My father knew that he had an aunt Barbara who had emigrated to South Africa, but nothing more. All contact had been lost.
My father’s then only surviving sibling, Joseph (Joe), believed that Barbara McCreath’s married name was Balharry; remembered by virtue of the fact that his headteacher was named Balharry.
Seeking information about Barbara McCreath, I engaged the services of a researcher in South Africa. This revealed that my great aunt Barbara had indeed emigrated to South Africa (in 1905) and had married William Balharry in 1909. William was a policeman and saw service in the Second Boer War with ‘A’ Division South African Constabulary. A well-built man, of 18 stones, he was always the anchor of the local tug o’war team.
They had three children:
William James Balharry born 1911