TOPIC:

I am researching the life of William Arthur Mather, born near Cheltenham, Glos, in 1882. His former school, Cheltenham College, records in its regiser of old boys that he had gone to Natal and was a fruit farmer.
I suspect he is the Trooper, 25237, in the 3rd (Gloucestershire) company, 1st Battalion IY, with QSA Medal and clasps, and possibly the WA Mather listed among holders of the Natal 1906 Medal.

I have not much experience of this site and have not visited for a few years. I would welcome any advice on how to find more about this man.
Thank you
Daggers

Hello Daggers
I can never understand why people can't use their real names
Taken from a colleague's database:
MATHER W.A. Trooper, Natal Police (No 2935), Zulu Rebellion 1906. On 7.2.06 whilst in the Umgeni Division he was rushed by natives but escaped.
He is on my Natal Police list as enlisted 17 December 1902.

Not a great deal of information but it might be of some help.
The South African archives database is down at the moment but when it comes back on line, I will see if I can find anything further on him.
Audrey
Rhino Research
South Africa

When I firs t joined another forum, years ago, I thought it was the accepted thing to invent a name, and have gone on the same way.
Thank you for the Natal Police detail. His enlistment date is my birthday, 30 years later.
I look forward to any more you can unearth.
Daggers

Hello Daggers
I had a look on the SA archives site and there are 40 references to the name William Mather.
Its difficult to know whether any of these are for your William.
The only reference to William Arthur Mather was the following which is a divorce in 1912 as you can see.

DEPOT TAB
SOURCE WLD
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 0
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE 247/1912
PART 1
DESCRIPTION ILLIQUID CASE DIVORCE KATHLEEN MAY MATHER (BORN CHADWICK) VERSUS
WILLIAM ARTHUR MATHER.
STARTING 19120000
ENDING 19120000

This file is in the Pretoria National Archives and I do have access to this.

There was also reference to a Claim for Compensation file for William Mather. This man would have served in the Boer War and claimed for any damage to his property while he was serving.

Please contact me at [email protected] if you would like to take this further.
Audrey

Audrey
Thanks very much for your help. I think your reference to service in the Boer War confirms that we have the right man. I am not interested in his divorce, as I am working on an outline of the lives of seven brothers, WA being the eldest. Three were killed in WW1, another served as a captain in the Medical Corps, another in the North West Mounted Police, another in the Indian Army.
They were all educated at Cheltenham College in England, and the register of old boys gives 'fruit farming in Natal' as the subsequent career of WAM.

I think I can safely draw a line now, and again, many thanks to you.
Daggers

Was he father or one of the brothers named Sam - married to Charlotte Sarah?