I AM looking for the true identity of my great-grandfather. He had a romantic affair in 1905/06 with Helena Christina Celliers (born 29 March 1886) of Robertson/Montagu that resulted in the birth of my grandfather, Gordon Paul Joubert Kriel on 28 August 1906.
Gordon was later taken in by Jacobus (Jack) Joubert and Rachel Nel. According to the birth certificate, Jack registered the birth in Worcester.
We do not know if Gordon’s father was married at the time, but family stories have it that Helena’s father (Abraham Albertus Cilliers), did not approve of the affair and he was instrumental in getting her married off to Pieter Christiaan Kriel in 1909.
It was in 1909 that the Jouberts officially took Gordon into their care, although he was probably under their care from birth.
Rather than an adoption paper, we have a copy of a rather curious instrument called “Indenture of Apprenticeship by parent.” This is signed just before Helena and Pieter married and we know from DNA tests that he was definitely not the father!
At this stage, Gordon is referred to as Gordon Paul Joubert Kriel. It appears therefore he aquired the Kriel surname by sleight of hand between then and birth!
The payback for Pieter Kriel was a Vryburg farm gifted by Abaraham Celliers.
It is highly likely that Abraham Celliers received some legal advice as to how to go about getting Gordon off their hands without adoption (avoiding official questions being asked) and that advice might well have come from the family attorney who was at the Paarl Board of Trustees.
There were also links with the Nel family in Paarl, and as I do not know who my anonymous great-grandfather was, I wondered if anyone from the Paarl area spots a family resemblance to the man in the photograph, who is the spitting image of my father. He wears a wedding ring and judging by the formal pose, may have been a lawyer.
Anyone who has any information can contact me on pieterk@activ8.net.au.
Pieter Kriel
