Look up AIDED IMMIGRATION FROM BRIT

[Tinker]

Hi Sue
Would you mind having a peek for John and Jane Ashdown and their children who arrived in Durban, Natal some time between 1861 and 1865? (Their last two children may have actually been born in Natal, but the entire brood were baptised there in Aug 1865.) It's possible they were travelling with William and Mary Ann Ashdown, and Sarah White, who I think are related in some way. I've started working my way through various passenger lists, but so far have turned up nothing.
Thanks

[Sue Mackay]

Can only find a Lucy Ashdown (4) with daughters Louisa (16) and Ada (10), who sailed on the Ascendant in 1859. The appendix at the back also lists a John Ashdown (19), a bricklayer, who sailed on the Scotia and arrived 11 March 1848

[Tinker]

Thank you, Sue. The bricklayer is intriguing as my lot were also bricklayers. There's a John Ashdown of the right age in the 1841 census, whose dad is a bricklayer, and they're in Rochester, where my John also hails from, so there may be some kind of connection there, but whether I can prove it or not is another story.

[misspants]

Hello, I was wondering if you could have a look for William Bruce, apparently he was living in the Cape of Good Hope in 1861. I am notsure when he went out or came back to England but his father John Bruce might have been with him or out there already. They came from Suffolk in England. Thank you

[Sue Mackay]

Hello, I was wondering if you could have a look for William Bruce, apparently he was living in the Cape of Good Hope in 1861. I am not sure when he went out or came back to England but his father John Bruce might have been with him or out there already. They came from Suffolk in England. Thank you

Sorry, no William Bruce listed. There was a John Bruce (22), who arrived at the Cape on the Sedgemoor in July 1861, but it says he originated in Scotland. He was a cooper, and there is a footnote to say a J. Bruce was given a retail licence at 27 Adderley St Capetown in 1864.

[misspants]

Thanks for looking....disappointed that he cant be found. I have his fathers will and it was made in 1861 and states that his son William Bruce is IN the cape of good hope....so dont know why he would be there, I assumed that he must be a soldier of some sort?... but Thanks for looking regards

[Sue Mackay]

Thanks for looking....disappointed that he cant be found. I have his fathers will and it was made in 1861 and states that his son William Bruce is IN the cape of good hope....so dont know why he would be there, I assumed that he must be a soldier of some sort?... but Thanks for looking regards

Don't know what his occupation was, but there were a lot of people who went to the Cape at this time, not just soldiers. There were flourishing trade links, a lot of shipping and commerce, and the British were building a lot of railways and other infrastructure.

ETA Sorry, when I first read your post I thought you had said he returned to the UK, but now realise you say you don't know that. If you go to the SA Archives and type in William on one line and Bruce on the next, you get a couple of hundred hits, but on the second page there is a will of a William Bruce dated 1876. It might be worth looking through the entries.

[misspants]

Hi Sue, this is so interesting, it could be my William!....I clicked on your link and it then says choose from the database? so I chose Cape Town Records Centre....I dont know it this was correct?...I put William on the first line and Bruce on the second but it says no records? I then tried it several ways but it always says no records or cannot find due to using back button....Can you take me through this step by step.....hoping its not too much trouble and thank you for your help and advice. Regards Jenny

[Sue Mackay]

I usually click first on RSA (whole country) but in this case KAB (Cape Town) should get you there. Click on KAB and enter William in the top line and Bruce in the line below. Then put 1860 in the Beginning Date and 1880 in the End Date. Click on Search. It comes up with a confusing looking string of text which basically tells you there are 13 hits. Click on Results Summary. The 13 hits include the will for William Bruce, the will for his wife Eliza Dovey, William's Death Notice and Estate papers. A South African Death Notice should list his place of birth and parents (though occasionally frustratingly filled in as Unknown)

Now for the bad news. KAB (Cape Town Record Office) is the only one in SA which doesn't allow digital cameras, so you can't use the eggsa service. You could join one of the SA mailing lists (free) and ask whether anyone in Capetown would be willing to do a lookup for you (perhaps offer reciprocal lookups in Dorset?). Failing that pm me and I can recommend a researcher who will not charge unreasonably.

[misspants]

Thank you for all your help. I have found the info that you mentioned, what a shame that they dont really give out any proper info....I have no idea whether this William Bruce is mine...its such a lond shot and all I have to go on is the mention of him in his fathers will....Its like a needle in a haystack as to why he should be there (as you pointed out) could be many many reasons....I cannot find him on any of the census records following 1861, or marriage/death records....When his father says in the will that William is IN the Cape of Good Hope...with the 'IN' part underlined...I am assuming that he means 'living there' not on a ship.....do you think the same? Regards Jenny