Allison family
The Allison Family of Ladysmith
Francis Bidden Allison and Mary Rix had three children: Albert Bidden, John Thurlow and Marion Phillis Rix, all of whom emigrated from England to South Africa and were, at one time, residing in Klip River county.
Albert Bidden, the eldest son, was born in Lowestoft Suffolk. He was an army man but resigned before he left for South Africa. He arrived in Port Natal on 24 March 1860 with his first wife, Marianne Weyman, on the ship Sovereign. In 1852 he was assistant clerk in the Pietermaritzburg Post Office, where he stayed until 1862. At this time he was chosen by Lt. Governor Scott to return to England to procure men and arms to equip a mounted Police corps. He returned to Natal six months later. When the Natal Carbineers were formed in 1855, Albert Bidden became Lieutenant and Adjutant and in March of 1856 he took some of the regiment to the Drakensberg in pursuit of Bushmen. He was appointed Justice of the Peace for the colony in August 1863, then Captain in the Natal Carbineers in 1864. In 1872 he was appointed Administrator of Native Law for the region at Oliviershoek.
Francis and Marianne had two children – - Charlotte Katherine Rix, born in Durban on the 7th March 1851 (who married her cousin Albert Thurlow Allison, son of John Thurlow) and Rosa Eliza Mary, born in March 1853, in Pietermaritzburg; she married John Daniel Taylor. Marianne died in 1854 at only 30 years old, in Pietermaritzburg. Albert later married his second wife, Cornelia Stuart.
James Stuart was a clerk and Interpreter for the Upper Tugela Magistracy 1876. As Levy Leader Zulu War 1879, he is reported to have retrieved the Prince Imperial’s sword after the latter was killed on 1 June1879; he married his cousin, Cora De Kok, and was present at Elandslaagte and Transvaal, as a Lieutenant in the SA Mounted Irregular Forces that operated around Wittebergen. When the war was over he became Assistant Magistrate, in Petrusville, Cape Colony in 1907, residing at Boschput farm, Zoutspansberg, now Limpopo Province.
Elia Marie Theodora married Eduard Willem van Musschenbroek in October 1883, who at that time had just come out from Holland and had a farm called ‘Groot Geluk’ in the Upper Tugela area.
Theodore farmed in Harrismith from 1885 to 1899. He was guide and Honorary Sergeant with the Natal Guides during the Boer War and took part in the defence of Ladysmith, Laings Nek, Transvaal and Orange Free State with the Intelligence Dept. In 1901 he became a Magistrate in Standerton.
Albert Bidden married Anne Marie van Musschenbroek. Guide and Honorary Sergeant with the Natal Guides in the Boer War, seeing action at Talana and was captured by Boers while scouting for Lt. Col. Carleton’s force at Nicholson’s Nek 30 October 1899. Released from Pretoria April 1900 and continued, being wounded in action at Klippall Drift, Transvaal on 8 August 1900. He was awarded the DSM, recommended for DSO and finished the war as Lieutenant.
Arnold Abraham, married Jacoba (Cobi) van Musschenbroek and they resided near Weenen and later Heidelberg. He too was captured at Nicholson’s Nek on 30 October. Detained in Pretoria and released June 1900. Guide, Intelligence Dept. and later he was Commandant Heidelberg Burgher camp. He was a noted big game hunter.
Martinus Stuart (“Tutsie”), also a Boer War Guide, awarded the DCM and sadly killed in action (by a long range shot that penetrated his temple) at Boshman’s Kranz (Vlaklaagte) near Standerton. An avid botanist and geologist, he never married.
Theophila, married Herbert Aldwynkle and was known within the family as Auntie Offie.
John Thurlow was the second child to be born to Francis and Mary Rix and he married Elizabeth Chambers. They had eight children: Albert Thurlow, Joanne
Elizabeth, Marie Theresa, Alice Sarah, Frank Mayne, John William, Philip Rix.
Marion Phyllis Rix, the only daughter, married John Melville
