Lawrence - Coleraine, Londonderry

[Barcus]

Sorry - re-read your message (I must have "quake" brain). See you do think Annie was a second marriage. Other alternative is that we're looking at two people called Brown Lawrence.

My feeling is that the Lawrences were Scots/Irish rather than English, but no actual proof as such.

[Barcus]

There are three listings for an Alexander Lawrence on the Ancestry24 website:

1861 and 1863 Cape Almanacs have an Alexander Lawrence, Photographer at Ashley Street, Cape Town

Cape Estates Death Notice Index - Alexander Lawrence 1871.

Do you think any of these are your man?

[bnl]

As I see it, Brown's first wife, Margaret, died in 1867 in Cape Town. Annie moved to South Africa in c.1880 and married Brown some time after that.

[bnl]

Thanks for the information on Alexander Lawrence from the Ancestry24 website.
Unfortunately, none of the three listings refers to my Alexander Lawrence as he was a) never a photographer and b) died in 1903 in Natal.
 
 

[bnl]

I would appreciate it is someone could help me trace Alexander LAWRENCE from his permit number (R1520/P1397). He emigrated to South Africa in 1862 under "Aided Immigration". He left Southampton on 4/1/1862 on the ship "John Vanner" and arrived in Cape Town on 10/3/1862.
Many thanks

[aghadowey]

It may be that any surviving records are in South Africa- have you tried searching there yet?

[bnl]

I have not tried any South African records yet.
Would his permit number be a British/ Southampton emigration number or a South African entry/arrival number?
What South African records should I look for and would they be held in Cape Town?

[aghadowey]

Where did you get the details in the first place?

South Africa Archives can be searched here- see Search National Automated Archival Information Retrieval System on left side of page: www.national.archives.gov.za/naairs.htm

[bnl]

I was given the details by a Rootschat person from the book "Aided Immigration from Britain to South Africa 1857- 1867" by Esmè Bull. This is the earliest information that I have on him and there starts my brick wall.
I have searched the NAAIRS system quite thoroughly and have found information on him but nothing about his arrival in South Africa. I have searched most of the free genealogy sites and again nothing.
I actually want to find information on him and his family in England and Ireland. I am hoping that his permit number might provide me with information that will lead to discovering this.