(By Jack Wright, Bratislava, Slovak Republic)
| The History of the Wright Families in Southern Africa |
|
The History of the Wright Families in Southern Africa
The above research paper was not written by me, but it is the hard work of Jack Wright. The paper presents some fine research very well, but I have to express a difference of opinion with a comment on page 17 about my great-grandfather Willem Lambert WRIGHT. I have contacted Jack about this, but he probably has not had the time to update the document Willem WRIGHT, who was the grandson of our Scottish progenitor who served in the British army, himself fought against the British empire, on the side of the Boers in the Anglo Boer War of 1899-1902. Jack states this fact thus: "There is however only one record (that of Willem Lambert WRIGHT) of the family being involved on the side of the Boers in the Anglo Boer wars of 1899 to 1904 (sic) - almost as if there was an unwritten rule not to go against roots, origin and history!" This comment is factually incorrect - I found archival records for at least 12 males (excluding Willem) bearing the surname "WRIGHT" was called up for military service by the government of Orange Free State Republic. But personally, I find the comment is not taking into account the true circumstances of Willem Wright's life, and that the comment is even slightly jingoistic. We know that the Bristish Army set out to destroy the Orange Free State with their scorched-earth policy, which destroyed the civilian population's livelihoods and lives. Farmers bore the brunt of this deliberate attack on civilians. More civilian women and children died in British concentration camps than men on the battle fields. Willem was a farmer in the Orange Free State, and he and his Afrikaans speaking wife Cornelia were caught up in this mayhem. Cornelia and her five children were interned at the Winburg concentration camp probably as of 17 Oct 1901. (Concentration Camp Records (Freestate Archives)). According to the Camp Records, the children and their ages are: We know that Willem surrender near the end of the war (on 20 Jan 1902 - perhaps after his unit lost a battle), and that he became an inmate at the same Winburg concentration camp. Here he joined his wife and five children. Their ultimate date of release is unknown, but the eldest son died young. If anyone would treat my family like this, I am sure I would have fought them as well, whether they were "my own" or not. But let us not forget that the Scots have a historic dislike of the English. This was certainly true for my great-grandfather - according to family lore. And as I write this in May 2007, The Scottish Nationalists are in power in the Scottish Parliament, and are threatening to press for Scottish independence from Great Britain (and England). Elsewhere, less seriously, Jack also questions why Willem's father and grandfather would join the Afrikaans speaking Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). I would suggest that the DRC is very close in its believe system to the Scottish Presbyterian Church - both are part of the Calvinist Family of Churches. Joining the DRC would give the Wrights entry into the Afrikaner community. Every generation of Wrights, from the first onwards, have found their spouses amongst the Afrikaner community. The Wrights obviously preferred their company. |
Designed and maintained by Christo van Rensburg
Email me at montxsuz(at)yahoo(dot)com
2007 ©® All Rights Reserved