Vanishing Family

[KirstyG]

Potentially useful page:
http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=146879

It's an ongoing project so if you check back they might have pictures from Commercial Road cemetery in time.

[Leiper48]

Thanks for those pointers Kirsty! I have now got back to work on the family, and the graves in Pietermaritzburg account for all my missing Leipers. I have also managed to find passages back to Britain from Durban for Robert in 1912, 1921 and 1927 and for his unmarried sister Helen in 1913 and then again accompanying Robert in 1921 and 1927.
Their ages tie up and on the final passage the address they give in Britain is that of their married sister Janet Mann in Glasgow, who I already know about. All I need to do now is a bit of research about their lives and descendants, if any, in South Africa.
Thank You !
John

[Solway]

Hi John,
Just picked-up your query.    Are you aware that two Leiper brothers farmed Airyhemming until relatively recently following the death of their father there?    At least one remains in the Wigtownshire area.
Regards......Bob.

[Leiper48]

Thank you Solway,

  Yes, I do know of the two Leiper brothers. In fact, I have even met them and exchanged a lot of information with them. Their great grandfather, Robert (b1832), who farmed Airyhemming from about 1883 was uncle to my "vanished" William Leiper (b1846) who farmed at Balcarry.
  My grandfather John (b 1872) was also a nephew of Robert's. After his father James (b 1828) left the family farm Drumboy in Avondale, Lanarkshire, John went to live with his uncle's family at Aireyhemming for some years before he went to London around 1890 to start a new life.
  When I started my research I thought that my grandfather had been born at Airyhemming because the Drumboy farm was never mentioned in family anecdotes. I have learned a lot since then!

Regards
        John