Alfred Cyril Braby
Alfred Cyril Braby was born on the 7th July 1873 and was the 7th child of Alfred and Mary Jane Bayley of Brixton in Lambeth, London. During this time large, expensive houses were built along the main routes into the town and attracted middle class people. By the time Alfred was born his father was a prosperous Slate Merchant and Slater and had a manufacturing business employing 36 men and 4 boys. Coming from fairly well to-do family his parents afforded him an education at the University College in London as well at Vevey high up in the Swiss Alps overlooking Lake Geneva
Alfred Braby
His excellent education and high standards of living ensured him a military career in the Honourable Artillery Company that did not last long, and brought him to the African continent where he was a sergeant in the British South Africa Police in 1896, where he was stationed at the Shangani Police Camp in South Rhodesia.
With all the movement and upheavals’ of the Boer War Alfred was attracted to Cape Town where he became a typewriter salesman and serviceman in the new and upcoming industry. It was through his new position that he men Ken Donaldson an enterprising directory publisher who offered him a job with Donaldson & Hill. Advertising was a new and unique industry and literally unheard of before and soon Alfred was selling advertising space for the firm’ local Provincial Directory and also assisting in the accounts department.
In 1901 Donaldson sent the new employee to Durban where he met and married Maud Clarissa Cockerell (18/08/1875 – 25/07/1953) daughter and seventh child of the High Sheriff of Natal, Alfred Sydney Cockerell. Alfred’s powerful influence and immense hard work and dedication soon found him running the Durban Branch on Donaldson & Hill where he published The Natal Directory in Castle Arcade, West Street, Durban in 1901. The building is now replaced by the gigantic 320 West Street building complex.
After three years of hard work and commitment Alfred was able to buy the copyright to this publication in 1904 first edition of Braby’s Natal Directory was born. With the advent of Telephones in 1912 Braby’s acquired a ten year contract to publish the Durban Telephone directory.
Horace Cyril Braby
Business was expanding and soon his nephew Stanley immigrated to South Africa to assist Uncle Alf in the flourishing business. With help from the overseas relative the first Orange River Colony Directory was printed three years later in 1907 and then the Braby’s Orange Free State Directory was soon added to the Braby’s growing range of products.
Maurice Webb, a colourful chap, who was appointed as manager of Braby’s had valuable contacts with the Postmaster and Directory Head Clerk of the Post Office, which he succeeded in securing a number of contracts for new Telephone Directories which were held up until 1952 and made the company extremely profitable.
After the 2nd World War, Horace, the eldest son of Alfred succeeded his father in the business due to his ailing father’s health. Stanley died in February 1954 and Alfred by this stage was retired. Horace became the Executive Chairman with Managing Director Paul Sheckleton at his side, after nearly 50 years of committed service to the Company.
Agnes Braby
Over the past 100 years the company of Braby’s has grown significantly and gone through a number of major changes. It is without a doubt that the Braby family have made a considerable impact to the publishing and media industry, which is a legacy, all of its own.
Trade Directories, Wall Maps, Map Books, Tourist Maps and Specialised Publications as well as Electronic products such as Directories, Maps, Braby’s Electronic Media & Ananzi Search Engine are just small examples of what their achievements are. To search Braby’s online you can go to their website www.brabys.co.za
Click here to see the Braby Family Tree in PDF format
Download the letters written to Alfred Braby from his cousin Ivon 1932 exchanging information on the Family Tree.
Click here to download Page 1 (size 1 892kb) PDF Format
Click here to download Page 2 (size 2 924 kb) PDF Format
Acknowledgements and Sources:
Tony Stagg from Braby’s Head Office
Val Smith from England (Braby Family)
Karin Braby
Jane Masri from Rootschat
The History of Braby’s 1904 – 1980
Braby’s Centenary Brochure
Who’s Who 1908
Electronic Copywrite ancestry24.com