1. George PITT, son of Unknown and Unknown, was born about 1833 in Limerick Ireland.¹

Research Notes: While the origins of George Pitt have been noted here as being originally from Limerick in Ireland, this is not yet known as an established fact! Those facts that have been have been uncovered are solely due to the painstaking research work that had to be undertaken over a seven year period.
What this eventually revealed was that references concerning George Pitt existed in Archives and churches in Cape Town and the Eastern Cape. These references, such as they are, are contained in both the National archives in Cape Town, the Cory Library Grahamstown and in an authoritative reference work published by the author Esmé Bull.
Entitled " Aided immigration from Britain to South Africa 1857 - 1867". (ISBN O 7969 1014 6).
This book contains details of the ship he travelled in, the people that were on the ship with him at that time and the fact that the ship had left from Liverpool, a port that saw many Irish and English immigrants take their leave of the United Kingdom for foreign shores.

Details contained on pages 474 & 638 of this book give us the following references:-

"Pitt, George: aged 25
Occupation Plasterer
He arrived in Port Elizabeth in 1856 on the sailing ship Vocalist. There is a footnote that states that In Oct. 1862 he was a constable at the Katberg Convict Station." This information was extracted from records kept at the Cape Archives and has the reference No. CO 802. (CO stands for "Colonial Office")

Further details:-
~VOCALIST~ Master : Captain Flett Rigging: Ship Sheathed in felt and yellow metal (?) in 1856 partly fastened with iron bolts. Tonnage: 1004 tons, Owners: J Fisher, Port of registry: Saint John NB, Port of survey: Liverpool, Voyage 1856: Sailed for the Cape of Good Hope.

Just When it was that George Pitt met his wife, Ann Coleman, will for ever remain a mystery. We know that she to was a immigrant and had travelled out alone to Africa. Just why she did this is another mystery that may never be solved.
However, what is know, is that they were married in Grahamstown in 1861,and in the fullness of time they had three children born to them.

All the Pitt family branches contained with in pages of this work stem from the son, George Charles Pitt. Both of the recorded daughters, Ellen and Alice, Appear briefly in the records and then seem to disappear. Just what became of them is as yet unknown.

The following data concerns the registration of the birth of a child to a George and Ann Pitt and has yet be checked.
Entry #42
Child: Ellen Ann PITT
Parents: George and Ann
Born: 2/5/1864
Residence: Cowie Street, Grahamstown LDS Microfilm #2102180
Item 11: Grahamstown Births
Book 39, 9/1863-12/1865

George married Annie COLEMAN on 23 Apr 1861 in St Bartholomew's Anglican Church Grahamstown South Africa.² Annie was born in 1838 in England.³

Children from this marriage were:

+ 2 M    i. George Charles PITT was born on 18 Dec 1862 in Grahamstown, South Africa, was christened on 8 Mar 1863 in St Bartholmews Anglican Church Grahamstown,⁴ died on 20 Jul 1937 in Queenstown, South Africa ⁵ at age 74, and was buried on 21 Jul 1937 in Plot M63 Queenstown Cemetery, South Africa.

+ 3 F    ii. Ellen Ann PITT was born on 5 Feb 1864 in Grahamstown Cape Colony.⁶

+ 4 F    iii. Alice PITT was born on 13 Mar 1867 in Grahamstown, South Africa and was christened on 13 Mar 1867 in St George Cathedral Grahamstown.⁷

Sources

1. Esmé Bull, Aided immigration from Britain to South Africa 1857 - 1867. Page 474 (Details of British immigrants to South Africa), Page 474. Repository: Raymond Pitt, 95 Fisher Street, Kingaroy Queensland. Surety: 3

2. N.J. Merriman - Parish Priest, Marriage register St Bartholomew's (Anglican) church, Grahamstown (Register of marriages), Entry No. 11. Repository: Cory Library For Historical Research, PO Box 184, Grahamstown 8140, Call Number:Cory MS 17 774/1. Cit. Date: 23 Apr 1861 Surety: 3

3. Esmé Bull's, Aided immigration from Britain to South Africa 1857 - 1867 Page 152 (Details of British immigrants to South Africa.), Page 152. Repository: Raymond Pitt, 95 Fisher Street, Kingaroy Queensland. Cit. Date: 5 Jan 1998 Surety: 3

4. N.J. Merriman, St Bartholmew's (Anglican) Church, Grahamstown, baptismal register (register of Baptisms), Entry No. 85. Repository: Cory Library For Historical Research, PO Box 184, Grahamstown 8140, Call Number:Cory MS 17 776. Cit. Date: 8 Mar 1863 Surety: 3

5. Master of the supreme court, Death Notice, Details of death, children, property, REFERENCE 55645. Repository: Cape Archives, Private Bag X9025, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa. Surety: 3

6. Grahamstown Birth Registrations, Parents names, birth date and child's name, LDS Microfilm #2102180. Repository: LDS. Surety: 3

7. St George's cathedral Grahamstown Baptism register (Private baptism), Entry #2701. Repository: Cory Library For Historical Research, PO Box 184, Grahamstown 8140, Call Number:Cory MS 14 878/3. Cit. Date: 13 Mar 1867 Surety: 3