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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 9:16 am

Hi,

I�m intrigued about the storehouse loft at Rorke�s Drift.

On contemporary photos there are doors at both ends of the loft. Both on the Chard plan and Bourne�s sketch there is some kind of steps on the side nearest to the hospital but does anyone know if there was any kind of steps/ladder arrangement on the opposite end of the storehouse?

The only photos I have seen from that end are after the conversion to a fortified and no detail remains - except for the remnant of the loft door.

Cheers

Simon

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:08 pm

There is possibly an interesting clue in the Elizabeth Butler picture.

See:http://www.directart.co.uk/mall/more.php?ProdID=11416

Known to have interviewed many survivors, and sketched and included most of those appearing as identified figures from life, in some cases from photographs, it's very likely (though not certain) that she sought fuller descriptions of the buildings and other features.

Always interesting is her depiction of the box wall as comprising several different types of boxes; though with the gaps where Chard drew them on the original version of his sketch map of the site.

We also get the interesting clue of Chard being a fairly short and slight man, something borne out by various photigraphs, and of Bromhead being a robust and vigorous person and confident in command (whether deaf or not). So, Bromhead might well have been left there with B Coy more because he was an experienced leader and a very reliable man. A picture's worth a thousand......if only you look at it properly.

G

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:36 pm

Hi Galloglas,

Thanks for the reply.

The Lady Butler painting does not even seem show a ladder or step arrangement on the hospital end of the storehouse � which is contrary to what Chard drew on his plan for The Queen.

However it�s the other end of the storehouse (the cattle kraal end) that I�m more interested in finding out about .

Cheers

Simon

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:41 pm

I only have the April 1st, 1879 Royal Engineer Journal version of the Chard sketch to refer to, which appears to have been copied by a draftsman, including copying Chard's signature. This version is closer to that provided by Chard with his original report in 1879, than the slighly different version reproduced for Queen Victoria in early 1880.

You are correct in what you say about an apparent ladder to the south end of the storehouse loft. Whether this was fixed or removable is not clear.

If it was fixed then we would probably expect it somehow to be built into the masonry of the end wall. Chard does however provide some detailing of the opposing wall at the north end, appearing to follow trhe convention of drawing the walls 'in plan' but based upon the detail of the alignment and configuration of the walls at ground level - rather than at roof level.

If it was removable then we would at least expect to see some sort of platform againsat which the upper end could be rested.

The question is now whether Chard was right or Elizabeth Butler. It would appear that the Chard-supervised 1879 drawing is probably the more reliable; not being dependent on detail recalled from memory but based upon actual observation. The Butler version was also probably influenced by the need to maintain harmony and composition within the overall picture and the external ladder or stair detail may therefore have been left out deliberately to achieve that.

However.........

G

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:09 pm

WBritain has just added to their Zulu War their take on the Storehouse and thought this would be a fitting place to feature it and looking forward to your comments.

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:48 pm

Lt,

General comment about the model: A great looking building, although not cheap at almost �230!

AMB