William Leaver McCreath married Minnie Irvine Burr.

William Leaver McCreath, an Engineer, emigrated to South Africa, age 28, from Southampton bound for  Cape Town on 8 February 1913 aboard the Union Castle Mail Steamship ‘Guelph’. 

William’s widowed mother and four sisters also emigrated to South Africa.  His brother, Robert Charles Mccreath emigrated to Australia.  Another son, Sydney, had died young.

A Miss M Burr, age 21, departed from London bound for  Cape Town aboard the Union Castle Mail Ship ‘Braemar Castle’ on 15th May 1914. She was a domestic servant.  William and Minnie  met and married in Pretoria.  They had two children –

Ella Marguerite  McCreath born 1916

Sydney William McCreath born 1922, Pretoria.

William McCreath became a firefighter in Pretoria and Minnie a receptionist for a Scottish doctor.  William was vey musical and played the trombone in his own band.  They lived in a flat above the fire station.  One fateful day a white-hot burning wall collapsed on him. He had to spend months in hospital and could never again work as a firefighter.  In the end he got an administrative post in the city council.

Minnie Irvine Burr died in 1985, aged 103!!

Front “Mrs McCreath” (Minnie Irvine Burr). Behind L-> R: Sydney McCreath, Anita McCreath and Ella Woods, Sydney’s sister. Minnie’s 100th birthday celebration.