TOPIC:

To prevent that the occasional visitor to this venerable website leaves with the wrong idea about the quality of female fashion during the Boer War, please find hereunder “Cuzzie” enjoying a leisurely stroll on Hout Bay beach. From accompanying photographs Iit appears that Cuzzie was the squeeze of one Captain Strong.

Any hints as to the identity of Captain Strong? A brief sort through brings up two captains named Strong on medal lists; Edgar Hugh Strong, Southern Rhodesia Volunteers, and C. W. Strong, 1st Kitchener's Fighting Scouts.

P-C. I don’t want to pull this thread off-topic. I only have a photograph of Captain Strong in something that could be civilian, no initials mentioned. Perhaps you can ID him on the basis of that. There are a few other photographs that came from the same album but they were scenes around Harrismith, Klerksdorp and Krugersdorp, possibly taken from a moving train.

Captain Strong

I trust Everhard will find this contribution on topic

A question for Neville:



Are you sure the wearer of the uniform is a woman? Whilst the hair would suggest so, the apparent lack of other female attributes would suggest otherwise.

Taking it as being of a serving soldier he was a member of the Royal Fusiliers. Is that his name that has been written in above the photographers name? At first sight it looks like Cory or is it Coke or Core with a flourish of the pen added. The Medal Roll of the 2/RF does not list a Cory or a Coke but it does list a Core - namely 262 H Core who earned the Transvaal clasp amongst others. His 18 March 1896 Militia attestation papers for the 5/RF are extant and the H stood for Henry and he claimed to be 18 years 7 months at the time. His service record confirms he served in the 2/RF in the ABW and gives his time in SA as 3 January 1900 to 25 July 1902. A Henry Sidney Core can be found on the 1921 Census residing in Wormwood Scrubs Camp as a member of the 9th battalion of the London Regiment - his age is given as 40 years 11 months which. if they are one and the same man, indicates he added a bit on to his age when he attested in 1896.

I wonder if the uniform is a studio prop? The cuffs are tucked up to shorten the sleeves, and the collar badges don’t seem to match those of the Royal Fusiliers…