Rhodesia/Zimbabwe colonial (and pre-colonial?) BMD

[Steve Henley]

My grandmother's brother Mark Nattriss went to Rhodesia in 1914 (Union Castle ship 'German' sailed Southampton 11/4/1914 to Capetown). The woman he was to marry, Winifred Maud Barter, also followed him there, though I haven't yet found her in a passenger list. They had a child, Barbara Winifred Nattriss on 5th June 1919 (date of birth from the UK 1939 register). On Familysearch.org I found a Salisbury (Rhodesia) death certificate for Winifred Maud Nattriss dated 19th June 1919, from childbirth complications. However, I haven't been able to find any record of Mark and Winifred's marriage in England, Rhodesia, or South Africa. (an earlier 1906 marriage of a Winifred Maude Barter in Edmonton, London, was not the same person).

The following year, Mark Nattriss brought baby Barbara back to England on the Union Castle 'Saxon'. She was presumably going to be cared for by his brother Ernest and sister-in-law Alice - who was actually Winifred's sister. In July 1920 he sailed back to South Africa en route to Rhodesia, where he lived for most of the 1920s, finally returning to England in 1929. We have no idea what business took Mark to Rhodesia, or even how we might find out. In England he had been a clerk working for the London office of a Welsh iron and steel company.

 

[uncle024]

Steve, I notice that Mark is registered in two places in 1911 census. With his future wife's family at 137 Tower Gardens Road Lordship Lane Tottenham, Tottenham, Middlesex, England as a visitor. And at his parents home at 5 Gordon Avenue Highams Park Chingford, Walthamstow, London & Essex, England.
He also appears as a passenger arriving in 1925 on the Windsor Castle from the Cape occupation Clerk. Above from Findmypast. FamilySearch is only source I know for Southern Rhodesia and in my case Northern Rhodesia which is our connection.

 

[Steve Henley]

Thanks, uncle! Yes, I'd found that - two census entries in 1911. It happens. Both are genuine but only one is correct of course. This is probably because the census entries aren't done until days or weeks after the census day when people may have forgotten exactly where they were. And some time in 1924/25 he must have come back to England for a holiday before going to Rhodesia for another 4 years. Still enigmatically as a "clerk". At least it shows that he didn't change his career drastically - but doesn't show who he was working for. My suspicion is that his brother Ernest, by then in quite a senior position in Crown Agents, got him a colonial posting, perhaps more interesting than his job for the Welsh iron company. Maybe findable in historic civil service staff lists.