South African Genealogy

[Chasing Caseys]

Is there a site that anyone knows of where you can look up BMD,S or ships lists to South Africa from UK or Scotland - preferably one where where you dont have to go through the whole fussy business of signing up and having to give all your details of where you live age profession and shoe size before you can email the host of the site so she can look up if your name is being researched and then passing the message onto the researcher !

[AnnB]

Hello Tracey

There are two sites which I have found helpful, take a look and see if they can do anything for you ;)

http://www.genealogyworld.net/
http://www.national.archives.gov.za/?

The second one is the South African National Archives. I have found things of interest on it, but haven't tried to get any copies of documents, so don't know how you go about it.

Good hunting
Ann

[Peter Goodey]

Go here

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.genealogy.britain?hl=en

and search in the group for "South Africa". You may find something of interest (including a FAQ) but in any case look out for the name "Steve Hayes" who sounds knowledgable on such matters and might be worth emailing. You might want to search again (using advances search) to check his current email address.

[Sue Mackay]

I have not always been a fan of Rootsweb mailing lists, but there are two excellent Rootsweb lists which both have wonderfully helpful listers and really good list owners. If you look at the archives for these lists you will see that hundreds of parish register transcriptions and newspaper BMD information has been posted

Go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/ZAF/

and check out the SOUTH-AFRICA-EASTERN-CAPE list and the SOUTH-AFRICA-IMMIGRANTS-BRITISH list

[Chasing Caseys]

Thank you Sue, Peter and Ann for all that info.

I checked out rootsweb as my tree is already on there and the first place i look but the worst thing about it is the mailing lists ! i did have a peak today and ended up posting a message hoping someone would see it save me a month or two going through all the messages !

[Sue Mackay]

i did have a peak today and ended up posting a message hoping someone would see it save me a month or two going through all the messages !

I hope you realise that the Rootsweb archives are searchable. If you click Search the Archives rather than Browse the Archives and put in the right keywords you can narrow down your search in minutes. You don't need to be subscribed to a list to search its archives in this way.

I haven't seen any message from you on the Eastern Cape or ZA-IB list. What name are you reaserching in South Africa?

[Chasing Caseys]

This is the way i search for who i am looking for if you can find a way of searching quicker help would be welcome ! as far as i know im not browsing

Boards > Localities > Africa > South Africa > General

My names on it are Jan Boerstra and Jane Ogilvie and its top of the list !

[Burrow Digger]

Thats the South Africa message boards, Tracey, not the email lists.


Here are the South Africa lists - pick one or all of them - you'll have to send an email to subscribe.

http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/ZAF/

[Chasing Caseys]

Hello Burrow digger

I have looked and i did subscribe to one when i first started out but was put off by all the emails you get when someone adds a name !........ I should be more patient ! But the thought of more emails............................!!
I have had a lot of response from my other messages on their albeit privately and i did only find out about the South African connection today. I found on the newly revamped Moray site that they have added a lot more info and i found a family member (my great grandfathers niece) that i have been worried what happened to her. You see i have family letters dating back to 1880,s and the last i hear of her was in 1902 (she was only 4 ) when certain family members were threatening to give her away the the nurses - what ever that means - i assume for adoption as her mother was single and worked in England and she (the child) was bartered between England and Scotland and put in homes where she would be "trained to be of use ". I got quite emotionally attached to her ! stupid i know but having read so much about her i am happy she survived. So today i found out that she had married a man called Jan Boerstra in South Africa and the man that left that info with Moray did so in 1997 ! He left an address but i dont know if he is still there but i will find out when my letter is returned - or not !

[Procat]

The October 2005 Family Tree Magazine has an article on South African research.