TOPIC:

Having contracted malarial fever shortly after the Battle of Spion Kop, René Bull returned to Southampton on board the s.s. Norman, arriving there on 6 April 1900. He then travelled to his home town, Dublin, to recuperate. Within three weeks he was sufficiently recovered to embark upon a year-long lecture tour, during which he would visit every part of the United Kingdom, from Dublin to Guernsey to Shetland.

His first lecture on his experiences during the Natal Campaign was held on Monday 23rd April 1900, in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, at the Gaiety Theatre, South King Street, Dublin. The Gaiety Theatre was just 8 minutes’ walk from the premises of T. Mason, the photographic studio that prepared his lantern slides.

The first time the lecture was delivered in England appears to have been on 4 May, at the Free-Trade Hall, Manchester.

René Bull had hoped to return to South Africa to witness the taking of Pretoria, but his poor health barred him from making such a journey. His weak state was commented on in several newspapers.

On 6 May 1900, a reporter for the Empire News described him thus:

A little pale-faced man in evening dress, and walking with a stick, appeared upon the platform. There was something like a shock of surprise. There was no khaki clothing, no putties, no bandolier, no revolver cases or water bottles; in short, none of “the trappings and the suits” of war. Could this frail little gentleman really be the intrepid René Bull, war artist and correspondent, who had been through three campaigns within the last five years, who had marched with the troops, shared their hardships, and roughed it like the hardiest of them; had witnessed many historic battles, and had actually taken his camera well into the firing line on innumerable occasions. But so it was. His pallor and obvious physical weakness had been brought about by the rigours of the Natal campaign. He had been invalided home shortly after the Spion Kop disaster, he explained to his audience, and was already feeling better and stronger, and hoped soon to be at the front again.

And an article in the Beckenham Mail published on the 19th of the same month observed:

Seeing his weak state, it was very plucky on his part to face an audience. At the close he gave evidence of the serious strain which the effort had made on his physical powers.





René Bull is small of stature, with a pale face and a slight black moustache carefully twisted at the ends, and one could scarcely imagine that this almost delicate looking man had been able successfully to withstand the rigours of the arduous campaign which General Buller waged up to the relief of Ladysmith.


As a lecturer he was apparently refreshingly matter-of-fact, saying what he wanted to say without any veneer:

“Mr Bull made no attempt to discuss the rights or wrongs of the war but merely gave a plain, straightforward account of what he saw” (Western Times, 22nd October 1900).

“It was a plain, unvarnished tale, racy, fair to both sides” (The Clarion, 12th May 1900).


During a previous lecture tour, devoted to the Sudan Campaign, Bull was interviewed and explained why he liked to lecture, and how photography was often more suitable on the battlefield than the traditional sketch. Interestingly, unlike many of his colleagues, he developed his plates in the field.

I like lecturing if I see the people enjoying it. I like showing my snap shots. In battle they are like shorthand notes. An elaborate sketch taken from the trenches might take half an hour, when in the midst of it, all of a sudden, a brilliant charge would take place. I might as well tear up my sketch. Of course, it is difficult developing on the field, but I took my apparatus with me and developed them in my tent at night. Some of the other correspondents used to send their plates home, but they got lost, or broken, or something.

During his ABW lectures René Bull showed around 200 slides, eight of which can be seen below. Most of those that I have were mentioned in the press at the time:

The most interesting of these were probably the pictures of the armoured train which, crowded with troops, made journeys as far as Colenso in search of the Boers. The appearance presented by Frere Bridge after its destruction was shown. A number of incidents of the battle of Colenso came next, including very good pictures of lyddite guns in action (Dublin Freeman’s Journal, 24 April 1900).




















Dublin Evening Mail, 18th April 1900

GAIETY THEATRE.

MONDAY, APRIL THE 23RD, At 3 o’clock p.m.

RENÉ BULL.

Special War Artist and Correspondent to “Black and White”, will deliver a lecture on THE BOER WAR.

Under the Patronage of their Excellencies the Lord Lieutenant and the Countess Cadogan, also their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, who have signified their intention of being present.

The Campaign in Natal, the Battle of Ladysmith, the Battle of Willow Grange, the Wreck of the Armoured Train, the Battle of Colenso, Battle of Spion Kop, Howitzers in Action, &c., &c.

Commencing at 3 o’clock p.m. Doors open at 2.30.
Prices – Balcony Stalls, 7s 6d; Balcony, 5s; Pit Stalls, 5s; Upper Circle, 3s; Pit, 2s 6d. Booking at Cramer’s.


Freeman's Journal (Dublin), 24th April 1900

THE BOER WAR.

LECTURE BY MR RENÉ BULL.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr René Bull, the well-known artist and war correspondent, delivered a lecture in the Gaiety Theatre, in which he dwelt in an interesting manner with some of the principal incidents of the present Transvaal war. Mr Bull, who has just returned from Africa, took a large number of photographs, which he exhibited in the form of limelight views. They were taken on battlefields and in other places at the seat of war, and make altogether a very valuable series. A large audience attended, and the lecture was followed with the greatest attention. He commenced by expressing pleasure at having an opportunity of delivering the lecture in Dublin for the first time in the United Kingdom. Dublin men had in the present war added a new page to a history already brilliant with examples of martial valour (applause). The unparalleled heroism of the Dublin Fusiliers would keep the name of Dublin green in the Transvaal (applause); and there could also be nothing but praise for the bravery of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Inniskillings, and the Connaught Rangers (applause). There could only be one opinion among British and Boers alike as to the stuff of which Irish soldiers were made (applause). The first few pictures thrown on the screen dealt with Ladysmith, and illustrated the condition of the town immediately before it was cut off from the outer world. Scenes of excitement in the streets were depicted, and the troops were shown marching out to the battle of Lombard’s Kop, and the wounded being brought into Ladysmith. Mr Bull then went on to state that he left Ladysmith, and getting down to Maritzburg, followed Buller’s Army. When he got to Maritzburg, Prince Christian Victor, grandson of the Queen (applause), had just arrived, and was on his way to the front (applause). The next portion of the lecture had reference to the neighbourhood of Estcourt, and several pictures were thrown on the screen showing the working of the heliograph, and the efforts to communicate by that means with Ladysmith. A number of views followed, in which skirmishing about Estcourt, and various other incidents of the campaign were illustrated. The most interesting of these were probably the pictures of the armoured train which, crowded with troops, made journeys as far as Colenso in search of the Boers. The appearance presented by Frere Bridge after its destruction was shown, as well as the new bridge which was constructed within a week. A number of incidents of the battle of Colenso came next, including very good pictures of lyddite guns in action. A series of views illustrative of the heroic attempts to cross the Tugela followed, and the lecturer referred in sympathetic terms to the death of Lieutenant Roberts, with whom was associated in acts of bravery, Captain Reed, son of the Inspector-General of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The grave of Lieutenant Roberts was next shown, and the concluding slides contained illustrations of the fighting at Spion Kop, with pictures of General French, Lord Roberts, and, lastly, her Majesty the Queen. The lecturer was warmly applauded at the close.


Empire News, 6th May 1900

RENE BULL ON THE WAR.

A WAR CORRESPONDENT’S INTERESTING STORY.

At precisely half-past seven on Friday evening, before a fairly large audience, in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, a little pale-faced man in evening dress, and walking with a stick, appeared upon the platform. There was something like a shock of surprise. There were no khaki clothing, no putties, no bandolier, no revolver cases or water bottles; in short, none of “the trappings and the suits” of war. Could this frail little gentleman really be the intrepid René Bull, war artist and correspondent, who had been through three campaigns within the last five years, who had marched with the troops, shared their hardships, and roughed it like the hardiest of them; had witnessed many historic battles, and had actually taken his camera well into the firing line on innumerable occasions. But so it was. His pallor and obvious physical weakness had been brought about by the rigours of the Natal campaign. He had been invalided home shortly after the Spion Kop disaster, he explained to his audience, and was already feeling better and stronger, and hoped soon to be at the front again. He further promised that his next lecture would be illustrated with the views he took on the line of advance ending with the victorious entrance of the British troops into Pretoria.


The Clarion, 12th May 1900

Through the courtesy of Frank de Jong, of the Opera House, Cape Town, and whose New Year invitation I believe Dangle did not accept, I was permitted to be one of a huge and interested crowd assembled in the Free Trade Hall [Manchester], on Friday evening last, to hear René Bull, the ‘Black and White’ artist’s lecture on the Boer War. It was a plain, unvarnished tale, racy, fair to both sides, and plentifully interspersed with excellent snapshot views, taken under most difficult and dangerous conditions.


Beckenham Journal, 19th May 1900

MR RENÉ BULL AT THE PUBLIC HALL.

Mr René Bull, the well-known artist and special correspondent to Black and White paid a return visit to the Public Hall, on Friday night, when he received a cordial welcome from a large audience. It was a stroke of good luck on Mr Thornton’s part in being able to secure the engagement of this celebrated artist while on his short visit to this country, and those who availed themselves of the opportunity were fortunate in hearing from an authoritative source much valuable information as to the progress of the campaign in Natal. The lecturer’s five months of hardship and exposure with the British forces in Natal have left some traces behind. After the fighting at Spion Kop Mr Bull was rendered hors de combat by a severe attack of illness, from the effects of which he has not yet fully recovered. With the characteristic courage of the war correspondents he is anxious to return to the scene of action on the veldt, and he has expressed the hope that he will be in Pretoria when the British flag is unfurled. About 200 lantern slides were shown; these were of an exceedingly interesting character and were remarkably clear and distinct. Together with the lecturer’s graphic word pictures they enabled the audience to realize the serious nature of the undertaking in which our gallant forces have been engaged. An unbiased statement was given of the events at the front from the investment of Ladysmith to the battle of Spion Kop. The grim realities of modern warfare were brought vividly to mind, whilst some of the brighter incidents were not overlooked. The Boer tactics leading up to the siege of Ladysmith were first described, and also the attack on Estcourt. The battle of Willow Grange was minutely explained. Some capital views were shown of the interior of the armoured train that was wrecked at Chieveley. In one of the carriages a Tommy was seen to be calmly reading a “yellow back” novel, unmindful of the dangers ahead. The brave stand made by the artillery at Colenso was ably dealt with, as was also the history of the Spion Kop engagement, some new light being thrown on the last-named incident by the information Mr Bull was able to impart. A melancholy interest was attached to two pictures – one depicting Lieutenant Roberts’s grave and the other the burial place of the soldiers who had fallen at Spion Kop. The inscription of the last-mentioned grave was outlined with the brass heads of cartridge cases, ingeniously arranged. Mr René Bull was rewarded with hearty applause at various points of the lecture. Seeing his weak state, it was very plucky on his part to face an audience. At the close he gave evidence of the serious strain which the effort had made on his physical powers.


Western Times, 22nd October 1900

MR RENÉ BULL IN EXETER.

A large audience attended the Theatre on Saturday night to hear a lecture by Mr René Bull, the well-known “Black and White” artist and correspondent, on the subject of the Boer War whose events in Natal he has chronicled with pen and pencil up to the time when he unfortunately contracted malarial fever and had to be sent back from the front. Mr Bull, who was faultlessly attired in evening dress, is small of stature, with a pale face and a slight black moustache carefully twisted at the ends, and one could scarcely imagine that this almost delicate looking man had been able successfully to withstand the rigours of the arduous campaign which General Buller waged up to the relief of Ladysmith. Mr Bull made no attempt to discuss the rights or wrongs of the war but merely gave a plain, straightforward account of what he saw, his remarks being illustrated by a large number of lantern pictures reproduced from photographs taken by himself. The intrepid artist was with the fighting line and took advantage of his opportunities whilst battles were in progress to take pictures which brought the realities of war very closely to the spectators. The battles of Nicholson’s Nek, and Colenso, with the Naval 4.7 guns in action, the description of the loss of Colonel Long’s battery of artillery which Lieutenant Roberts so gallantly strove to save, the portrait of that brave officer’s grave, and the Battle of Spion Kop, of which several excellent views were given, greatly interested the audience who frequently cheered the lecturer. The concluding pictures were the portraits of Lord Roberts, General French, and Sir Redvers Buller, all of which were greeted with enthusiasm. During the evening Mr Dean Trotter sang the songs “Her Majesty” and “The Lights of Home”, and the Theatre orchestra under Mr Hahn played patriotic airs.






23 Apr 1900 – Dublin (Gaiety Theatre)
26 Apr 1900 – Kingstown (Town Hall)
30 Apr 1900 – Dublin (Antient Concert Rooms)
1 May 1900 – Belfast (YMCA Hall)
2 May 1900 - Londonderry (Guildhall)
4 May 1900 – Manchester (Free Trade Hall)
8 May 1900 – Richmond, London (Castle Rooms)
10 May 1900 – Crystal Palace
11 May 1900 – Beckenham (Public Hall)
14 May 1900 – Lytham St Annes, Blackpool [Day 1] (Lytham Pier Pavilion)
15 May 1900 – Lytham St Annes, Blackpool [Day 2] (Lytham Pier Pavilion)
16 May 1900 – Eastbourne (Park Theatre)
22 May 1900 – Worthing (Pier Pavilion)
23 May 1900 – Eastbourne (Devonshire Park Theatre)
25 May 1900 – Bradford [Day 1] (St George’s Hall)
26 May 1900 – Bradford [Day 2] (St George’s Hall)
27 May 1900 – Halifax (Grand Theatre)
28 May 1900 – Edinburgh (Theatre Royal)
29 May 1900 – Glasgow (Royalty Theatre)
30 May 1900 – Newcastle (Tyne Theatre)
31 May 1900 – Bedford (Town Hall)
1 Jun 1900 – Surbiton (Assembly Rooms)
4 Jun 1900 – St Peter Port, Guernsey (St Julian’s Hall)
19 Jul 1900 – London [Day 1] (St George’s Hall, Langham Place)
20 Jul 1900 – London [Day 2] (St George’s Hall, Langham Place)
21 Jul 1900 – London [Day 3] (St George’s Hall, Langham Place)
The programme will be repeated every afternoon until further notice
13 Aug 1900 – Lerwick, Shetland (Town Hall)
14 Aug 1900 – Kirkwall (Temperance Hall)
16 Aug 1900 – Wick (Rifle Hall)
17 Aug 1900 – Golspie (Drill Hall)
18 Aug 1900 – Tain (Public Hall)
20 Aug 1900 – Dingwall (Masonic Hall)
21 Aug 1900 – Banff
22 Aug 1900 – Nairn (Public Hall)
23 Aug 1900 (afternoon) – Aberdeen (Her Majesty’s Theatre)
23 Aug 1900 (evening) – Montrose (Burgh Hall)
24 Aug 1900 – Inverness (Theatre Royal)
25 Aug 1900 – Fort William (Public Hall)
27 Aug 1900 – Tobermory (Aros Hall)
28 Aug 1900 – Oban (Volunteer Hall)
29 Aug 1900 (afternoon) – Dundee (Her Majesty’s Theatre)
29 Aug 1900 (evening) – Brechin (City Hall)
2 Sep 1900 – Islington (Agricultural Hall)
4 Sep 1900 – North Waltham (Corn Hall)
5 Sep 1900 – Sheringham (Public Hall)
7 Sep 1900 – Nottingham (Theatre Royal)
8 Sep 1900 – Whitby (Temperance Hall)
9 Sep 1900 – Tynemouth (Palace-by-the-sea)
15 Sep 1900 – Sunderland (Victoria Hall)
21 Sep 1900 – Bournemouth (Winter Gardens)
24 Sep 1900 – South Shields (Royal Assembly Hall)
25 Sep 1900 – Stockton (Exchange Hall)
26 Sep 1900 – Middlesbrough (Temperance Hall)
28 Sep 1900 – West Hartlepool (Town Hall)
29 Sep 1900 – North Shields (Albion Assembly Rooms)
30 Sep 1900 (afternoon) – Newcastle (Palace Theatre)
30 Sep 1900 (evening) – Sunderland (Victoria Hall)
1 Oct 1900 – Durham (Assembly Rooms Theatre)
2 Oct 1900 – Harrogate (Opera House)
3 Oct 1900 – Darlington (Mechanics’ Hall) postponed
4 Oct 1900 – Morpeth (Masonic Hall)
7 Oct 1900 – Stratford, London (Town Hall)
8 Oct 1900 – Alton (Assembly Rooms)
9 Oct 1900 – Minehead (Public Hall)
14 Oct 1900 – London (St George’s Hall, Langham Place) Return Visit
15 Oct 1900 – Llandudno (Prince’s Theatre)
17 Oct 1900 – Colwyn Bay (Victoria Pier)
18 Oct 1900 – Weston-super-Mare (Victoria Hall)
19 Oct 1900 – Tewkesbury (Philharmonic Hall)
20 Oct 1900 – Exeter (Theatre Royal)
22 Oct 1900 – Tunbridge Wells (Great Hall)
23 Oct 1900 – Glossop (Victoria Hall)
24 Oct 1900 – Grantham (Theatre Royal)
25 Oct 1900 – Grimsby (Temperance Hall)
26 Oct 1900 – Wisbech (Selwyn Hall)
29 Oct 1900 – St Albans (County Hall)
30 Oct 1900 – Surbiton (Assembly Rooms)
31 Oct 1900 – Leamington Spa (Leamington College Great Hall)
1? Nov 1900 – Worksop (Criterion Hall)
2 Nov 1900 – Selby (Public Room)
7 Nov 1900 – Airdrie (Public Hall)
12 Nov 1900 – Darlington (Mechanics’ Institute)
13 Nov 1900 – Ripon (Victoria Hall)
14 Nov 1900 – Southampton (Hartley Hall)
15 Nov 1900 – Redhill (Market Hall)
16 Nov 1900 – Alnwick (Corn Exchange)
17 Nov 1900 – Amble (Exchange Hall)
18 Nov 1900 – Hebburn (Theatre Royal)
19 Nov 1900 – Barnard Castle (Victoria Hall)
21 Nov 1900 – Blackpool (Winter Gardens)
23 Nov 1900 – Bowness (Institute)
24 Nov 1900 – Keighley (Queen’s Theatre)
25 Nov 1900 (afternoon & evening) – Leigh (Theatre Royal)
26 Nov 1900 – Stockton (Exchange Hall) Return Visit
27 Nov 1900 – Otley (Mechanics’ Institute)
28 Nov 1900 – Gainsborough
29 Nov 1900 – Newark (Corn Exchange)
30 Nov 1900 – Consett (Town Hall) Return Visit
1 Dec 1900 – West Kirby (Public Hall)
2 Dec 1900 – Wigan (Royal Court Theatre)
3 Dec 1900 – Scarborough (Londesborough Theatre)
4 Dec 1900 – Burnley (Church Institute)
5 Dec 1900 – Clitheroe (Public Hall) Return Visit
8 Dec 1900 – Redhill (market Hall) Return Visit
11 Dec 1900 – Mirfield (Town Hall)
14 Dec 1900 – Retford (Town Hall)
17 Dec 1900 – Leeds (Coliseum)
22 Dec 1900 – Saltburn (Assembly Hall)
25 Dec 1900 – Bolton (Grand Theatre) two lectures
7 Jan 1901 – Uttoxeter (Town Hall)
8 Jan 1901 – Cheadle (Town Hall)
9 Jan 1901 – Lincoln (Corn Exchange)
11 Jan 1901 [Day 1] – Manchester (Assembly Rooms) Return Visit
12 Jan 1901 [Day 1] – Manchester (Assembly Rooms) Return Visit
16 Jan 1901 – Penrith (Drill Hall)
21 Jan 1901 – Wakefield (Corn Exchange)
26 Jan 1901 – Nottingham (Mechanics’ Hall) Return Visit
28 Jan 1901 – Belper (Public Hall)
30 Jan 1901 – Gravesend (Public Hall)
31 Jan 1901 – Sittingbourne (Town Hall)
2 Feb 1901 – New Brompton (Public Hall)
4 Feb 1901 – Christchurch (Town Hall)
5 Feb 1901 – Ringwood (Lecture Hall)
6 Feb 1901 – Poole (Amity Hall)
8 Feb 1901 – Windsor (Theatre)
9 Feb 1901 – Swindon (Mechanics’ Institute)
10 Feb 1901 – Bristol (Empire Theatre) booked at least 6 weeks in advance; 2,500 attended
23 Feb 1901 – Clifton (Victoria Rooms)
2 Mar 1901 – Coventry (Corn Exchange)
6 Mar 1901 – Northampton (Town Hall)
7 Mar 1901 – Stamford (Assembly Rooms)
8 Mar 1901 – Rugby (Town Hall)
11 Mar 1901 – Nuneaton (Assembly Hall)
12 Mar 1901 – Derby (Temperance Hall)
13 Mar 1901 – Burton-on-Trent (St George’s Theatre)
14 Mar 1901 – Hucknall (Public Hall)
16 Mar 1901 – Atherstone (Corn Exchange)
17 Mar 1901 – Stalybridge (The Grand Theatre)
18 Mar 1901 – Ripley (Public Hall)
19 Mar 1901 – Normanton (Assembly Rooms)
20 Mar 1901 (afternoon & evening) – York (Theatre Royal)
21 Mar 1901 – Leyland (Public Hall)
22 Mar 1901 – Liverpool (Royal Court Theatre)
24 Mar 1901 (afternoon & evening) – Nelson (New Grand Theatre)
26 Mar 1901 – Matlock (Victoria Hall)
27 Mar 1901 (afternoon) – Kennington (Theatre)
27 Mar 1901 (evening) – Bromley (Grand Hall)
31 Mar 1901 – Staying at the Grand Hotel, Manchester (1901 Census)
5 Apr 1901 – Cardiff (Grand Theatre)
8 Apr 1901 [Day 1] – Hereford (Drill Hall)
9 Apr 1901 [Day 2] – Hereford (Drill Hall)
10 Apr 1901 – Leominster (Corn Exchange)
11 Apr 1901 – Wellington (Town Hall)
18 Apr 1901 – Wigton
19 Apr 1901 – Ulverston (Victoria Hall)
22 Apr 1901 – Crewe (Co-operative Hall)
23 Apr 1901 – Southampton (Hartley Hall)
24 Apr 1901 – Bognor Regis (Victoria Theatre)
25 Apr 1901 (afternoon & evening) – Portsmouth (South Parade Pier)
28 Apr 1901 (afternoon & evening) – Greenwich (Morton’s Model Theatre)
29 Apr 1901 – Lowestoft (Public Hall)
30 Apr 1901 – Great Yarmouth (Town Hall)
1 May 1901 – Ipswich (Public Hall & Opera House)





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Fantastic post and such clear images, Neville.

Impressive Neville - just looking at that criss-crossed map of the UK makes one dizzy. For a man of weak constitution is was quite a feat.

Neville, great post! Is the photo of the burial that of Lord Roberts son?

Stunning post, Neville!
EFV: Yes, I think it likely that is Freddy Roberts' burial. The landscape is reminiscent of Chieveley military cemetery, and the service was conducted by the Bishop of Natal, Arthur Hamilton Baynes, who resembles the cleric in the photo

Neville, I think it unlikely that Rene Bulll had malaria. Natal is non-malarious (exceptions being low-lying parts of Zululand which border with Mocambique, and only on rare occasions). Typhoid, on the other hand (enteric fever) was hyperendemic. The two illnesses are so hard to distinguish that the Victorians came up with the concept of "typhomalaria" which was a chimera ( www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/articl...(01)99586-8/fulltext etc).
My suspicion is that Bull, like the rest of the Army, had typhoid. It was often called by euphemisms to avoid being stigmatised. Sir George White nearly died of typhoid, but to avoid his being sent to Intombi it was just called "fever" or even "malaria": "The fever that General Sir George White has been possibly suffering from is a very common one in Africa, and affects nearly all Europeans who visit the country - it is a malarial complaint, and very weakening and distressing..."