TOPIC:

My great grandfather (Edward Kellett, b 1867 Manchester, LAN) made his own way to South Africa in 1896 with his brother William Kellett.

His brother William had previously been a Sapper in the Royal Engineers (SERN 25440), then transferred to 1st class Army Reserves and rejoined the Army in South Africa in 1899 & fought in the Boer Wars. I have his service records from TNA.

Edward is believed to have also fought in the Boer War/s but doesn't appear to be listed as regular army. I don't know how to search for him as an irregular, without knowing the regiment? A family member has written that he also "fought in the Matabele-Mashana rebellion" - but I have no documentary evidence of that.

With somewhat more certainty, it appears that Edward was in Khartoum on 4 July 1997. He wrote his will on a page torn from his diary and also drew diagrams of their camp & surrounding landscape.

Were there British irregulars fighting or serving in the Sudan campaign? Has anyone any suggestions for where I might find evidence of what Edward was doing there?

In 1907 Edward migrated with his wife from Cape Town to Australia.

Any clues or suggestions as to how I might found out about any military service by him would be most welcome. Thank you.

Kerry

Hello Kerry,

An Edward Kellett served with the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa.

3899 Private Edward Bromley KELLETT, 24th (Westmorland & Cumberland) Company, 8th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry.

Attestation papers show that he was a mining engineer, with next-of-kin living in Southport, Lancashire.
Place of birth given as Upholland, Wigan, Lancs.
27 years old in 1900, so therefore born c. 1873.

This doesn't tally with your GGF's date and place of birth, but being from Lancashire I thought he could still be a possibility.

I can't find an E. Kellett on the Sudan medal roll.

Neville

Kerry.

I looked through the K surnames for people who received the British South Africa Company Medal but there were no matches or near matches.

A man called Edward Brownley Kellett, whose father was William, served in the Canadian Scouts. He was 30 in 1902.



This man had previously served in the Imperial Yeomanry



The DOB does not match but could that be him?

Hello Kerry
Are we talking about this Kellett family?


If the answer is yes, then this Edward Kellett up until 1891 was a Greengrocer's Warehouseman aged 23. His Father was a master tailor.

The mentioned E B Kellett was a surveyor by profession and he returned to London on the ship Gascon in 1904.


Dave....

Thank you. Yes that is my ancestor, son of Robert Kellett (master tailor) and Jane. Yes he migrated to South Africa in 1896 with his brother William. He was indeed a Grocer's warehouseman in Lancashire & also listed that as his occupation when he left East London via Cape Town to Australia.

It's not the E B Kellett mentioned above. I know he wasn't regular army & that probably meant no medals, but I have personal documents indicating that he fought in 1899 and he wrote his will in July 1897 with location Khartoum.

I was hoping that even if he wasn't named, there might be indication of British either irregulars or even something to do with the South African Company but not regular army. I am learning, but only have inherited family documents to rely on, which I am trying to supplement with something official. Many thanks, Kerry

Thank you for looking but that E B Kellett is not mine. My ancestor was (as mentioned in a message below) a grocer's warehouseman & I don't think he had a middle name. Thank for taking the trouble to look for me though.

Kerry