Hello everyone, This is my first posting to the list. My name is JOHN GARDINER and I'm trying to find out more about my great, great grandfather, THOMAS GARDINER, and his family and descendants. This is perhaps a slightly unusual genealogical enquiry as Thomas actually emigrated from rather than to South Africa. Thomas Gardiner is believed to have been born in the Cape in 1857 (according to the UK Census of 1901 he was 44). Thomas seems to have arrived in the UK sometime in the late 19th Century from South Africa, and most probably the Cape, and started a fruit and veg business with shops in Southwark, London and Portsmouth importing produce from the Cape, presumably from family or past associates. I have a photograph of Thomas and some of his children who were born in London (including my great-grandmother). Though Thomas married an English / Irish lady and looks "colonial" if you'll kindly forgive the expression, his children do appear to have some Cape Malay or Coloured facial features and skin tone. Thomas died in London in 1927 There's also a connection to WALTER GARDINER of St Helena who seems to have been born in Cape Town in 1895, possibly to a HENRY GARDINER(?) and a mother whose surname was SCOTT. Walter's mother died giving birth to him and he was subsequently sent to St Helena to live with his maternal grandfather. I have managed to trace Walter's surviving grandson, MALCOLM GARDINER, a Saint who know lives in the UK. Interestingly, one of Thomas's daughters, LOUISA GARDINER, (my great-grandmother's sister) is believed to have left London to marry Walter who was supposedly her second cousin. Therefore, we assume there must be some connection emanating from their South African roots between Thomas and Walter. Any information on Thomas, Walter or any other Gardiner family link in the Cape region would be very much welcome. Many thanks and kind regards to you all. John Gardiner E-mail: jgardin2@ford.com or john@thegardinerhome.freeserve.co.uk

Onteresting set of names as I knew of a John Gardener that worked in the Transport Industry9fruit and veg) in Brisbane Australia and secondly my gf was Ruffina Scott with a brother Walter who lived in Stellenbosch Cape Town and was said to come from Saint Helena Island. Scott ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gardiner, John (J.S.)" <jgardin2@ford.com> To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 3:19 PM Subject: RE: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] GARDINER > > Hello everyone, > > This is my first posting to the list. > > My name is JOHN GARDINER and I'm trying to find out more about my great, > great grandfather, THOMAS GARDINER, and his family and descendants. > This is perhaps a slightly unusual genealogical enquiry as Thomas > actually emigrated from rather than to South Africa. > > Thomas Gardiner is believed to have been born in the Cape in 1857 > (according to the UK Census of 1901 he was 44). Thomas seems to have > arrived in the UK sometime in the late 19th Century from South Africa, > and most probably the Cape, and started a fruit and veg business with > shops in Southwark, London and Portsmouth importing produce from the > Cape, presumably from family or past associates. I have a photograph of > Thomas and some of his children who were born in London (including my > great-grandmother). Though Thomas married an English / Irish lady and > looks "colonial" if you'll kindly forgive the expression, his children > do appear to have some Cape Malay or Coloured facial features and skin > tone. Thomas died in London in 1927 > > There's also a connection to WALTER GARDINER of St Helena who seems to > have been born in Cape Town in 1895, possibly to a HENRY GARDINER(?) and > a mother whose surname was SCOTT. Walter's mother died giving birth to > him and he was subsequently sent to St Helena to live with his maternal > grandfather. I have managed to trace Walter's surviving grandson, > MALCOLM GARDINER, a Saint who know lives in the UK. Interestingly, one > of Thomas's daughters, LOUISA GARDINER, (my great-grandmother's sister) > is believed to have left London to marry Walter who was supposedly her > second cousin. Therefore, we assume there must be some connection > emanating from their South African roots between Thomas and Walter. > > Any information on Thomas, Walter or any other Gardiner family link in > the Cape region would be very much welcome. > > Many thanks and kind regards to you all. > > John Gardiner > > E-mail: jgardin2@ford.com or john@thegardinerhome.freeserve.co.uk > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > Heather's South African Genealogy Help List > www.genealogy.co.za > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 >