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.