1901 Census Hertslet name

[Maryliss]

By the way I am married to one of Lewis' grandsons

[Robin G]

Hi Maryliss

I have him as George Donald Gould born in Norwich in the December quarter of 1891, emigrated to South Africa in Jul 1904.  Nothing else, no marriage or death.

Regards

Robin

[Maryliss]

Hi Robin

Thanks for that re Donald Gould - we have inherited his ww1 medals which included a military cross (unnamed).  My son has been trying to find out about his war record.  He can go on digging!

[Robin G]

Hi Maryliss

If the medals indicate that he was in a South African military unit then you should be able to obtain a copy of his military records from the Defence Force Headquarters in Pretoria.  If he died in South Africa without having an Estate worth more than £300 then there would be no Estate file in the Archives.  I keep on trying to find him.

If you would like to contact me directly you will find my email details at genealogyworld.net under Robin's Lists.

Regards

Robin

[Robin G]

Hi Maryliss

I found a grave that could be for George Donald Gould.  The age ties in.

GOULD, D
Died: 3 Dec 1918
Buried: Military Cemetery - Kansenji, Ndola, District Ndola,Copperbelt, Zambia
Note: D Gould
         
        D Gould. Died 3 Dec 1918. Died aged 26. 385 Private, British South Africa Police.

The BSAP was the police force in Southern Rhodesia, (Rhodesia, Zimbabwe) from the 1890's until modern times.  What is confusing is that he should have been a Constable not a Private and why he is buried in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia).

If this is the right person then his records would not be held in South Africa.

If you send me pictures of his medals I might be able to identify them with the help of a book I have.  The BSAP has a very good web site so your son might be able to get help there.

Regards

Robin

[dns098]

Hi Robin G,
My great grandmother was Catherine Eccles (1815-1875). I am tracing the Eccles family line and came across your post about Lewis Hertslet, the son of Catherine’s niece Harriet Hertslet, nee Eccles. You mention that Lewis “became a missionary/medical doctor in Africa”. Can you please provide further details of Lewis’ missionary service? Thanks.

[Robin G]

Hi dns098
He was a missionary/medical doctor at a mission station in central Natal and was much loved and trusted by the black people.  When the gold mines on the Witwatersrand had health issues with mine workers he was called on to solve the problem.  When the first shipful of black personnel was sent to Europe during the War the blacks requested that he accompany them to ensure their safety.  The ship was involved in a collision in fog and sank and hundreds of the blacks drowned.  He was reported drowned but had managed to cling on to the side of an overfull lifeboat and was saved.  His wife Jessie was the founding Chief Girl Guide in SA.  The GOULDs had a long history of involvement in the Methodist Church in Devon and elsewhere.
Shout if you need more information on the family.
If you look up the ship Mendi you should find all the details of the disaster.
Regards
Robin G

[dns098]

Hi Robin … what an amazing story! Do you know what mission Lewis & Jessie were with? I see from another post that Lewis moved to SA in 1902, so he would have been about 25 then … presumably he would have done his medical training in England?  I see that Jessie was a Gould – your family. By chance, that is not the same Gould family as Margaret Gould (1743-1803), who married Charles Baring (of the Baring Brothers Bank)? Do you have the details of Lewis & Jessie’s children & grandchildren? Kind regards.

[Robin G]

Hi dns098

When Lewis arrived in Natal he stayed with the Rev. Gould family in Durban and he and their daughter Jessie eventually married and established a mission station and clinic/hospital in mid-Natal.  I think that it was not connected to any particular organisation.  The Herslet family are very high achievers in anything they tackle.  You are probably aware that they were involved with the British Foreign Office, were advisers to the Royal Family, Head Librarians, diplomats, map makers, etc.

If you can figure out how to email me directly I could send you the tree and other bits of information.

Regards

Robin