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Huw M Jones
Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Those familiar with the works of Huw Jones will be very saddened to learn that he died on Friday. He�ll certainly be very sadly missed by those who knew him or who corresponded with him.

Huw�s magnum opus was published only six years ago as The Boiling Cauldron � Utrecht District & the Anglo-Zulu War, but before that he had produced his Biographical Register of Swaziland to 1902 (1993) as well as a number of papers published in Natalia, SOTQ and the the South African Military History Journal. These articles demonstrated a level of scholarship sufficient to lead to a complete reappraisal of several aspects of the AZW � such as the battles of Hlobane and Kambula � and brought attention to a number of important developments in the 2nd ABW. With his son, Meurig, he also published a detailed Gazetteer of that conflict.

In recent years Huw had also undertaken considerable research on Gloucestershire�s local history from earliest times and a number of highly original publications have been very well received. To show an expertise in two entirely different aspects of history and to pursue both with the standard of rigorous research which Huw did is surely very rare indeed. Those who have read The Boiling Cauldron or used for reference his Swaziland work will not have failed to admire his truly remarkable scholarship. Many of those well known - as well as countless more obscure - names who inhabited Natal & Zululand in the 19th century have the most detailed biographical entries in that work if they ever set foot in Swaziland, which a surprising number did. And only last year, of course, he contributed the foreword to Harold Raugh's impressive AZW bibliography.

I know I�m not the only one here who has received the benefit of Huw�s knowledge, experience and advice, always so enthusiastically given, nor enjoyed his charm, sense of humour and generosity of spirit, as well as his and Barbara�s hospitality. A real loss to the world of historical research on Zululand, Natal, Swaziland and southern African history generally.

Peter
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peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
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Peter

Very sad news indeed. Hard to believe as he looked in fine fettle when we saw him last year.

He leaves a considerable legacy.

Peter
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Keith Smith


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 540
Location: Northern NSW, Australia
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Let me join with Peter in acknowledging my own sorrow at the passing of Huw Jones, a very fine scholar but also a good friend. I shall miss his good company, hospitality and cheerful emails greatly. My sincere condolences go out to Barbara and her family.

Keith Smith
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Justin Young


Joined: 04 Sep 2005
Posts: 49
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Just checked in on the forum and read of this terrible news. A good few times Huw was kind enough to share his knowledge with me or help me with something I was researching.

As to his books, what can one say. 'The Boiling Cauldron' is a corner stone of my collection of books on the Anglo Zulu War but research wise 'Biographical register..' is a book that still blows my mind any time I open it.

Justin
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Huw M Jones
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