Hello Arthur... Some more clarification:
COLIN : a resident of the SA Republic, served in the SAR forces (I'm not sure how much choice he might have had in the matter) and was taken prisoner in 1900. I HAVE NO IDEA IF HE HAD A CHOICE OR NOT,DETERMINING ON WHICH SIDE HE FOUGHT. BUT GIVEN HE COMES FROM A VERY LONG LINE OF SOLDIERS,I AM NOT SURPRISED HE FOUGHT. HIS ANCESTORS INCLUDED:
Major Walter Headland Valentine (Valentine) Baker uncle
Lt-Gen Sir Henry Balneavis II CMG, KH, his mother's side of the family
Lt-Colonel Henry Balneavis I formerly Balneaves mother's side of the family
Lt-Colonel Henry Colin Balneavis III his mother's side of the family
I wonder if he later applied for the Anglo-Boere Oorlog Medalje. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN BY IF HE LATER APPLIED FOR THE ANGLO-BOERE OORLONG MADLJIE?
Incidentally, the Archives in Pretoria have two files relating to charges laid against a prisoner of war named Colin Baker, who "disposed of property which belonged to the Swaziland Corporation". I AM VERY VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THIS. COULD YOU PLEASE SEND ME A LINK SO THAT I CAN TAKE A LOOK MYSELF? OR A PHOTO AND ATTACH IT. MANY THANKS
And there's this information about Collin (two Ls) Baker from Wolwerand :
www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Person/159427/Collin_Baker/
Same person? THIS IS DEFINITELY THE SAME PERSON, MY GREAT GRANDFATHER X 2 , SPELLED INCORRECTLY WITH 2 L'S. HE CLAIMS ON THE FORM TO BE RETURNING TO THE SAME PLACE, ELANDSHEUVEL, WHERE HE THEN MARRIES ON 28 JULY 1903 ANNA MAGDALENA SOFIA ROOS.
WILLIAM ANDREW was evidently in Rhodesia in the early 1890s. CAN YOU SEND ME THE LINK SHOWING ME THIS PLEASE?
I wonder if he served in either of the early campaigns for which a medal was issued. I HAVE NO IDEA. HE ARRIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA AROUND 1881. EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE, 'WHAT EITHER OF THE EARLY CAMPAIGNS' DO YOU MEAN?
Unclear if he was the same person as William Andrews Baker who went insolvent at the Cape in 1881, and was prosecuted for theft in 1884. YES. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE ONE AND SAME PERSON.
Also unclear if this William Andrews Baker was the same person of that name who advertised in Wellington (NZ) in 1878 that he was unable to pay his creditors; who was prosecuted three times in three different towns in 1879 and 1880 for issuing worthless cheques and served two short prison sentences; I DON'T KNOW. CAN YOU SEND ME LINKS TO THIS INFORMATION PLEASE? I AM KEEN TO SEE THE PROSECUTIONS IN DIFFERENT TOWN
I KNOW HE MARRIED 17 June 1876.
I KNOW THAT ON 7 Dec 1877 HE WAS APPOINTED AS PRIVATE SECRETARY TO HON MR SHEENAN ON 17 DECEMBER 1877.
In 1880 he returned to the Gore district WHERE HE ELOPED AND MARRIED MARY BALNEAVIS SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE<, to survey the hill part of GORE.
SHORTLY AFTER 1880 HE WENT TO SOUTH AFRICA AS I HAVE HIM DOCUMENTED FROM 1881 SIGNING A BANK MORTGAGE LOAN TO BUY THE NEW BRIGHTON HOTEL IN WOODSTOCK.
who was sought by the NZ police in 1897 for a similar offence in Masterton, NZ. In 1880, his occupation was given as "brewer and native interpreter" his date of birth as 1851 and born in NZ. BORN IN NEW ZEALAND IS INCORRECT. HE WAS BORN IN THE UK. DATE OF BIRTH IS 1852.
This petty criminal can't have been the same person as William Andrew, who was born in England in 1852 and was a land surveyor. I FEEL THIS IS THE SAME PERSON:
I do so very much appreciate your help here. Thank you for your time and energy.
