Hello Gary and Listers Civil Registration of Births and Deaths was not official in the Western Cape until 1895 and then it took some time for the law to be enforced. Marriage records were kept from 1700 but mostly by churches - there is an index of special licence marriages in the Cape Town Archives which might reveal something but otherwise unless you know their religious affiliation it might be difficult to find out more. Likewise birth details prior to civil registration are difficult to find unless you know which denomination religion they were. As far as getting records from the Government (The Department of Home Affairs) here is concerned - it is not so much a question of the Government having a 'tight hold on their records' - it is more a question of a serious problem with service delivery!!!. Because of various factors such as staff shortages or a complete lack of administrative co-ordination, requests for certificates often fall through the cracks. It is a source of massive frustration not only to researchers but to the ordinary person in the street applying for identity documents etc. (you only have to look at a recent incident where a 20 year old young man held a Home Affairs official hostage, hoping to get some attention to his problem because he had waited for 2 years for an Identity Document resulting in applications for jobs, drivers licence etc.etc. being turned down. The frustration is shared by millions). All I can suggest is that your request for certificates should be followed up regularly and if you are lucky enough to make contact with someone in the Department, get their names and a direct office number so that you can follow up directly with them instead of a nameless, faceless entity. I think your best chance would be to apply through a South African Embassy if you are living outside of South Africa -you will probably get more attention that way. Good luck! Regards Sharon Warr South African Genealogy - Lots of links, passenger lists, Immigrants and more - www.sagenealogy.co.za Scribes Publishing - South African historical resources on CD www.sagenealogy.co.za/scribes.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: <maryeatwell@charter.net> To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 01, 2006 6:27 PM Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] SLEIGH Family of Cape Town, South Africa > Hello Gary, good morning and Happy New Year. > To start with my experience with trying to do research in SA was a bumpy > road to say none the least. My paternal grandfather, Theodore Henry > Eatwell, came from Cape Town SA. Well I thought that like everywhere else > it wouldn't be that hard, much to my surprise oh my! The government there > has a tight hold on their records. I was told I would have to make > application through the nearest SA Embassy here. So I put a request on a > 'free geneaology board' here and a lady, who is a researcher and who was > born there, anwered. She helped me a great deal, but if you want those > certificates, that's different. You will have to hire a professional > researcher at $20.00 US dollars an hour. But if you know the church that > maybe your ancestor was baptized, you may apply direct for a copy. So do > let me know how you do, and I will help on this end if I can. Happy > Holiday Mary Eatwell in the Pacific NW USA >> >> From: valdennis@optusnet.com.au >> Date: 2006/01/01 Sun AM 06:32:25 EST >> To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com >> Subject: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] SLEIGH Family of Cape Town, South >> Africa >> >> Happy New Year to all subscribers. >> I am researching the Sleigh Family who lived in South Africa in the >> 1800's. >> My Great Grandmother was Johanna Catherine Sleigh born 8 Nov 1883 in Cape >> Town. She married William Dutfield in 1904 then later moved to Australia. >> Johanna's parents were Francis Sleigh and Susan ? and her four siblings >> were Daniel, Francis, Caroline and Susan(nah)? >> Could some one please let me know how to locate official birth, death and >> marriage records within South Africa. >> Would love to hear from anyone researching this family. >> Regards, Garry Dennis, Sydney, Australia. >> >> >> ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== >> South African Passenger Lists, Genealogy links, CDs and books >> www.sagenealogy.co.za >> >> ============================== >> Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the >> areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. >> Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >> > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > South African Passenger Lists, Genealogy links, CDs and books > www.sagenealogy.co.za > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > >