John Tytheridge’s Journey from Kent to South Africa

How the surname Tytheridge reached South Africa

John and Sarah Tytheridge (Tutheridge) of Kent

The story begins in Kent with John Tytheridge and Sarah Saunders in the early nineteenth century. John and Sarah had various versions of their surname spelt Tetheridge, Tutheridge and Tytheridge. They had 11 children born between 1820 and 1840. One of these children Elizabeth, born about 1828, had a son John Tytheridge who was born December quarter of 1847. In 1851 Elizabeth married Obed Wickens. The families were living in the villages of Sundridge and Chevening in Kent.

John Tytheridge born 1847

On the 1851 census John Tytheridge was living with his grandparents John and Sarah in Chevening Kent.

On the 1861 census John was living with his aunt and uncle, Benjamin and Margaret Talbot, in Chipstead Village, in the district of Chevening, Kent. Margaret was 34 (born in Sundridge about 1827) and John was 13 (born in Chevening in 1848)

On the 1871 census John Tytheridge was at Fulford Gate, Yorkshire and was now in the army as a private in the 7th Hussars at the York Cavalry Barracks.  John’s age was given as 22.

The Family of John and Caroline Tytheridge 

On 9 January 1873 John Tytheridge married Caroline Elise Clark at Hounslow, the witnesses at the wedding were James New and Mary Wickens. John remained in the army and the children of this marriage were born in various Army towns. The children were:

• Carynthia Elise Tytheridge born March 1874 in Elham, Kent christened at Shorncliffe, Kent

• John Stanley born 19 February 1876 in West Derby, Lancashire

• Bertie Cecil born 12 April 1878 in Dublin

• Harry Aubrey born  February 1880 in Tipperary, Ireland and died aged just a few weeks old with the death registered in June quarter Clogheen, Ireland

• Reginald Jack born September 1881 in Eton, Berkshire


On the 1881 census Caroline and three children were at Staines Road Court, Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire but John was not at home, presumably he was posted somewhere with the army.

In January 1881 John was listed as a Junior Quarter Master in 7th (Queen's Own) Hussars. Early in 1882 Sergeant John Tytheridge, purchase his discharge from the British Army after serving 11 Years and 141 days. It was noted he was a regimental farrier major. The records suggest he was probably discharged in South Africa.

Arrival and Life in South Africa

On the 11 April 1882 the SS Drummond Castle set sail from the East India Docks, London to Cape Town, South Africa. On board were Mrs Tytheridge and her four children, Carynthia 8, John 6, Bertie 4 and Reginald 1 and a half. I cannot imagine travelling all that way on a boat with four small children. The Tytheridge family disembarked at Durban. Life was obviously hard in South Africa and later in 1882 John was declared insolvent.

The first South African family record found is Carynthia Elise, aged 16, marrying on 16 October 1890 to a wagon maker Albert Edward Water (or Waller) in Ladysmith, Natal, South Africa.

When the Second Boer war broke out it would appear that John and his two sons joined the South African forces.  There are records available for the “Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902” showing war medals given for the 2nd Boer war. The records show:-

• John Tytheridge (Service number 1185) was Regimental Farrier Major in 1 Brabant's Horse The notes state: “QSA Clasps: We,W,CC,T”

• J S Tytheridge (Service number 933) was Corporal in Kaffrarian Rifles. John Stanley was also listed as in 2nd Brabant’s horse and later in South African Constabulary.  He was a blacksmith and enlisted at Modderfontein on 27 December 1900 for 1 year at a wage of 5 shillings per day.  He was discharged on 26 December 1902, with an address in Johannesburg.

• B C Tytheridge (Service number 895) was Corporal in Kaffrarian Rifles The notes state; “QSA Clasps: We,W,CC,T”.  Bertie enlisted on 5 November 1900, but no further details of his service were found.

So far no records have been found for the deaths of John and Caroline. There are no records for Reginald so it is probable that Reginald died young.

John Tytheridge’s Grandchildren via Bertie Cecil Tytheridge
 

John’s son Bertie was a carpenter after the Boer War. He married Lillian May and they had at least one child, a son also called Bertie Cecil. He was baptised on 6 August 1905 in the Cape of Good Hope. Sadly records show that 8 month old Bertie Cecil Tytheridge died on 27 September 1905 in Hallet Street, East London area of South Africa, cause of death Whooping Cough and Bronchitis. So far no further records of this family have been found.

John Tytheridge’s Grandchildren via John Stanley Tytheridge

John Stanley Tytheridge married Edith May Judson.  Edith was born 29 May 1878 and died in 2 January 1956 in Kabuli Newcastle, South Africa. John died some time before 1959. John and Edith had six children, they were:

• Stanley John (1907 -1975)
Stanley was born 6 April 1907 in Memel and died 22 November 1975.  He was a farmer who resided in Rommel, Memel. He was single.

• William Edward (1909 – 1954)
William was born 10 February 1909.and died 8 May 1954. He married Beatrice Purkiss (1916-1973) and they had two children.

• Norman Victor (1910 – 1963)
Norman was born November 1910. He was a blacksmith who lived in Rommel.  He died 25 December 1963.  He was single.

• Emily Beatrice (1912 – about 1959)
Emily was born about 1912 and died in 1959 in Pretoria area. She was single.

• George Ernest (1914 – 1959)
George was born 1914.  He was a farmer in Rommel.  He was single.

• Percy Cecil (1917 – 2011)
Percy was born 5 October 1917. He was a shunter on the South African Railways.  On 16 September 1942 he married Beryl Mavis Wright (born 20-3-1924). They had two or three children. Percy died 31 May 2011. It is possible that Percy may have married a second time to Thelma Doreen Ainsworth (1916 - 2002).

Pictures of Tytheridge Family Graves in South African

Edith May died 1956 aged 87
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Beatrice died 1973 aged 57
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Clive James Anthony died 1974 aged 32
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Stanley John died 1975 aged 68
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George Ernest died 2000 aged 41 and Thelma died 2002 aged 85
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Today there are still Tytheridges living in South Africa.

Finding records in South Africa has been difficult, so if you can provide any additional information please get in touch.  The task has been made more difficult by corruptions of the name during transcription of records to variations such as Lytheridge and Fytheridge.