Kingwill

Newspaper cuttings from the Eastern Cape. No source, 1973. KINGWILLs - Part II AUTHORITY He is now in Pretoria, and is regarded as a world authority on scientific information services. Mr. Walter KINGWILL was one of the two KINGWILLs who played rugby for Eastern Province, the other being Mr. Frank KINGWILL, who now farms at Nieu-Bethesda. Both were outstanding players and played together for Eastern Province in the later forties, although Walter was then at the end of his rugby career as a lock. Frank played first as a wing, and then eighthman. He was a Springbok trialist. Walter, who also owns two farms at Nieu-Bethesda, was elected MP for Walmer in 1966. During WWII he served as an officer with the Middellandse Regiment. He was a prisoner-of-war for three years, after being captured in Tobruk. In 1947 he was promoted to colonel. Colonel Bill KINGWILL received the Military Cross in the Great War for valour at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He was the only officer of the Norfolk Regiment to come out alive along with 32 men. Before, there were 20 officers and 600 men. TOBRUK He also fought in WWII, as a captain with Die Middellandse Regiment, but was invalided home shortly before the Regiment, and other forces, were captured at Tobruk.Colonel Bill KINGWILL's younger brothers, Eric, Denyl and Arthur Jnr, today farm in the Murraysburg district with their sons. The KINGWILLs recently had a family album published, which traces the history of the various branches of the family tree. It was compiled by Mr. Roland KINGWILL, a grandson of Alfred KINGWILL and who farms at Nieu-Bethesda and Miss Jean KINGWILL, the curator of Graaff-Reinet Museum. The South African KINGWILLs very nearly had relative in Australia. One of Alfred's brothers, William left for Down Under at the age of 15 after he had heard the news of the discovery of gold. He returned 16 years later, almost as poor as he had left. MERINO STUD Alfred KINGWILLS's six sons were William - no family. AAK, Pannell, Graham, Cyril and Frank. Pannell's branch of the family is today represented by Mr. Roland KINGWILL as the head, Graham's by Mr. Walter KINGWILL, Cyril's by Mr. Thomas 'Bun" KINGWILL, who now farms at Bredasdorp, and Mr. Cyril 'Chipper' KINGWILL, who owns Zuurplaats in the Nieu-Bethesda area. The youngest of Alfred's sons, Frank, established the Ripplemead Merino Stud. This stud has now been built up by Mr. Brian KINGWILL at Thorncliff, in the Fish River district. His two elder brothers, Ion and Frank, farm at Nieu-Bethesda. Mr. Frank KINGWILL, the former Eastern Province rugby player is the present owner of Ripplemead. Mr. Ion KINGWILL's youngest son, Timothy was last year selected for the Junior Springboks gymkhana team. Three of Alfred KINGWILL's daughters married to FOWLER, POHLAND and PAXTON but only the PAXTONs of Aberdeen have present generation family. The MACBETHs of Mill Park, Port Elizabeth, are also distantly related to the KINGWILLs. Conclusion of KINGWEILL. Best wishes Becky Horne

Author of the Book THE CSIR - The First Fourty Years, by D.G. Kingwill