Val, Charles, Du, 1846-1889

Deeker, Charles William, d 1912

2004-02-22

Royal Commonwealth Society Library. Cambridge University Library. University of Cambridge.

Image

A photograph from a bound edition of 'News of the Camp'. The 'News of the Camp' was published under the editorial partnership of Charles Du Val and Charles William Deeker during the siege, or blockade of Pretoria. After the war Du Val had 200 copies of the complete issue bound up with a special title page. The photograph (190 x 137 mm) shows editorial staff and soldiers gathered in front of the tents and wagons used as offices by the newspaper. Figures identified beneath the print are: Capt. J.Mc.W. Clarke; Mr. Strecker (foreman printed); Mr. Lys; C.W. Deecker (d. 1912), joint editor of 'News of the Camp' and founder of the earlier 'Transvaal Argus'; Charles Du Val; a private of the 94th Regiment' the compositors; Mr. Mitchelson; and Mr. Goodwill. Du Val wrote: 'I now removed my waggon to a plot of ground adjacent to the bungalow wherein the 'Argus' type was placed, and with a bell-tent and some canvas sails, constructed a somewhat original editorial department. My waggon continued my sleeping-place, and was comfortable enough, being well raised from the damp-ground and secured from the rain by a water-tight roof. The space between waggon and tent was ingeniously roofed in with the canvas sails or waggon-cover stretched on telegraph poles, a torpedo notice-board forming one of the supports at the entrance, and above all an ancient Union Jack, splitting itself into shreds by the force of its own rottenness and the strength of the Transvaal breezes...' (Du Val, C. (1882), 'With a show through Southern Africa: and personal reminiscences of the Transvaal War'. Volume II. London: Tinsley, pp.25-26).

Pretoria (Africa, South Africa, Gauteng)

start=1880; end=1881; scheme=DCTERMS.W3CDTF