Parktown South Africa FamilySearch Centre

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Family History Centre is closed until further notice.
The Parktown Family History Centre is adjacent to the Johannesburg Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (The primary function of the Centre is to help temple patrons prepare family ordinance requests for submission to the temple.) While primarily used by members of the church, the facility is open to all who wish to research the genealogy of their ancestors.

The centre also houses a large holding of South African Death Notices on microfilm which are scanned and emailed to family history centres throughout Africa and elsewhere by email request.

Genealogists and patrons come to this Centre to research family history online in digital format, printed volumes and from microfilm and microfiche.

Centre Contacts and Hours
Language: English

Location &amp; Map:


 * 5a Jubilee Road, Parktown, Gauteng 2193, Johannesburg, RSA
 * The Centre is on the 1st Floor of the Africa Southwest Area Office, adjacent to the Johannesburg Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Centre is open Tuesday through Saturday, and is closed Sunday and Monday as well as any day the Temple is closed.
 * Limited parking is available in the guarded Area Office car park immediately west of the Temple car park area on Jubilee Road. Use the lift from Ground Floor near the Cafeteria entrance, or buzz for admittance at the 1st Floor entrance near the upper car park.
 * Organized groups of 10 - 15 patrons are welcome with prior notice. Additional hours may be arranged upon prior notice.
 * Google Map: "5a Jubilee Road, Parktown, Gauteng"

Phone: 27 011 645 1461

E-mail:  FHCJHB@ldschurch.org

Open Hours: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Family History Centre is closed until further notice.

Tuesdays through Fridays: 09:00 to 16:00, Saturdays: 07:00 to 14:30

Holiday Schedule: Centre is closed on any day that the Johannesburg Temple is closed.

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Upcoming Events:
"Welcome to the Family Tree" upon request

"Capture Your Family Stories" upon request

"Indexing From Square One" upon request

Class Schedule:
Staff Training Meetings: Tuesdays at 08:30

Ward and Stake leaders and Temple and Family History Consultants in the Johannesburg area may call 27 011 645 1461 for a training appointment.

Individuals may visit or call the Centre for assistance during posted hours.

Indexing is available for all patrons who have fifteen minutes or more to share for service.

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Centre Resources

 * Suid-Afrikaanse Geslagregisters (hard copy and PDF)
 * Dutch Reformed Church Christenings
 * South Africa Probate Records and Death Notices
 * Stamboom van de Van Der Merwe Familie (volumes and index)
 * many more volumes

Databases and Software

 * This centre has access to the Family History Centre Portal page, FHC Portalwhich when accessed from the centre gives free access in the centre to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions. 

Hardware and Equipment

 * Fourteen Internet access computers for accessing FamilySearch and the FHC Portal to membership genealogy services. Two additional computers for staff use to assist patrons.
 * Nine microfilm readers.
 * Microfiche and microfilm scanner for support staff use, upon request.
 * Document scanner for support staff use, upon request.
 * Printer and copier for patron use. No patron fee assessed.

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Nearby access to temple office staff:
Submit a Family Ordinance Request form to receive temple ordinance cards.

Family History Support Missionaries
The Parktown Family History Centre is currently staffed with three senior missionary couples. Each are trained in the use of Family Tree, the "My Family" booklet and in maintaining the large microfilm holding in this centre. Patrons from all over the Africa Southeast Area may expect assistance in preparing name submission requests for their deceased family members.

Patrons throughout Africa are encouraged to record their oral histories in the "My Family" booklet and bring them to the Family History Centre, or to their local Temple and Family History Consultant. Patrons who do not have the use of computers or Internet access may come to the Centre and receive help in transcribing their family pedigree from their copies of "My Family" into Family Ordinance Requests.

The Centre operates in the English language. Language translation is available for the missionaries to converse in the patron's native language. French, Portuguese, Zulu and Afrikaans are readily available. We also use "Google Translate" when necessary''. ''

Other Senior Couple Missionaries
Senior couple missionaries from the Area Office attend worship services in assigned Wards and Branches throughout the Johannesburg area, providing fellowship and encouragement to local members to complete family name submissions.

Full-time Missionaries
Missionaries serving in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission and all Ward and Branch Mission Leaders are encouraged to bring all new converts and recently reactivated members members to the Centre to prepare family names for baptism and confirmation within a month of their baptism or reactivation.

Indexing
All patrons are invited to learn about Indexing. All may contribute service at their own or at the Centre's internet connections to "Index" archived records that have already been collected for the future ease of reference and citation. There are many ongoing projects from around the world to cross reference existing digital holdings of records so that patrons may quickly call up records online and attach them as digital sources to their family history.

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Resources in the Local Area

 * National Archives Repository, 24 Hamilton Street, Arcadia 0001, Pretoria &lt;enquiries@dac.gov.za&gt;
 * National Film, Video and Sound Arcives, 239 Vermeulen Street, Pretoria &lt;film.enquires@dac.gov.za&gt; 
 * Barlow Rand, Ltd., The Group Archivist, Sandton 2146, Gauteng&lt;matthewt@barloworld.com&gt; 
 * Brenthurst Library, Houghton 2014, Gauteng&lt;marcelle.graham@Brenthusrt.co.za&gt;'  

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Links
https://familysearch.org/tree is a web site for developing your Family Tree. Many other websites exist, and we have the index and a free Portal to many of them.'  &lt;fck:hr&gt;

Online Genealogy Records by Location
 * Using the FamilySearch Research Wiki: A comprehensive video presentation explaining the Wiki, navigating it, and some especially useful pages. Case studies demonstrate using the Wiki for genealogical research. Editing and adding articles to the Wiki are covered.

Volunteer at the Centre
The Area Presidency and Stake and District Presidents routinely invite all members to attend the temple. We encourage temple patrons to plan a visit to the family history center, as many of those who travel long distance to the Temple do.

We invite Ward and Branch Mission Leaders, and Stake and District Temple and Family History Consultants to assure that all members, new and old or recently reactivated, to come to the Centre to prepare names for submission to the Temple.

All members and friends of the church are invited to fill out the "My Family" booklet for collection of photos and family stories. Publishing those stories and photos to the Family Tree may require computer help by Temple and Family History Consultants. They may also be brought or forwarded to the Parktown Family History Centre for assistance.

Groups living within 150 km of Johannesburg area may schedule time in the family history center, just as those who travel great distances do.

Please volunteer any suggestions that you may have. Please inform us of any special needs and accommodations that you may require.

Other that FHL Microfilms:
(Information taken from what is written on each box)

(SWA = South West Africa) 2810 German SWA Luderitz Bucht 1911 (FHL Film 1258813/4) On Film: 703-11 to 758-11 On leader: C657-709-11

2856 SWA Luderitz 1910 (FHL Film 1258788) On Film: 30/10-46 and 47 SAF 104 Roll 134

2867 SWA Luderitz Bucht 1912 (FHL Film 1258824) On Film: 50/12-70/12 SAF 10A Roll 186 Vols 023-1204-12

2874 SWA Luderitz Bucht 1912 (FHL Film 1258835) On Film: U26/13, 028/12-50/12 On leader: 023 12041 12 SAF 10A Roll 185

2875 SWA Luderitz Bucht 1912 (FHL Film 1258830) On Film: 354/12-395/12 On leader: C311/12- C 356/12 SAF 10A Roll 178

2882 SWA Gobabis Estates 1900-1913 (No Comparable FHL Film) Land Records On Film: D9014 L5E 16/17 1906-1911 or: D901L L5U6 - 39 L5E6, L5E7, L5E18-L5E39, L6A1

2883 SWA Luderitz Estates 1906-1907 (FHL Film 128724) On Film: 0.15.06 – 67/68.06 On Leader: GLU 56 01/06 -55/06 On handwritten notes: 01.16-06-67/68.06

2884 SWA Luderitz Estates 1907 (FHL Film 1258727) On Film: 2/507, 166/07-275/07 On Leader: GLU 61C 101-07-181/07

2885 SWA Bezirksamt Karibib Estates 1902-1914 Aroab 1902-1914 Roll 50 Item 1: Karibib 1902-1914 BKA BL 11 D14 1901-1913 BKA 8 L11 D15 1901-1909 D16 1901-1911 D17 1895-1907 D18 1896-1903 D19 1897-1912 D20 1903-1907 D21A 1896-1902 D22 1896-1911 D23 1907 D24 Item 2: Aroab Distriksamt 1910-1914 8L5A 1912-1913 8L5B 1912-1914 8L5DF 1912-1914 9L6A 1912-1912 9L6B 1912-1914 9L6CE 1895-1914 1058L 1910-1912 18F32 1910-1911 19G23 1907-1913 19I3 1909-1912 19I2 1906-1914 20SV (Handwritten note: 2/5-07 166/07 – 275/07)

2910 SWA Lutheran Church 1833-198 Birth, Marriage, Death Roll 1: 1st 737 records “A” extraction (FHL Films 1258653/4/5/6)

2910B S AF Lutheran Church 1915-1931 10A Roll 5 Windhoek Herero

2911 SWA Swakopmund Public Records 1898-1904 Bezirkampt Roll 1/2 Swakomnndt 1898-1900 Vol A2, B1D 1893-1903 6B4A 1901-1904 20 W3 GEN (reversed) 1897-1903 20 W3 SPEC (reversed) 1905-1909 B132

2912 SWA Swakopmund Public Circuit Records 1 05/1909 Roll 1/3

2913 SWA Windhoek 1915-1931 FHL Film 1258656 Herero Lutheran Church General Register Roll 1/4

2914 SWA Swakopmund Circuit-Public 1905-1912 Roll 1/5

2915 SWA Swakopmund Circuit Public 1905-1912 Roll 1/6

2916 SWA Swakopmund Circuit-Public 1909-1910 Roll 1/7

2917 SWA Swakopmund Circuit-Public 1911 Roll 1/8

2918 SWA Swakopmund 1911 Roll 8

2919 SWA Swakopmund Circuit Records 1906 Roll 1/11 (on box: roll 38) Bezirksamt (sp?) Maltahohe Item 1: 1911-1913 Item 2: 1899-1915 Item 3: 1900-1912 Item 4: 1913-1915 Item 5: 1905-1913 Item 6: 1902-1912 Municipal offices Maltahohe

2921 SWA Swakopmund Public Circuit 1904-1911 Roll 1/14

2929 SWA Swakopmund Circuit Records July 1909-15 Dec 1910 Roll 1/22

2953 SWA Karibib 1913 Circuit Roll 1/48

2961 SWA Gobabis 1903-1911 Circuit Roll 1/60

2981 SWA Luderitz CR Roll 1/87

3005 SWA Luderitz CR Roll 1/111

3018 SWA Luderitz Roll 1/128

3024 SWA Luderitzbucht 1910 SAF 10A No. 136 GLU 150 0 47/10 – 59/10

3025 SWA Ludritzbucht 1910 Circuit Records Roll 1/141

3038 SWA Ludritzbucht 1911 Circuit Records Roll 1/158

3046 SWA Ludritzbucht 1912 Roll 1/171

3047 SWA Ludritzbucht 1912 Roll 1/172

3054 SWA Luderitz 1912 Roll 1/189

3055 SWA Luderitz 1913 Roll 1/191

3057 SWA Luderitz 1913 Roll 1/193

3061 SWA Luderitz 1913 Roll 1/200

3072 SWA Luderitzbucht 1910 SAF 10A No 140 GLU 1540 124/10 – 146/10

3076 SWA Luderitzbuscht Roll 1/195

4044 Luderitzbucht 1912 SAF 10A No 177 C270 12-C310-12

4045 Luderitzbucht 1913 SAF 10AA No 194 C99 13-C154 13

4046 Luderitzbucht 1912 SAF 10A No.182 0 112 – 0 2212

4047 Gobabis 1900 (or 1906) – 1915 SAF 10A Roll 57 DG04 L5D24

4048 Swakopmund 1912 SAF 10A Roll 24 GSW 330 P1-12, P34-12

4049 Luderitzbucht 1906 SAF 10A No.69 GLU 57 056/06 – 89/06

4050 Luderitz 1907 SAF 10 Film 69 GLU 60 C2/07 – 99/07

4051 Grootfontein 1902-1914 SAF 10A No.36 BGR 12 MD

4052 Aroab 1906-1914 SAF 10A No.51 DAR 20-SV Inside box: paper #1: 1907-1907, State Archives Distriktsomt Aroob, odar 25 G 67 paper #2: Proj. #S.9710A, Localilty: State Archives Roll #51; Title DISTRIKSAMT AROAB Volume/(S or 5) DAR 25G67 Years inlcuded: 1907-1907. Microfilmed at Windhoek May 1978.

4053 Luderitzbucht 1907 SAF 10A No.76 GLU69c 520/07-563/07

4054 Luderitzbucht 1910 SAF 10 A No.138 GLU152 080/10-99/10 (on paper inside box: District Sauiti, Luderitzbucht; Volume/s GLU 152 0 80/10 99/10 1910 continued) 4055 Old English Handwriting Exercises

4056 Luderitzbucht, I.T. SWA Roll 199 (on side of box: Training film)

4057 Luderitzbucht, 1911 SAF 10A No. 159 GLU 179 C-614-656-11

4058 Luderitzbucht 1912 SAF 10A Roll No. 179 C35712-C40012

4059 Luderitzbucht 1910 SAF 10A Roll No. 137 GLU 152 0 80/10 – 99/10

4060 Luderitzbucht 1910 SAF 10A Roll No 139 GLU 1540 124/10 – 146/16

4061 Luderitzbucht 1911 SAF 10A Roll No 157 GLU177 c-540/11 – 577/11 (Paper inside: CLU 178-C-278-913-11)

4062 Luderitzbucht 1910 SAF 10A Roll No 133 GLU 147 0 1/10 – 29/10 (Paper inside: GLU 148 0 30/10 46)

4063 Gobabis 1914 SAF 10 Roll No. 64 DGO 17 LGC 1 (Paper inside: Windhoek)

4064 Luderitzbucht 1911 SAF10A Roll No. 156 GLU 176C-507/11 – 539/11

4065 Luderitzbucht 1911 SAF 10A Roll No. 155 GLU 174 C-416/11 – 506/11 (Paper inside: GLU 175 c-461-507)

NAMIBIA - FHL MICROFILMS AT PARKTOWN FHC
Parish Registers Dutch Reformed Churches

(When Items are listed on the same line, the first came from one information page and after comma came the Item numbers from the FamilySearch catalog.)

FHL Film 1439137 Item 4,7 Otjiwarongo, 1929-1988, Item 9,16-17 Grootfontein, 1919-1987 FHL Film 1439142 Item 1-3 Tsumeb, 1929-1987 FHL Film 1439160 Item 11 Outjo FHL Film 1439163 Item 4,15-16 Otjiwarongo, 1929-1988, Item 5,12 Grootfontein, 1919-1987 Item 11,15 Gobabis, 1937-1987 FHL Film 1439166 Item 6 Tsumeb, Item 7 Tsumeb, 1929-1987 FHL Film 1439195 Item 25 Van Drimmelen, Weltevrede Item 29-30 Weltevrede, 1943-1952 FHL Film 1439196 Item 5 Grootfontein FHL Film 1439198 Item 32-33 Otjiwarongo, 1929-1988, Item 34-35 Gobabis, 1937-1987, Item 37-38 Outjo, 1944-1989 FHL Film 1439201 Item 4 Tsumeb, Item 19-20 Windhoek, 1929-1989, Item 21-22 Tsumeb, 1929-1987 FHL Film 1439206 Item 2 Gobabis FHL Film 1560620 Item 1,11-12 Otjiwarongo, 1929-1988 FHL Film 1560690 Item 4,5-6 Windhoek, 1929-1989 FHL Film 1560778 Item 1,2 Outjo, 1944-1989 FHL Film 1686979 Item 3-4 Aranos 1930-1970 FHL Film 1686982 Item 1 Bitterwater 1936-1964 FHL Film 1686999 Item 2,6-7 Gobabis, 1929-1956, Item 7,14-15 Grootfontein, 1942-1960 FHL Film 1687002 Item 2,10 Keetmanshoop, 1936-1960 FHL Film 1687008 Item 3,8 Outjo 1937-1953 FHL Film 1687038 Item 2,17 Windhoek 1937-1969 FHL Film 1687039 Item 1 Windhoek, 1937-1969 FHL Film 2095105 Item 2 Civil Registrations, Marriages SWA, Namibia 1893-1930

NAMIBIA Death Notices Microfilms at Parktown FHC
FHL Film 918691 Index, A-Z 1873-1910 FHL Film 918692 Index, A-B 1911-1958 FHL Film 918693 Index, C-F 1911-1958 FHL Film 918694 Index, F-H 1911-1958 FHL Film 918695 Index, H-L 1911-1958 FHL Film FHL Film 918696 Index, L-N 1911-1958 FHL Film 918697 Index, N-R 1911-1958 FHL Film 918698 Index, R-T 1911-1958 FHL Film 918699 Index, T-Z 1911-1958, OLD ESTATES FHL Film 918700 #1-899, 1873-1877 FHL Film 918825 #911-1845 1878-1881 FHL Film 918826 #1842-2778 1881-1885 FHL Film 918827 #2779-3725 1885-1887 FHL Film 918828 #3726-4696 1887-1889 FHL Film 918829 #4697-5700 1889-1890 FHL Film 918830 #5701-6585 1890-1891 FHL Film 918831 #6582-7600 1892-1892 FHL Film 918832 #7601-8550 1892-1893 FHL Film 918833 #8551-9500 1893-1894 FHL Film 918834 #9501-10500 1894-1895 FHL Film 918835 #10501-11570 1895-1896 FHL Film 918836 #11571-12700 1896-1897 FHL Film 918837 #12701-13800 1896-1897 FHL Film 918838 #13801-14700 1897-1898 FHL Film 918839 #14701-15700 1898-1899 FHL Film 918840 #15701-16705 1899-1899 FHL Film 918841 #16702-17705 1899-1901 FHL Film 918842 #18702-19700 1902, 1869 ff.

(includes miscellaneous estates: Swaziland, estates reported before 1873, and other estate, all of which, upon the opening of the office in 1902 were found not to have been numbered or indexed.)

FHL Film 918843 17701-18700 1901-1902 FHL Film 918844 19701-20759 1869 ff. New Estates For the following death notices see FamilySearch catalog for details - “Civil Registration (death notices), South Africa, South West Africa...1869-1939”:  FHL Films 991001 – 991062 FHL Films 1057034-1057066 FHL Films 1258877-1258889 FHL Film 1259061 FHL Film 1926388 FHL Film 1926417 FHL Film 1926421 FHL Film 1926465 FHL Film 1926466 FHL Film 1925738 FHL Film 1926011

BOOKS (Shelf 2C)
A Study of Grootfontein District, SWA, Ethnological Publication No.45 A Study of Gobabis District, SWA, Ethnological Publicaiton No. 42 Notes on the Kaokoveld (SWA and it's people), Ethnological Pub. No.26

NAMIBIA Church Records (digitized, not indexed) online at FamilySearch.org
Search – Records – (don't type in a name) Click on continent of Africa -South Africa – There are three sets of records that have Namibian records:

South African, Dutch Reformed Church Records, Stellenbosch Archive 1660-2011 – click on “browse images” then Namibia – Warmbad- Karasburg-Marriages 1955-1963.

South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers, 1660-1970 - click on “browse images” then Namibia, Karas, Keetmanshoop, Marriages 1936-1960.

South Africa Reformed Church Records, 1856-1988 – click on “browse images” then Namibia, Hardap, Namibia. Then six parishes are listed.

The following list will show what you will find as you click on each parish:

Bitterwater – Baptisms or Christenings 1935-1955 and Memberhsips 1936-1956 Gobabis – Marriages 1929-1933 and 1933-1956 Grootfontein –Baptisms or Christenings 1942-1960 and Memberhsips 1943-1960 Keetmanshoop – Marriages 1936-1960 Outjo - Marriages 1937-1953 Windhoek - Baptisms or Christenings 1937-1969 and Marriages 1937-1955

FHL Film 4171027 – Warmbad, Karas, Namibia - Dutch Reformed Church Digitized Records available online.