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DateOriginal Topic
30th June 2005ANDREWS at Isandlwana
By Mark Walters
My g grand uncle, Lt. George ANDREWS of 1st Co. Natal Native Pioneers, I believe was at Isandlawana and was ordered with Edwards to warn the Drift by Pulliene.
Is this correct?
I wonder if he was one of the horseman who did not stay at the Drift?
Which way did or would he have escaped, the road?
Did he appears in any accounts or gave information in any enquires later.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks
Mark
DateReplies
30th June 2005Martin Everett
Dear Mark,
He appears as a survivor from Isandlwana according to David Jackson and Julian Whybra. I far as I can tell he did not leave an account of his actions. But I am sure Julian will be able to expand on this.
30th June 2005Julian Whybra
Lieut George Frederick Andrews rode with Pte Edward Evans of 2/3rd (Bray made a mistake with the name but later corrected it) to Sabnd spruit to warn of the Zulus' approach. He did not go to Rorke's Drift and left no written account (unfortunately, unless you can find one in the attic).
1st July 2005Mark Walters
I am confused now! I saw a copy of Pullienes order at Foy Vermaak's farm, that I believe was transcribed by Julian. It said that George Frederick Andrews and EDWARDS (EVANS) was sent to warn the drift at 1.20pm. Is this the EDWARDS that A. Greaves in his book later states arrived at RD with two other riders and then left (I had presumed that this was the same party containing ANDREWS).

Was Bray the source of information regarding Pullienes orderbook?
Is RD on the way to Sand spruit?
What is/was Sand spruit?
What is the source of GF Andrews flight to Sandspruit?
At approximately what time did the 'road' to the drift finally stop as an exit forcing flight down the 'Fugitives route'?
Elsewhere in the dicussions it meantions that Andrews went back later to help cleanup at Isandlwana
Mark
1st July 2005Martin Everett
Daer Mark,
Are you referring to the 805am order from Pulleine? We hold the original at Brecon.

Sand Spruit is the next crossing point up river from Rorke's Drift.
2nd July 2005Keith Smith

Mark

I'll leave Julian to answer your questions about Andrews/Evans but I can put you right on the location of Sandspruit. It is now modern Pomeroy, and lies on the road (still) between Greytown and Helpmekaar, and is where stand the remains of Fort Bengough. If you have stayed at Penny Farthing, then you know that Rorke's Drift lies about another 25 km east of Helpmekaar, down a very steep pass from the Biggarsberg.

KIS
2nd July 2005Mark Walters
Thanks Martin & Keith
The Pulliene orders according to the transcript by Julian states that at;
1.20pm Perimeter gone! Lt. Andrews and Pte. Edwards sent to warn the Drift
Fighting in the Camp.
Colours with Lt. Melville - hopefully to safety!
There is now n..
(here it ends according to the transcript).

Martin, I wonder if this tallies with the original Pulliene order that is held at Brecon. What was the 805am order, and is there mention of ANDREWS in the orderbook?

Incidentally my gg grand father was the head of the Natal seminary college/school at Isandlwana in the ealry 1890s as well.

Mark
2nd July 2005Michael Boyle
Was this part of the teaching exersise of Julian's that was later mistaken for source evidence?

Michael
2nd July 2005Martin Everett
Dear Keith,
I was answering from memory - not a wise thing to do. But there is a Sand Spruit near Dundee.

Mark - there is no orderbook. The 0805 message is 'Zulus advancing in force from left front of camp'. Strangly, I have never heard of the 0120pm message.
3rd July 2005Mark Walters
Yes, this is part of the teaching exercise. I believed it was a copy of a primary source, sadly not?

Where could I go to access primary or secondary sources that are preferably accessible from online to see what the involvement of GF Andrews was at Isandlwana and later in the campaign

He finally recieved his campaign medal in the mid 1880s. After collecting evidence of his involvement that included this; "Certificate regarding the services of Lieutenant G. F. Andrews Late of the Natal Native Pioneers organised by Capt. Himes R.E. Colonial Engineer, served in No. 1 Company (under commanded of Capt. W.J. Nolan) of the above Corps from 3rd Dec 1878 until 6th of Oct 1879 - This company was with Lord Chelmsfords Column in Zululand signed by NICHOLLS acting Colonial Engineer Pitermaritzberg, Natal, South Africa 19th June 1884", he finally recived the South African War Medal with Clasp, 1879 in 1891.

He appears to not have lost heart as he was later wounded at Ulundi " Lt. Andrews, F. of the Natal Native Pioneers wounded at Ulundi at 04 July 1879"

Is there any reputable souurces for Ulundi part of the campaign

Mark
3rd July 2005Peter Ewart
Mark

I will leave others to continue answering your enquiries about the primary sources relating to the deterioration of the position at Isandlwana, but I was particularly interested in the little aside you included in your post of yesterday's date.

You mention your great-grandfather as head of the college/school at Isandlwana in the 1890s. What was your great-grandfather's name, please? I have accumulated a fair bit of material relating to the progress of the college at Isandlwana in the 1880s and 1890s (as well as later) as part of my researches relating to the Zulu mission field.

I'm assuming you're referring to the Mackenzie Memorial College at Isandlwana (established in the 1880s and re-vamped in the 1890s and again later) which for most of the 1890s was geared towards training Zulu & Basuto boys for teaching. I've followed the careers of a number of the missionaries and staff who were at Isandlwana at that time as well as studying the changes on the site between 1879 and the early 20th century.

I'd be very interested to know your great-grandfather's identity.

Peter
4th July 2005Mark Walters
Hi Peter
His name was Rev. Dr. Frederick Wilfred WALTERS
here is a blurb Rev. Frederick Wilfred WALTERS, late scholar of Ex. Coll. Oxford, BA (2nd class Theological School) 1886, - MA 1890, MRCS, LRCP, 1892. Deacon 1887, Priest. 1888 Rochester, Curate of Allhallows, Southwark 1887-88 of St. Luke Camberwell 1888-91 and of St. Philip, Sydenham, 1891-92. Arrived South Africa on the RMS 'Scot' c. 8 Jan 1893, Medical Missionary Isandlwana, and principal of the the Zulu Theological School 1893-1894. Missionary, District Surgeon and Magistrate, Nongoma, Zululand 1894. Married on the 4th October 1888 at Worthing, Helen Millicent duaghter of Rev. Edward Mansfield of Fairthorne, Worthing and late Vicar of Highnam, Glos. Children Edward Frederick, Herbert Aidan and others.
[Walters Book 1907]. he died in Maseru in 18 Aug 1934, born Winchester 11 Oct 1863, wife died Nongoma 20 Jan 1923. In her obituary it mentions that it took 10 days in ox drawn wagon to travel from Isandlwana to Nongoma. I have tried to get info from the Anglican church records / newsletter but it was moving location at the time and was in a state of flux.
I have odds and ends re Andrews and Walters

Any info would be appreciated
Mark
4th July 2005Julian Whybra
Mark
I think you are a bit confused so to save space here I've e-mailed you direct. Basically the Edwards in Bray's notes was actually a misnomer for Pte Edward Evans. I'm not exactly sure which Edwards Adrian Greaves was referring to in his book (there are a number of errors in it) so it could well be a repetition of Bray's mistake or he could be referring to Trooper Edwards of the Natal Carbineers.
4th July 2005Julian Whybra
Hi Mark
I realize now what you are referring to.
The passage you refer to comes from a booklet I produced in 1980 for use with gifted children for Essex LEA. The booklet was a teaching exercise and contains a mixture of factually- and fictionally-based information in order to create the means by which the learning outcomes can be reached.
As I wrote on page 13, "Some of the documents used in this project are true representations of the originals. Others have been amplified, amalgamated, or in some cases fabricated to assist in the answering of the questions posed."
In this case Pulleine's order-book was an amalgam accutately incorporating Bray's erroneous notes concerning Andrews and 'Edwards'.
The project works very well in encouraging interest and enthusiasm among schoolstudents in the Zulu War.
If you have any queries regarding the origins of the content i'd be pleased to answer them. Contact me direct.
Regards
Julian Whybra
4th July 2005Peter Ewart
Hi Mark

Thanks for his name. I've had a very quick look in a few publications and he is mentioned in some of them for his work during his Nongoma period, chiefly among anecdotes in missionaries' memoirs. It appears he catered for Dinizulu's people at Nongoma after the St Helena exile. Dinizulu never became a christian (although his son Solomon did) but he was very keen for Walters to educate his people.

I'll have a proper look in some of the reports and correspondence I have to see what else I can find and forward you some details off-forum. Your info above appears to come from his entry in Crockford's Clerical Directory, which I also checked today, and there should be an entry for him in "Alumni Oxonienses" which I'll check and extract for you if you haven't got it.

He had some extremely interesting colleagues during his brief Isandlwana spell, although I think his Nongoma period (at least the early years) was more solitary. He and his wife were both spoken well of.

It will be a few days before I produce anything as I'm snowed under with work and correspondence at present, & every other waking hour is currently spent transporting two young sons to cricket matches & practice!

With regard to your own research efforts, you may find some of the archives in the Cullen Library at Witswatersrand University helpful, as well as the archives of the SPG at Rhodes House, Oxford. Both have websites and the online catalogue of the former is first class, as Wits holds the archives of the Church of the Province of South Africa (CPSA).

Anything else known about his Isandlwana period?

Will be in touch again.

Peter