Haggard, Henry Rider, JP

Born at Bradenham, Norfolk, June 22, 1856; is the sixth son of Wm. M Rider Haggard, of Bradenham Hall, and was educated at Ipswich and privately. He resided for a considerable time in Natal on a farm which is well known as the supposed home of 'Jess'. He was Secretary, to Sir H Bulwer, Governor of Natal, in 1875, and in 1877 he joined the staff of Sir T Shepstone, and was one of the "handful of individuals" concerned in the annexation of the Transvaal in that year, where he hoisted the British Flag in 1877. In 1878 he was appointed Master of the High Court of the Transvaal, and the following year was given a Lieutenant's commission in the Pretoria Horse at the time of the Zulu War. He was called to the Bar of Lincoln's Inn in 1884, and unsuccessfully contested the Eastern Division of Norfolk in the Conservative interest in 1895. Mr Haggard is famous as the author of a number of charming romances, besides which he has published several books on rural life, known as A Farmer's Year, A Gardener's Year, and Rural England (2 vols.), in connection with which latter he made a prolonged tour of the country to acquire at first hand such data as were necessary to make his work a valuable book of reference and rural and social research. In addition to this, he constantly finds occasion to inform the public in the Press on questions connected with Africa and country life, on which subjects his large and varied knowledge always procures him a ready hearing. For many years he was one of the proprietors of the African Review, and recently he was appointed by HM's Govt, a Commissioner to investigate the Salvation Army Land Settlements in the United States and for other purposes. He takes a considerable interest in Egyptology, but his main hobbies (though he takes them quite seriously) are farming, gardening, and cycling. He married, in 1880, Mariana Louisa, daughter of Major Margitson, of Ditchingham.

From angloboerwar.com

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Ryder Haggard with Jess.

Source: This image is part of the Colonial Office photographic collection held at The National Archives, uploaded as part of the Africa Through a Lens project.

Littlehand. Thanks for posting this. What a wonderful photo.

Hi Chard. I thought the same. I try to get a close up of Haggard. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]. Best i could do.

Hi littlehand .
Agreed , fantastic photo , do you have any idea where its taken ? . '' Jess '' seems to be a bit of a looker !!. It may be possible
that it's taken on the slopes of Isandlwana ???????.
cheers 90th '

PS . I dont know much of Haggard , is Jess his wife , Daughter , Girlfriend or other ??.