Born: 1837 and died 1922.
Son of: George Marsh (1791-1868) and Josephina de Waal (?-1837?), the daughter of Arend de Waal.
Brother of:
1. William Wheeler Marsh (de Marisco) (18??-1896)
2. George Cuthbert Marsh.
3. Anna Josina Bergeron (nee Marsh) who married Charles Bergeron.
4. Arthur Henry Marsh (1837-1876).
Half brother of:
5. Joseph?
Egbert married: Johanna Christiana Elizabeth Marsh (nee de Wet).
Egbert and Johanna had issue:
1. Egbert Bletterman Arthur Marsh (known as "Eddie").
2. George Marsh who moved to Southampton in England and later married Annie Kimber.

Egbert Bletterman Marsh: An Overview

We know of Egbert from the following sources:
1. A biograhpy written by Greg Marsh, 2004 (see following).

Biography of Egbert Bletterman Marsh, written by Greg Marsh in 2004.

Egbert was born in 1837 in Saldanha Bay and died in Cape Town in 1922.  He, and his brother Arthur, appear in early life to have set themselves up as shopkeepers in Mossel Bay, where their father was the long-established magistrate.  The two brothers became amongst the first traders to advertise in the newly established Mossel Bay Advertiser, which still exists today.  They are cited in this newspaper as being amongst the first individuals to have licences to trade in the town. The 1871 list has A. Marsh in Mossel Bay itself and E. Marsh in "Vogel Valley".

Egbert seems to have moved to Cape Town in the late 1800s and to have set himself up as a shopkeeper in Main Road, Wynberg, but first lived for a time in an old Dutch town house in Loop Street, Cape Town which still stands today and is the site of an upmarket restaurant. His brother Arthur died in 1876 at Mossel Bay and left everything in trust to his widow, Johanna Christiana Elizabeth Marsh (born de Wet and whom he had married only 3 years earlier), on condition that upon his death everything should go to his brothers and sisters. Johanna died in 1911 at her residence at 3 Constantia Road aged 77. Her relatives disputed Arthur's original will and Egbert and Joseph (his half brother), who at that stage was working for De Beers in Kimberley, took the matter to the Supreme Court where judgement was granted in their favour.

Egbert Marsh had two sons, Egbert Bletterman Arthur Marsh (known as "Eddie"), and George. George Marsh moved to Southhampton England and married Annie Kimber, having two children, William Marsh and Hilda Rosa Virginia Marsh. Egbert also had a daughter, who married a Mr. Burton.

Egbert Bletterman Marsh died in 1922 at the age of 85, at the Deaconess Hospital at 188 Bree Street, Cape Town. His last residential address was  at Ragelissa, Faure Street, Gardens, whereafter he moved to the Old Man's Home at Brede Street.  In terms of the will drafted in 1911, he left everything to his four grandchildren and two daughters-in law ( Susan Elizabeth Marsh, born Nyman, mother of Lysle William Marsh and Wilfred Egbert Marsh, and Annie Marsh, born Kimber, mother of Hilda Rosa Virginia Marsh and William Marsh ). But due to his advanced age and the developments in Switzerland, where a sizeable sum of money left to him by his sister Anna was being disputed by the Swiss relatives, the estate was not large. The executor was in fact in communication with a notary in Switzerland to see whether at that stage anything could be salvaged, but to no avail.  Even in 1923, it appears that the litigation regarding the two competing wills was persisting and that the situation had not been resolved.  It should be remembered that Cape Town's economy (along with many parts of the British Empire) was very depressed during and after the first world war and it is likely that the old man struggled and that any investments he had by way of pension became depleted. Interestingly, after his death a cheque arrived from Switzerland for the sum of 36 pounds and 10 shillings along with drafts in the amount of 20 pounds 10 shillings.

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