| Notes |
Married:
- The marriage was by special licence. Witnesses were B A Mackay and (?) C H Blains.
The following was written by Lynette Lombard/Curry, grandaughter of John and Charlotte:
"My grandmother, Charlotte, talked about " 'ome" all her life. In fact she was very lonely when she arrived in the vast wide open spaces of the Transvaal as a young bride. I have travelled past some of these railway stations, and when I did so they were still just as isolated.
Add to this the fact that the South African / Boer War ended in 1902, and she arrived shortly after this when animosity between the Boers and English was high. Also, the Boers spoke high Dutch so she must have missed having friends. She longed for her
family ( also beach concerts in Liverpool, Lancashire, UK) so much, that the family returned " 'ome" when my mother was about 2 and her brother William a little older. John Foster apparently was asthmatic and suffered in Liverpool, Lancashire, UK's damp climate. It must have also have been a difficult time regarding employment and the rumours of war. John missed the dry climate of the Transvaal and the opportunities there, so he returned to SA while his wife remained behind for the birth of her 2nd daughter Charlotte. They returned with a companion to help on the voyage.
Mom told me stories about the her time there - one, particularly memorable, being held over a barrel of hot tar to help her chest! She told of the deck chairs they had to take on board and the large fruitcake someone brought them for the jojourney. She never forgot that a sailor had bought colourful balls for Bill and for her. When he kicked his
overboard, he said it was her ball that had landed in the ocean. When the sailor heard about this he said, "Never mind darling," and bought her a little doll!
I also heard that John and Charlotte were married by proxy when he left for SA. I think she was brave to follow later on her own. Evidently he travelled to Durban to meet her and they were married in the Transvaal." [1]
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Father | Male
Mother | Female
Child 1 | Male
Child 2 | Female
Child 3 | Female
Child 4 | Female
