Is Frances Colenso Buried In A Family Plot ? |
Martin Everett
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Dear Coll,
This article is from another well-known AZW site: Frances Colenso�s grave. By Dr Charles Swaisland, edited by Adrian Greaves -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Following his article in the December issue on Frances Colenso�s efforts to clear Colonel Durnford of blame for the disaster at Isandlwana, Charles Swaisland has kindly supplied the following information on, and a photograph of, her grave at Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. In Memoriam. When Frances Colenso died on the 29th April 1887 after six months in the Isle of Wight Royal National Hospital for tubercular patients, her family decided to mark the grave in Ventnor cemetery with a marble cross. The memorial was intended not only to celebrate her devotion to the Zulu cause and her equally passionate attempt to clear Colonel Anthony Durnford of wrongly imputed blame for the disaster at Isandlwana, but also the life and labours on behalf of the Zulus of her father, the first bishop of natal. John William Colenso�s grave before the altar in his cathedral church of St. Peter in Pietermaritzburg bears but one word, Sobantu the Zulu for �father�, a term King Cetshwayo applied to him. The Ventnor memorial says almost as much about the Bishop as about his second daughter, and, had the initial thinking of her elder sister prevailed, there would have been even more. In a letter to brother frank, a barrister then working in England as an actuary, Harriet wrote: The following is what should be put on the stone. It should, I think, be in the form of a cross, His name and Title in full running across the arms. If you can think of more telling words than �helpless� and �oppressed� to suit both Zulus and Colonels Durnford and Luard and all who were killed at Isandlwana by those shuffling bunglers (Frank would have known that she meant Chelmsford and staff) do so please � but father�s full title and a reference to the British Army are essential � just because they may be objected to. (1) Down the upright member below the arms of the cross, Harriet wanted the reference to her sister�s campaigning also to underline the Bishop�s labours, Who like her Father, gave up her life on behalf of the helpless and oppressed, both of the Zulus and of the British Army. Other counsels prevailed and on the plinth, following Frances�s dates of birth and death and full mention of the Bishop�s title and degrees, the simple inscription adopted runs: Following her Father�s example she sacrificed her life on behalf of the helpless and oppressed. It has been reported (2) that Frances wanted Durnford�s letters buried with her, but, it is doubtful if the wish was realised as her box of letters was lost when a bush fire destroyed Bishopstowe, the family home, in September 1884. When a letter arrived for her from Jamaica shortly after her death it was forwarded to frank Colenso by Georgina Burne-Jones, wife of the artist and the person Frances believed understood her beat. Assuming that the writer was Julian Knollys, Inspector general of Constabulary and Director of prisons in the colony, she suggested that he and Frances �would like it to lie with her, as the latest sign of so long a friendship� for, when Knollys was with the army in Natal in the late 1860s, they were attracted to one another. (3) Frank�s decision is not known. |
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_________________ Martin Everett Brecon, Powys |
Coll
Guest
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Martin
Many thanks for your very detailed reply. May I take this opportunity to please ask if the other site also gives details of where Anthony's brother Edward is buried ? Thankyou Coll |
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Peter Ewart
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Coll
I'm pretty sure the details you seek are contained on the KLH site, currently unavailable, as mentioned here last week. Perhaps Rai will come on again and let you know. Poor Luard, of course, (mentioned above) jumped in front of a train here in Kent, not long after his wife's unsolved murder. (As a - very minor! - aside, I've also found him playing for my local village cricket club in 1864 when still a young lieutenant). Peter |
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Coll
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Peter
Thanks for your reply. I'll watch out for KLH site's return. Tragic story about Luard. This is the same Luard that got caught up in events later ? He was next on my list to try and get a portrait photograph of, although I did see a Victorian photograph on another site of someone called Luard, but doubt it was the same man. It is a pity that images I seek recently are difficult to obtain, both of those involved in the battle at Isandlwana, but also in Anthony's defence afterwards. Not only for me personally, but should a new article (or book) be written about these incidents, people could view previously unseen images of those involved. Hopefully, this will happen eventually. Thanks again. Coll |
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Peter Ewart
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Coll
Yes, the Luard who killed himself was the same chap who had tried to assist in the restoration of Durnford's reputation through his attempt to prove that the papers on Durnford's body had been appropriated. However, one has to be very careful in assigning any particular event to his career and life, as I discovered there was also another chap with the same name and initials whose army career (RE, too, if I recall correctly) spanned a similar period, the two being lieutenants at the same time and both climbing the career ladder to Major General. I seem to recall the other Luard spent most of his career in India. Like many surnames, it is a name one sees for may generations among Army officers. I dare say anyone with an edition or two of the Army List can confirm these two contemporaries. Can't recall seeing a photo of Luard, although I've never acquired a copy of the little book about the murder, despite having meant to for some time. (The Seal Chart Murder). There is a sketch of him discovering his wife's body on the cover, I believe. I'd very much like to get hold of a photo myself, as my main interest in him (even more than the Durnford business, the murder and suicide) is as a cricketer for my club in the 1860s, the club's history being one of my main research interests. If I get one of him I'll have almost a complete set of that period's team! (And I'll send you a copy). Peter P.S. For some, of course, he was a possible suspect for his wife's murder at the time. |
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Coll
Guest
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Peter
Very interesting details about Luard. I did look for the book you mention, which is illustrated on Wikipedia, along with several details of what you have said. Details also appeared in the Casebook Forums. Could Luard have been in a cricket team photograph of the time ? It would be great if you managed to acquire an image of him, as I just don't know where to look for such things. Of all the head-and-shoulder portrait photographs I seek, Edward is the most important, as I can visualise this image sitting side-by-side with the well-known one of Anthony, (shown in just about every Zulu War title), equally-sized, either in an article, book, or, as I plan, framed on the wall. Brothers together again ! Thankyou for replying. Coll |
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Coll
Guest
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Further to the above.
I'm wondering how and where R.W.F. Droogleever managed to get the portrait photograph of Frances Colenso for his book ? Coll |
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Martin Everett
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Coll,
It says under mine - portrait of Frances Colenso - copyright 'Rhodes House, Oxford' There's a challenge........... www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk The Colenso papers (largely Frank and Sophie) are lodged there. |
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_________________ Martin Everett Brecon, Powys |
Coll
Guest
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Martin
Thanks for the details. I have the small image from Droogleever's book of Frances Colenso, which I had managed to salvage from a worn version of the book, other images were missing. I had hoped a book which I bought would have assisted with such matters - A Guide To Military History On The Internet. by Simon Fowler. However, with Frances not actually connected to the military itself, this idea fell kind of flat. I will write to the place you have mentioned, but don't know if I could acquire the photograph from them, with not being a researcher, author or historian. I've never had dealings with such. I do have contact information with a Durnford descendant, but have not been in any sort of correspondence for some time, so can't request a portrait photograph of Edward 'out of the blue'. Thankyou for your help. Coll |
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Coll
Guest
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Alan
If photographs of Edward and Frances can be sourced/obtained, may I ask if they be included in a section on this site, for all to be able to identify them, with faces to go with the names, as they played quite an important part in the aftermath ? Although, I don't know what is involved in accomplishing this. Thankyou. Coll |
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Alan
Site Admin
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Coll,
if there are photos, I can put them up but where would you suggest? |
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Coll
Guest
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Alan
Thankyou ! That's great to know. I'm not sure where would be a good place to locate the images. Perhaps, the Pot Pourri section, under a title along the lines of 'Durnford's Loyal Defenders' during events in the aftermath of Isandlwana. Whatever you would consider apt. Obviously, the main problem at the moment is acquiring the portrait photographs, which I hope can be obtained eventually. Thanks again Coll |
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Peter Ewart
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Coll
The portrait of Frances held by the Bodleian and published on p101 of Drooglever is one of a series, taken in 1881. At least one other from this series (also acknowledged to Rhodes House, suggesting they probably hold all of them) has been used by Jeff Guy in his The View Across the River (p55). Her head is at a different angle but she is clearly wearing the same dress and brooch, with identical hair style. Guy's caption reads: Frances Ellen Colenso, from a set of portraits taken in 1881 which she felt "are the best I ever had and I have not yet altered much since they were taken, and, as I do not mean to be taken again I should like to keep this one." Incidentally, the Killie Campbell has plenty of images of JWC and may well have some of his family. It's some time since I looked, but the library's catalogue of photographs is presumably still online (with access to specimens) and provides the relevant information on acquiring copies. Peter |
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Is Frances Colenso Buried In A Family Plot ? |
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