Reginald's Story.
Constable Reginald Donaldson of The Orange River Colony Municipal Police (previously Private 7663 of the 1st Battalion The Scots Guards) died in an accident caused by a fire on 15th February 1902. He was 39. He is buried at Bloemfontein Memoriam Cemetery.
What do we know about Reginald?
Reginald Samuel Donaldson was born on 22nd July 1862 in Armargh, Northern Ireland, the son of Robert Donaldson, a policeman and Margaret nee Kingsley. He enlisted into the Scots Guards in Armagh on 25th July 1887, when he was 25 years old, and a farm labourer.
On 11th January 1891, in Deddington, Oxfordshire, he married Catherine Louisa Griffin (1867–1919). They had four children: Mabel (1893 - ), Robert Staunton (1896 - 1918), Nora (1899 -) and Sheelah Margaret (1901 - 1977).
Reginald worked as a postman for several years, living at 57 Brougham Street, Tranmere, Birkenhead in April 1891. He was an army reservist, when he joined the Birkenhead postal service in November 1892.
Constable Reginald Donaldson of The Orange River Colony Municipal Police (previously Private 7663 of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards) died in an accident caused by a fire at the Catholic Church in Bloemfontain. A wall collapsed, and Reginald sustained fatal injuries to his spine. He was buried with a military funeral, and a fund was set up by friends in Birkenhead to provide for his widow and her four children.
Birkenhead News Saturday, March 29th, 1902
Reginald's widow Catherine did not remarry. In 1911, she was living at 23 Medway Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, with her children. Her 15-year-old son Robert was an apprentice joiner at the shipbuilding yard. Her daughter Mabel (18) was a dress-maker for General Drapery. Catherine died in the autumn of 1919, a year after the death of her son Robert, who died of wounds in France on 26 October 1918.
Additional material compiled by S. Lewington 2025
What do we know about Reginald?
Reginald Samuel Donaldson was born on 22nd July 1862 in Armargh, Northern Ireland, the son of Robert Donaldson, a policeman and Margaret nee Kingsley. He enlisted into the Scots Guards in Armagh on 25th July 1887, when he was 25 years old, and a farm labourer.
On 11th January 1891, in Deddington, Oxfordshire, he married Catherine Louisa Griffin (1867–1919). They had four children: Mabel (1893 - ), Robert Staunton (1896 - 1918), Nora (1899 -) and Sheelah Margaret (1901 - 1977).
Reginald worked as a postman for several years, living at 57 Brougham Street, Tranmere, Birkenhead in April 1891. He was an army reservist, when he joined the Birkenhead postal service in November 1892.
Constable Reginald Donaldson of The Orange River Colony Municipal Police (previously Private 7663 of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards) died in an accident caused by a fire at the Catholic Church in Bloemfontain. A wall collapsed, and Reginald sustained fatal injuries to his spine. He was buried with a military funeral, and a fund was set up by friends in Birkenhead to provide for his widow and her four children.
Birkenhead News Saturday, March 29th, 1902
Reginald's widow Catherine did not remarry. In 1911, she was living at 23 Medway Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, with her children. Her 15-year-old son Robert was an apprentice joiner at the shipbuilding yard. Her daughter Mabel (18) was a dress-maker for General Drapery. Catherine died in the autumn of 1919, a year after the death of her son Robert, who died of wounds in France on 26 October 1918.
Additional material compiled by S. Lewington 2025