TOPIC:

I hope you can help me. I am researching a man called Frederick Rapson (or possibly using the name Frederick Eyers). He claimed to have been employed as a young boy "washing Boers" en route from The Cape to St Helena. The problem is that I know for certain that he was in UK until June 1902 when of course the conflict was over. So I am working on the assumption that he actually worked with the returning prisoners.

I am mystified why the prisoners could not wash themselves. Are there any records of civilian workers in 1902?

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

Hi John and welcome to the forum.

That would be an unusual trade/occupation for someone. If the Boers were being transported by ship, they would have been considered prisoners/ex-prisoners by the British so could it be that he was 'watching Boers'?

Some Boers returned home to South Africa months and years after the conflict ended so it is possible he undertook this service after June 1902.

However, for that to be the case, he would have been transporting the Boers from St Helena to Cape Town.

I don't know but I think no Boers would have been sent abroad after the war ended in May 1902.

Best wishes
David