TOPIC:

Henry William Boyder

Trooper, South African Light Horse – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State to 25014 TPR. H.W. BOYDER, S.A, LT. HORSE

Henry Boyder appears to have been Colonial born, his family originating from the Cape Colony. The first exposure we have to him was on the occasion of his marriage to Mary Johanna Kitson. This happy event took place at St. Alban’s Cathedral in Pretoria on 4 August 1891 in what was then the Zuid Afrikaansche Republik or Transvaal as it was known to the “Uitlanders” – chaps like Henry who weren’t Dutch and who weren’t “locals”. The 4th August was destined to be an unhappy day for Boyder as, according to the records, his wife’s names were found to have been “erroneously given” and the whole procedure had to be repeated four days later. This time round her correct names were provided and Mariana Aletta Getzen (a radical departure from the spelling of the names previously given) entered into the holy estate of matrimony with Henry William Boyder. He was a 24 year old Groom by occupation living in Schoeman Street, Pretoria whilst his bride was 23 years of age and a Servant girl living in Market Street, Pretoria.

The confusion over the names now a thing of the past the couple settled down to married life in the Capital City, their bliss being interrupted on occasion but enhanced with the arrival of a number of children. The first arriving on 21 April 1892 slightly before nine months had elapsed from the date they had tied the knot, leading, no doubt, to speculation in some quarters as to Mariana’s state at the time of her marriage. Thomas William, their first-born was baptised on 29 May of that year with Boyder’s occupation being provided as “Coachman”

Henry Samuel followed the following year, born on 26 June 1893. His father’s station in life, never an exalted one, was that of a Gardener. A temporary hiatus followed after young Henry’s birth lengthened further by the advent of war between the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal (where the Boyder’s resided) and the Orange Free State. Most “Uitlanders” were forced to flee or did so voluntarily with thousands of men making their way to either the Cape or Durban in Natal where, disgruntled and put out by the treatment meted out to them, they enlisted for service with one of the many Colonial Corps being raised.

Boyder was a bit of a late bloomer in that he joined up but only a year after fighting had commenced. According to his Attestation papers he enlisted with the South African Light Horse at Cape Town on 12 December 1900 and was assigned no. 25014 and the rank of Trooper. Colonial-born he was 33 years old and, as has been mentioned previously, a Gardener by occupation. Providing his mother, Mrs Sarah Boyder of 61 Constitution Street, Cape Town as his next of kin he confirmed that he was married to Mrs Mary Boyder (an English corruption of her Dutch name) and that his wife’s address was Main Road, Maitland, Cape Colony.

The South African Light Horse had been raised in the Cape in late 1899 but, by the time Boyder had joined their ranks, were mainly employed in the Orange River Colony during what became known as the second phase or guerrilla phase of the war. In his despatch of 8th March 1901, Lord Kitchener said that in the beginning of December 1900 Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry and the SALH were railed from Standerton and Volksrust respectively to Bloemfontein, and were sent to occupy a line of posts between Thaba Nchu and Ladybrand, east of the capital. De Wet was then trying to get into Cape Colony, but was headed off and driven north again. The bulk of the Boers broke through the line above-mentioned and got away to the Senekal district, but in his telegram of 15th December Lord Kitchener was able to say that the SALH and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry captured one 15-pounder taken at Dewetsdorp, one pom-pom, several waggons of ammuni¬tion, 22 prisoners, and some horses and mules.

Soon after this the SALH and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry were, with other troops, railed to Cape Colony to operate against Kritzinger and other leaders. Both regiments took part in many a memorable pursuit. In January 1901 the SALH was constantly in touch with the enemy, and on the 16th, in the Murraysburg district of Cape Colony, a detachment acting as advance guard became engaged with a strong force of the enemy. In February De Wet himself with a con¬siderable force got into Cape Colony, but being hotly and constantly pressed by numerous columns, including Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry and the SALH, he was driven out again on the 28th February minus 200 prisoners, all his guns, waggons, and ammunition.

The SALH remained in Cape Colony during March and April and did much hard work. Both regiments were brought back to the Orange River Colony, and in May four squadrons of the Light Horse, under Major Gogarty, captured 31 armed burghers with their horses at Luckhoff. In his despatch of 8th October Lord Kitchener said that the column of Colonel Byng was brought from the south to the north of the Orange River Colony, and in the Vredefort Road, Reitzburg district, his column and that of Colonel Dawkins captured 81 prisoners in the last fortnight of September 1901. After three days' rest Colonel Byng and his men left Kroonstad on 6th October, and in the next three weeks took other 50 prisoners on the west of the railway. He then moved to the Heilbron district to take part in the great combined movements and drives in the north-east of the Orange River Colony, and until the close of the war the SALH and their leader were constantly at the very hardest of work, often trekking for thirty-six hours with scarcely a break.

That Boyder was intricately involved in all of the above is confirmed by the clasps to the Queens Medal he earned – those of the Cape Colony and Orange Free State.

Boyder took his discharge from the SALH, time expired, at Cape Town on 4 November 1901 after 328 days service. His character was rated as “Very Good” and was paid off at Green Point after a fine of £1 had been deducted for an undisclosed offence. Interestingly his younger brother Thomas Henry Boyder, 19, also served with the SALH enlisting on the same day as Henry with number 25015.

Life for Boyder returned to normal and he was able, after the war was over, to return to the Transvaal which was now under British administration. The family soon moved to 4 Sidney Road in Doornfontein, Johannesburg where their next child, Albert William, was born on 16 August 1904. Henry was still a Gardener by occupation as was the case when George Thomas came along on 20 November 1906.

There was a bit of a wait before the next child, the aptly named Henry William, came along on 21 October 1914. It was probably just as well because the Boyder’s were to feel the full impact of the Great War a few years later when 17 year old Private William George Boyder of the 1st South African Infantry and the son of Henry William Boyder and Mary Boyder of 4 Sidney Road, Bertram’s, Johannesburg was killed in action at Ypres in Flanders on 10 April 1918.

Henry Boyder passed away at the age of 64 years and 2 months on 1 June 1933. he was survived by his four children. his occupation at the time of his death was still that of Gardener and he was resident at No. 258, 7th Avenue, Bezuidenhout Valley, Johannesburg. His wife had died some years before him. He left an estate of 505 Pounds

That's a fascinating and ultimately sad story, Rory, but it is excellent that you have preserved these memories for future generations.

Hi Rory,

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to research and transcribe my Great Grandfather's profile as a trooper in the Anglo Boer War. I have been researching my family history for a very long time and have a lot of detail about Henry William's life however I did not have evidence of his parentage so your article has been of great help. With the sources that you have I would be most grateful if you could provide me with further information on his father and also the records of his estate? I know that he had Irish ancestry too [O'Sullivan] as per my Grandfathers' stories [he was the Henry William born in 1914]. If you need to fill in any gaps I can send you information about his other children too.

Chelle

Hello Chelle

I will gladly help with what I can. Please will you send me your e-mail address and telephone number so that we can start the process.

If you don't want to publicise your details then please send me a Private Message.

Regards

Rory

Very nice Rory, I always admired the SALH and all it's members, moreover, the second to last paragraph, is certainly a stark reminder of the price paid by members of the SAI Brigade, all volunteers, for their service in France and Flanders during the Great War.
Regards Frank

Rory wrote: Henry William Boyder

Trooper, South African Light Horse – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State to 25014 TPR. H.W. BOYDER, S.A, LT. HORSE

Henry Boyder appears to have been Colonial born, his family originating from the Cape Colony. The first exposure we have to him was on the occasion of his marriage to Mary Johanna Kitson. This happy event took place at St. Alban’s Cathedral in Pretoria on 4 August 1891 in what was then the Zuid Afrikaansche Republik or Transvaal as it was known to the “Uitlanders” – chaps like Henry who weren’t Dutch and who weren’t “locals”. The 4th August was destined to be an unhappy day for Boyder as, according to the records, his wife’s names were found to have been “erroneously given” and the whole procedure had to be repeated four days later. This time round her correct names were provided and Mariana Aletta Getzen (a radical departure from the spelling of the names previously given) entered into the holy estate of matrimony with Henry William Boyder. He was a 24 year old Groom by occupation living in Schoeman Street, Pretoria whilst his bride was 23 years of age and a Servant girl living in Market Street, Pretoria.

The confusion over the names now a thing of the past the couple settled down to married life in the Capital City, their bliss being interrupted on occasion but enhanced with the arrival of a number of children. The first arriving on 21 April 1892 slightly before nine months had elapsed from the date they had tied the knot, leading, no doubt, to speculation in some quarters as to Mariana’s state at the time of her marriage. Thomas William, their first-born was baptised on 29 May of that year with Boyder’s occupation being provided as “Coachman”

Henry Samuel followed the following year, born on 26 June 1893. His father’s station in life, never an exalted one, was that of a Gardener. A temporary hiatus followed after young Henry’s birth lengthened further by the advent of war between the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal (where the Boyder’s resided) and the Orange Free State. Most “Uitlanders” were forced to flee or did so voluntarily with thousands of men making their way to either the Cape or Durban in Natal where, disgruntled and put out by the treatment meted out to them, they enlisted for service with one of the many Colonial Corps being raised.

Boyder was a bit of a late bloomer in that he joined up but only a year after fighting had commenced. According to his Attestation papers he enlisted with the South African Light Horse at Cape Town on 12 December 1900 and was assigned no. 25014 and the rank of Trooper. Colonial-born he was 33 years old and, as has been mentioned previously, a Gardener by occupation. Providing his mother, Mrs Sarah Boyder of 61 Constitution Street, Cape Town as his next of kin he confirmed that he was married to Mrs Mary Boyder (an English corruption of her Dutch name) and that his wife’s address was Main Road, Maitland, Cape Colony.

The South African Light Horse had been raised in the Cape in late 1899 but, by the time Boyder had joined their ranks, were mainly employed in the Orange River Colony during what became known as the second phase or guerrilla phase of the war. In his despatch of 8th March 1901, Lord Kitchener said that in the beginning of December 1900 Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry and the SALH were railed from Standerton and Volksrust respectively to Bloemfontein, and were sent to occupy a line of posts between Thaba Nchu and Ladybrand, east of the capital. De Wet was then trying to get into Cape Colony, but was headed off and driven north again. The bulk of the Boers broke through the line above-mentioned and got away to the Senekal district, but in his telegram of 15th December Lord Kitchener was able to say that the SALH and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry captured one 15-pounder taken at Dewetsdorp, one pom-pom, several waggons of ammuni¬tion, 22 prisoners, and some horses and mules.

Soon after this the SALH and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry were, with other troops, railed to Cape Colony to operate against Kritzinger and other leaders. Both regiments took part in many a memorable pursuit. In January 1901 the SALH was constantly in touch with the enemy, and on the 16th, in the Murraysburg district of Cape Colony, a detachment acting as advance guard became engaged with a strong force of the enemy. In February De Wet himself with a con¬siderable force got into Cape Colony, but being hotly and constantly pressed by numerous columns, including Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry and the SALH, he was driven out again on the 28th February minus 200 prisoners, all his guns, waggons, and ammunition.

The SALH remained in Cape Colony during March and April and did much hard work. Both regiments were brought back to the Orange River Colony, and in May four squadrons of the Light Horse, under Major Gogarty, captured 31 armed burghers with their horses at Luckhoff. In his despatch of 8th October Lord Kitchener said that the column of Colonel Byng was brought from the south to the north of the Orange River Colony, and in the Vredefort Road, Reitzburg district, his column and that of Colonel Dawkins captured 81 prisoners in the last fortnight of September 1901. After three days' rest Colonel Byng and his men left Kroonstad on 6th October, and in the next three weeks took other 50 prisoners on the west of the railway. He then moved to the Heilbron district to take part in the great combined movements and drives in the north-east of the Orange River Colony, and until the close of the war the SALH and their leader were constantly at the very hardest of work, often trekking for thirty-six hours with scarcely a break.

That Boyder was intricately involved in all of the above is confirmed by the clasps to the Queens Medal he earned – those of the Cape Colony and Orange Free State.

Boyder took his discharge from the SALH, time expired, at Cape Town on 4 November 1901 after 328 days service. His character was rated as “Very Good” and was paid off at Green Point after a fine of £1 had been deducted for an undisclosed offence. Interestingly his younger brother Thomas Henry Boyder, 19, also served with the SALH enlisting on the same day as Henry with number 25015.

Life for Boyder returned to normal and he was able, after the war was over, to return to the Transvaal which was now under British administration. The family soon moved to 4 Sidney Road in Doornfontein, Johannesburg where their next child, Albert William, was born on 16 August 1904. Henry was still a Gardener by occupation as was the case when George Thomas came along on 20 November 1906.

There was a bit of a wait before the next child, the aptly named Henry William, came along on 21 October 1914. It was probably just as well because the Boyder’s were to feel the full impact of the Great War a few years later when 17 year old Private William George Boyder of the 1st South African Infantry and the son of Henry William Boyder and Mary Boyder of 4 Sidney Road, Bertram’s, Johannesburg was killed in action at Ypres in Flanders on 10 April 1918.

Henry Boyder passed away at the age of 64 years and 2 months on 1 June 1933. he was survived by his four children. his occupation at the time of his death was still that of Gardener and he was resident at No. 258, 7th Avenue, Bezuidenhout Valley, Johannesburg. His wife had died some years before him. He left an estate of 505 Pounds

Thanks Rory,
My email is [email protected]