finding my Grandfather

[aghadowey]

But what was your grandfather's name? and when would he have been born (if you aren't sure- do you know when he died or when he would have been married?)

[aghadowey]

NAAIRS search seems to be working now. If you search Durban Archives Repository with only the word 'Dempsey' there are 14 results but all 1960 or later- some of these may jog your memory.
http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm300dl

[brian1943]

Morning
The problem is in those days, I presume he arrived in south africa 1898-1920 there was no ID system
and both my parents have passed on
he had 2 sons dennis and brian .....brian was killed apparently at 14 years of age in a bicycle accident
I am also presuming he married in south africa
its really difficult
Thanks
Brian Dempsey

[brian1943]

thank you
I looked up Naairs it has my parents divorce but the case is missing !!
Thanks
Brian Dempsey

[aghadowey]

But what was your grandfather's name? and when would he have been born (if you aren't sure- do you know when he died or when he would have been married?)

[brian1943]

H i all
I have contacted the Natal Witness the oldest paper in Natal and the editor is going to look up the accident involving brian dempsey and the following funeral that should then give me my Grandparents correct names
will advise on receipt
Thxs
Brian Dempsey

[Rena]

My late other half was an amateur boxer.  As soon as I saw the surname you were researching my thoughts immediately sprang to the Boxing fraternity.  Have you surfed to see if if there's any mention or an online potted history of your ancestry?

[Rena]

Have you looked on this South African website which has over 300 Dempsey listings including headstone photos?   http://ancestry24.com/?srchName=Name&srchSurname=Dempsey&group=on&s=search

I haven't found a website listing amateur boxers but I have found this website which shows over ten professional Dempsey boxers, two of whom hail from Ireland (one in the north and one in the south).  As the surname Dempsey is an Irish name it looks like many of the clan migrated.

http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/dlist.html 

When I saw what the meaning of the surname meant it could be that the original tribal leader was a proud strong powerful man.   

<<Dempsey is an anglicised form of Ó Diomasaigh, « descendant of Díomasaigh »; the latter stems from the Irish adjective díomasach « proud ».[1] The family originated in the Kingdom of Uí Failghe.

According to John Grenham:

"In the original Irish Dempsey is Ó Diomasaigh, from diomasach, meaning "proud". The name was also occasionally anglicised "Proudman". The Ó Diomasaigh originated in the territory of Clanmalier, on the borders of what are now counties Laois and Offaly, and remained powerful in the area until the seventeenth century. In the 12th century. O’Dempsey, Chief of Offaly, was one of the few native Irish leaders who defeated Strongbow.

[silvery]

You could get your parents' marriage certificate.   This would give the name of both grandfather's and their occupations if they're the same as UK certs.