During the 1880s a mason from Dunnichen, Angus named Joseph Porter Wishart left Scotland and settled in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1888 he married Elizabeth Mahon, and six children were are known to have been born of the marriage (two boys, four girls.) The elder son, named Alfred Joseph, was born on 24 July 1891 and at the age of 18, he began an apprenticeship as a wheelwright.

Alfred enlisted in the military on 28 October 1914 and joined the 2nd Brigade, Bethel Commando, which was under the command of J. J. de Villiers and formed part of the South African Territorial Reserve. At the time he was living with his wife Mary in Troyville, a suburb of Johannesburg, and served with the brigade until June 1915 when it was disbanded.

Little else is known about Alfred’s life other than that he had three children with Mary and died on 9 February 1970.

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