John Kirby (abt. 1806 - 1900)

Born about 1806 in Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Mary (Fleetham) Kirby — married 11 Dec 1833 in Dalton, Yorkshire, England

Husband of Helen Hamilton (Hair) Kirby — married 6 Aug 1874 in Estcourt, Natal, South Africa

Descendants

Died 29 Jun 1900 at about age 94 in Klipfontein, Barkly West, Kaapprovinsie, South Africa

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John Kirby migrated from England to Natal, South Africa.

Biography

John Kirby was born in England.

John Kirby was born in Yorkshire, England.

John was born in about 1806.

He married Mary Fleetham on 11 December 1833 at Dalton, Yorkshire, England, after Banns, by Thomas Runkin, Curate^[1]. They were both of parish of North Dalton. The witnesses were Mary Fell and George Lyon.

In the UK Census Dated 1841 John (aged about 27) was living with his wife Mary (aged about 26) and their two daughters Ann (6) and Emma (3) in Back Lane, South, Bridlington, Yorkshire, Yorkshire East Riding, England. Also in the household were his parents in law John Fleetham (45) and Hannah Fleetham (40).

Occupation: Joiner

They had four children when they made the decision to emigrate from Yorkshire, England to the Colony of Natal (later South Africa) in 1850. During the 1840's, Britain had suffered a succession of poor harvests. Hearing glowing reports about the excellent climate and fertile soil of Natal; it seemed the ideal place to begin a new life. Henry Boast (1816 -1850) who was a land owner in Osgodsby in Yorkshire decided for health reasons to emigrate to Natal along with 246 of his neighbours and tenant farmers - the Kirby family being amongst them. Henry Boast was a prominent Wesleyan preacher and the scheme was primarily directed at Wesleyans (orchestrated by Joseph Byrne most Wesleyan settlers were known as the "Byrne Settlers").[1]

The following was printed on page 3 of an unknown publication dated 13 May 1850:

EMIGRATION FROM HULL.- More emigrants have left Hull, direct for their intended destination, this spring than for many previous years. In Yorkshire emigration appears to have taken a deep hold of the public mind; and, although comparatively few of the many leaving our district ship at Hull, still three or four vessels continue on the berth. The large ship Haidee, for Port Natal, has already 220 passengers on her books, and several more are daily expected. Considerable quantities of agricultural implements, carts, wagons, machinery of various kinds, &c. are being shipped, we suppose the property of the respectable body of emigrants who are availing themselves of this opportunity of reaching Natal without having to transport their goods to a distant port for embarkation.- Hull Advertiser.^[2]

John and his family set sail on the ship Haidee, finally weighing anchor on 10 July 1850 (after the ship had been detained for two months) with the Mayor of Hull witnessing their departure and wishing them good fortune. Unfortunately the first leg of their voyage was one hour and forty minutes, as far as Grimsby Roads, as two suspected smallpox cases were found on board. The ship was detained for four days until being allowed to sail.

It took four months of sailing to reach the Port of Natal, during which time their youngest daughter Haidee Kirby was born at sea.

After reaching their destination on 7 October 1850, when they were able to disembark, they set off in wagons, camping en route for a fortnight in the ‘Maritzburg market square. When they finally reached the settlement of York [2] they either camped in their wagons or in a large marquee until they had run up sod houses. A very kind Dutch neighbour allowed them to use her antbear hole oven to bake their daily bread. The township was laid out and settlers took up plots. The only settler in the township of York who was not a Haidee Settler was a man named Thomas Puckering who arrived on the ship Henry Tanner with his wife Elizabeth and child Dosie.

It would appear the settlers had varying experiences on arriving in the new colony. The following letter was written by a John Daddy back to his friends in England. It was dated 16 December 1850, D'Urban, Natal:

Dear Friends.- By this communication you will see that we have reached our destination. We had a pleasant voyage to Port Natal, experiencing only one storm, of twenty-four hours' duration, when in Algoa Bay. We were landed in small boats.

I will now inform you how we have been used, and what my opinion of this country is. Of course when we landed we expected to have found some little accommodation provided for us, according to the promise made in Hull; but we found it far otherwise. We were taken up to D'Urban, which is about a mile from the beach, and shown an old tent, in so dilapidated a condition that it would not keep the rain from us, and here we had to take up our quarters; and, when we retired to rest, we were compelled to sit up in bed to escape from the rain. In Hull it was said, before sailing, that on arrival we were to be provided with provisions, be made comfortable, and at once taken to our land; but this is now flatly denied, and the party scarcely notice us. On the first night of our landing the rainy season commenced, and, had not a stranger who knew us taken pity of some of our emigrants (who had little or no money, owing to their detention in Hull), and bought us something to eat, our situation would have been most wretched. This was a fine look out on our first landing, was it not, think you? and now, instead of being located together, as we expected, we are scattered about the country I know not where. Even Mr. Lund, who came before us to get the land ready, had looked out for himself and bought a farm, but when we landed ours was to get ready. Indeed, had I known we should have been behaved to in such a manner, I would not have come here for one hundred pounds. Many of the emigrants in Natal would give all they have if they could get back to Old England.

We have been here about two months. I live in a brick-yard a mile from D'Urban. I and two bricklayers have joined our jobs together for twelve months we give £20 a year for the brick-yard and three acres of land. I hope we shall do well, for thank God my wife and children enjoy good good health at present.

As to this country, of which there has been so much talk in England, I do not believe it is half as good as it is said to be; it is very hilly, and some of it so barren as not to be worth cultivating. When you have sown your seed you are never sure of a crop, for the locusts come like a thick cloud, and devour all before them. I can only say this - that a poor man had better go the workhouse in England than come here; let people be content at home if they have only a crust of bread and water. There are plenty of wild animals here, such as tigers, elephants, wolves, lions, alligators, &c., but you must hunt for them. Yours, &c., JOHN DADDY.

P.S.- If ever I can get back I will; you must not come here; stay at home if you be wise.^[3]

The following was published on page 3 of the Yorkshire Gazette dated 21 December 1850:

THE HAIDEE'S ARRIVAL AT NATAL.- We have intelligence of the arrival of this vessel at Port Natal, with the emigrants from Hull and the neighbourhood so long detained at that port. Remarkably few letters seem to have been received from the passengers: indeed we have heard but of one, from a lady emigrant. The first date attached to the communication is that of August 10th, the ship being then in lat. 11.25N., and a description is given of the remainder of the voyage. The scale of dietary is stated to be have been abundant, "and more than we can get through;" while the voyage upon the whole was a favourable and pleasant one. At the period of the second date, September 24th, land was discovered, to the great joy of all on board, but the wind was contrary, and the captain was obliged to stand off. On the 3rd of Oct. all were delighted "with a view of green fields and of a beautiful undulating country rising in height as far as the eye can reach." On the 7th the Haidee cast anchor in the bay, and on the following day the writer landed. The letter proceeds:- "I have found things much better than expected, but house rent is very high. I sallied forth in search of lodgings yesterday morning, and at length secured two small rooms for a month, but they contain no cooking place; so our meals will have to be prepared in the Kaffir's tent next door. We only intend staying here till we have sold some of our goods, and then go up to Maritzburgh to settle. The country appears a desirable one if only the land were cultivated. Tradespeople are here in plenty, with the exception of saddlers and builders. Good farmers appear the most wanted. The natives seem nice, civil, docile people." We should add in addition to these particulars of the voyage, that although there was some sickness on board, there were only three deaths, the persons deceased being a man named Welburne, of Middleton, on the Wolds, a female, name Britton, of Burlington, and a child, three years of age, called Braithwaite. The bodies were disposed in coffins, and committed to the deep with all due solemnity.^[4].

Like most people in those days their actions were governed by their faith in Christ, and as a Wesleyan, no doubt John was no different. It was this faith that carried them through the most adverse conditions. They had to work harder than ever just to eke out an existence - there were no roads and little equipment, with labour and oxen were scarce.

John had been a joiner in his home town of Yorkshire, and no doubt this trade stood him in good stead. The pioneers hedged forth making bricks to build houses and branch-roads to lead from Pietermaritzburg and other centres. The Yorkshiremen who stuck it out turned out to become fine farmers and some of the chief grain producers in Natal. Wagons loaded with grain, butter, hides, bacon and timber were driven to Pietermaritzburg for sale at the market. The original houses and church were sod or wattle-and-daub and thatched. Home improvements began and yellow-wood which was sawn on the Karkloof were used for flooring, ceilings, doors and furniture.

His daughter Emma was the first of his children to marry, to Gavin Pettigrew on 21 September 1853 at Long Market Street, Pietermaritzburg. They had two children.

The following year his daughter Ann and Thomas Boyd Varty were married on 8 February 1854 in the Wesleyan Chapel at Pietermaritzburg. John was one of the Witnesses. They would go on to have 12 children. (Three years later his other daughter Maria married Thomas's brother Arthur Clark Varty on 14 April 1857 at the Wesleyan Chapel in Pietermaritzburg.)

John was recorded in a Military Record as the Captain of the Weenan Yeomen, Rietvlei (where he lived 1860-1870).

John's only son Harry married Louisa Ashbourne Payne on 12 February 1868 at Boom Street, Pietermaritzburg. Harry was a farmer Rietvlei. (They had two children before his wife Louisa died in 1873.)

Finally his youngest daughter Haidee married Henry Diebel, a Butcher, in about 1871. (They had two children before Haidee sadly passed away in 1875 at the age of about 24.)

At some stage John and his wife Mary moved to the Kimberly region, where John may have been involved in gold mining. Sadly his wife Mary died in their tent at Kimberly, on 16 October 1872. She was about 59 years of age.

In 1874 the construction of a new stone Methodist Church at Rietvlei was commenced on one acre of land that was donated by John Kirby. It was built between the Craigieburn Dam tributaries by William Ross for £482. Funds came from the Boyd family in London and the local community, the Yellow-wood timber being sourced from William Robinson Shaw of Karkloof (Holbeck and Talaverna). The church was opened by Reverend F. Mason in February 1877^[5].

In the intervening years John, aged 59 and a widower, had married secondly, widow Helen "Ellen" Hamilton Hair on 6 August 1874 at the Resident Magistrate's office at Estcourt in the County of Weenan, Natal, by special licence^[6]. John was a farmer of Rietvlei. The witnesses were James Ralfe and C. B. Cooke.

The following year his widowed son Harry married, for a second time, to Sarah Ann Badger. They would go on to have five children.

John's second wife Ellen passed away in 1884 at the age of 50, due to cancer of the breast.

John passed away in 1900 at the age of 93. Cause of death was recorded as Senile Decay^[7]. His son Harry E Kirby was the informant.

He was buried at St. John's Anglican Church Cemetery, Weston, Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa^[8]. (Note Headstone has year of death as 1903.)

Sources

1. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NL71-FZT : 10 February 2018), John Kirby and Mary Hatham, 11 Dec 1833; citing North Dalton,York,England, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 919,479.
2. ↑ https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription).
3. ↑ Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette 02 May 1851, page 7, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription).
4. ↑ Yorkshire Gazette 21 December 1850, page 3, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription to view)
5. ↑ https://kznpr.co.za/uncategorized/rietvlei-methodist-church-1877/
6. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDCK-J6P : accessed 13 May 2015), John Kirby and Helen Grayson Dobson, 06 Aug 1874; citing Estcourt, Natal, South Africa; 00177; National Archives and Records Service of South Africa, Pretoria; 1,259,167.
7. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Deaths, 1863-1955," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG6P-C2QG : 17 March 2018), John Kirby, 29 Jun 1900; Death, , The National Archives of South Africa (NARS), Pretoria; FHL microfilm 2,092,395.
8. ↑ http://www.graves-at-eggsa.org/main.php?g2_itemId=1270392

• http://www.natalia.org.za/Files/11/Natalia%20v11%20article%20p7-15%20C.pdf

• http://salbu.co.za/debora/NatalHistoryDVL.html

Census Records

• "England and Wales Census, 1841." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 29 April 2020. From "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census." Database and images. findmypast. http://www.findmypast.com : n.d. Citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQPC-W58