Durban Newspaper Archives?

[MJBatten]

Hi,

I’ve searched everywhere online, even checked the British Library in person, but doesn’t anyone know if the Natal Witness or any newspaper that includes Durban is available to view any where? I’m interested in the years between 1898-1909. I can only find before this and after.

Many thanks

MJ

[maddys52]

Not much help - Unfortunately, eggsa only has BMD announcements from the Natal Witness for years up to 1885 and after 1914.
https://eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/natal-witness-sp-65508289

Newspaper extracts:
https://eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php

Modified:
I can access "The Owl" (Cape Town) and "Cape Illustrated Magazine" (Cape Town) for the years 1898-1909 through Gale Primary Sources. Not sure exactly what you're looking for, but happy to search for something if you'd like.

[MJBatten]

Thank you. Yes, it’s proving difficult. I believe the British Library hold hard copies of it for the dates in question in their Yorkshire base, but they’ve had a cyber attack and won’t know if they do or when they’ll be able to let anyone read them until the end of this year or beginning of next. Hence, my search online 😬

[maddys52]

Sorry, you may not have seen, I modified my reply to include a couple of newspapers I have access to. 

[MJBatten]

Oh that’s very kind of you. There’s a couple of things, but do you know how I could buy a subscription to Gale and maybe I cookies look too. The important things are - 1898 a Diver called Joseph Batten encountered a shark while dredging for the Durban Harbour works. I only found a snippet from a UK newspaper but wondered if there was more in a South African newspaper. Also, Joseph Henry Batten’s death January 1902. I wondered if it was reported on as there seems to be some differences from his death certificate to his estate file that I managed to get from Pietermaritzburg Archives?
Thank you so much,
MJ

[maddys52]

No problem, I'll have a look.

I access old newspapers from my computer at home using my Australian National Library card which gives me access to their eresources, including Gale Primary Sources (which includes amongst other things British Library Newspapers). I understand other libraries around the globe have similar arrangements.

[MJBatten]

Thank you so much. Also, anything between 1907-1909 that mentions a James Cameron and Florence Ada Cameron or Florence Ada Batten - she didn’t marry him, but ran off to Canada with him, but I can’t quite figure out who he is or where he came from.

Thank you

[maddys52]

Sorry, can't find anything mentioning BATTEN.

Can't see anything about a James CAMERON in the 1910s. There are a few references to a James CAMERON (1800 - 1876) who was a Scottish born missionary in Madagascar, then the Cape and again back to Madagascar, but this is quite a bit earlier.

[MJBatten]

No worries. Thank you for checking. They are the most elusive family, so I’m not surprised haha. Thank you for taking the time.