DON'T DO IT!

• Op 19 Januarie 2006 is die volgende vraag op Rootsweb gevra: Is dit wenslik om familiedokumente, soos geboortesertifikate, begrafnisbriewe, koerantknipsels, ens. te lamineer om dit teen die tyd se verinnewering te beskerm. Sal dokumente in hul oorspronklike staat meer waarde behou?

• Anne Lehmkuhl answered as follows: Never laminate original family documents -- the glues in laminate can eventually destroy the documents. Rather make a photocopy of the original and laminate that if you want a laminated copy.

• Karin Serfontein replied: I would suggest that you contact a scrapbook shop and buy some acid free paper and pockets to protect you valuable documents and photos. Please don't laminate them.

'N GENEALOGIESE KERSGESKENK

‘n Jong meisie van 20 jaar, Samantha-Jane Gravett, het my so 'n week terug gevra of ek asseblief iets oor die voorgeslagte van haar pa kan saamstel. Sy wil dit as ‘n kersgeskenk aan hom gee.

“Tall order,” was my gedagte. Dit val mos nie sommer uit die lug nie.

Sy het my karige inligting gegee. Uiteindelik het ek met haar oupa, ‘n 80-jarige met ‘n verstand so blink soos ‘n diamant, gepraat.

Die familieregister het gestalte begin kry.

Op SAGEN het ek hulp gevra. Alta le Roux van Oudsthoorn (wie weet nie van haar nie) was ‘n staatmaker. Sy het met die familielyn tot die Gravetts die land ingekom het, gehelp.

Nog soek op die webtuistes van die LDS-kerk was volgende. Dit het broers en susters en datums opgelewer.

Nog praat met Alta het gevolg. Sy het twyfel oor sekere name bevestig en nog gehelp.

Intussen het ek ‘n paar ure op Legacy bestee om dit in te voer.

George Gravett (*1801) (links) was ‘n Britse Setlaar. Op www.1820settlers.com was daar inligting oor hom. Selfs sy foto was daar. Hy het met die Brilliant na Suid-Afrika gekom. Ek het ook ‘n skets van die skip gekry.

Uiteindelik was daar name van altesame agt geslagte. Van die oupa af ondertoe was dit volledig. Bronne en al.

Met Legacy het ek verskillende verslae gedruk. Saam met ‘n kort opsomming van die Britse Setlaars en ‘n bietjie ander skryfwerk kon ek 30 bladsye bind.

Later het ek nog inligting oor die Gravetts op www.1820settlers.com gekry. Daar was net te min tyd om alles in te sluit.

Samantha het dit gisteraand as ‘n kersgeskenk gekry. Dit was ‘n vreugde om haar vreugde te ervaar. Belangriker: sy weet nou van genealogie.

Sy gee dit vandag aan pa. Sy sê hy en haar oupa (en die ander) gaan in die wolke wees.

Wens ek was daar. Dit is hoe ons genealogie laat groei.

Nou moet hulle voortgaan. -- Japie Bosch

BOODSKAP VAN DIE VOORSITTER

Gegroet vriende

Die jaar 2007 kom snel tot sy einde -- 'n jaar van gemengde sukses en teleurstellings:

• Ons ledetal het mooi gegroei en staan nou op 79.
• Ons het verhuis na 'n nuwe bymekaarkomplek in die kompleks van die NG Gemeente, Ontdekkerskruin waar ons ons biblioteek kon inrig en beter geriewe beskikbaar is.
• Ons maandeliks vergaderings was in die algemeen geslaagd en is afgesluit met ons werkswinkel en mini-uitstalling waar ‘n aantal besoekers verwelkom was.
• Ons tak se e-SAGI ('n genealogiese databasis) van het gegroei tot 350 000 name en is steeds in aanvraag, wêreldwyd.
• Japie Bosch het ons tak se blog (webtuiste) begin en uitgebou tot iets waarop ons trots kan wees. Ek is nie bewus van enige ander tak, behalwe eGGSA, wat iets derglik aanbied nie.

Maar ons vergaderings se bywoningsgetal is teleurstellend, asook die deelname van ons lede aan ons aktiwiteite.

Graag bedank ek elke bestuurskomiteelid vir sy/haar toegewyde hulp, bystand en positiewe deelname. So ook aan elke lid wat ons vergaderings bygewoon het of andersins ondersteuning verleen het.

Kom ons werk saam en maak 2008 die jaar waarin die tak tot nuwe hoogtes uitgebou kan word.

'n Geseënde Kersfees en baie voorspoedige nuwejaar word u toegewens.

Vriendelike groete

Lucas Rinken. voorsitter

A HISTORY OF PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Before the Union of South Africa was established in 1910 each of the four Colonies had its own legislation on public holidays.

That of the Cape Colony was promulgated in 1856, but was amended from time to time and after 1902 the calendar of holidays was as follows: New Year's Day, King's Birthday, Queen Victoria Day (24 May), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Ascension Day, first Monday in October ("Wiener's Day", instituted in 1889 and often so called after its parliamentary sponsor, Ludwig Wiener) and Christmas Day. "Second New Year" (2 Jan.) was celebrated, especially by the Coloured population, but was not an official holiday.

Natal, the other British colony, adopted the following holidays in 1901 :New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Victoria Day (24 May), Michaelmas (29 Sept.), King's Birthday (9 Nov., Edward V11) and Christmas Day. Previously 1 Nov., All Saints' Day, was also a holiday in Natal.

The Orange Free State shortly before the Second Anglo-Boer War had the following list of holidays: New Year's Day, 23 Feb. (birthday of the State -signing of the Bloemfontein Convention), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, State President's Birthday, Dingaan's Day (16 Dec.) and Christmas Day.

In the Orange River Colony (1903- 10) 23 Feb. was abolished and the President's Birthday was replaced by King's Birthday (9 Nov.) while three new holidays were added: Victoria Day (24 May), Arbor Day (first Monday in August) and Boxing Day (26 Dec.).

The Transvaal Republic at the time of the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War observed the following list of public holidays: New Year's Day, Majuba Day (27 Feb.), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, State President's Birthday (10 Oct.), Dingaan's Day (16 Dec.) and Christmas Day.

In the Transvaal Colony (1903-10) Majuba Day was replaced by Victoria Day(24 May) and the President's Birthday by King's Birthday (9 Nov.), 16 Dec. was retained as Dingaan's Day, but Ascension Day was omitted and Arbor Day (first Monday in August) as well as Boxing Day were added.

Following the example of Europe, the First of May ("Labour Day") in practice was for a considerable time treated as a holiday in certain trades. Although the trade unions did their best to obtain official recognition for this day, it was never legalised. In the Cape, 2 Jan. or `Second New Year', as celebrated particularly by the Coloured community, was in practice treated as a public holiday by the closing of shops and private offices, but not of Government offices, since it was never recognised as a Union holiday. In terms of the Shop Hours ordinance (1930) it was recognised as a provincial holiday and shops, etc. were closed, even on 3 Jan. whenever 2 Jan. fell on a Sunday.

Unification made it essential to introduce a uniform calendar of holidays. The Public Holidays Act (No. 3 of 1910) which came into operation on 1 Jan. 1911, provided for the following public holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Victoria Day (24 May), Union Day (31 May), King's Birthday (first Monday in August), First Monday in October, Dingaan's Day (16 Dec.), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

On 7 April 1925 a committee of the House of Assembly was appointed for the purpose of introducing a more suitably arranged calendar of public holidays. The committee drafted a bill proposing the following amendments: Van Riebeeck Day (first Monday in March), May Day (first Monday in May), Union Day (first Monday in June), Empire Day (first Monday in August), Spring Day (first Monday in October), Voortrekker Day (16 Dec.). Boxing Day was not recommended again. The bill was not, however, proceeded with.

On 28 April 1936 the House of Assembly once more appointed a Select Committee to revise the public holidays. The Committee recommended the following changes: Van Riebeeck Day (first Monday in March), Easter Monday (second Monday in April), Union Day (first Monday in June), King's Birthday, Empire Day (first Monday in August), Commemoration Day (first Monday in October), Voortrekker Day (16 Dec.), Labour Day (26 Dec.). The recommendations of the two Committees of the House of Assembly indicate that they agreed only on New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday (in 1936 the second Monday of April was proposed), Ascension Day, Union Day (in 1925 and 1936 the first Monday in June was proposed) and Christmas Day.

Act No. 3 of 1910 remained unchanged until a third commission of inquiry was appointed in 1949, but this time it was not a parliamentary committee. It consisted of Dr. S. H. Pellissier (chairman), W. A. Campbell, Dr. E. Greyling, C. L. Henderson, Col. A. Y. St. Leger, Prof. H. B. Thom and Prof. J. C. van Rooy. The Commission obtained a great volume of oral and written evidence regarding holidays of three classes: religious days, days of historical or cultural significance, and days for relaxation. The main considerations were that certain days must have a content and significance for the nation and carry an edifying message; holidays of a religious and historic or cultural character should preferably fall on the exact dates of the events commemorated. To cause the least possible disruption, days not connected with specific dates should fall on Mondays and, furthermore, holidays should as far as possible be distributed evenly over the months of the year.

Days such as New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Union Day, 16 and 25 Dec. were accepted as more or less obvious holidays. Other days were extensively discussed and much evidence was led. The evidence in favour of Van Riebeeck Day, 6 April, was overwhelming; Afrikaans- and English speaking people were in the main agreed on this day.

Names also suggested were Founder's Day and Settlers' Day, but the vast majority were in favour of "Van Riebeeck Day". The Commission recommended that King's Birthday be transferred from the first Monday in August to the second Monday in July, since this day is not attached to any particular date and this would furthermore give a more even distribution. With respect to Settlers' Day it was not possible to find a suitable historical date to fit both the 1820 British settlers and those of 1849-51 in Natal. For the sake of even distribution the first Monday in September was recommended.

Regarding Kruger Day, requests for the recognition of 10 October had frequently been put to the Government. Alternative names such as Heroes' Day (which was already in use), Kruger-Steyn Day and Commemoration Day were recommended. Evidence given was preponderantly in favour of "Kruger Day" although the Commission emphasised that it was not the intention to pay homage only to the memory of President Kruger, but rather that, since the day is associated with his birthday, Kruger "is to be regarded as the embodiment of Afrikaner heroes in general, so that hereby his birthday also becomes the proper day on which to remember other heroes who subscribed to the same view of life as Paul Kruger".

While 16 December was accepted for obvious reasons, discussion centred entirely round the name of the day. It was felt that the formerly accepted name, Dingaan's Day, conveyed the impression to the uninitiated that it involved esteem for Dingaan, or that it could rouse antipathy among the Bantu against the Whites. The name "Voortrekker Day" was felt to be too vague, or to convey a sense of hero-worship of the Voortrekkers. "Day of the Covenant" was therefore recommended, approved and introduced.

Empire Day (24 May) and the so-called "Wiener's Day" (first Monday in October) were omitted. The latter is of no importance. Empire Day fell during May, a month already overloaded with holidays; furthermore, the Empire, from the South African point of view, was practically a thing of the past. Many witnesses, when questioned on this point, expressed the view that Empire Day had become an anachronism in South Africa and could be omitted, provided some other day was retained to symbolise the ties with other countries of the Commonwealth.

The Commission anticipated that the retention of King's Birthday would meet the case. All the recommendations were accepted by Parliament and in the Public Holidays Act (No. 5 of 1952), which came into force on 1 April 1952, the following public holidays were laid down: New Year's Day (1 January.), Van Riebeeck Day (6 April), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Union Day (31 May), King's Birthday (second Monday in July), Settlers' Day (first Monday in September), Kruger Day (10 October), Day of the Covenant (16 December), Christmas Day (25 December) and Boxing Day (26 December).

Effect was also given to the Commission's recommendation that certain provisions of the Sunday observance acts should be applicable to Good Friday, Ascension Day, the Day of the Covenant and Christmas Day, in order to prevent undesirable practices on these days. A ban was placed on the organisation, direction or control, or participation in or attendance at horse or dog races or any public entertainment or contest where admission is paid for. This Act also applied to the territory of South-West Africa and Marion and Prince Edward Island. After the coming of the Republic this Act was amended by Act No. 68 of 1961, which substituted Republic Day for Union Day, and Family Day for the Queen's Birthday.

Copywright Naspers/Media24 - with kind permission. Extracted from the Standard Encylopeadia of South Africa, transcribed by Heather MacAlister and posted on Rootsweb.

INTERESSANTHEDE UIT DIE e-SAGI (9)

Ongewone Voorname

Deur Lucas Rinken

Waneer ‘n mens ongewone voorname hoor, is dit soms moeilik om ‘n glimlag te onderdruk of selfs te keer dat jy nie hardop begin lag nie.

Wie het nie al gehoor van die arme dogter wat Ossewanina Brandwagtia gedoop is nie. En hoeveel Eufesias is daar nie?

Onwillekeurig dink 'n mens: hoe kon die ouers dit aan hul kind gedoen het? Wat het die arme kleingoed nie op skool deurgemaak nie?

My vrou se pa was ‘n ongeslypte diamant. Toe hy haar, na haar geboorte, geregistreer het, was die laaste ding waaraan hy gedink het korrekte spelling. En so word sy Jeanetta Petronella pleks van Jeanette Petronella, vernoem na haar geliefde ouma (skoonma se moeder). Dit kon sy net nie aanvaar nie en voor ons troue het sy werk daarvan gemaak om sake reg te stel - die groot fooi vir daardie dae om haar naam amptelik na Jeanette te verander, was £25 .

Jare later, het 'n ander skok gekom. Ouma het aansoek vir ‘n ouderdomspensioen gedoen en moes ‘n bewys van haar ouderdom verstrek. Sy het vir ‘n doopsertifikaat aansoek gedoen en vind toe op 'n hoë ouderdom uit dat sy gedoop is Jan Petrus. Sy het dit nie snaaks gevind nie.

Ek, komende uit ‘n Afrikaans gesin, maar gebore in Durban, ‘n Engelse stad, is geregistreer as Lucas - nie Lukas nie. Mnr OC Hinds wat die registrasie gedoen het, het eenvoudig die Engelse spelling gebruik en pa het dit nooit agtergekom nie.

Werk ‘n mens deur e-SAGI kom jy op baie interessante voornaamkombinasies af.

Plestina Blatherwick HITGE, gebore 6.8.1890, se naam kom van haar ouma aan moederskant, Plestina Blatherwick YOUNGER, gebore in Uitenhage, 6.7.1825. Ons sal vir ‘n later volume van SAG moet wag om dalk agter te kom waar hierdie name vandaan kom. Soek ‘n mens op NAAIRS, kry jy ook Plestina Blatherwick THURTELL, gebore HITGE, blykbaar oorlede in 1920. Sou hierdie name verder voorgedra word?

Nog ‘n ongewone voornaam is Evodea PIENAAR, dogter van Johan Christiaan PIENAAR en Emmerentia Alberta Elizabeth REDLINGHUIS. Wat sou die oorsprong wees?

Terwyl ons by die van, PIENAAR, is. Dikwels wil ouers mense vernoem vir wie hulle groot respek het. Een van die mooiste vernoemings van ons boere-generaals waarop ek afgekom het, was Dewettina Delarina PIENAAR gebore te Elandsfontein omtrent 1905.

"Laat my dink aan die eerste keer toe die Vrystaat die Curriebeker huis toe geneem het. Een koerantskrywer wou toe, tong-in-die-kies, weet of daar nou 'n klompie dogters as Vrystaatiacurriebekerrina gedoop gaan word." -- www.sausa.org

En nog ‘n PIENAAR. Johannes Theodorus PIENAAR en Maria Elisabeth STANDER se vierde seun is Gerrit Uwes PIENAAR. Vanwaar?

Dikwels het bekende persone familie ongewone name. Wie weet nie van die oud-minister van Vervoer, Ben SCHOEMAN, nie? Hy het blykbaar ‘n broer met die naam Abelinus.

Dan kry ‘n mens uitheemse name wat vir ons vreemd voorkom: Milagros Rocio ABREGO en die vroulike daarvan, Milagros Rocia ABREGO. Of Bristela AGUIRRE. Wat van Ragnhild AMUNDSDATTER, Hedwig ANKIEWICZ, Obadiah ANTRIM, Reinaldo ARACENA of Sidsel Zidsele ARISTEN?

Een wat erg Romeins klink is Appius Claudius NERO.

Ander ongewone name? Wat van Aegidius Benedictus ZIERVOGEL, Aernouts SLABBAERT of Affabell Battell Henry GIBSON. En Arac Prideaux LUSCOMBE.

Nog ‘n klompie: Bertha Kanutte AARFLOT, Piet Liebertrau Schmidt ACKERMAN, Barnabas Lothrop ADAMS, Abgenita ADENDORFF, Winthrob ANDREWS, Sinomi ARNOLD, Andryetta Ludovica Johanna PRETORIUS.

Selfs in bekende vanne kry ons dus ongewone voornaamkombinasies. Anna Aderjana du PLOOY. Ook Anna Aletta Aderaaina du PLOOY en Susanna Eureka Magdalena du PLOOY. ‘n Mens kan maar net wonder waar dit vandaan kom -- dis nou as dit nie tikfoute is nie, wat altyd moontlik is. So ook Arancha Sanche BOSHOFF.

"My aunt's name is Debra May Page and she married Patrick Dye. Now she is called Debra May Dye." -- www.ethanwiner.com

Dan is daar Arend. Dié noemnaam kom onder andere voor in BRINK, de KOCK, de LANGE, de WAAL, FISCHER, GELDENHUYS, GROVÉ, HOEFNAGELS, HURLING, KOSTER, KOTZE, LOEDOLF, MUNNIK, NELSON, OLKERS, OLIVER, OTTO, PENTZ, REITZ, SCHENK, van AS, van BREDA, van der MERWE, van KRADENBURG, van ROOYEN, van SITTERT, van WIELLIGH(WE(I)LLIGH), en van WYK.

Maar die bedoeling is nie om lang lyste van name hier te gee nie. Kry self e-SAGI en sien self welke name onder ons 350 000 siele vervat is.

My eie vader het swaar gedra aan vier voorname: Sy oupa was Johannes Gerhardus Carolus Albertus en hy word toe Johannes Gerhardus Cornelis Albertus. Dit kon ons nie ons kind aandoen nie en hy het net die eerste twee van sy oupa se name gekry. Oupa was egter sy hele lewe lank bekend as Jan. En so het ons seun ook Jannie geword. Toe ontmoet hy Amanda de GRAAFF uit ‘n Engelse agtergrond, trou en verander sy noemnaam na JANN.

Ander met meer as drie voorname sluit in: Johanna Magdalena Cornelia Dorothea COETZEE, Burgert Johan Paul Salomon ROELWERT en sy dogter Johanna Elizabeth Susanna Maria ROELWERT, Maria Jacoba Hester Helena JONKER, Arent Johannes Bernardus Schagen van SOELEN en Gesina Levina Fredrika Wilhelmina van DEVENTER. Kan hulle ook stories rondom hul name vertel?

Ek het al erger teegekom. Jare gelede in Durban was ek adjudant van die kommando. Een van ons lede was: Stephen de St. I van de Bellelav BOURQUIN.

Weer eens ‘n uitdaging: klop dit.

PRESERVATION OF DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

There are a variety of leaflets available online on the preservation of your family documents and photographs at The National Preservation Office The British Library

Some of these are:

• Cleaning books and documents (PDF format) 100KB
• Good handling principles and practice for library and archive materials (PDF format) 97KB
• Guidance for exhibiting archive and library materials (PDF format) 101KB
• Packing and moving library and archive collections (PDF format) 97KB
• Photocopying of library and archive materials (PDF format) 93KB
• Preservation of photographic material (PDF format) 40KB
• Prevention and treatment of mould outbreaks in collections (PDF format) 86KB
• Specifying library and archive storage (PDF format) 117KB
• Understanding and caring for bookbindings (PDF format) 645KB.

The British Museum holds over 13 million books, 920 000 journal and newspaper titles, 57 million patents, 3 million sound recordings and much more. They should know.

• Saul Issroff of London provided the website address through Rootsweb (south-africa@rootsweb.com). Readers should consider subscribing to this forum. Its provides very useful information. You may also ask for help on any genealogical subject.
  

"MY WÊRELD, MAAR DIE MENSE MAAK MOOI GOED"

The above words by Marianne van der Merwe, summarised the Branch's mini-exhibition of genealogical work on Saturday, 17 November 2007. Marianne was one of the guests at this event.

To a certain extent the day lead to a new era for the branch. More such days will be held
to meet the needs of members. Members and friends of the branch have expressed the wish to learn how to transform their information into a readable and usable format.

Twenty-five people attended. It was less than was expected. The guess is that some members were slightly apprehensive to share their work with others. It was interesting to note that, although more visitors attended than was the case with ordinary branch meetings, less members were present.

Above: Penny Evans and Bob Saunders have a look at some of Penny's work. Penny stayed much later than she had initially intended.

The exhibition included various family registers, completed and partly completed family history books, demonstrations on computers of family slide shows and genealogical data capturing programmes, filing systems and much more.

The variety of implementation methods indeed underscored the words of Frank Sinatra's song: "I did it my way".

Right: Nita du Plessis and Noreen Surmon look at the latter's hand written family history book.

It was these different "ways" that intrigued people.

That really was the intention of the day -- to see how others record their genealogical records and to get tips and ideas.

One guest that drew attention was Noreen Surmon (86). She is a genealogist and historian of note. She implemented her vast knowledge of South African history to the compilation of two comprehensive books on the history of the Surmons. Much of it is hand written -- proving that genealogy does not necessarily have to be done on computer.

Left: Margaret Humphries explained to Myra Bosch her filing system. She said she spent many hours on filing and can lay her hands on any information of any family member at any time.

One idea that some found interesting was that of Margaret Deacon, a visitor. She is novice in genealogy. One of the first things she did was to collect DNA samples of her family. To do this, she merely put a hair and a saliva swab of the family member in a sealed plastic bag and froze it.

"The role of DNA in genealogy is increasing. In time to come it could be of major importance in family research. Obviously it may later be useful for other purposes as well -- who knows," she said.

Many discussions were held about computer programmes. It was clear that people wanted know what is available and were curious and keen to know "how did you do that".

Right: Frans Viljoen and a visitor, Margaret Deacon in a discussion.

To summarise his experiences, Bob Saunders, a committee member, wrote as follows:

"Today's meeting was a good one, despite the lack of support from so many of our regulars and the branch in general.

"I think those of us who had the luxury of milling about and looking at what was presented today, probably learnt a whole lot more than we actually realise. I was so impressed with the two tomes that formed the family saga of Noreen Surmon. The work oozes an aura of its own personality purely and simply because it was put together with loving hands, and breathes the history in a mixture of free form prose and structured pieces interwoven with frozen moments in time, and artwork and illustration, captioned phographs and anecdotes, quotations and the like. Mixed media and illustration (be it the pictures and photographs or the artwork) made all the difference I think."

Left: Louise Dick, Marianne van der Merwe and Lucas Rinken, views a slide show of "Die Losieshuis van 33 en 33A Ameshoffstraat, Braamfontein, Johannesburg", a history of the boarding house of Japie Bosch's parents in the 1950's.

"I think Penny Evans got more than she hoped for in terms of help and advice. I think she enjoyed looking at what others had done, as she shared with me, initially, that she didn't think she would spend too much time at the meeting, and then, eventually, ended up being there all afternoon.

"So for a dry run we must have done something right and something good.

"Japie Bosch of course kept on telling me, " Watter oulike idees" I have got. "Wel ou maat, watter oulike idees het jy nie mee vorendag gekom nie. The photo montage of the Bosch family home of your youth, and the movie clips of your sister - are to say the least, inspiring. I don't believe a single person was not inspired by what you have done.

"So those who did not pitch today, are the poorer for it. Until the next one, I hope we get some feedback from those who did attend today."

INTERESSANTHEDE UIT DIE e-SAGI (8)

‘n Besondere gesin

Deur Lucas Rinken

Onlangs, met 'n besoek aan die “Family History Centre” van die Mormoonse Kerk in Parktown, Johannesburg, het ek toevallig op 'n boekrak “DIE BRINK-FAMILIE VAN SUID AFRIKA” gesien. My ma se middelste suster uit die vyf susters was juis met Oom Bey Brink getroud.

Oom Bey het my vertel dat hy verwant was aan die skrywer André P. BRINK en sy suster Elsabé STEENBERG * BRINK.

Dit bring my by 'n besondere gesin.

Die vader was ‘n landdros. Die oudste seun, André P. (Philippus) BRINK is 'n baie bekend in Afrikaanse literêre kringe.

André P Brink (links) is op 29 Mei 1935 op Vrede in die Vrystaat gebore en is tans hoogleraar in Engels aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad. “Hy is een van die mees veelsydige figure in die Suid-Afrikaanse literêre bedryf: romanskrywer, dramaturg, reisverhaalskrywer, vertaler, letterkundige, kritikus, mentor, professor en polemikus. Sy romans is in meer as 30 tale vertaal, insluitend Serbo-Kroaties, Japanees, isiXhosa en Vietnamees.”

Bibliografie (onvolledig)

Romans: Lobola vir die lewe (1962), Die ambassadeur (1963), Orgie (1965), Miskien nooit (1967), Kennis van die aand (1973), 'n Oomblik in die wind (1975), Gerugte van reën (1978),
'n Droë wit seisoen (1979), Houd-den-bek (1982), Die muur van die pes (1984), Die eerste lewe van Adamastor (1986), Die kreef raak gewoond daaraan (1991), Inteendeel (1993), Sandkastele (1995), Duiwelskloof (1998), Donkermaan (2000), Anderkant die stilte (2002), Voor ek vergeet (2004), Bidsprinkaan (2005).

Dramas: Caesar (1961), Bagasie (1965), Elders mooi weer en warm (1965), Die Rebelle (1970),
Die verhoor (1970), Kinkels innie kabel (1971), Afrikaners is plesierig (1973), Bobaas van die boendoe (1973), Pavane (1974), Die hamer van die hekse (1976), Die Jogger (1997).

Reisverhale: Pot-pourri (1962), Sempre diritto (1963), Olé (1965), Midi (1969), Parys-Parys: retoer (1969), Fado (1970), Latynse reise (1990).

Sy bekenste aanhaling is: "When the conspiracy of lies surrounding me demands of me to silence the one word of truth given to me, that word becomes the one word I wish to utter above all others."

André P. was vier keer getroud en volgens die Brink boek, drie keer geskei.

Sy oudste seun, Anton, was ook ‘n bekende kunstenaar.

Ons lees: “Anton Brink is a versatile artist who has mastered a variety of styles, techniques and materials to create powerful artworks in 2 and 3 dimensions. He has worked and exhibited extensively internationally and has been represented in private and institutional collections in Europe, South Africa, Australia and the USA. Anton will be exhibiting his work at the Gallery in the Round Monument everyday of Festival.

Dan kom ons by André se suster Elsabé * 14.3.1938 + 14.5.1996. Sy is getrou met Prof. D.H. STEENBERG * 4.1.1937. En dis as Elsebé STEENBERG dat sy as skryfster van Afrikaanse Kinderverhale bekend is.

Daar is ‘n tweede suster, Marita, * 3.2.1945 maar ons weet nie meer van haar nie. Dan ook ‘n broer Daniël Johannes (Johan) ‘n professor in fisika.

"e-SAGI" staan vir "Elektroniese Genealogiese Indeks van Suid-Afrika".

• Bekom hierdie databasis met bykans 351 000 rekords. Altemit kry u u familie-inligting waarna u al so lank soek daarop. Dit is verkrygbaar op 'n kompakskyf (CD).
  
• Plaas bestellings by Dennis Pretorius by krugersdorp@pixie.co.za. Die prys is R120. Vorige aankopers kan die jongste weergawe teen 'n verminderde prys kry.

HOLIDAYS ARE A GOOD TIME TO GATHER FAMILY HISTORY

Whether you are just beginning a genealogy project or if you are a seasoned researcher, the holiday season can provide a wealth of opportunities for you to learn a little more about your family history. Holiday events tend to bring multiple generations of family members together, and what better time to have pen and paper or tape or digital recorder in hand to record some family stories?

Start out with some general questions: Where did your parents and grandparents meet? Why did your family settle in a particular area? What do your relatives remember about their grandparents and other deceased relatives? Do your older relatives recall attending major family events when they were younger, such as weddings, funerals and family reunions?

Let the conversation flow, especially if one topic reminds a relative of other information. Tell your relatives to feel free to contact you later if they remember anything else, and always, always thank them for the information they provide.

There are many books and Websites dedicated to interviewing loved ones. Online, check out Cyndi's List under the "Oral History & Interviews" section: http://www.cyndislist.com/oral.htm.

• Genealogy tips are provided by the Kentucky history staff of the Kenton County Public Library. Elaine Kuhn provided this tip.

Takkomitee, Wes-Gautengtak, 2007/2008

Bo links : Lucas Rinken, Voorsitter;

Bo regs: Japie Bosch, Onder-voorsitter;
Middel links: John Stephens, Sekretaris;
Middel regs: Kriek Fourie, Tesourier;
Onder links: Margaret Humphreys, Sosiale Aktiwiteite;
Onder middel: Louise Dick, Bibliotekaresse;
Onder regs: Bob Saunders, Bykomende Lid.

Klik op die foto's om dit te vergroot.

APTYTWEKKER VIR SATERDAG

Eerskomende Saterdag, 17 November 2007, hou die tak tydens sy maandvergadering 'n mini-uitstalling/werkwinkel oor lede se genealogiese werk. Daartydens sal lede en ander belangstellendes wys wat hulle met hul geneaogiese inligting doen en hoe hulle dit in 'n bruikbare/kykbare formaat omgesit het.

Dit is die laaste byeenkoms van die jaar.

Hieronder is 'n aanduiding wat teenwoordiges te wagte kan wees. Van die takkomiteelede vertel wat hulle saambring:

Lucas Rinken:

• Sy skootrekenaar en e-SAGI, 'n omvattende databasis wat byna 350 000 name bevat;
• Sy boek "The Ancestors of Lucas Gerhardus Rinken";
• Groot sirkeldiagramme van Genl. Christiaan Rudolph de WET en Lucas se verbintenis met die generaal. Dit is op AO-grootte-papier gedruk;
• 'n Vyf geslagte-fotosamestelling van die Rinkens.

Bob Saunders:

• Sy familieregister, soos dit tans lyk;
• Sy joernaal, bestaande uit sy notas en familiedokumente;
• Sy begraafplaas-opname te Bielaagte;
• Twee plakkate geskenk deur Don McArthur;
• ‘n Groot plakaat-stamregister van die Nichill-gesin (neefs van Bob se vrou) wat in Engeland opgestel is.

Japie Bosch:

• Sy onvoltooide publikasie, die “Bosch’e van Braamfontein”;
• 'n Skootrekenaar en 'n CD, saamgestel uit uittreksels van 8mm-films wat meer as 40 jaar gelede geneem is, oor “Die Kleintyd van Veronica Bosch” (gemaak met Windows Movie Maker);
• 'n CD met 'n foto-samestelling uit die 1950's oor die Bosch-losieshuis van Braamfontein.
  

Klik hier vir meer inligting oor die byeenkoms.

Teenwoordiges word vriendelik versoek om hul werk ook saam te bring, al is dit net 'n gedeelte en ver van volledig. Die idee is om by mekaar te leer en wenke te kry. Dit sal die dag maak!

As jy niks saambring nie, sal ons jou nie wegwys nie, maar dit sal minder pret wees.

NEEM KENNIS -- TAKE NOTE

Neem kennis dat u 'n e-pos van hierdie webtuiste af aan ons kan stuur. Doen dit deur bloot links bo op die kantkolom te klik. Die takbestuur verneem graag van u, in die besonder oor voorstelle rakende ons takvergaderings en die inhoud van die webtuiste. Dit is u tak, maak u voorstelle.

Take note that you can send an e-mail through this website to us. Merely click on the top left of the sidebar. The branch management would like to hear from you, in particular proposals regarding our branch meetings and the contents of the website. It is your branch, make your suggestions.

SOUNDS LIKE FUN!

"Sounds like fun!" was the reaction of genealogist Tessa King when she was informed about the next branch meeting on 17 November 2007.

What more do you want of a monthly meeting of a genealogy group?

In an e-mail sent out to all members Bob Saunders, a committee member, wrote as follows:

"Diarise 17 November as the first of a series of days of idea exchange and hands-on learning.

Please support this maiden "workshop" meeting in three ways:

• Firstly by attending;
• Secondly by participating (i.e. please bring part or all of your work to display and be prepared to share your expertise, discuss the work with others or answer questions relating to the work) and
• Thirdly by giving us feedback -- preferably by e-mail or letter so that we might assess the success or reformulate the idea to work for us all.

We would appreciate greatly your feedback and suggestions. Remember this is YOUR society, and we your committee. Your participation in the society is of great importance to your committee, which we aim to facilitate. Help us, help you!

Should you wish to correspond with your committee via e-mail, the addresses appear in the sidebar.

Click here for more information about what we have planned for 17 November 2007 as well as a map to the venue.

PRESERVING NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

By Wally Waits

Almost all families have a newspaper clipping they want to preserve. Sometimes it is an obituary. Alternatively, it might be an article about a Golden Wedding Anniversary or about a sports activity. Regardless of what the article is about, here are some thoughts on how to preserve a clipping.

If the clipping has not turned yellow, the best step is to take it to a photocopier. The copy made on a regular sheet of paper will last longer than the newsprint on which the article was first printed. Be sure to record on the copy the name of the newspaper, the date and the page if these are known.

Be sure to photocopy both sides when you are duplicating the article. This is especially important if the date and source of the original article is not recorded on the original article. Sometimes the details on the backside of a clipping help in identifying when and where the article was first published.

By photocopying the newsprint, one transfers the message to a paper lower in acid. The acid in the paper usually determines how long the clipping will last. Less acid in the paper means the document will last longer.

• Newsprint is a very inexpensive form of paper. Because of its manufacturing process, it has more acid in the paper than regular paper. The acid will slowly turn the clipping a light yellowish brown. Later the paper will turn to a darker brown before it starts to crumble.
  

There is one disadvantage to photocopying a newspaper article. Sometimes it is not possible to reproduce a newspaper photograph in the copying process. In cases like this, the option is to reduce the level of acid in the clipping.

Deadicification is what the process is called. There are sprays and solutions for this process. It is possible for a person with little training to use these. However, they really work best in a lab under expert supervision. This is because there has been a change in the composition of ink. Experts know how to test the clipping to learn which deacidifers will work and which will ruin the clipping.

Any deacidification effort is non-reversible. Once a change is made, it will not be possible to return to the original condition of the newspaper clipping.

If you are determined to keep the original clipping, isolation is the next best step. This keeps a clipping from touching other records, documents, photographs, etc.

For example, a common place to store an obituary is in a Bible. Over the years, the acid in the newsprint will migrate to the adjacent pages in the Bible. Soon a yellow spot will appear on the Bible pages on either side of the clipping. The yellow spots occur because the acid in the clipping migrated to the adjacent pages. The fibers in the Bible pages are now weakened. The same migration of acid will occur in a bank lock box, in a vertical file or in an envelope.

To isolate a clipping, place it in a folded sheet of paper. If you can, use acid-free paper. However, any paper that is lower in acid content will be better than doing nothing. Cut the paper to fit inside if you want to keep the clipping in a book. After it begins to age, the folded isolation sheet may be replaced.

Mementoes remind us of a former place and time. Dear family and friends leap to mind when we glance at a newspaper clipping.

HOW TO TRACE A DEATH

Question: Could somebody point me in the right direction to find a death in Johannesburg, some time in the 1980's or early 1990's. I need to find a will in the hope that will name any children from the marriage. -- Graham Sanders, London

Answer: The estate file for your person would be filed with the Master of the High Court, but there are quite a few Offices of the Master in the various major cities. Do you have an ID number for the person or at least a date of birth?

With an ID number and/or date of birth you can establish the date and place of death and then you can do a search at the respective office of the Master of the High Court.

The estate file will contain a Death Notice which will list the children of the deceased. -- From Dennis Pretorius, Krugersdorp, South Africa, Executive Member of the GSSA, Genealogical Researcher, Owner of SA Genealogy E-mail List, via Rootsweb.

Man dood toe motor grafte tref

’n Man het in ’n begraafplaas buite Eshowe aan die KwaZulu-Natalse Noordkus gesterf toe sy motor in ’n draai die pad verlaat en uiteindelik oor verskeie grafstene geploeg het.

Drie familielede wat saam met hom in die motor was – ’n man, vrou en ’n agt maande oue baba – is met ernstige beserings na die Eshowe-hospitaal gebring. – Verkorte berig geneem uit Beeld, 1 November 2oo7.

Boeke: Anglo-Boere-oorlog

Die volgende boeke oor die Anglo-Boere-oorlog is op die web beskikbaar:

• "The Petticoat Commando" deur Johanna Brandt
  

• "Het Concentratiekamp van Irene" deur Johanna van Warmelo-Brandt ,
  

• "Elizabeth Russell Cameron: The Story of a Remarkable Woman deur Win de Vos.

(Klik op die blou vir toegang.)

Van: Hetta Scholtz, Rooihuiskraal via Rootsweb.

ORDERING DOCUMENTS FROM THE CAPE ARCHIVE

Steps to be taken to obtain documents from the Cape Town Archive

Send an order for
a maximum of 50 documents per month
by either

E-MAIL TO: readroom@pgwc.gov.za

OR

POST TO: Western Cape Archive, Private Bag X0-25, Cape Town 8000

OR

FAX TO: +21-465-8100.

• The archive will reply with a document to be signed by the researcher.

• Return the document either by fax to +21-465-2960 , e-mail or snail-mail to above addresses.

• The archive will respond with a quotation and bank account details.
  

• Either deposit the amount against their reference number or mail the cheque to above address.

• Wait.

No additional fee is charged for mail -- only 80 cents per page copied.

No website is available with instructions.

I e-mailed my first order on 16 September 2007 and am now at waiting.

• The Pretoria Archive does not provide the same service for the ordering of copies - it might follow soon. The contact details for all the archive repositories can be found on the NAAIRS website www.national.archives.gov.za
  

From Dennis Pretorius, Krugersdorp, South Africa, Executive Member of GSSA, Genealogical Researcher, Owner of SAGenealogy E-mail List, via Rootsweb.

LET YOUR PC TIDY UP ITSELF

More than 42% of PC users do not
DEFRAG
their computers with 16% of all participants not even knowing what it meant.
For genealogists, whose computer is one of their most important tools,
this simple process is vital.

Defragmentation is necessary if you want your computer to perform at its best.

Fragmentation occurs due to the normal computer activity. Each time you save, delete, or modify a file you contribute to the fragmentation of your system. This results in slower processing time until the computer is “cleaned up” through defragmentation. -- www.gold-directory.com

The University of Information Services writes as follows about defragging:

Why bother?

If your desk is organized, it's easy to find your papers. But, when you're busy working on a project, you may not take the time to put things where they belong; you may just plunk things down on your desk and leave them where you dropped them. As your desk gets more cluttered, it gets harder to find things until, eventually, you need to stop and clean up.

When your computer is using files, it will plunk them down, here and there, on the hard drive. If a file is too big to fit in a particular space, your computer will break up (fragment) the file and put the pieces in several different places. As the drive gets more and more cluttered, it takes your computer longer to find things, and the system runs slower and slower. Defragmenting your hard drive will reorganize all these files and pieces of files, making it easier for your computer to find them quickly.

The program tells me I don't need to defragment my hard disk

On older versions of Windows, the disk defragmenter program may tell you that this disk is only (such-n-such) % fragmented, and that you do not need to run disk defragmenter at this time. Today, hard drives are much bigger than they were when Windows 95 first came out. You're concerned with the amount of fragmentation, not how this figure compares to the total size of your drive. Even a few percent of 6 gigabytes can be enough fragmentation to slow down your system.

Schedule enough time for the job

You won't be able to use your computer while the disk defragmenter program is running and the tool may take quite a while if you've never used it before. Consider starting the program just before you go off to a meeting, or class, or lunch. We don't recommend leaving your computer on overnight.

Defragmenting your hard drive can be a bit like going to the dentist; it's tedious and time-consuming, but the longer you put it off, the worse it is. The more fragmented your drive, the longer the program takes to fix it. If you run disk defragmenter frequently, it shouldn't take long each time.

Why can't I use my computer while I'm defragmenting it?

For the defragmentation tool to run properly, you must turn off all the programs that are running on your computer, especially anti-virus software and disk utility programs. These applications constantly change the information on your hard drive; each time the information changes, the defragmentation program starts over again.

How often should I defragment my hard disk?

We recommend that you run disk defragmenter every couple of weeks, particularly if you use the Internet often. You should make it part a regular maintenance schedule along with running scan disk and deleting unnecessary files.

Sandy Berger writes in AARP:

How To Defrag

Want to keep your computer running smoothly? Would you like to possibly speed it up at the same time? There is a simple little utility program built into Windows that will help you do just that. It is called Disk Defragmenter.

Don't be put off by the name. It sounds a bit complicated, but defragmenting your hard disk is easy. You just need a little knowledge about how a computer works to understand what disk defragmentation is and how it works.

Deafrag Explained

When you add a file or a new program to a brand new computer, the hard disk is relatively empty so new data is written to the hard disk in one contiguous block. When you need to use that information, the computer can quickly access it because it is all in one place.

As you use your computer adding files and programs, the hard disk begins to fill up. Deleting files or removing programs creates small empty areas among the other data that the computer will reuse. After awhile, the computer is no longer saving information in large blocks. Instead, it stores information in the many little empty nooks and crannies of your hard disk. The result is that one program or file is broken up, or fragmented, into little pieces and stored in many different areas of the hard disk. The computer ingeniously keeps track of the addresses of each piece of data and puts it all together when it is needed. Yet, obviously, the more broken up the information is, the longer it takes to access the data and the slower the computer becomes.

Finding the Defrag Utility

The solution is a simple one. Your Windows computer comes with a program that will defragment your hard disk. This process reunites all the data into large blocks and gathers all the free space on the hard disk into one block making data retrieval faster and easier for the computer.

Most of you will be able to find the disk defrag program by:

• Clicking on the Start button,
  
• Then choosing (All) Programs,
  
• Then Accessories,
  
• Then System Tools, and
  
• Finally clicking on the Disk Defragmenter.
  

If you have any trouble finding it, simply click on Start, then Help. Click on the Search tab and type in the word "defragment." The computer will give you a link to the defrag program.

Depending on your computer and your hard disk, defragmenting the hard disk can take a bit of time. After you defrag, you will see no difference in your computer, except for a little faster speed if the disk was very fragmented. Yet, getting into the routine of defragging every now and then is a good habit to form since it keeps your computer running smoothly. Some programs, like video editing software, will crash if the disk is too fragmented.

Trouble Shooting the Defrag

Before you start the defrag process you will want to turn off any programs that you are running, including those running in the background like firewalls and anti-virus programs. If you try to defrag when these programs are running, the defrag process will constantly be stopped.

Origin of the name, Evander

For those of you who would like to know the origin of the name Evander here it is:

One of the older Mining Houses in South Africa was Union Corporation and the Deputy Chairman at the time of the opening of Evander Goldfields was PM Anderson. His wife's name was Eva Anderson, hence Evander. -- Graham Goodwin via Rootsweb, May 2007

THE DESIGN AND USE OF COATS OF ARMS

In August 2007 it was reported on this website that there is no such thing as a coat of arms for a specific surname. A coat of arms belongs to an individual and only his/her direct descendents may use it -- with certain provisions. A person in South Africa who wishes to use a coat of arms legally should register it at the Bureau of Heraldry.

On the website Creative Genealogy there are a number of articles about the design and use of coats of arms. (Click on the blue to view them.)

A few extracts from these articles are:

Design Ideas: The absolute best part of creating your own coat of arms is choosing what to put on it. This is where you get to play with ideas and dream.

Design Considerations: The number one rule in creating a coat of arms is, Don't Overdo. Don't put in too many colors, don't put in too many symbols, don't make it too elaborate. When it comes to a coat of arms, simple images work the best in most cases. The thing you want to keep in mind is, how/where are you going to use your coat of arms?

Printing: There are lots of ways to use your coat of arms in print. From greeting cards to stationary, stickers to book covers ... the ideas are all here for the taking.

Display: Display your coat of arms with pride. You might be surprised at the options you have available to you. If you'd like to adorn your home with your coat of arms you might consider having it laser etched into a wood, glass, stone, metal or leather surface. You could even have it etched into your shower door.

Wearing it: Once you've designed your coat of arms it's time to show it off. One of the most fun ways to do that is to wear it.

Using Clipart: It's time to get down to the business of creating a coat of arms. There are a number of ways you can go about doing this. If you're a talented artist, you can sketch one freehand, then scan it into your computer. If you're a skilled illustrator you can create a coat of arms using an illustration program.

MONTHLY MEETING: 27 OCTOBER 2007

DATE: Saturday, 27 October 2007;

VENUE: NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church), Philips Avenue, Discovery, Roodepoort (Map below);

TIME: 14:00;

SPEAKER: Don McArthur;

SUBJECT: 10 500 UNIQUE ANCESTORS OF MY SON;

ADMISSION: R5,00 for refreshments.

ALL WELCOME.

Don grew up in London. He went to the University in Bath where he studied mechanical engineering. He came to South Africa in 1981 with Amcoal and worked on the mines for about 6 years. He later moved to Johannesburg. He is currently self-employed.

Besides genealogy his other interests are karate, spear fishing, running and stamp collecting. He enjoys reading science fiction and science facts and loads of History.

CLICK ON MAP TOE ENLARGE.

(Map: Mail and Guardian Online)

INTERESSANTHEDE UIT DIE e-SAGI (7)

Die Louws en die Dominees

Deur Lucas Rinken

Ek het altyd geweet dat die Louws besondere mense is. Stamvader Jan Pietersz (Broertjie) Louw, gebore 1.3.1628 op Caspel Ter Maere, Nederland is my “8th Great Grand Father”, soos Legacy dit stel. Verder loop my lyne deur twee van sy seuns - a1b1 Pieter Louw EN a1b5 Jacobus LOUW.

Nounet het ek die jongste GENESIS (Maart 2007), tydskrif van die e-GGSA-tak, ontvang. Daarin skryf vriend Hendrik Louw, baie trots, oor sewe geslagte wat nou agtereenvolgens met die naam Adriaan Jacobus Louw gedoop is. Hy eis nêrens dat dit ‘n rekord is nie, maar ek dink dit gaan moeilik oortref word.

Met die invoer van hierdie data in die e-SAGI databasis en daarby ook die wyer familie, het dit my getref hoeveel NG-predikante daar aan een gesin gekoppel kan word. Miskien is gesin nie die regte woord nie, want dit gaan oor ‘n paar geslagte en ook na ander gesinne maar familie is weer te wyd.

NR 1: Kom ons begin by nommer twee op Hendrik se lys - Ds. Adriaan Jacobus (Attie) Louw, gebore 23.1.1859. Wat Hendrik nie sê nie, is dat daar, net in e-SAGI, dus moontlik meer wat ons nie van weet nie, 10 met die naam Adriaan Jacobus Louw voor hom was - die eerste gedoop te Paarl op 7.7.1771.

NR 2: Sy pa, ook Adriaan Jacobus en gebore 15.11.1811 was twee keer getroud, eers met Geertruida Anna Smuts, ‘n eerste niggie een maal verwyder van veldmaarskalk JC Smuts en toe met Charlotte Louisa Maria Herold, gebore 17.8.1819, die dogter van ds Tobias Johannes Herold (b7) en Louisa Adriana Hoorn. Ds Herold was NG-predikant op Paarl en verbonde aan die Kweekskool in Stellenbosch. Hy was ook jare lank moderator van die NG Kerk in die Kaap. Die telling is nou (predikante) 2.

NR 3: Uit die huwelik met G.A. Smuts was gebore op 26.6.1834 Maria Magdalena Louw (b5c1d6e6f2g1). Sy trou te Paarl op 8.3.1852 met prof ds Nicolaas Jacobus Hofmeyer (a1b2c1d10), gebore 8.3.1827. Hy was leraar op Hantam en professor in die teologie. Dis 3.

NRS 4 TOT 7: Uit die tweede huwelik word op 20.1.1845 gebore Louisa Adriana (Wiesie) Louw (b5c1d6e6f2g6) en sy trou op 20.10.1868 op Paarl met ds Arend Hermanus Hofmeyer, gebore 27.9.1837, (dis 4), die seun van ds Arend Hermanus Hofmeyer (b1c10), gebore 19.4.1802. (Dis 5). Hy was ook met ‘n Louw getroud -- Susanna Maria Louw (b5c1d6e6f3) uit dié gesin gebore op 4.10.1813. Hulle het ook ‘n ander seun gehad, ds Jan Hendrik Hofmeyer, gebore 3.2.1835. (Dis 6.) Hy was getroud met Isabella Murray (b9), dogter van alombekende ds Andrew Murray (a2) gebore 26.5.1794 op Clatt, Aberdeenshire, Skotland. (Dis 7.)

NR 8: Hy het ook ‘n ander seun gehad, a2b5, ds Charles Murray, gebore 26.2.1833. (Dis 8.)

NR 9: Nou gaan ons terug na die gesin van AJ Louw en CLM Herold en ons vind nog ‘n dogter Margaretha Johanna Elizabeth (b5c1d6e6f2g8), gebore op 6.7.1848 en sy trou op Paarl op 15.11.1871 met ds. Johannes Roedolph Albertyn, gebore 8.3.1847. (Dis 9.)

NRS 10 EN 11: Hulle het twee seuns -- die eerste is ds Pieter Kuijpers Albertyn (b1c3d15e3f1), gebore 31.10.1872. ( Dis 10.) Hy trou op Wellington op 14.4.1903 met ‘n vrou met interessante name, Elise Beauchamp de Jersey Morgan, gebore 9.10.1882. Sy is die dogter van ds Charles Smith Moragn (a2b3), gebore 25.4.1842 ook ‘n NG-leraar. (Dis 11.)

NR. 12: Hul tweede seun is ds Johannes Rudolph Albertyn (b1c3d15e3f2), gebore 6.8.1878, nog ‘n NG-predikant (Dis 12.)

NR 13: En nog is het einde niet. Die elfde kind in die gesin is Johanna Hendrina Louw (b5c1d6e6f2g11), gebore 9.2.1855. Sy trou op Paarl op 18.2.1873 met prof ds Christoffel Frederik Jacobus Muller, gebore 22.12.1845. Hy was NG-leraar op Swellendam en verbonde aan die kweekskool. (Dis 13.)

NRS 14 EN 15: Hul vyfde kind was ds Tobias Ballot Muller (a27b9c5) gebore 13.8.1884, NG-leraar en taalstryder. (Dis 14.) Hy trou op 30.3.1915 met Elizabeth Thom, dogter van ds George Thom. (Dis 15.) Gaan ons verder, sal ons waarskynlik prof Thom, voormalige rektor van Stellenbosch Universiteit teëkom.

Weer eens daag ek almal om ‘n beter rekord te boekstaaf.

INTERNET ACCESS ONLY 7,6%

Only 7,6% of South African adults accessed the internet at least monthly in 2007, up from 6,5% in 2006. (All Media and Products Survey (AMPS), 2007.) The implications for genealogists speaks for itself. -- From: Fact A Day

WHERE WILL IT GO TO?

Every so often the "genealogical clause" to add to your will makes the rounds on the internet. While such an addendum that specifies where your genealogical materials are to be placed is not a bad idea, there are several things worth remembering:

• Libraries, archives, and historical collections find space to be at a premium. It costs money to property store and maintain collections. Unorganized material, stacks of photocopies, undocumented family group charts are not highly desireable and just because your will says "give it to the blah blah library" does not mean blah blah library has to take it. Of course, if you leave a sizeable donation to blah blah library that might increase the chances they take it.

• Frankly, the attorney and your executor might not care too much what happens to your "stack of papers" and filing cabinets. They will be concerned about real assets, money and any personal items of value and personal items that family members squabble over. Even if your will says your papers are to be donated somewhere, they may end up being donated to the local dump.
  

But my will says that "thus and so" should happen to my papers. To be honest, once your will is being probated, you are dead. You have no control.

What to do?

Work on preserving your information NOW. Work on sharing your information NOW.

Write a documented biography of one ancestor and submit it to a local genealogical society newsletter for publication. Write up a set of parents and their children, documenting every fact, relationship, and date you can using reasonable standards of documentation. Submit that for publication in a local newsletter or quarterly. Most of these county publications go begging for material to publish and this way you have at least preserved SOMETHING even if writing the WHOLE BOOK proves to be a larger task than you can accomplish.

And remember. Most of these genealogical society publications go to quite a few libraries and may even end up being microfilmed. This way you have preserved part of your information. There are other ways to preserve your information to be certain.

The key is to actively work on preservation BEFORE you leave this life. Don't wait on someone else to do it for you after you are gone. -- By Michael John Neill on Rootdig.com.

Also refer to:

A GENEALOGICAL CODICIL TO MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

A N C E S T O R S

If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row,
Would you be proud-of them, or not,
Or don't you really know.?
Some strange discoveries are made
in climbing family trees
And some of them, you know, do not
Particularly please

If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row
There might be some of them, perhaps,
You would't care to know.
But there's another question, which
requires a different view ...
If you could meet your ancestors -
would they be proud of you?

-- Anonymous.

From: Durban and Coastal Branch, Genealogical Society of South Africa, Newsletter, December, 1992. Vol. 7 No. 4, p7.

DIE NUWE AANGESIG VAN BEGRAAFPLASE IN SUID-AFRIKA

Onderstaande twee berigte het op 16 September 2007 in Rapport verskyn. Die opskrifte is seker nie van die aangenaamste nie, maar die inhoud het plek-plek ontstellende implikasies vir genealoë en familiegeskiedskrywers vorentoe.
Die berigte word geplaas met die toestemming van Rapport.

LYKE "GEKRIMP" VIR MEER PLEK

Suid-Afrika se begraafplase is tot oorlopens toe vol.

Dié wat wel nog plek het, is onder geweldige druk, terwyl bestaande grafte ’n geruime tyd al hergebruik word. Met byna ’n miljoen sterftes per jaar gaan die situasie eerder versleg.

Veldtogte om veral verassings onder swart mense te bevorder, was nie suksesvol nie.

Dié probleem is op die pas afgelope Nasionale Kongres oor Begraafplase en Krematoria in Durban bespreek. Mnr. Pepe Dass, voorsitter van die kongres, sê daar is landwyd ’n grondnood vir begraafplase. In Durban is 80% van alle begraafplase vol, terwyl daar in Johannesburg tot 23 000 begrafnisse per jaar gehou word.

“Die aantal sterftes het die afgelope vyf jaar byna verdubbel. In 2006 het sowat 934 000 mense landwyd gesterf. Onder hulle was
46 725 onbekendes wat in sogenaamde armmansgrafte begrawe is.”

As al dié mense op die tradisionele manier begrawe moes word, sou sowat 518 ha grond gebruik gewees het.

Volgens Dass word grafte in die eThekwini-streek (Durban) al van 2000 af “hergebruik”. Vir dié hergebruik word die oorskot in ’n bestaande graf opgegrawe en in ’n sak in ’n hoekie van dié graf herbegrawe.

“Die bodem van die graf word dan weer gelykgemaak en siedaar, daar is plek vir ’n nuwe kis. Of die oorskot word veras en die graf kan weer gebruik word. Dan kan die oorskot ook elders in dié begraafplaas of ’n ander herbegrawe word.”

Dass sê dié gebruike is wettig en in ooreenstemming met die bepalings van die Wet op Begraafplase en Krematoria van 1996.

Volgens Dass probeer hulle al van 1998 af met ’n bewusmakingsveldtog onder veral swart mense die hergebruik van grafte en verassing aanmoedig.

“Die meeste is glad nie te vinde vir die herwinningsidee nie. Die probleem is dat dit teen hul kultuur indruis. Hulle wil nuwe grafte hê.”

Tog is sowat 5 000 mense in Umlazi tussen 2000 en 2005 in hergebruikte grafte begrawe.

“In Durban laat net sowat vyf swart families per week hul geliefdes veras – teenoor byna 600 mense wat weekliks in dié stad begrawe word.”

Histories wit begraafplase kom toenemend onder druk en baie mense wil glo nou daar begrawe word. “Dié plekke is egter nie vir ’n skielike toestroming beplan nie en die meeste is nou vol.”

Benewens verassing en tradisionele begrafnisse is daar nou ’n nuwe, omgewingsvriendelike metode wat behels dat ’n lyk met vloeibare stikstof gevriesdroog word en ultrasonies versplinter word. Die liggaam word só gereduseer tot net 30% van die oorspronklike gewig. Enkele lykbesorgers in Europa gebruik dié metode al.

Die oorskot word dan in ’n bioafbreekbare kissie geplaas en begrawe. “Dit neem baie min plek op en vergaan byna soos kompos. Slegs ’n klein, plat steen word op die graf geplaas,” verduidelik Dass. “Ons meen dit is hoe begraafplase in die toekoms daar gaan lyk.”

DUUR LAASTE RUSPLEK DALK JOU VOORLAND

Regstellende aksie, korrupsie en vigs is van die oorsake vir die land se begraafplaaskrisis.

Begrafnisondernemers is erg bekommerd oor swak munisipale bestuur, onvoldoende beplanning en ’n hoë sterftesyfer weens vigsverwante siektes wat begraafplase in dié krisis dompel.

Volgens mnr. Martin Piek, besturende direkteur van Martins-begrafnisdienste, gaan die tekort aan plek om mense te begrawe, die verwaarlosing en die toenemende misdaadvoorvalle by dié plekke verassings dalk laat toeneem.

Maar, meen hy, dit kan ook tot ’n toename in private begraafplase lei, wat uiteindelik net deur die rykes bekostig sal kan word.

Vier private begraafplase bestaan al in Johannesburg en een in Kaapstad.

’n Graf in dié begraafplase jaag ’n mens ’n aansienlike bedrag uit die sak.“ ’n Graf daar kan jou maklik tot R3 000 uit die sak jaag. En dan is die begrafnisondernemer se koste nie bygereken nie,” sê Piek.

Hy meen heelwat probleme het ná 1994 begin toe regstellende aksie ook by die bestuur van begraafplase toegepas is.

“Mense wat voorheen grafgrawers en tuiniers was, is in sommige gevalle nou in bestuursposte. Die gevolg is chaotiese bestuur en byna geen beplanning vir die toekoms nie. Baie begraafplase is deesdae ook gevaarlik,” sê Piek.

“Heelwat besoekers en begrafnisondernemers is al daar beroof. ’n Voertuig en al ons toerusting is tydens voorbereidings vir ’n begrafnis gesteel. Wanneer jy die bestuur van die betrokke munisipaliteit daaroor nader, haal hulle net hul skouers op.”

Nog ’n begrafnisondernemer, mnr. Deon Koekemoer van Randfontein, sê die sterftes onder onwettige immigrante dra ook by tot die min plek in begraafplase.

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ANCESTORS FROM THE NETHERLANDS? USEFUL INFORMATION HERE

If you have ancestors who emigrated from the Netherlands there is a lot of useful advice and information in the genealogy section of the goDutch.com website, including -- The Basics: A Guide Articles about Genealogy ...

Below are quotes from a few articles:

• Genealogy is the basic part of family history. It gives you the names, dates and places. Family history fills out the genealogy.
• Even though genealogy is a hobby for me, I have also incorporated it into my job, teaching. As part of my Grade 11 French course I have the students research their family roots. They have to do at least four generations beyond themselves.
• It was through a 50th wedding anniversary notice that I was able to find where my mother-in-law's maternal grandparents lived and died. From there I was able to trace those particular families back another one hundred years.
• At all times make sure you keep track of the source of your information. If someone (or you yourself) ever want to check the information you will have to know from where it came. Your final information should be kept on proper forms. The information can then be easily photocopied and sent to others who are interested in your family history.
• ... ask at the nearest Family History Centre of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS, also known as the Mormon Church). Call the local LDS church to see where the closest Family History Centre is located.
• There is one other very important organization in the Netherlands, the Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie (CBvG), which forms part of a genealogical/archive complex in the Hague (Postbus 11755, 2502 AT The Hague). This government subsidized organization was established in 1945 to help and advise in genealogical research and to do limited research. For a fee they will do limited research for you.
• When you go back before 1812, you have to know what the religion was of your ancestor. The major churches were the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (after 1815 known as the Nederlands Hervormde Kerk, NHK), the Remonstrantse Broederschap, the Doopsgezinde Kerk (Mennonite) and the Rooms Katholieke Kerk (RK). In the large centres one could also find various other churches, English and Scottish, Jewish, Walloon (French) and Lutheran.
  
• The best way to record a date is as I have done above - 25 January 1750 (or 25 Jan 1750 -- blog aministrator) . A date such as 12-11-1749 is not very clear. To an European this means 12 November 1749. To most North Americans this date means December 11, 1749.
• A patronymic name means that you have your given name as your first name and your father's given name as your last name, usually with a form of the letter "s" attached, for example, in my case I would be Anthony Jacobs, Anthony my given name, Jacob my father's given name. Jacobs also can appear as Jacobssen, Jacobse, Jacobszn (zn being the short form in Dutch for son), etc. I have seen some cases where three or four of these names have been strung together thereby giving you three or four generations on the father's side.
• Napoleon also had a major effect on genealogy in the Netherlands. In 1806 Napoleon had a law passed that people in the Netherlands had to adopt a last name (family name). In this way he could keep better track of his citizens. Name adoption (naamsaanneming) records start in Zeeland, Noord-Brabant and Limburg in 1808. Elsewhere name adoption records commence in 1811 or 1812. Some others were as late as 1825.
• In 1812 my wife's forebear Reinder Jochems adopted the surname, Neef, for all his children - Jochem, Jan, Berend and Wobbigje. Wobbigje, Berend and Jochem's children (Jochem had died in 1806) took on the name Neef. Jan had taken on the name Hoornstra (he lived in a different county). However, by the time 1815 arrived Jochem's children had changed their last name to Vos or de Vos. How confusing!
• Additionally, fires, floods and hostilities are responsible for many records having been lost over the centuries. You will usually find that the minister or clerk responsible for keeping the records will make a note in the register that certain years are missing due to floods, war, etc. Sometimes you will find that a clerk put the records in a safe place and then later couldn't remember where he had put them. Sometimes the records were stolen.
• For the family historian the wills and land transactions give us an excellent insight into our forebear's life.
• If one of the parents was seriously ill, they had a guardian (or guardians) appointed to make sure the other spouse looked after the child/children. In these records you often find the ages of the children. The other important thing about these records is that brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and sometimes grandparents were named.
• If a grandfather's name had not yet been used and a daughter was born, the daughter was given a masculine name with a feminine ending - for example Jacoba (Jacob, Jacobus), Teuntje (Teunis), Jantje (Jan) and Adriaantje (Adriaan).
• I would suggest that you engage a researcher at the Mormon depository in Salt Lake City to do your work if it is not too involved.
• A good guide for research in Switzerland and Germany is Angus Baxter's book "In Search of your European Roots". This book is also an excellent guide to research in the Netherlands, Belgium and France.
• As well as the internet there is e-mail. E-mail makes a quick exchange of information possible. Through e-mail and the internet many connections can be made with family previously not known.
  

• Click here for helpful Dutch Genealogical websites.
  

• Click here for more Dutch Genealogical websites, with comments.