Newsletter of the Johannesburg
Branch of the
Genealogical Society of
South Africa
November 2016
Next Meeting 19th November
Randjes Estate,
Randjeslaagte Road
(Opposite Balfour Park Shopping Centre)
2-30pm
“Strange but
True!”
Presented
by
Margaret Gundry
No meeting in December
Members FREE
Visitors R20
Next meeting: 19th November – can you believe the year is almost over?
Over the years I have collected some very odd facts about various births, marriages, deaths and funerals.
How do you like this one?
My grandmother was baptised before she was born – and I have documentary proof!
So join us on Saturday and I will tell you some of the weird and wonderful things I have picked up over the years.
It is our yearend party and we ask you all to bring a small contribution to the tea we will serve afterwards – remember “small”! Snacks or sweet – anything welcome. The committee will organise tea and cooldrink.
The year in Review
Membership
Membership now stands at 28
Meetings
We had speakers at all but one of our meetings:
The genza.org website – Margaret Gundry
The Lighthouse Stevensons – David Kinghorn
Finding Casper Kielland – David Kinghorn
My Shaw Ancestry – George Shaw
Seek and ye Shall Find – Connie Haskell
How Legal Documentation should be read – NeelsCoertse
Brickwalls – Bob Saunders
Visiting Jewish Roots in Belarus – Stan Close
We also had a workshop on mind mapping and using the Internet for researchas well as a very successful Show and Tell.
On 14 May three committee members facilitated a seminar run by the Young People’s Organisation on Setting up your family Tree at Gold Reef City.
Subs for next year.
R210-00 membership with an electronic copy of Familia
Or R290-00 for a hard copy of Familia
Persons over 80 who have been paid up members for 5 years get free membership.
In addition to the membership fee set by the National committee we ask each and every member to pay a R50-00 branch levy to cover teas, and incidentals.
Fees are due in January and to make it easier for the treasurer I ask you to please tryand bring the correct amount. Payment can also be made into our bank account
Joburg Branch banking details:
Nedbank Killarney
Branch code: 191605
Account number: 1916 128580
Account name: GSSA Joburg Branch
Next year’s meetings
We have not yet finalized a programme and we ask for suggestions from our members. How about telling us about some research you have done. Our Show and Tell was one of the most successful meetings we held this past year and the stories were amazing. So volunteer your services as a speaker – don’t be shy!
Our first meeting of the year will be held on the 21st January 2017 and Tony Michler will talk on “Time Lines as a research Tool”.
“A timeline is a representation of events in a chronological order
This may take the form of a list of names or events and dates in of a person’s life or family history. It can highlight problem areas, missing gaps or clarify a list of events, for further research and put events and periods of apparent chaos into focus.
Timelines could be useful for genealogists who struggle to calculate dates.
It is sometimes difficult to see inconsistencies on a pedigree chart or family group.The talk will look at a few examples of these as well as what programmes are available to help in sorting out some of the problems.
This talk specifically looks at helping solve genealogical problems. A.W. Michler.”
We have decided that we will meet early every second month so that members can make use of our Library. The first time will be in February (18th) and we plan to be in the hall from about 11-00. We will see if this works out and if successful will carry on throughout the year (April, June etc.). But we will monitor it – the committee has no wish to sit talking to one another – the idea is to help members with their research.
So see you ALL on Saturday
Margaret Gundry
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Received this in my e-mails – can anyone help?
Pass it on if you know of anyone who can maybe help
Geagte Margaret,
Ek het u adres op die webbladgekry en hoop u kan my behulpsaamweesasb.
Ek is besigom ‘n boekteskryfoor die Heunisfamilie van Knysna/Wittedrif/Uniondale in die Suid-Kaap. Ek het reeds sedert 1985 navorsing begin doen en die Heunisgeslagsregisterswat tans in die gepubliseerdebundelsverskyn het ek met Dr.Heesesaamgewerk en help saamstel.
Ekprobeerveral die Heunisse van Witkop Nigel en Uitkyk Heidelberg opspoor en meeroorhulagtergrondgeskiedenisuitvind. Sommigespelookhul van HEUNES al is hulle en HEUNIS uitdieselfdefamilie.
Eksienuitdaarnaom van u tehoor en salditbaiewaardeerasb.
Groete,
GertHeunis
Kaapstad 082-881-4357
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Why I love the Internet!
Last month I told you how we met up with the great nephew of a man who served with my husband’s grandfather on St Helena during the Boer War. And we were able to exchange photographs of our ancestors together. We first “met” via the Internet.
This month I have traced the daughter of a person my father used to correspond with on Tristan da Cunha in the 1970’s. The young lady was only a young child then and my father used to send them gifts at Xmas time – in those days Tristan da Cunha was so remote that the items he sent were unheard of and unavailable on the island –things like plasticene, jelly tots and paper dolls. I have all their correspondence and look forward to meeting up with her. She now works in Cape Town so when I do meet her you will hear all about it!
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Message from Ellen Harmse – our Archive Tour organiser
The first 2016 tour to the Western Cape was a great success. GSSA participants were members from the following branches: Northern Transvaal, Johannesburg, eGSSA and North West. One function was also shared with the Western Cape branch.
It will be appreciated if branch committees could inform their members on a constant basis about the tours. The reason is that each GSSA member who considers to join one of the tours needs some time to make that final decision. Please note that the tours are a central GSSA attempt to help its (mainly new) members with schooling and introduction to the archives; also it is a team builder.
However it requires of the potential member:
a) quite a bit of preparation,
b) to save for it,
c) to apply for a week’s leave.
Interested members will immediately be placed on a mailing list to be informed about what is planned etc.
•Deposits act as bookings – bookings start 1 January 2017.
Information about the 2017 archive tours:
The following two GSSA tours take place in 2017:
20-25 August 2017: Western-Cape Archives (KAB, GISA & Drakenstein Heemkring) for members from other provinces, whereby is included: flights, bus transport, accommodation, two meals a day, entry fees, guides, tips etc. Cost ± R7,500 per member. Enough information about the working of the archives will be distributed by email up front.
During the most beautiful month of October: Archives in Gauteng (TAB, LDS and Erfenisstigting) (by which could be included flights from other provinces, bus transport in Gauteng and accommodation). Two meals a day and entrance fees will be included. Costs will depend on whether sleep overs and transport have to be included. Contact me to discuss your requirements.
Contact Ellen at or 072 594 9050; 011 972 0003
Best regards,
Ellen Harmse (née Rusch)
GGSA NEC : Archive Tours
072 594 9050; 011 972 0003
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This is a very interesting website – have a look at it. Unfortunately no records.
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Please Note
Please be advised that orders for GSSA products will only be accepted for posting until Saturday, 3 December 2016.
All is not lost, however, for those that do not order in time!
eGSSA will be open for business during the holiday season and products can be ordered through their shop.
The e-shop’s address is
Despite this, the effectiveness of the Post Office during this time cannot be guaranteed.
Remember the special offer on Omnibus 8 & 9 that ends on 20 November!.
Greetings,
Simon
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And if you are in Cape Town over the weekend………..
CAPE TOWN FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY
For further information contact David 021 715 5104
or Ann on 021782 7277
Visitors R20.00 per person.
Map and website:
Entrance for paid up CTFHS members is free
Non members pay R20.00 per person including tea & eats.
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L D S Family History Library
OPEN 9 AM- 4 PM TUESDAY TO FRIDAY
SATURDAY 6.30 AM – 1.00 PM.
Note – CLOSED ON SUNDAYS & MONDAYS
Note change in Hours
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Last but not least I found this while paging through some old newsletters:
The Johannesburg Branch held and Ancestral Tea (What we now call Show and Tell?) and June Botha brought along her mother as “her most treasured possession”.
The South East Wits Family History Society held a similar meeting (Family Skeletons and Heirlooms) and one of the members brought his grand-daughter!
GSSA Contacts, Joburg branch:
The Committee 2016
David Kinghorn - Chairman / Treasurer / Membership
Robert Bush – Vice Chairman
Margaret Gundry – Editor
June Botha- Committee Member
Doreen Piner - Committee Member
Contributions to newsletter will be gratefully received!
Or – should you wish to be removed from the mailing list…
Editor - Margaret Gundry