Completed- identity/analysis please - natal police and rifle association 1912

[Mole]

Sorry to butt in on this family discussion but re the Natal Police and the Coronation - I think that must be Edward VII - if you go to Google books and look at [partial] text of Holt's 'The Mounted Police of Natal' p178 there's more about the Coronation Contingent. Edward VIII, of course, was never crowned.
Regards, Mole.

[patSA]

Hi June !  & Hello John and Pat

John thanks so much for your email about your grandfather through Genes Reunited !

I havent been doing  much ancestor hunting recently but this has renewed my interest !

So just to let you all know that I also have some photos and postcards relating to Robert Irving Johston. they include:

-photograph of Daisy Baines1890s

-photo of three of Robert and Daisy's children as babys/ toddlers 1900s

-photo of Daisy and one of her children as baby 1900s

-2 postcards Robert sent to his sister Kate ( great aunt Katy )in 1905  - both pictures of the barracks in Natal

-postcard he sent to Harriet  of Natal Police being inspect ed by the P of Wales ( Edward v111) in London ( cant make out the date )
(says at the bottom of t he card Colonial CoronationContingents Camp Duke of Yorks School London)

-also a photo  of some sort of  humorous farewell address to a colleague/ boss in the Natal Police handwritten and illustrated with little cartoons and signed by Robert and 8 others


Regards to all

Barbara ( Junes cousin !)

[2Harriet]

Hi, Mole,
your input is much appreciated as always 

[2Harriet]

Hey Moley are you there? a question for you, ...

John was saying on the phone to me today that Robt I Johnston left natal Police sometime after it was decided that they had to be fluent in English and the local language. Have you any idea when that was please?
June

[babs2]

Hello Mole
I had another look at the Postcard and the Prince of Wales is a young boy in the picture
so reckon it us be the uncrowned Edward who abdicated.?
He is with someone called the Duke of Connaught.
Robert ,who signs  himself Bob, says in the card he is leaving for a placement at Bisley and I noticed in an earlier  post that you referred to the 'bisley' group of Natal police.


Regards
Barbara

[Mole]

John was saying on the phone to me today that Robt I Johnston left natal Police sometime after it was decided that they had to be fluent in English and the local language. Have you any idea when that was please?
June

This doesn't sound quite right to me - the Natal Police were a cosmopolitan force from Day One and its (white) members (there were also black members), in the course of everyday duties, soon learned the local language (Zulu) for purposes of communication. Some went on to excel at linguistics. I find no concrete evidence, in sources directly to hand, that there was every a 'cut-off' point where recruits who did not already know the indigenous language were not permitted to be members of the NP. It seems anomalous. Unless this became a prerequisite when the force was disbanded in 1913 and merged with the SAP.

You may like to know the full text of Holt's Mounted Police of Natal can be read at www.archive.org/stream/mountedpoliceofn00holtrich/mountedpoliceofn00holtrich_djvu.txt

Regards, Mole

[Mole]

I had another look at the Postcard and the Prince of Wales is a young boy in the picture
so reckon it us be the uncrowned Edward who abdicated.?
He is with someone called the Duke of Connaught.
Robert ,who signs  himself Bob, says in the card he is leaving for a placement at Bisley and I noticed in an earlier  post that you referred to the 'bisley' group of Natal police.
Regards
Barbara

That's interesting, Barbara. Seems that another contingent of NP may have gone over to UK on a later occasion than Edward VII's coronation. So far I can't find anything about that in my Natal Police sources but will let you know if I do.
Duke of Connaught was Victoria's 3rd son, Prince Arthur; he visited Natal in December 1910.

cheers Mole

[pampoen]

In 1913 the units were disbanded which had something to do with Union being formed in 1910 if I am not mistaken. My grandfather was the RSM of Northern District Mounted Rifles in Vryheid which closed in 1913.

[Mardall]

I am sure the man in the middle of the second photo (third from left middle row) is Inspector O. Dimmick of the Natal Police.  He was quite a character in the force at the time.  The men in the second photo have the Natal Police badge on their hats.  "The Nongqai" was the periodical produced by the Natal Police from 1907.  The word means "armed government watchman".  The Natal Police were merged with the rest of the South African Police in 1911. I hope this is some help though I am afraid I can't identify your relation.