm

I'm posting this on the Bedfordshire pages as that is where I found the diary.

Paul