Great Grandfather FRANCIS ARTHUR KELLAND was the one who started me off on the right track of the KELLAND family history! After googling for nights on end, many years ago, I found his name linked to East London, just where I was hoping to find him! I didn't know his name then, but because the FRANCIS name had been carried forward to his grandson, and perhaps unwittingly, the ARTHUR name had been carried forward to his great grandson (my husband), the jigsaw all fitted! FRANCIS ARTHUR KELLAND was born in Dartmouth, England on 2nd March 1857 to ROBERT & SUSAN KELLAND. He was christened in St Petrox Church Dartmouth on 28 September 1859 - probably a lively 2 1/2 year old! I've been to St Petrox Church! It's a beautiful little place on the banks of the river Dart next to Dartmouth Castle. Its stone floor slopes from the baptism font down to the front of the church and I often wondered how many pennies had rolled under the feet of parishioners with little boys giggling in the back pews! On Friday, 3rd November 1882, FRANCIS ARTHUR, now a house painter and decorator, married ANNIE JANE GILLARD at that same church. Being a romantic sort, when I was at St Petrox Church a few years ago I imagined a young 26 year old bride, quickly making her way down the narrow path, perhaps picking a few new winter's flowers on the way as she made her way to the little stone building to be wed, knowing that there was adventure ahead! Somewhere between January 1883 and February 1884, they left English island and headed for the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. Keith Tankard in his research on East London's history discovered that FRANCIS ARTHUR KELLAND ran a business together with someone called BOOTH, - KELLAND & BOOTH. Keith Tankard notes that the business was established in 1880 which would explain why FRANCIS ARTHUR isn't on the UK 1881 Census! It also means that he may have planned to wed ANNIE JANE, but wanted to ensure he could support her and a family in the new country, so established himself first before returning to the UK to marry her. KELLAND & BOOTH's offices were in Union Street and St Paul's Road (according to Keith Tankard's research) and later they moved to the High Street on the West Bank and Buffalo Street on the East Bank. In January 1883, according to the Exteter & Plymouth Gazette (12 Jan 1883 Page 7) FRANCIS ARTHUR was "raised to the degree of Master Mason" at the annual meeting of Hanley Lodge 797, and he probably kept his Free Masonic links as he was noted for his work on the decoration of the Masonic Temple in East London and became a Grand Master of the Buffalo Lodge, East London. As an interior decorator FRANCIS ARTHUR was also involved in painting the City Hall in East London. Die Burger (Afrikaans newspaper) 1st June 1991 recalls the history of the City Hall and a restoration project in 1989 when unfortunately the senior architect died before the completion of the restoration. The article notes the coincidence that the original painter of the building, MR F.A. KELLAND, also "died during the building of the city hall at the turn of the century". In August 1889 FRANCIS ARTHUR KELLAND was elected to represent Ward 1 on the East London town council. He was re-elected in 1890 and 1893 but he resigned in January 1895 due to ill health. He died of consumption - pulmonary Pthisis and embolism - on 23rd August 1898 aged just 41 years and is buried at Quigney Cemetery in East London. ANNIE JANE was 42 when her husband died and was left raising their five sons: ARCHIBALD TURNER was only 2 years old when FRANCIS ARTHUR died. PERCY THOMAS was 3 years, ARTHUR was 7 years, PHILIP EDMOND was 9 years and FRANCIS ROBERT was 14 years. (Still trying to confirm where/if a daughter, ANNIE ELIZABETH fits in!) A 'cousin' discovered on the internet said that his mother often spoke to him about FRANCIS ARTHUR as the councillor who seconded the motion to install electric street lights in East London! If you've got this far - thanks! It's been such an exciting journey and I feel so privileged to have all this information about the KELLAND great grandfather. ancestry.co.uk had the 1861 & 1871 census, Keith Tankard as mentioned, Die Burger with that simple little sentence about the City Hall, UK newspapers mentioning his Masonic life, which also help date when he probably left England's shores, and Buffalo City Municipality who very kindly sent me "The Mayor's Minute" recording his resignation as councillor! Today (on familysearch.org) I found his burial record from St Alban's church East London. Unfortunately, it is incomplete! The record No. 368 has "KELLAND" in the name box but no first names, and no other boxes completed except the minister's name H.STEEL WOODS! How utterly frustrating! It is definitely FRANCIS ARTHUR KELLAND, because the records before and after fit in with the August 1898 dates!! Did Rev Woods just forget to complete the record?! There are still gaps - aren't there always! .................... -- Rose Kelland www.rosescountryrose.blogspot.com www.livesandtimesofbella.blogspot.com