Natal Witness 'mystery' death notice

Subject: Natal Witness 'mystery' death notice Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:41 am

Help wanted to clear up a little mystery.
I found on a genealogical site the following extract taken from the Natal Witness 18th March 1879:
"Herbert [surname illegible], killed in action Isandhlwana 22.1.1879, son of W.J. [surname illegible] of Estcourt, age [illegible]"
I don't know of a 'Herbert' kia at Isandhlwana though there are three H.-initialled NCOs in the NNC. Of course, this might be an unknown waggon driver.
I've tried to find him by looking in lists of prominent citizens of Estcourt in the 1870s for someone initialled W.J. without any success (I did come across someone named W.J. Irons in the previous decade which doesn't help much). I don't have a copy of the original paper so cannot see how illegible this entry is. Does one of you have a copy of or access to one? The entry will be either in the Births, Marriages, Deaths column or in the 'THIS WEEK' column.
Thanks.

Posts : 303 Join date : 2011-10-18 Location : Cornwall

Hello Julian,

Funnily enough I came across this a few weeks ago - from what I can gather it's Trooper H. Dickinson of the Natal Carbineers. Will try and find my notes shortly, I did find out where his father was buried.

In the meantime here's another genealogy site which shows Herbert, died 1879.

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Regards,

Tim

Subject: Re: Natal Witness 'mystery' death notice Thu Mar 10, 2022 5:44 pm

Tim
Brilliant...certainly W. J. Dickinson who died in Estcourt Nov. 1909 and was buried there. Thanks!

Posts : 303 Join date : 2011-10-18 Location : Cornwall

Link to photo of WJ Dickinson's grave - I was hoping there would be a mention of his son but unfortunately not.

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Regards,

Tim

Subject: Re: Natal Witness 'mystery' death notice Fri Mar 11, 2022 8:37 am

Many thanks. 'Mystery' solved!

Subject: Re: Natal Witness 'mystery' death notice Sun Mar 13, 2022 6:44 am

One other thing which I found on Fred Symons Diary is that Herbert Dickinson joined the column in Tugela Ferry which indicates as above he was not from Pietermaritzburg.

Subject: Re: Natal Witness 'mystery' death notice Sun Mar 13, 2022 9:29 am

Aussie
Those who donated for a memorial to those kia at Bushman's River Pass are listed in the Natal Witness 13 & 24.3.1874 and include a Captain Dickinson of Estcourt. It stands to reason that, what with Wm. Jos. Dickinson's grave being in that settlement, the family either originated from or had been settled in Estcourt for some time. The list can be found on
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Not sure yet what the father might have been "Captain" of.

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