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Date	Original Topic
8th February 2003	Info on James Rorke By Colum O'Rourke I am asking any viewer who know's any information about my great uncle James Rorke, the founder of the area Rorkes Drift. All we know is that he was involved in a Frontier war and died in 1874-75. Please send any info please so I can fill in my family tree. Thanks
Date	Replies
20th February 2003	Rosemary Dixon-Smith James Rorke was born 1827; his father, an uncle and a cousin were all members of Irish regt serving at the Cape from 1821; James's father stayed in the Cape after being discharged, and was married there. James later served during 7th frontier war 1846 as a civilian attached to the commissariat; he came to Natal in that year; married and bought a farm on the Buffalo River in 1849. He could see Isandhlwana from his homestead. A drift was constructed over the river and became known as Rorke's Drift. James traded and farmed for some years and was also field cornet in the Buffalo Border Guard; died 1875 at which point the missionary Otto Witt moved in to the homestead and turned it into a mission station, converting the storehouse into a chapel. When the place was commandeered by Chelmsford at the time of the invasion of Zululand, the thatched building which had originally been built by James Rorke was used as the hospital - and of course features, in flames, in various paintings of the battle of RD. (I'm not connected to the Rorke family but you're welcome to contact me by e-mail if you'd like further discussion.) Regards, Rosemary
20th February 2003	Rosemary Dixon-Smith James Rorke was born 1827; his father, an uncle and a cousin were all members of Irish regt serving at the Cape from 1821; James's father stayed in the Cape after being discharged, and was married there. James later served during 7th frontier war 1846 as a civilian attached to the commissariat; he came to Natal in that year; married and bought a farm on the Buffalo River in 1849. He could see Isandhlwana from his homestead. A drift was constructed over the river and became known as Rorke's Drift. James traded and farmed for some years and was also field cornet in the Buffalo Border Guard; died 1875 at which point the missionary Otto Witt moved in to the homestead and turned it into a mission station, converting the storehouse into a chapel. When the place was commandeered by Chelmsford at the time of the invasion of Zululand, the thatched building which had originally been built by James Rorke was used as the hospital - and of course features, in flames, in various paintings of the battle of RD. (I'm not connected to the Rorke family but you're welcome to contact me by e-mail if you'd like further discussion.) Regards, Rosemary