Journey to South Africa circa 1901?

[Tinker]

I am trying to establish when (not to mention WHY) my great grandfather Charles William Newton arrived in Natal, South Africa, as I've finally started writing up the family history, and need to fill in as many of the gaps in my narrative as possible! Could some kind soul find him in any passenger lists, travelling out to South Africa between the 1901 Census and 1906? I've looked on all those on FMP, but have so far had no joy.

Charles, born 1882, Highbury, London, married Elizabeth Alice Ashdown in Durban, Natal, probably around 1905 or 1906 and they had two children, born there in 1907 and 1909, the eldest of whom was my grandfather Cyril Henry Newton. He must have returned to the UK with his bride for a visit early on, as we recently realized that a photo of Elizabeth that my father has, was taken at a studio in Wood Green, London, near where Charles's parents lived. It appears to have been taken some time between 1901 and 1910 as she's wearing an Edwardian style pintucked blouse with a lace collar and a wide, silky, tie.

I'd be really grateful for any likely sightings of Charles and/or his family.

[Sue Mackay]

If you go to the SA National Archives and click on RSA, then enter Charles, William and Newton on three separate lines, you will get 19 hits, two of which appear to be Charles' death notice in 1938 and Elizabeth Alice's in 1972. Death notices often give a great deal of information, and as they are held in Natal (NAB) you can get digital copies e-mailed to you for a nominal fee from
www.
eggsa.org
Follow instructions in FAQ under Document Ordering Service.

[Sue Mackay]

There is a picture of their gravestone here. The grave is in Stellawood Cemetery in Durban.

[Tinker]

Thanks, Sue. I already have most of the info from the South African side. The difficulty has been trying to establish when he left the UK, and why he went to South Africa in particular. He was still in the UK in the early part of 1901 as he appears in the census, so it's unlikely, though not impossible that the Boer War had something to do with it, but if he left with the Army it might explain why I can't find him on any outgoing passenger ships. I did find a Trooper Charles Newton in the 38th Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry which arrived in South Africa in May 1902, at the end of the war, but there's nothing specific enough to prove whether he's my man, and I doubt he had any experience with riding horses. Personally, I wouldn't have thought he'd have been particularly good fighting material anyway, as he was an insurance clerk living with his parents in Noel Park, at that point in time.

[Sue Mackay]

If you put just the surname Newton and South Africa as the country into the Ancestry search it comes up with 8 hits for the 1901 census, most of which are a family living in Worcestershire where the children were all born in Natal. I don't suppose you have any connection with that family? That would be too easy, but it occurred to me that the reason for people going out there was often that they knew people already out there or who had been before.

BTW, the same search also brought up a list of Boer War casualties, which include Wounded as well as Died, though sadly only initials are given.

[Tinker]

I don't have any connection with those Newtons I'm afraid, Sue, at least not that I know of, but I'd be happy to be proved wrong. My Newtons were London-born and bred right back to the beginning of the 19th century, though where they were before that is anyone's guess as I've never had sufficient hard evidence to locate my 4x great grandfather's place of birth or marriage with any certainty! My Newtons were a very unpredictable lot: 4x great gf's brother ended up cork cutting in Burton upon Trent (although Liverpool would have been just as good a destination, occupation-wise), and another ancestor's son travelled back and forth to the U.S via Canada for some time before settling and marrying there in 1916. He was a Commercial Traveller at the time so the earlier journeys may have had something to do with whatever it was he was selling at the time, but that's about it. I'm not aware of a family connection with South Africa, prior to Charles William's move, which is why I'm so baffled. The only other suggestion I can come up with is that he'd done something naughty and been packed off to the colonies, so as not to embarrass the family!

On a brighter note, after I posted my message yesterday, I thought I'd try searching my passenger lists again, and found my Elizabeth A. Newton with her children Cyril H and Muriel A., returning to Natal from London on 17th March 1913, which indicates that she travelled to visit the in-laws quite some time after her marriage, and without Charles. I still don't know when she arrived in London, though.

[margarita]

FMP has a C W NEWTON aged 20 (b. 1882) sailing from Southampton to Durban on 30 October 1902. He is accompanied by Mr E W NEWTON also aged 20. They are both carpenters.

[Sue Mackay]

On a brighter note, after I posted my message yesterday, I thought I'd try searching my passenger lists again, and found my Elizabeth A. Newton with her children Cyril H and Muriel A., returning to Natal from London on 17th March 1913, which indicates that she travelled to visit the in-laws quite some time after her marriage, and without Charles. I still don't know when she arrived in London, though.

The Incoming Passenger Lists on Ancestry show the family (Mrs. E.A., Mast. C.H. and Miss M.A.) sailed on Dover Castle, from Natal to Southampton, arriving 1 September 1912

[Tinker]

Margarita and Sue, thanks to you both!
Elizabeth stayed quite a long time with her in-laws, then! C.W. Newton and his companion have me intrigued. C.W.'s birth and journey dates certainly work in the context of the info I have, although the occupation doesn't tally, but then that may have been what was needed in Natal. I have no idea who E.W. could be though! Charles's only Newton male relations born roughly around 1882 were cousins called Stanley and John Samuel, who both also disappeared after the 1901 Census....interesting!! I think I must email my dad and see if any of the above info rings any bells.