Archive Crawl 2020 Report

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The Gauteng Archive Crawl was completed successfully and enthusiastically despite all kinds of Corona restrictions.

GSSA library

Our week started with a visit to the GGSA and the Northern Transvaal Branch's library, housed at the Heritage Foundation (HF) on the grounds of the Voortrekker Monument (VTM) in Pretoria. The purpose was to look at secondary sources first. It gives beginners an idea of family research and what has already been published. From these sources, SAG / SAF and Church registers the necessary references are written down.

The next two days were busy time in the National Archives (TAB). Participants were well prepared and could request the right documents. Now we were dealing with the real thing namely, primary sources. Needless to say the Corona protocol was perfectly maintained by the staff, their service was absolutely efficient and professional.

Because we heard too late that the National Library (where a copy of all books, newspapers and the Government Gazette are kept) was closed on Thursdays, we revisited the hospitality of the Heritage Foundation (HF) with their wonderful reading room, computers and helpful helpers. We were also invited to go through their archive where a lot of family research is stored, e.g. about the Louws and Erasmuses.

On Friday we were guests at the Reformed Church Archives (HKA). We learned that in the early years in the ZAR (later Transvaal) the Afrikaans Churches easily shared buildings and registers. So, it is a valuable resource for all the descendants of the Great Trek people.

Where there was no food available, refreshing picnic snacks and drinks were provided, a good time was had by all.

This is what a few of the participants had to say after the tour:

Marina Badenhorst: “Te danke aan Ellen Harmse [organiseerder en toerleier] se weeklikse inligting en dokumentasie vooraf was ons groep - ten spyte van die hittegolwe - goed voorbereid vir al die argiewe; selfs vir die LDS-argief en die Nasionale Biblioteek wat beide weens Covid-probleme toe nié besoek kon word nie. Maar by die Erfenisstigting (biblioteek en museum), Transvaalse Argief en die Hervormde Kerkargief is kosbare ontdekkings gedoen, soos ou foto's, boedellêers, Bybels met familiename, ou oorspronklike handtekeninge, terugbetalings aan boere na die ABO, doop-, aanneming- en huweliksertifikate en -registers, plase uit vorige eras, nuwe historiese feite, vergete familie, ens., ens. Ook die personeel was ons oral baie behulpsaam en het gesorg dat ons bespreekte bronne by ons aankoms reeds lê en wag. Om te dink dat hierdie toer plaasgevind het met al die nodige maskers, ontsmetting en distansiëring oral mooi toegepas. Laastens: al die foto's wat geneem en uitgeruil is en, natuurlik ... ook die puik vingeretes (en daaglikse bottel water!) buite onder die bome, het baie bygedra tot ons (soms uitbundige!) groep se geselligheid.”

Rina van Wyk: “Die vonds om 'n gesoekte plaas te kon opspoor, die inligting om FamilySearch beter te benut en die gewillige helpers in die Biblioteek het die toer vir my baie sinvol gemaak. Groot lof vir die deeglike voorbereiding om ons navorsingsfiks te kry en ook goeie reëlings vir elke dag die hele week.”

Blanche Price: “My paternal grandparents passed away when I was very young and discovering their probate records with my late dad’s comments and notes was very touching. Dad worked for the Trustee Department, Barclays Bank for 20 years. The Archive Crawl was very special to me.”

National Archives (TAB)