| Notes |
- PRIVATE
- He was a short man, about 5ft 6 ins tall with a round face and a congenial nature.
Source: Alfred Weyer Jnr.. Telephone conversation 21 Apr 2010
I have found a record for a marriage between Karen Johanna M Hansen and Albert David in St Pancras, Greater London in 1904 which would confirm the family lore that they got married in England .
«b»1888«/b»: Albert David qualified as a doctor from «b»Kiel«/b» having written the Staats Examen.
«b»1892«/b»: Arrived in the Cape Colony
«b»1896:«/b» Resident in Reibeek East, Cape Colony. [Source: SA Med Directory. 1896 p 33] This is about 40 km west of Grahamstown.
«b»1899«/b»: The Cape Archives contains a letter from Dr David applying for permission to occupy land in Elliotdale that he had occupied for the last 3 years that is dated 1902. [Transcripiton in David file]
«b»1900«/b»: Albert David applied for naturalization in South Africa, giving his age and place of birth and stating that he had been in the Cape Colony for 8 years.i.e he had arrived at age 29 in 1892. [Transcript in the David file]
In «b»1902«/b» Dr Albert David, district surgeon at Elliotdale, Transkeian Territories, wrote to complain that he had not been receiving the German newspapers that he ordered. This was shortly after the Boer War.
«i»Addressed to the Resident Magistrate, Elliotdale.
Sir
During the last 3 or 4 weeks I have not received any of the following German papers I am taking in, viz:
Berlinen Flemische W..schrifte (medical weekly)
Modenweld «/i»[a Fashion Paper]«i»
Koel.mischde..... Cologne Gazette
I believe them to be retained by the Censor in consequence of the libelous attacks contained in certain German papers.
As none of these papers contain anything of state[?].... the first two named by the very nature of their contents, the last by its tendency (in fact it is the paper assessed some time ago to have recurrent ... in favour of the English). I re.... to ask you, if you could perhaps help me to get them. At least it might be possible to let me have the medical paper incl. those numbers that have been retained as I should feel very sorry to loose them. I
am Sir,
your obedient servant,
Albert David
«/i»This request went through the Post Master General & Native Affairs Department right up to the Secretary to the Prime Minister, before he got his papers in a timely manner again.
Source: Cape Archives. 4_ NA 520 NO_ A441 #3126
Although this incident is amusing (in retrospect. I am sure it was most frustrating at the time) it shows that Dr David was receiving a "fashion paper" in 1902 so presumably living with Johanne Karen Matilde Hansen even though their English marriage license was only registered in 1904!
Two records of interest have been found: A record transcribed as "Albart" David, age 40 and a wife "Johanne", age 48, departed Hamburg, Germany, aboard the English registered ship, «i»Staveley,«/i» for Grimsby, England and Edinburgh, Scotland, on «b»11 August, 1904.«/b» They were the only passengers on the ship, and Albert gave his profession as doctor, and interestingly, his nationality as Danish, and his residence as Veile [Denmark].
Some time in July, August or September, «b»1904«/b» Albert David and "Karen Johanna M Hansen" were married in St Pancras, Greater London, London .
Strangly there is no [surviving] record of Dr David having asked for a leave of absence from his post in Elliotdale in 1904. So the questions remain, why did they go back to Denmark or Germany and then marry in England? The children did not travel with them, so where were they?
On «b»31 March, 1910«/b» Dr Albert David, District Surgeon of Elliotdale applied for leave of 193 days having worked for 15 years "continuous service" at a salary of $150 [per annum]. He arranged that Dr [Anderson] William A. Soga, Elliotdale, would act in «i»locum tenens«/i» and would be paid by Dr David in a private arrangement.
This statement of "continuous service for 15 years" puts his arrival date [and perhaps that of Johanne Hansen] at 1895 - seven years before their marriage. Does this put the family story of a romantic elopement to London in question? Did they live in South Africa, and for reasons unknown go to London seven years later to get married? There is a curious hand written note on the death certificate of Johanne David which says "«i»Both spouses were domiciled in South Africa at the time of their marriage. as il [?] copy letter dd 23/3 Starke &Wilson.«/i».."
Dr David gave his address while he was away to be: Max David, Kaiser Willhelmstr 111, Hamburg, Germany but he wished to draw his salary while he was away at the R[esident] M[agistrate] Office in Elliotdale. Another document shows that it was his daughter [adopted daughter, Alma Hansen, who was by now Mrs.Wilkins] who was to draw his salary.
Before the leave was granted he had to provide a letter from Dr Soga, and a written assurance that he would return.(!) He did return, and resumed his position before his leave was up - no explanation given - and the unexpired portion of his leave was cancelled.
He boarded the «i»Bürgermeister«/i» of the Deutsche Ost-Afrika-Linie [German East Africa Line], from Hamburg on 17 August, 1910, bound for ....
«b»1931: «/b» A letter from his neice,«b» Paula«/b», referes to his ill health but possibly this was a misunderstanding and it was Johanne who was in ill health.
A letter has survived from his cousin «b»Rich[ard] Hinrichsen«/b» refering to the political situation in German but not to any ill health of the Davids in Africa,
«b»1932: «/b»Johanne died in April 1932. Letters from "«b»Emilie & Paula [Wandmacker«/b»]",«b» Dr Richard Hinrichsen«/b» and in an unsteady hand, "Carl", and from a nephew or neice, "Deine Damlov[?]"... have survived (written in May 1932).
According to Chloris David later Edey, "The old man {Dr Albert David} went back to Elliotdale [after the death of his wife] and lived for some years alone in the old house. After Alma died [1933] he came to live with us on [the farm] «i»Meadows «/i»[near Maclear]" «i»[Some inaccuracy here: His wife Johanne died in 1932 and Alma died in 1933 so there was only a year in between.]
«b»«/i»1933«/b»: Grant in favour of Albert David (senior) of «i»River View Trading«/i» site in location no. 41, Elliotdale
Consultation of Cape Times South African Directory shows that he was still listed in Elliotdale in «b»1942/3«/b» but not in 1943/4 so I am assuming he died at that time as he would have been 80 years old.
Source: E-mail from Liz deWet, Librarian. Cory Library. May 18 2009
«b»1944«/b»: Buried beside his wife, in the Queenstown Cemetery, Cape, South Africa.
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1865 - 1944 (79 years)
[4, 5, 6, 7]