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The death report for my Great Great Uncle appeared in the Burnley Express in April 1910 saying that he had been killed in a mining accident in the Transvaal.I know that he went out to work in South Africa with his Brother In Law and possibly his own brother but I wondered how they got the work in the first place. Would prospective Employers cast their nets far and wide in a bid to attract people to work in South Africa or would a lack of work in England make unemployed people look further afield for employment.
Has anyone else come across Ancestors from Burnley that went to work in South Africa in the early to mid 1900's?

I can't say I have Joan. I suppose one person would go and then write home to say that there is work-a-plenty. What would make the first person go though I wonder?

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

Just a thought, could they have been in the army and were sent out there, then stayed on?

That may be a possibility Patricia as they don't seem to have been in Burnley in 1901 but I would have expected to have found my Great Aunt and the children in the UK even if her Husband was in the Army!

I think it's quite likely that South African mining companies - which may well have been British owned and managed - would recruit miners in England. http://www.cornish-mining.org.uk/story/migrat.htm (well worth reading even if you aren't Cornish!) includes a statement that in 1905, there were some 7000 Cornish miners on the Rand in South Africa. Apparently Cornish tin miners were respected worldwide for their expertise in mining in hard rock, and it wouldn't be surprising if coal miners thought they might as well join their Cornish counterparts and hope to make a better life than here.

Charon

Interesting Charon for anyone with miners missing it could be a good place to look.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

A Burnley Man in South Africa
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2206&hilit=south+africa