TOPIC:

Researching the ancestry of (William) Arthur Pay(e)
Born and raised in London aprox. 1865.
Lived in SA 1880-1900. Fought for the English army (Imperial Yeomanry Scouts, Orpen's Light Horse, Western Province Mounted Riflers and Imperial Railways)
Lived in USA 1904-1907.
Lived in Brazil, Guyana and Surinam after 1912
Died around 1945, most likely in Paramaribo, Surinam.
He was a mining engineer, who claims to have rediscovered bauxite ore in Surinam in 1914.
He might have served in the army in the UK before the 2nd Boer War.
Last but not least: He had a brother called Albert of Alfred. Alfred might be his son, who pops-up in Surinam the same period as Arthur did.
Arthur had a son (Arthur), who had a son (Willem/William, my father)

Any info on this adventurous chap would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Robin

Robin
My source on the IY Scouts has it that Arthur Pay, mining engineer, served in the IYS 15031900-02091900 reg. number 6001, age 45, came from Rosebank, USA. Entitled to clasp Cape Colony on his QSA. Also served in SAMIF as 4192, in Orpen's Horse (which you know about) and in DMT intelligence. You might pick up other info during a search on the other rolls.
Good luck
Regards
IL.

Hello Robin,
Welcome to this forum, as Pay had considerable SAMIF service it would be worth a look in both WO126/66 for the Imperial Yeomanry Scouts and WO126/99 regarding his time with Orpen's Horse, for his original attestation and discharge papers, a very interesting fellow and you can take him much further.
Regards Frank Kelley

Thanks IL,
Are you sure that's Rosebank USA, and not Rosebank RSA (Johannesburg)?
Otherwise that means he travelled from USA to South Africa before the war?
Regards,

Robin

Robin
I am a captive of my reference! It definitely says address "USA Rosebank" A case of having to look at the attestation papers, I would say. It is not beyond the realms of possibility for a chap to travel from the USA in search of adventure in those days. I have a similar example here; from Canada to serve in the Corps of Cattle Rangers.
Good luck - you never know what you will find.
IL.

.....USA might stand for Union of South Africa?
His register for the WPMR mentions a business adress in Johannesburg.
Where can I find his enlistment for the IYS and which DMT did he join?
I managed to find a clue on Findmypast website: He left the Cape in 1901. Most likely to the UK first.
Thanks for the help,
Robin