In Durban – visiting relatives and research in archives

Posted on 30-August-2008 by Steve

We arrived in Durban last Thursday, and spent yesterday morning in the archives seeing what we can find. We managed to find something about the Bataille family (related on the Hickman/Beningfield side through the Wilson-Yelverton family). Also found some references to Edwin Terrance Cathcart Cunnison and John Anderson Cathcart Cunnison. Val’s great-aunt Lil Decker married first Eugene Waldemar Rasmussen (we’ve recently made contact with people from that side of the family) then John Anderson Cunnison and then Frederick John Cathcart (both of whom seem to have vanished without a trace). Then we found this John Anderson Cathcart Cunnison, who sounds as though he ought to have been related, but he claimed to have been born in Canada, and we weren’t aware of any of that branch of the family who lived there.

We visited Arthur and Dorothy Benjamin (nee Terblanche) in Northdene, whose son Todd and wife Pamela are emigrating to Australia tomorrow. Arthur is keen on family history, and is trying to trace his ancestors in St Helena.

Filed under: family history, genealogy | Tagged: , , , ,

« »

11 Responses

  1. Ray Stride, on September 13th, 2008 at 9:18 am Said:

    Hi Steve

    I am doing a bit of research into SA Yelvertons. My uncle was Thomas Wilson Yelverton. Wilson was in fact his 2nd christian name and the actual family name is Yelverton. Two of his brothers, Fred and Algernon Ronald (Ronnie) are still alive. Fred turns 90 on the 18th Sept 2008. Ronnie is now 88.
    Please feel free to contact me as I have some useful info and have established a documented link back to Ireland (Thomas Yelverton 1782-1852) as well as info regarding Thomas Arthur (1820-1885).

    Regards

    Ray Stride

    Reply
  2. Steve, on September 13th, 2008 at 10:21 am Said:

    Hi Ray,

    Thanks for the comment — will be in touch by e-mail, and also wondering if you have any connection with an Ethel Constance Stride, who is in Val’s family tree somewhere, I think on the Falkenberg side.

    Reply
  3. Steve, on September 13th, 2008 at 10:42 am Said:

    PS – Correction. I see Ethel Constance Stride was on the Green side of the family – married Ronald Tapscott Green in 1941.

    Reply
  4. elisabeth cunnison, on December 31st, 2008 at 8:12 am Said:

    I am the daughter of David Alan Cunnison, son of David Reid Cunnison , whose parents emigrated to the US from Blairgowrie, Scotland. I know there is a Carol Cunnison living in Canada. We’d be intersted to learn more about the Cunnison family geneology you’ve discovered.

    best regards,

    Elisabeth

    Reply
  5. Vanessa Rudman, on March 17th, 2009 at 9:10 am Said:

    Dear Ray,

    I am the grandaughter of Dr thomas arthur wilson
    Yelverton.
    I have much info for you but request that you do not let my email address or contact details be known to anybody! My grandmother was Theodora Wilson Yelverton and the Bataille you have was my late aunty
    erica. I would absolutely love hearing from you but again, please do not contact me via the internet and only via mine and my husband’s personal email address. It is nothing sinister, I shall explain once I hear from you. Many thanks, kind regards and I look forward to hearing from you as do my daughters, son and husband.

    Reply
  6. Myles douglas Cathcar-Cunnison, on March 31st, 2009 at 3:33 pm Said:

    My father was Edwin Terrace Cathcart-Cunnison and his mother was originaly a Rasmusen. My brother is John Aanderson Cunnison ( now living in Canada) MY father had three sisters Shiela Mavis and Mona.
    grandmother married a number vof times to both Cunnison and to Fred Cathcart. would like to assist if I CAN

    Reply
  7. Steve, on April 7th, 2009 at 9:13 am Said:

    Myles,

    Thanks very much for getting in touch — it’s good to discover new cousins one hadn’t met or even heard of! I’ll be sending you more infor by e-mail.

    Reply
  8. douglas stewart, on October 26th, 2009 at 4:03 pm Said:

    I am the great grandson of Edwin Terrace Cathcart-Cunnison age 12 living in Johannesburg s.a

    Reply
  9. douglas stewart, on October 27th, 2009 at 8:37 am Said:

    My gran is lesley vaughan cathcart-cunnison her dad was edwin terrace cathcart-cunnison her name is now lesley vaughan allison my mom is her oldest child her name is stephne vaughan stewart i also have a small brother called matthew stewart. my great aunt is called terry nevard smith she is the eldest child of edwin terrace cathcart-cunnison and lives in johannesburg with my gran. my great uncles are called myles who lives in durban sa and john anderson who lives in the usa.

    Reply

Leave a Reply