Agnes Fitchat, formerly McArthur, born Smith 1841, Montrose Scotland. Agnes, my GGrandmother married James Fitchat in Grahamstown in 1891. Second marriage for both of them. Each had large families. He operated a bakery business in Grahamstown. Something took them to Bloemfontein (c. 1895) where they opened another Bakery business which was still being advertised in St. Andrews School Journal in 1950. They went for a holiday to Scotland in 1903, the business then became his son John's it seems - when they returned from Scotland in 1904, there is no trace of either of them (except his death registration). James died in East London in 1920, Agnes disappeared and I have been unable to trace a date or place of death. She had eight children, but none of their descendants still living know anything of her. Nor do I. Her daughter was my grandmother , who gave misleading information probably as a smoke screen because her first born was labelled illegitimate. Can anyone shed some light on where I might begin looking please? I have managed to trace seven of her eight children, but Joseph McArthur has never been on the radar anywhere - except via his widow Bertha - who received a bequest from James Fitchat's estate. His birth, and also his sister Susan Ann were probably born at Knysna where the parents migrated for labour on a timber plantation in 1862. Does anyone know where Knysna births of that era were registered? The family were strong Presbyterians, and all six subsequent children were baptised at Port Elizabeth Presbyterian Church. Charles McArthur died in 1880 as the result of injuries received in a wagon accident on the farm. In Fitchat's estate papers, at the time of his death, he owned two blocks of land in East London, which were sold by the executors. He was very generous leaving bequests to three of the McArthur siblings. Twenty five and fifty pounds in that era was a lot of cash I understand. Bill Weidner, Creswick Australia