I’ve been re-reading the introduction to Tombstones & Transcripts: St Paul’s, Rondebosch 19th Century Churchyard. ((The South African Archaeological Society: W. Cape Branch: Cape Town 2007)) and realise that who is buried in the grave and where still requires a lot of research.
The Rev. Michael Bester while still Churchwarden of St Paul, had begun this work with his excellent report from the documentation he found which included:
- ‘Copy of an Old Plan of St. Paul’s Churchyard’, St. Paul’s Record, June 1928 and September 1928 (see appendix).
- Supplementary ‘List of Names’, St. Paul’s Record, September 1928.
- A list of names drawn up by W Trollip in 1927 and accessioned in the State Archives (Cape Division), Roeland Street, Cape Town. Mr Trollip was the honorary secretary of the churchyard committee.
- Margaret Cairns, ‘St. Paul’s Churchyard, Rondebosch’, Familia no. 3 of 1978 (Journal of the Genealogical Society of South Africa).
- Cemetery Archives for St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Rondebosch, Ref 16 G32, Vol 16, of which we obtained a printed copy from the State Archives to guide our on-site research.
- Minutes of meetings of the Vestry held on 29 November and 22 December 1858.
I am sure there are some more source which have perhaps been unconsciously hidden among church papers in the Parish Office. For example, I remember seeing an attaché case with some early Graveyard data carefully stored in it. I also remember coming across a printed receipt book specially for receipting payment for Purchased Graves. There were only a few stubs used in the book but maybe there are other books or may these few used stubs could add information.
Basically, what I’m saying is that among ALL the junk stored in cupboards and safes there are some absolute treasures and maybe someone (? me) needs to go through them, cataloguing them and storing them in special spots in the hall or church where they will be safe for the future.