Description
Queen’s South Africa, no bar Fireman Basil Everton Goldswain, Cape Government Railways, Grandson of 1820 Settler Jeremiah Goldswain whose diaries have been published.
Officially impressed: “B.E. Goldswain”
Confirmed on the medal roll that notes he was a Fireman at the time.
He and the other men on his page were all supposed to be entitled to the Cape Colony clasp, however like many others were disqualified from the clasp as they not under fire or in a specific area of active operations.
Basil Everton Goldswain, was born during 1873 in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
During the Boer War, he was a Fireman with the Cape Government Railways, and continued in this role afterwards.
On 13th December 1906 he married Ann Arabella Gerrude Goldswain, being described as a “Fireman C.G.R.”
He died on 24th October 1928 aged 51 having become an “Engine Driver – Pensioner” living in Port Elizabeth.
He was the son of George Goldswain of Bathurst District.
The Grandson of an original “1820 Settler” Jeremiah Goldswain.
His grandfather Jeremiah was one of the original British settlers who came to the country from Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire when he was just 18 as part of “Wait’s Party on the Zoroaster” in February 1820.
The chronicles of his grandfather Jeremiah was published by a descendant, although he had no formal education he wrote his experience in his own way of over 40 years in the early days of the Cape Colony, having seen service in 3 Frontier Wars, witnessed the Boer Uprising (1848 Orange River Convention) and the Xhosa Cattle Killing and Famine of 1856.
Further reading:
The Chronicle of Jeremiah Goldswain, Albany Settler of 1820: Vol. I
https://www.1820settlers.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I13421&tree=master
https://www.30degreessouth.co.za/the_chronicle_of_jeremiah_goldswain_big.htm
