TOPIC:

Members, I'm trying to find more information regarding the trial an execution of Renier Christiaan Upton.
He was the stepfather of my grandmother, my great gran's second husband. He farmed on the Horn-family farm Boekenhoutkloof, to the West of Pretoria where Horn's Nek Pass is today (Horn being the surname of my great grans' first husband).

As per the book "Innocent Blood" by Graham Jooste, Upton was possibly tried as a Cape Rebel as he was originally from Hangklip in the Queenstown area. He was charged with spying, the court proceedings taking place on the 13th of August in Pretoria, an he was fusileered on the 21st of August.

His civilian death certificate was only issued in November 1902, as part of settlement of his will, and under place of death mention is made "as per previous certificate attached" - what certificate may this be and where can I obtain a copy thereof?

Will there be any copies or transcripts of his trial?
Also, which units would have been tasked with the execution?

Janco

Hi Janco......

Suggest you have a look at this thread.......

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/19-ephemera/2...an-wijk-a-pass#65982

Mike

Janco see this info in this publications:

Shearing, Taffy & David The Rebel Record. South African War 1899-1902, Cape Commando Series (3)



UPTON, Renier Christiaan †. Hangklip, Queenstown. 34 years. Sentenced to death for spying on 13-8-1901 in Pretoria. Executed by firing squad on 21-8-1901. His remains were probably re-interred in the old Church Street Cemetery in Pretoria West in 1909. [SHHG2]

I went back over the 1902 death certificate; it states there is a Red Cross certificate attached, not just "previous certificate" as I originally thought.

Are copies the Red Cross certificates still kept somewhere?

Hello Janco,

Not sure if you have seen this document in the Pretoria Archives dated 1901 ?

Regards
Adrian

Document 528 of 696
DEPOT TAB
SOURCE MHG
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 0
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE 1522
PART 1
DESCRIPTION UPTON, REINIER CHRISTIAAN.
STARTING 19010000
ENDING 19010000
REMARKS SURVIVING SPOUSE ELSIE CAROLINA CATHARINA WILHELMINA UPTON (BORN
PIETERSE).

Thank you Adrian.

Following the data you provided, I was also able to locate this document:

DEPOT TAB
SR/SN 000/00
SOURCE PMO
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 37
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE PM2530/01
PART 1
DESCRIPTION LIST OF PERSONS WHO SAW THE BODY OF RC UPTON AFTER HE WAS BEING SHOT.
STARTING 1901
ENDING 1901