Research in South Africa
National Archive Repositories:
Chief of the Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository, Private Bag X9012, Pietermaritzburg, 3200. email: pmbarchives@kzndsac.gov.za
National Archives Index (On Line)
- To get to the index of the archives follow the following steps:
- Go to web page: www.national.archives.gov.za
- On the left hand of the screen select: Search National Automated Archive Information Retrieval System.
[the heraldic slot could also be of interest to you]
- Select the archive you are interested in, e.g. NAB for the one in Pietermaritzburg, or select RSA to do a search on all of them. [NB this page gives you a description of some of the main abbreviations]
- In the appropriate field enter the surname you are looking for, e.g. Schultze. As Schultze will probably produce hundreds of names you can restrict the search by entering Julius on the second line. Ensure that the block at the end of the first line stays on ‘and’ to tell the computer to look for entries with both those names present.
- Click on the ‘search’ button. The computer will then tell you how many incidents of that combination it found.
7 Click on the ‘result summary’ button. A list will appear with a ‘one-liner’ detail of the incidents found.
- Select the lines you are interested in by clicking on the white button in front of that line. If you want to select every line click on ‘select page’ near the top of the page.
- Now click on the ‘multiple document’ button near the top of the page. A schedule of all the selected items will appear with a brief description of what the file contains.
- You can print this information on the normal print procedure on your computer or save it on your hard drive.
DNA Resources
DNA Weekly can be found at https://www.dnaweekly.com/
Heraldry Society
For those of you who are interested in Heraldry there exists a “Heraldry Society of Southern Africa”. The Heraldry Society exists to promote the study and use of heraldry in Southern Africa. It helps to keep members informed about art, history, law and science of heraldry and to encourage the everyday use of heraldry. In return for your membership you will receive the regular journal “ARMA” which contains various articles and other information on heraldry. If sufficient interest is shown the society will hold regular meetings (place/area not mentioned) dealing with heraldry matters. The annual membership fee is R60,00. Application forms can be obtained from :
Heraldry Society of Southern Africa, PO Box 81011, 2120 Parkhurst. RSA
The State Herald
- Contact details of The State Herald are:
The State Herald,
Private Bag X236, Pretoria, 0001
24 Hamilton Street, Arcadia, Pretoria
Tel: 012 323 5300 Fax: 012 323 5287
Fax to e-mail: 086 682 5055
E-mail: heraldry@dac.gov.za
B to search the Internet:
- To get to the index of the archives follow the following steps:
- Go to web page: www.national.archives.gov.za
- On the left hand of the screen select: Search National Automated Archive Information Retrieval System.
- Select the heraldry slot i.e. HER
A new menu appears.
- In first slot select “All”
In second slot enter seach word, e.g. “Fintel”
click on “search” button.
- The “Query Results” screen appears, showing that it found one entry.
7 Click on the ‘result summary’ button. A list will appear with a ‘one-liner’ detail of the incidents found.
- Select the lines you are interested in by clicking on the white button in front of that line. If you want to select every line click on ‘select page’ near the top of the page.
- Now click on the ‘multiple document’ button near the top of the page. A schedule of all the selected items will appear with a brief description of what the file contains.
You can print this information on the normal print procedure on your computer or save it on your hard drive.
University Library Indexes
Did you know that one can find out on the internet the books that are kept in some of the university’s libraries in Pietermaritzburg and Durban? Not, well here is the procedure on how you go about it:
Go to the site: http://library.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx
On the second horizontal menue click on iLink Catalogue
Select Keyword
The search menu appears
In the box “Search for” enter a relevant word, e.g. “Fintel”
In the box “Library” click on ?
A list of possibilities appears
Click on “all” or “group” or “specific library” – e.g. “P-Theological Cluster Libraries (Pietermaritzburg Region)
On the next line click on the type of search to be done, e.g. click on “everything”.
Carries out search and lists all titles with the reference given, e.g. 20 items containing the word “Fintel”. Under each title it gives: title, author, number of copies available, and year published.
Click on details next to the title that interests you.
A brief description of the book appears.
Online Telephone Book
The South Africa’s White Pages is an online telephone book and can be helpful in locating family members for your research. The addresses are not always correct, e.g. it states that my address at 8 Neden Road is in Woodlands, Pietermaritzburg instead of Montrose. By typing in the name “von Fintel” I get 18 telephone number in South Africa. So it is a good place to look for contacts. The website address is:
http://phonebook.yellowpages.co.za/
Adoption
Finding Information about Biological Parents
DESCRIPTION: As an adopted child, you can start a search for your biological parents if you are over 18 years old. If you are between 18 and 21, you will need to have your adoptive parents’ written permission. If you are over 21 you can search without your adoptive parents’ permission. Before you can start the search, you will receive counselling by a social worker. Adoption records are kept for 70 years and are the initial source of information. The records are kept with the Registrar of Adoptions in Pretoria. The following records are kept:
* The consent form
* The adoptive parents’ application
* The social worker’s report on the adoptive parents
* The social worker’s report on the birth parents (if it exists).
Specific information regarding an adoption may be given to any person at the discretion of the Registrar. But the identity of the parties cannot be made known. For example, medical information can be made available to a doctor. Biological parents can only have access to the adoption records if the adoptive parents and the child give their written consent. If they refuse, the biological parents can leave their details in the file so that they can be contacted if the adoptive parents or child change their minds.
INSTRUCTIONS: For more information contact the Registrar of Adoptions at the National Department of Social Development in Pretoria.Ms. Marike Bloem:
Registrar of Adoptions, Department of Social Development
Private Bag X901, Pretoria, 0001
Tel: 012 312 7593
Fax. 012 323 3733
British Concentration Camps of the South African War 1900-1902
The camps were formed by the British army to house the residents of the two Boer republics of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. They were established towards the end of 1900, after Britain had invaded the Boer republics. This database was designed to investigate mortality and morbidity in the camps during the war. Although it includes everyone listed in the registers during the war, it usually excludes returning prisoners-of-war and men who came back from commando at the end of the war, as well as the considerable movement of people which took place after 31 May 1902, when families were repatriated to their homes. The website address is:
http://media1.mweb.co.za/bccdb/
Churches:
Anglican Church Archives – General
For records and information recorded in the Anglican Churches of South Africa you can write to the following address and request bapstism, marriage and burial register certified copies of entries.
Historical Papers
William Cullen Library
University of the Witwatersrand
Private Bag X1
P.O.Wits 2050
South Africa
Physical address: We are located in Room 2 on the ground floor of the William Cullen Library on the East Campus at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:00 – 17:00
Wednesday: 09:00 – 1700
On the First Wednesday of Every month (except June and November): 10:30 – 17:00
Telephone +27 11 717 1940 Fax + 27 011 339 4137
General and Genealogical Enquiries – Carol Archibald
E-mail address of Carol: Archibald.C@library.wits.ac.za
Diocese of Natal.
Parish registers. 1849-1987. Originals are in the Killie-Campbell Africana Library, Durban.
Baptismal, marriage and burial registers for Addington, Edendale, Estcourt, Greytown, Pietermaritzburg, Springvale, Pinetown, Dundee, Richmond, Port Shepstone, Durban, Tongaat, Imbali, Kirby-Hilton, Mid-Illovo, Ladysmith and Sobantu, Albert, Isipingo, Berea, Westville, Estcourt, Stanger, Clermont, Queensburgh, Woodlands, Bergville, Kwa-Mashu, Verulam, Ixopo, Imbali (Seminary), Chatsworth.
Originals are in the Killie-Campbell Africana Library, Durban.
Archives of the Natal Diocese of the Anglican Church Archives
Archivist : Mary Gardiner
Postal address:
Private Bag 899
3200 Pietermarizburg
Phone : 033 394 1567
E-mail: archives@dionatal.org.za
Lutheran Churches
There are four main lutheran churches operating in KwaZulu-Natal.
Evangelical Lytheran Church of South Africa (Natal-Transvaal)
In all the Lutheran churches in this country every congregation looks after its own registers, including the historical documents and registers. To contact the individual congregation go to the churches web-page:
Select “Congregations/Parishes” on the left hand column.
Select ” Summary of congregations” (or a specific area)
Select the congeragation you are looking for and find the contact details.
The Free Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa (FELSiSA)
Details of individual congregations are available on their web-page:
www.felsisa.org.za
Select “Congregations” in the left hand column.
Click on the place name (bold) in which the congregation is situated and it will give you the contact details.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
Contact Information
Tel +27 11 973 1853/4/5 Fax +27 11 395 1888
Physical address: 24 Geldenhuys Street, Bonaero Park, Johannesburg
Postal Address PO Box 7231, Bonaero Park, 1622, South Africa
Email: elcsaadmin@mweb.co.za
Web Address: www.elcsa.org.za
No additional information could be found that is of use to genealogists.
Lutheran Church in Southern Africa [LCSA]
Contact Information:
P.O. Box 13292, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
Phone: +27 12 344 2302; Fax: +27 86 622 6861
E-mail: Bishop.LCSA@gmail.com
No additional information could be found that is of use to genealogists.
NG Kerk van Natal – Archives in Pietermaritzburg
Argiefkantoor: Die Sinodale Argiefbewaarplek in Pietermaritzburg lewer ‘n diens aan die NG Kerk in KZN deur die bewaring van argivale bronne, die ontsluiting van die data en die beskikbaarstelling van inligting vir navrae en navorsing: argief@ngkzn.org.za of (033) 345 2279.
Postal Address:
The Archivist, PO Box 649, Pietermaritzburg, 3200
(Details based on a visit to the archives and talk given by Mrs. Raath in 2001)
The purpose of the archive is to preserve the documents of the church and its various institutions from decay and destruction. This includes the various documents of the congregations, the children and old age homes, as well as the correspondence, minutes and financial reports of the Synod. Suitable facilities are available at the Sinodale Centre, Boshoff Street, Pietermaritzburg.
Documents received are sorted and filed. For future reference they are indexed. These are then captured into computerised databases. With suitable search facilities the required information can be quickly traced.
Numerous enquiries are handled by the Centre, mainly from church councils and ministers requiring details of decisions taken and occurrence twenty, fifty or even a hundred years back. Also common are written requests on various subjects, research projects and church decisions, standpoints or declarations made in the past.
Facilities also exist for researchers to go to the archives and do research themselves. Typical are people compiling centenary brochures for a particular congregation or institution. Also, genealogical researchers visit the archives regularly.
In particular genealogical material is in danger of being destroyed through over usage. Therefore, Centres like Pretoria have closed the access to these documents. Also in Natal the original documents (eg. baptism and marriage registers) for the period 1836 to 1910 have been closed to the public. In Natal we are fortunate that Ben Cilliers spent a couple of months at the archives to record all the information and made it available in a book called “Genealogiee van die Afrikaner Families in Natal”. Documents after 1910 have been copied and are available for research. Annually congregations have to submit copies of their registers to the archives.
The archive follows a policy of close co-operation with a number of other organisations. There exists a very good relationship with the archives of the synods in the other provinces (Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Windhoek). A lot of interaction also takes place with the Human Research Council, the South African Archive Association, The Genealogical Society of South Africa, and State Archives. The archive is also listed on the international list of archives. As a result it receives a lot of enquiries via e-mail from all over the world.
In their strong-room they have a small exhibition of old books and artefacts. Amongst others there are:
The baptism register of the Utrecht congregation dating back to 1852.
The minutes of the first church council meeting of the congregation in Pietermaritzburg of 1841.
An early baptism book from Pietermaritzburg.
A rather small first cash register of the synod.
A baptism register from the period of the Anglo-Boer War recording the baptism of the children from the concentration camp.
Methodist Church
Records are with individual congregations, although all older records are in the Cory Library in Grahamstown, with some of the Natal records in the Killie Campbell Library in Durban
Presbyterian Church
Records for Pietermaritzburg and Richmond are kept at St John’s United church in Loop Street – at the church office. There cover the period 1850 – 1900.
Roman Catholic Church
Records are held by the individual congregations but copies are held by the Durban Cathedral Archives.
Archives, Cathedral of the Holy Nativity, Private Bag 899, Pietermaritzburg, 3200. tel: 033 3941567
Family History Centre of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:
The Librarian, Pietermaritzburg Family History Centre, 321 Alexander Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. tel: 033 3420552 (Lizanne Cockbain)
Much of the information can be accessed on the internet, at www.familyseach.org
Something new at familysearch.org (Mormons)
As a pilot project the Lutheran church Books from St Petersburg in Russia are now available free of charge on the internet. M 1) Open: www.familysearch.org 2) Put cursor on: Search Records, on the narrow bar near the top of the page. 3) Then click on: “Record Search Pilot” on the pull-down menu. (it takes a while to load) 4) On the left hans side, about 2/3 down the page is a magnifying glass with the words “Brows our record collection” – click on it. 5) On the Worldmap click on: “Europe” 6) In the top middle is a highlighted bar with a down arrow on the right hand side. Click on the down arrow. 7) Scroll down the list below it till you get to “Russia” and you will see “Russia Lutheran Church Book Duplicates”, please klick on it. 8) On the left hand side you now have to pull down menu. 9) Scroll down the menu till you get to St. Petersburg 10) Click on St. Petersburg, 11) A new pull down menu appears to the right. 12) Again click on St. Petersburg on the new menu. 13) Another menu appears to the right with the individual congregations. 14) In the new pull down menu you will see the individual church Books of the various congregations or places – click on the the first one, Gatschina. 15) A new column will appear to the right of it with the various periods of the Church Books – click on the first one. 16) Click on the writing in the blue area/field just below the period. (Downloading will take a while) 17) The required book will open and you can look at it at your own pace. Hopefully you understand russian or German and can read the Russian, gothic and süttelin scripts. You may print or download the individual pages. On page 4 it reads: ” Chronologisches Verzeichnis der Getrauten in der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Gemeinde zu Gotschina im Jahre 1944″ As time goes by more and more films of the “Mormons” will be made available on-line. They plan to film over 15 million documents on genealogical sources in the coming year alone. So, a site to get excited about. Genealogical Society of South Africa, Natal Midlands Branch, PO Box 1567, Pietermaritzburg, 3200. email: The Master of the High Court, Private Bag X9010, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 Curator, Howick Museum, PO Box 5, Howick, 3290 Curator, Ladysmith Museum, PO Box 380, Ladysmith, 3370 Curator, Macrorie House Museum, PO Box 42, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 Curator, Talana Museum, Private Bag 2024, Dundee, 3000 Curator, Voortrekker Museum, PO Box 998, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 Curator, Weenen Museum, PO Box 13 Weenen, 3325 Curator, Zululand Historical Museum, PO Box 37, Eshowe, 3815 Director, Natal Museum, 237 Loop Street, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 Natal Society Public Library, 260 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. tel: 033 3452383 German South African Resource Page This page is dedicated to various issues relating to German South Africans, including genealogy, local history and church matters. Where ever possible, identical pages have been made available in English and German. Even though I have been working on these pages for a couple of years, they are unfortunately still very much under construction. I have concentrated on the content rather than flashy graphics and pretty frames, so please forgive me if the pages don’t look as nice as they might have been. The emigrants from Uckermark who came to South Africa mainly settled in the Eastern Cape. The following is a relevant Web page: http://www.knowledge4africa.co.za/eastlondon/a4german.htm Click on „The Shipping Lists“ under Appendices. A list of ships appear. For example, click on the ship named „Wandrahm“ Now a list of passengers appear. As an example click on thje name „Krull“ Now you see details of the family members and the ir place of origin – in this case „Uckermark“. This family later moved to Natal. A contact person in the Eastern Cape is Stephanie Victor. „Curator of History“ at the Amathole Museum in King Williams Town. Her E-mail address is: http://www.1820settlers.com/index.php This Genealogy website is a totally free website, dedicated to the British Settlers to South Africa in 1820, their descendants and researchers. All the information has been generously supplied or posted by the members of this website. Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. A Bundesgeschäftsstelle A Werner-Hilpert-Straße 2 A 34112 Kassel http://www.volksbund.de/kurzprofil/homepage_en.asp Has a online database of 4 million soldiers from WW2. English correspondence seem to cause problems sometimes, so try this guide: http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/content_suche.asp Nachname = Surname Vorname = Forename Geburtsdatum = Date of birth Todes-/Vermisstendatum: Date of death/reported missing Geburtsort = Place of birth The last three are optional and in many cases the searcher will not have those details anyway. Fill in the first two and click on ‘Suche beginnen’. The next page is about you and your interest. If you only want to carry out a quick search, you need only complete the compulsory sections marked with a * Click on Herr (male) or Frau (female) Vorname = Forename Nachname = Surname Strasse/Nr. = Street Address & No Land/PLZ/Ort = Town/Postcode No need to complete in full. Just type (any) one letter in each box and move on to the bottom of the page and click the box marked “Ich erkläre mich den Bestimmungen …”, then click on “Zur Ergebnisseite”. On the next page, click on “Suchanfrage ausführen”. Then, finally, you get to the results page. Click on the surname to display full details of each entry. The VdK database is neither as comprehensive nor as detailed in content as the CWGC register. The Genealogical Society of South Africa (parent body of eGGSA) does run the National Cemetery Recording Project whose aim is the systematic recording of gravestone inscriptions in South Africa and there are also a number of local initiatives by other branches of the GSSA. Their webpage can be found at: http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php Click on the picture for “Gravestones in South Africa ” Scroll down and click on the map of the province and the the graveyard required. Click on the picture representing the section of the alphabet the person falls under. http://www.southafricawargraves.org/index.htm The goal of the South Africa War Graves Project is to archive photographs of every single South African & Rhodesian war grave from the 2nd Anglo-Boer War, Bambatha Rebellion, WW1, Rand Revolt, WW2, Korea, Freedom Struggle, Angola-Border War, Non World War and Police to present day. These photos will either be in the format of a picture of a headstone or a name on a memorial. These photos will eventually be made freely to the family, friends of the deceased serviceperson, school groups, veterans groups and MOTH shell-holes through this website. Click on the photo in the centre with the title “Cemeteries & Memorials” A list of memorials, cemeteries and statuetes will appear. Click on the theme you are interested in e.g. “Victoria Cross Holder Graves” and pictures of the individual graves will appear. Click on the individual picture to enlarge it. South African Family Tree is a website that aims to bring together as many South African family trees as possible. Much of the website is made up of contributions from individuals who have provided their genealogies or family trees for free. Much of the data is from my own research. This information is available to you for free, but please remember that if you intend to use it, that it often represents years of work by someone else, so please acknowledge your source. The primary website is funded by Gina Shepherd. Contributions of information must be provided free of charge in the spirit of sharing that she is trying to foster. If you have information you’d like to contribute, please e-mail info@safamilytree.com The National Archives. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ A mine of information and advise. Discover our vast collection of records and guides on family and military history. Covers also Quick links to: * Births, marriages and deaths * Census records * Citizenship and naturalisation * Divorce * Passenger lists * Wills * Research guides A – Z The Heraldry Society (of Great Britain), 44/45 Museum Street, London WC1A 1LY http://www.theheraldrysociety.com/ THE HERALDRY SOCIETY exists to increase and extend interest in and knowledge of heraldry, armory, chivalry, genealogy and allied subjects. The Society is nonprofit making and is registered as an educational charity. Membership is open to all. As well as enjoying the privileges and advantages of membership, subscriptions help to further the aims of the Society. The main Webpage to go to is: http://wiki.genealogy.net/wiki/Portal:Datenbanken From there you find links to most of the available databases. OFB – Ortsfamilienbücher (German Online Heritage Books) In Germany people are compiling “Local Family Register Books”(Ortsfamilienbücher) from church and civil records available in a specific town. They arrange the registers in alphabetical order of families. A family consists of husband, wife and children. As the demand for such books is limited the genealogical societies have created a website where the books of individuals can be published. Access to this information is free. The information is given in German and English. The website address is: www.ortsfamilienbuecher.de/ Manual: (Sorry webpage is in German only) Example: To find Stillfried von Fintel Select one of the above web sites. In the left hand column click on: “Alphabetische Liste / Statistik” (Alphabetical list/Statistics) In the middle column click on: Celle-Nord In the left hand column click on: “Gesamtliste der Familiennamen” (Full list of family names) In the middle column click on the letter: V In the middle column click on: von Fintel In the middle column click on: VON FINTEL, STILLFRIED Heinrich Sugust (Yes a spelling mistake) Now you can see all the details of the family of Familie Stillfried von Fintel NB: One cannot go direct to Eckhard Stillfried von Fintel as he is still alive and according to German Law details on living persons may not be published. A similar law, called “Protection of Personal Information Act” is to be promulgated in this country. The recommended Protection of Personal Information Bill 2009 is now before Parliament for final approval. The Bill applies to all businesses that process personal information such as names, addresses, email addresses, ID numbers, employment history, health data and the like. GedBas – Die Genealogische Datenbasis A database were researchers can publish their results on the internet, thereby saving printing costs and the researcher is mentioned with his/her contact details. Web: http://gedbas.genealogy.net Foko – Forscherkontakte A database where researchers can make known their areas of research in the hope to make contact with other researchers with the same interests. Web: http://foko.genealogy.net Gov – Das Genealogische Orts-Verzeichnis describes places in Germany that might be of interest to researchers. Are you looking for information on ancestors who left the port of Hamburg between the years 1850 and 1934? Do you need advice as to how to get the exact year of emigration? Then contact this office and we will help you discover a unique chapter in your family’s heritage. Services offered by the HEO: The passenger lists for all the ships departing Hamburg from 1850-1924 are on microfilm file at the Historic Emigration office. Trained researchers will process your individual request – from a historical record of nearly six million persons who left for the new world via Hamburg. If you can give us the exact emigration year we should be able to complete our search. If our search is successful you will receive: A stamped and sealed certificate on heavy paper of the original ship’s list containing your ancestor’s personal data, i.e. age, occupation, marital status and city of origin as well as the name of the ship, its destination and date of sailing for the New World. For a search in the passenger lists, the HEO charges af fee of $75 for each year and each different initial which has to be searched. Please include a personal cheque with each request. A search may take up to six weeks to complete and requests are processed in the order of arrival. Address and opening hours: H.E.O.,Tourismus-Zentrale Hamburg, Steinstrasse 7, Postfach 10 22 49, D-20015 Hamburg Tel: (+49 40) 300 51 282 Fax: (+49 40) 300 51 220 E-mail: Homepage: Emigration from Germany Passenger lists 1863 – 1864 of Susanne Godeffroy: http://home.wanadoo.nl/wouter.busnach/familypages/index.htm#TOC The Old Lutheran Emigration at the Middle of the 19th Century http://www.archivaria.com/EmigList Bremen Emigration Lists http://www.deutsche-auswanderer-datenbank.de/seite22.htm Bremer Passenger Lists 1920 – 1939 http://www.schiffslisten.de/index.html Hamburg Hamburger State Archive http://www.hamburg.de/LinkToYourRoots/welcome.htm Würtenbergischer Kapregiment http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapregiment Als Kapregiment wird im Volksmund das 1787 bis 1808 in Diensten der Niederländischen Ostindien-Kompanie (abgekürzt V.O.C.) stehende Infanterie-Regiment Württemberg bezeichnet. Andere Bezeichnungen waren auch Kaper-, Caper- oder Indisches Regiment. Von den insgesamt rund 3.200 aus Württemberg abmarschierten Soldaten kehrten nur etwa 100 zurück. This is a list (under construction) and description of the late, great ocean liners. http://www.lategreatliners.com/ http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1068&enc=1 Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet. Your genealogy starting point online for more than a decade! http://wiki-en.genealogy.net/Main_Page GenWiki is designed to become the main source for genealogy in the German-speaking areas of the world. The pages will be maintained by the Society for Computergenealogy e. V.. Biggis List – German genealogy related links http://www.genealogyworld.net/robin/index.html http://www.genealogyworld.net/ A good place to start your research. Heather’s South African Genealogy Help List www.genealogy.co.za/ Record and privately publish your life stories, family and company histories and genealogy, creating heritage heirlooms to share, enjoy and pass on to your children’s children. www.yourlifestories.co.za/ A site to learn all about tracking your roots in South Africa http://home.global.co.za/~mercon/ South Africa’s favourite swords, armour and maritime collectables online shopping experience. www.swords.co.za/ Online Publishers of Official Government Newspapers, Gazettes, Legal Notices, & Tenders of South Africa http://www.greengazette.co.za/ Looking for a suitable genealogy programme? The best way to find out which programme suits your need is to try them out. Below are a couple that can be downloaded on a trial basis. Have fun. Brothers Keeper edit screen Brother’s Keeper for Windows http://www.bkwin.org/version6.htm Shareware – limited trial An excellent shareware genealogy programme. Organise your family history information and print a large variety of charts and reports Brother’s Keeper v 6.2.9 Family Tree Maker http://www.familytreemaker.com For 20 years, Family Tree Maker has been one of the top selling family history software. And Family Tree Maker 2011 is their new version — packed with more than 100 enhancements specifically requested by their users. Whether you’re a seasoned genealogist or just starting your family tree, you’ll enjoy all sorts of new and exciting ways to discover, preserve and share your family story. Cumberland Family Tree Shareware – 45 day trial Powerful genealogy programme that has established itself as one of the most popular on the web. Using a database format means that it has a flexible range of options, including the ability to do searches and create selection lists to extract data. Legacy Family Tree http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/ Shareware – limited trial Family tree software that’s brimming with features yet still easy to pick up Legacy v 6.0 Personal Ancestral File (PAF) Free Produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, PAF is a well thought out package that enables you to organise your research in a logical way PAF v 5.2.18.0 Roots Magic Shareware – limited trial One of the best family tree builders at combining power with ease-of-use Roots Magic v 3 RootsMagic is solid genealogy software with a crisp interface. It’s good for beginners who will appreciate the Home Page Wizard that will help to easily create pages for the Web. If you want mapping, research and event management capabilities, compatible programs may be purchased on their website. The Master Genealogist http://www.whollygenes.com/tmg.htm Shareware – 30 day trial Comprehensive, powerful family history project manager offering many different features The Master Genealogist v 6 General Utilities Adobe Acrobat Reader http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html Read .pdf document files. Acrobat Reader v7 (AdbeRdr70_enu_full.exe) Download Accelerator Speed up downloading files from the Internet. Download Accelerator v7.4 (dap74.exe) Irfan View View and print all graphic files. IrfanView is the most popular free picture viewers available free of charge on internet. Download it from http://www.irfanview.com/ Reading EXIF information Open IrfanView programme Click on “File” menu, then “open” Select the file holding the pictures you want to look at Click on it twice Click on the “image” menu, then “information” In the left bottom corner click on “EXIF info” A pulldown menu will appear with the available EXIF info. Beware, it only shows the info that fits in the space on the screen. You now have two options to get to the full details availavle. Web Ferret Search the internet using a number of search engines. Web Ferret v5 (WebFerretSetup500.exe) Win Zip http://www.winzip.com/ Compress and expand ZIP files. Win Zip v8.1 (winzip81.exe) Books – Sales & ValuesGenealogical Society:
Master of the High Court (Pietermaritzburg):
Museums (KZN):
Libraries:
Eastern Cape Germans
1820 Settlers
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
German War Graves Commission
GSSA National Cemetery Recording Project
South African War Graves Project
War Graves etc. (The Cemetery, Graveyards, Memorials and War Graves Pages)
Afrikaans Families (not only)
Research in England
Public Record Office in London – Kew Gardens “The National Archives”.
Heraldry
Research in Germany
Historic Emigration Office
List of Ships
Ocean Liners
Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934
Genealogy Research Links
General
German Genealogy
Mormons General:
South Africa
Robin’s Lists – A number of interesting links
Genealogy World
The ultimate South African genealogy web site.
Life Stories – how to publish
South African Genealogy Web Site
Swords
Government Gazettes (Free)
Genealogical Programmes