Hi not sure if i am going at it the right way so please if i am making a blooper please assist.
My dad passed away when I was 9 yrs old (12 Dec 1976) and then we lost contact with his side of the family. for many years i have been trying to find out something about them and now i finally have some odds and ends. i really hope that there is someone who would either be able to help me or steer me in the right direction.
my grandfathers family was on route from scotland by ship i guess in the 1800's. somehow they ended up in Namibia (the old Duitswes Afrika). i understand they lived on a farm. i dont know anything about my granddads parents but here is his info.
James Watson Watts. DOB 31-10-1895. Died 12-03-1979 burried in Britstown South Africa.
he was one of a few kids. there was some or other tiff and he left the farm. when his dad died they advertised in the local newspaper(s) but apparently he was in cape town south africa living with a guardian - could be an uncle or some other family - this persons name was Carson but my granddad called him Old Chappie. Apparently my grandfather had the nickname of Jim Jacks and Jimmy.
He had 3 siblings: Jean (Sister); Carrie (Sister) and the third i too think was a sister.
he married had a son and a daughter and then him and wife seperated. the son was called Alf who married Mary. They had 4 children nl Alf - Charlie - Hazel - Lilian.
My grandmother met him somewhere along the way. She was born Jean Johanna Jones. DOB 09-09-1900. Died December 1978 and burried in De Aar South Africa. Her dad was from Wales. Still trying to find out what his names were. i was at first told that he was a granadier in the British Army and last night my cousin said that according to an aunt he was in the Royal Scots Tragoon Guards Band. He met her mother whilst here. they got married. She was a maiden Theron from the Prieska (South Africa) region. Now i am not sure if my gran was an only child or if the following people were her brother and sister. my cuz is sure that it is siblings. brother Joe and sister Annie. anyway, her dad returned to England / Scotland to get his affairs in order. in that time her mother died of the flu epidemic. Her dad also died due to this either still on route or already in England. She was then adopted by her moms sister and took their surname namely Theron. think Jones was then dropped completely. She was a teacher and she used to boast that she once danced with the Prince (think they were on visit here in Cape).
They had 5 children from eldest to youngest:
1. Selwyn Cason Watts
2. Jean Johanna Watts
3. James Vivian Watts (Jimmy)
4. Gertrude Anne Watts
5. Edison Edward Watts - my dad (DOB 05-12-1938 - Died 12-12-1976)
not sure what else I need to put here or even if this makes any sense to someone. I really hope to find out more as the Watts family has always just been my surname with no heritage.
Kind Regards
Liesl Watts
Cape Town
South Africa
