TOPIC:

Hello, I was directed to this site from a general Google query re Cape Police 1902. I am seeking information on my great uncle Frances (Frank) Christie PAUL who was in Edinburgh City Police and joined the Cape Police in 1902. He sailed from Southampton on 15th February 1902 with others. I have also tracked down on-line, a grave in Maitland Road cemetery, Capetown for Frank Christie PAUL who died on 7th November 1923. He was born in Cuminestown, Aberdeenshire on 10th February 1878. He was married in Capetown (Mary Nicholson) and had 2 children (May and John). I will be obliged for any information about his work in the Cape Police and thereafter and anything about his life in general in South Africa from 1902 to 1923

Welcome to the forum, TWA5. Perhaps some of the following information will be of use to you.

The Cape Police was reorganised in 1904 into the Cape Mounted Police (CMP) and the Urban Police. The CMP was militarised and embodied in the Union Defence Forces as the 5th SA Mounted Riflemen in 1913, while the Urban Police became part of the South African Police. 5 SAMR was disbanded, and its members transferred to the SAP, in 1920.

As Francis Christie Paul was a detective, living in Cape Town, he was probably in the Urban Police, and thus went directly to the SAP in 1913. Certainly, he was in the SAP, as a detective head constable, by 1919.

The attached notice from Government Gazette 963 dated 17.04.1919 shows that he was appointed as a sub-inspector of licences in the Transkei.


Oddly, no deceased estate documents for Francis Christie Paul are listed in the Archives' online inventory, or on FamilySearch.

Mary Paul née Nicholson was also in the SAP. According to her deceased estate papers, she was a wardress (or a matron, according to her daughter). She lived in 'Ceramic' flats in Green Point (the block is still standing). She was buried next to her late husband.

Arthur
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. There is a lot of new information which is great news for me. Again big thanks.
Best Regards
Tom

Glad to help, Tom.

Looking up some old notes on the Cape Police, I see that in 1902 Cape Town was under Cape Police District 3, which included a Criminal Investigation Department. The CID was transferred to the Urban Police in 1904.

You might like to keep checking in to this forum for a while. Some of the members are experts on the Cape Police, and may well be able to provide more specific information about your great-uncle.

Many thanks again. Regards, Tom