Hi Maureen & Heather The renewal of licences for bakers, hotels, butchers etc comes up quite often in the Government Gazette - it seems that it was an ongoing thing and all the districts had to reapply. A really great source of information if you are willing to trawl throught the weekly Gazette. All the other stuff in it is fascinating too. Cheers for now Sharon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maureen Brady" <mbrady@telkomsa.net> To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, April 04, 2004 8:15 PM Subject: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch, FARRELL > Hi Listers > > I've recently uncovered a whole family of FARRELLs who almost all have > "Hotel Proprietor" on their Death Notices, on one of which is noted Randalls > Hotel, Rondebosch, so I presume this may have been the name of their family > hotel > (but not necessarily). Any further info would be greatly appreciated. > > The parents were James FARRELL and Ann (born BRADY). This James seems to be > the same James F listed under the Children's Friend Society in Esme Bull's > book as: > > Farrell, James: apprenticed to DJ van der Merwe, Wellington, absconded > ("Zuid-Afrikaan", 18.11.1842). > > His Death Notice (#873 filed 25 September 1874) doesn't give details about > birthplace or parents but as he died age 45, this 'orphan' status plus his > age are consistent, if he > was about 13 in 1842. He died at his residence in Papendorp (near the mouth > of the Olifants River a few hundred miles north up the West Coast) on 13 > August > 1868. His wife survived him by 29 years. She died in 1897 (DN 3185), which > states she was born in Co Clare, Ireland, but no details of parents are > given. Although she was illiterate (signed James's DN with a cross) she > managed to leave "Landed property and furniture" when she died -- what's > more, the DN clearly states she held this property in her own name. I've > never seen this on a DN before, a note for the Executors of the pre-deceased > testator -- "No property or effects were accumulated in the lifetime of the > late James Farrell. All properties are registered in the name of the > deceased". Not bad for an illiterate Irish lass who probably started from > the lowest of scratch, is it? > > Ann Farrell died at her own home at No 2 -- and this is where the first > problem sets in because the > handwriting on the DN is almost illegible -- Celeplon? Celepton? Elepton? > Street [no suburb given], Cape Town. This name rings no bells in my old CT > head, and the word itself makes no sense. > > ***LATER: got it! after analysing the handwriting against other individual > letter formations on the DN ... > > CLIFTON Street -- but there are FIVE (Roads, not Streets) in CT: Claremont, > Clifton, Mowbray, Muizenberg, Wynberg > > On the father's DN, the children are listed as: > > Anne (must have predeceased her mother or died young) > Margaret > James > ?Mary > John > Ellen > Bridget (predeceased her mother in 1893) > Michael > > On the mother's DN, they are: > > Margarent MACON (later DOYLE) > James > Mary GREEN > John > Ellen VAS > Michael > > For the children, I have found the following three DNs: > > James (#3125) 1901, retired, unmarried, died at Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch > Bridget (#694) 1893, hotel proprietor, unmarried, died at Muizenberg > Michael (#2799) 1912, hotel proprietor, married Henrietta CHRISTIANI (sounds > Italian), died > at 'Kelso', Kenilworth (another interesting clue) > four children, all minors: > Susan Doris > Hilda Ann > Michael Dudley > Horace Stephen > > Also one for Margaret DOYLE who signed her sister Bridget's DN. Margaret > died 1910, possibly abandoned by her still-living spouse, alone in the Old > Somerset Hospital, because her DN seems to be signed by a surgeon. > > There's a coherent family story locked up in these bare facts. References > from street directories, voters rolls, contemporary newspapers anyone might > have access to will be very welcome -- even more so would be discovering > someone with these people in their more immediate tree -- I think we could > usefully trade branches and stories. The FARRELLs may have had close links > with the Eastern Cape. in the 1850s. > > Regards > Maureen Brady > Johannesburg > > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > Cape Town Family History Society > www.genealogy.co.za/society.html > > ============================== > 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 > >

Hi Sharon I don't think I've replied to this, sorry. Thanks a lot, but I live in Jo'burg and it's going to be quite a while before I can visit the CT Archives again. The last time I was there, I went through several volumes of Gazettes, and quite agree they're full of fascinating info. Something that really intrigued me (in a volume for the 1860s) was how they listed the addressees of all the letters that had arrived at the Post Office each week -- can you imagine if that had to be done now?! I guess these were letters addressed to Poste Restante, Cape Town, probably mainly letters from overseas, where the sender had lost touch with someone and didn't know the street address of the person they were writing to, or even whether they were still in CT. I presume that, if Mrs A in Claremont was writing to her friend Mrs B in Rondebosch to invite her to dinner, the letter would have been addressed to, and delivered to, Mrs B's street address, so no need to publish this in the Gazettes. With Randalls Hotel, I was hoping someone has access to old street or commercial directories for CT that might list the hotel or even feature an advertisement. I've never seen one of these, so don't know whether they included ads. The other alternative is to search through the newspaper archives, but that will also have to wait until I can visit CT again. Kind regards Maureen Brady Johannesburg ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon Warr" <snw@absamail.co.za> To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 7:44 PM Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch, FARRELL > Hi Maureen & Heather > The renewal of licences for bakers, hotels, butchers etc comes up quite > often in the Government Gazette - it seems that it was an ongoing thing and > all the districts had to reapply. A really great source of information if > you are willing to trawl throught the weekly Gazette. All the other stuff > in it is fascinating too. > Cheers for now > Sharon > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Maureen Brady" <mbrady@telkomsa.net> > To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, April 04, 2004 8:15 PM > Subject: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch, FARRELL > > > > Hi Listers > > > > I've recently uncovered a whole family of FARRELLs who almost all have > > "Hotel Proprietor" on their Death Notices, on one of which is noted > Randalls > > Hotel, Rondebosch, so I presume this may have been the name of their > family > > hotel > > (but not necessarily). Any further info would be greatly appreciated. > > > > The parents were James FARRELL and Ann (born BRADY). This James seems to > be > > the same James F listed under the Children's Friend Society in Esme Bull's > > book as: > > > > Farrell, James: apprenticed to DJ van der Merwe, Wellington, absconded > > ("Zuid-Afrikaan", 18.11.1842). > > > > His Death Notice (#873 filed 25 September 1874) doesn't give details about > > birthplace or parents but as he died age 45, this 'orphan' status plus his > > age are consistent, if he > > was about 13 in 1842. He died at his residence in Papendorp (near the > mouth > > of the Olifants River a few hundred miles north up the West Coast) on 13 > > August > > 1868. His wife survived him by 29 years. She died in 1897 (DN 3185), which > > states she was born in Co Clare, Ireland, but no details of parents are > > given. Although she was illiterate (signed James's DN with a cross) she > > managed to leave "Landed property and furniture" when she died -- what's > > more, the DN clearly states she held this property in her own name. I've > > never seen this on a DN before, a note for the Executors of the > pre-deceased > > testator -- "No property or effects were accumulated in the lifetime of > the > > late James Farrell. All properties are registered in the name of the > > deceased". Not bad for an illiterate Irish lass who probably started from > > the lowest of scratch, is it? > > > > Ann Farrell died at her own home at No 2 -- and this is where the first > > problem sets in because the > > handwriting on the DN is almost illegible -- Celeplon? Celepton? Elepton? > > Street [no suburb given], Cape Town. This name rings no bells in my old CT > > head, and the word itself makes no sense. > > > > ***LATER: got it! after analysing the handwriting against other individual > > letter formations on the DN ... > > > > CLIFTON Street -- but there are FIVE (Roads, not Streets) in CT: > Claremont, > > Clifton, Mowbray, Muizenberg, Wynberg > > > > On the father's DN, the children are listed as: > > > > Anne (must have predeceased her mother or died young) > > Margaret > > James > > ?Mary > > John > > Ellen > > Bridget (predeceased her mother in 1893) > > Michael > > > > On the mother's DN, they are: > > > > Margarent MACON (later DOYLE) > > James > > Mary GREEN > > John > > Ellen VAS > > Michael > > > > For the children, I have found the following three DNs: > > > > James (#3125) 1901, retired, unmarried, died at Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch > > Bridget (#694) 1893, hotel proprietor, unmarried, died at Muizenberg > > Michael (#2799) 1912, hotel proprietor, married Henrietta CHRISTIANI > (sounds > > Italian), died > > at 'Kelso', Kenilworth (another interesting clue) > > four children, all minors: > > Susan Doris > > Hilda Ann > > Michael Dudley > > Horace Stephen > > > > Also one for Margaret DOYLE who signed her sister Bridget's DN. Margaret > > died 1910, possibly abandoned by her still-living spouse, alone in the Old > > Somerset Hospital, because her DN seems to be signed by a surgeon. > > > > There's a coherent family story locked up in these bare facts. References > > from street directories, voters rolls, contemporary newspapers anyone > might > > have access to will be very welcome -- even more so would be discovering > > someone with these people in their more immediate tree -- I think we could > > usefully trade branches and stories. The FARRELLs may have had close lin ks > > with the Eastern Cape. in the 1850s. > > > > Regards > > Maureen Brady > > Johannesburg > > > > > > > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > > Cape Town Family History Society > > www.genealogy.co.za/society.html > > > > ============================== > > 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 > > > > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > SCRIBES Ink. Publishing > www.genealogy.co.za - Genealogy Books on CD > > ============================== > 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 > >

Hello Maureen Did you get the email I sent to the list with the info on the Farrell's and Randall's Hotels etc as it seems to have got lost in space. I have an old 1967 Cape Times Street Directory with Randall's Hotel Listed. Yes I have noticed well into the 1870's the unclaimed letters held at the post office in Cape Town - they were very efficient in those days kind regards Heather ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maureen Brady" <mbrady@telkomsa.net> To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 4:20 PM Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch, FARRELL > Hi Sharon > > I don't think I've replied to this, sorry. Thanks a lot, but I live in > Jo'burg and it's going to be quite a while before I can visit the CT > Archives again. The last time I was there, I went through several volumes of > Gazettes, and quite agree they're full of fascinating info. > > Something that really intrigued me (in a volume for the 1860s) was how they > listed the addressees of all the letters that had arrived at the Post Office > each week -- can you imagine if that had to be done now?! I guess these were > letters addressed to Poste Restante, Cape Town, probably mainly letters from > overseas, where the sender had lost touch with someone and didn't know the > street address of the person they were writing to, or even whether they were > still in CT. I presume that, if Mrs A in Claremont was writing to her friend > Mrs B in Rondebosch to invite her to dinner, the letter would have been > addressed to, and delivered to, Mrs B's street address, so no need to > publish this in the Gazettes. > > With Randalls Hotel, I was hoping someone has access to old street or > commercial directories for CT that might list the hotel or even feature an > advertisement. I've never seen one of these, so don't know whether they > included ads. The other alternative is to search through the newspaper > archives, but that will also have to wait until I can visit CT again. > > Kind regards > Maureen Brady > Johannesburg > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sharon Warr" <snw@absamail.co.za> > To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 7:44 PM > Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch, FARRELL > > > > Hi Maureen & Heather > > The renewal of licences for bakers, hotels, butchers etc comes up quite > > often in the Government Gazette - it seems that it was an ongoing thing > and > > all the districts had to reapply. A really great source of information if > > you are willing to trawl throught the weekly Gazette. All the other stuff > > in it is fascinating too. > > Cheers for now > > Sharon > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Maureen Brady" <mbrady@telkomsa.net> > > To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Sunday, April 04, 2004 8:15 PM > > Subject: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Randalls Hotel, Rondebosch, FARRELL > > > > > > > Hi Listers > > > > > > I've recently uncovered a whole family of FARRELLs who almost all have > > > "Hotel Proprietor" on their Death Notices, on one of which is noted > > Randalls > > > Hotel, Rondebosch, so I presume this may have been the name of their > > family > > > hotel > > > (but not necessarily). Any further info would be greatly appreciated. > > > > > > The parents were James FARRELL and Ann (born BRADY). This James seems to > > be > > > the same James F listed under the Children's Friend Society in Esme > Bull's > > > book as: > > > > > > Farrell, James: apprenticed to DJ van der Merwe, Wellington, absconded > > > ("Zuid-Afrikaan", 18.11.1842). > > > > > > His Death Notice (#873 filed 25 September 1874) doesn't give details > about > > > birthplace or parents but as he died age 45, this 'orphan' status plus > his > > > age are consistent, if he > > > was about 13 in 1842. He died at his residence in Papendorp (near the > > mouth > > > of the Olifants River a few hundred miles north up the West Coast) on 13 > > > August > > > 1868. His wife survived him by 29 years. She died in 1897 (DN 3185), > which > > > states she was born in Co Clare, Ireland, but no details of parents are > > > given. Although she was illiterate (signed James's DN with a cross) she > > > managed to leave "Landed property and furniture" when she died -- what's > > > more, the DN clearly states she held this property in her own name. I've > > > never seen this on a DN before, a note for the Executors of the > > pre-deceased > > > testator -- "No property or effects were accumulated in the lifetime of > > the > > > late James Farrell. All properties are registered in the name of the > > > deceased". Not bad for an illiterate Irish lass who probably started > from > > > the lowest of scratch, is it? > > > > > > Ann Farrell died at her own home at No 2 -- and this is where the first > > > problem sets in because the > > > handwriting on the DN is almost illegible -- Celeplon? Celepton? > Elepton? > > > Street [no suburb given], Cape Town. This name rings no bells in my old > CT > > > head, and the word itself makes no sense. > > > > > > ***LATER: got it! after analysing the handwriting against other > individual > > > letter formations on the DN ... > > > > > > CLIFTON Street -- but there are FIVE (Roads, not Streets) in CT: > > Claremont, > > > Clifton, Mowbray, Muizenberg, Wynberg > > > > > > On the father's DN, the children are listed as: > > > > > > Anne (must have predeceased her mother or died young) > > > Margaret > > > James > > > ?Mary > > > John > > > Ellen > > > Bridget (predeceased her mother in 1893) > > > Michael > > > > > > On the mother's DN, they are: > > > > > > Margarent MACON (later DOYLE) > > > James > > > Mary GREEN > > > John > > > Ellen VAS > > > Michael > > > > > > For the children, I have found the following three DNs: > > > > > > James (#3125) 1901, retired, unmarried, died at Randalls Hotel, > Rondebosch > > > Bridget (#694) 1893, hotel proprietor, unmarried, died at Muizenberg > > > Michael (#2799) 1912, hotel proprietor, married Henrietta CHRISTIANI > > (sounds > > > Italian), died > > > at 'Kelso', Kenilworth (another interesting clue) > > > four children, all minors: > > > Susan Doris > > > Hilda Ann > > > Michael Dudley > > > Horace Stephen > > > > > > Also one for Margaret DOYLE who signed her sister Bridget's DN. Margaret > > > died 1910, possibly abandoned by her still-living spouse, alone in the > Old > > > Somerset Hospital, because her DN seems to be signed by a surgeon. > > > > > > There's a coherent family story locked up in these bare facts. > References > > > from street directories, voters rolls, contemporary newspapers anyone > > might > > > have access to will be very welcome -- even more so would be discovering > > > someone with these people in their more immediate tree -- I think we > could > > > usefully trade branches and stories. The FARRELLs may have had close lin > ks > > > with the Eastern Cape. in the 1850s. > > > > > > Regards > > > Maureen Brady > > > Johannesburg > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > > > Cape Town Family History Society > > > www.genealogy.co.za/society.html > > > > > > ============================== > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > > SCRIBES Ink. Publishing > > www.genealogy.co.za - Genealogy Books on CD > > > > ============================== > > 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 > > > > > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > SCRIBES Ink. Publishing > www.genealogy.co.za - Genealogy Books on CD > > ============================== > 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 > > > >