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Hi all

I thought I'd post this chaps story here as well to provide some welcome relief from all the badges that are dominating the Forum of late....

Thomas Wilson Woodhouse

Trooper, Natal Carbineers – Anglo Zulu War
Dundee Town Guard – Anglo Boer War

- South African General service Medal with 1879 clasp to Tpr. Woodhouse, Natal Carbineers
- Queens South Africa Medal to T.W. Woodhouse, Dundee Town Guard

Thomas Woodhouse was a rather remarkable man and one who seems to have made an indelible impression on later Victorian Natal. He was born in the seaside town of Hornsea in Yorkshire, England in about 1846 the son of George Woodhouse and his wife Frances, born Wilson.



This photo appeared in the book 20th Century Impressions of Natal published in 1906

Initially, according to the 1851 England census, George Woodhouse was a 33 year old Lime Burner by occupation although he was later to become a prosperous farmer in his own right.

Together with his parents in their residence “Seaside” young Thomas, aged 5, was joined by sibling 3 year old Emily.
Ten years later, at the time of the 1861 England census, 15 year old Thomas and his family were resident at Hudson Cottage in Hornsea. As mentioned earlier George Woodhouse was now a Farmer with 28 acres to his name. In addition to Emily another sibling, 17 year Martha had joined the fold.

Somewhat bucking the trend, Thomas spent his early years as a fisherman at sea and, it was possibly a spirit of adventure or something else that lured him into taking the bold move to emigrate to Natal, at the time a Colony in its infancy and one where prospects of making a success of life were dubious at best. Notwithstanding this he set sail for South Africa in 1864 with two friends on the barque Lady of the Lake.

Having made his way inland from the coastal town of Port Natal to Pietermaritzburg he occupied himself in his first year in his new country as a butcher’s assistant before joining the “non starting” expedition against the Basuto chief Moshesh. This expedition was occasioned by the raid the Basutos undertook into Natal which ended with the payment of by Moshesh of an indemnity of 10 000 head of cattle.

After this disappointment he joined a trading venture to the Northern Transvaal with two wagon loads of ivory, a drove of ostriches and a quantity of general merchandise. With the discovery of diamonds Woodhouse directed his attention to the South African interior and specialised in the transportation of sugar to the Kimberley diamond fields where he was one of the first to visit the Pniel diamond diggings in 1870, purchasing a claim shortly thereafter. The Woodhouse wagons apparently became as well known as Cabb’s coaches in England.

For a short while the Transvaal Goldfields also attracted his attention.

During the Zulu War of 1879 his experience of working with meat stood him in good stead – he contracted with the British Government for the supply of butcher’s meat and slaughter cattle for the troops at the Lower Tugela and No. 1 Column (lower coastal) under General Crealock. It was at this time that he also came into contact with Garnet Wolseley and Lord Chelmsford. He also held contracts in the Bechuanaland campaign of 1884 under Lord Methuen, accompanying Sir Charles Warren’s column, some five years later.

For his efforts in the Zulu War he was rewarded with the Zulu War Medal with clasp 1879 issued from the roll of the Natal Carbineers. Woodhouse, it would appear, had been officially attached to them whilst also contracting to the Government forces. As part of the Carbineers he was fortunate to have been one of those out on patrol on 22 January 1879 when the Zulu Impis attacked at the Battle of Isandhlwana, annihilating so many of his friends and comrades in what was an absolute blood bath.

Undaunted Woodhouse was employed as a Transport Rider operating out of Pietermaritzburg in 1881, after hostilities had ceased.

Woodhouse also tried his hand at investing in gold mining, putting money out for Johannesburg’s first Stock Exchange on the Witwatersrand.

Once the dust had settled Woodhouse put his considerable business acumen to work and was soon the owner of 30 000 acres of land in different parts of the colony, notably the Dargle, Impendhle, Weene and Klip River Districts, where he was a large breeder of horses, cattle and sheep. He also had a considerable acreage under wattle.

Woodhouse also had experience during the Anglo Boer War as a combatant, and was present at Talana for which he received the Queens South Africa Medal presented to him by Colonel Ward. Ward conveyed his special thanks for the manner in which Woodhouse had carried out his contract in the previous war (Zulu War).

Thomas Woodhouse, by now a Justice of the Peace and a well known and respected figure, spent some ten years on the Pietermaritzburg City Council, having joined them in 1892, many of them as either Deputy Mayor or Mayor. As the member for Ward 6 he was Deputy Mayor before being elected Mayor for the period 1897/1898.

His foresight and experience were of great value to the Municipality. Anticipating the arrival in the town at the time of an epidemic he caused large pits to dug some distance from Pietermaritzburg which, at a later stage, accommodated the carcases of many heads of cattle who had fallen victim to the plague.




A retired Gentleman of considerable means, Woodhouse spent the last days of an eventful life on his estate, “Mortlake” in the Dargle. He passed away at Owthorne, nearby, in the Lions River District on 12 July 1908 at the age of 63 years and 8 months. He was survived by his wife, Francis Judith Woodhouse as well as his children, Francis Georgina Fleming, Alice Maude Woodhouse, Thomas Wilson Woodhouse, Gladys Streak Woodhouse, Lydia Winifred Woodhouse and twins, Eliza Georgina and (William) Paul Woodhouse, born on 10 March 1895.

Sources:

1851 & 1861 England Census’ – The National Archives
Shelagh O’Byrne Spencer – Private notes
Twentieth Century Impressions of Natal – page 238
An article in the Natal Witness – City Streets No. 3 – Woodhouse Road, 11 September 1972
Natal Almanac of 1879
M.S.C.E. 101 – Natal Archives, Pietermaritzburg.

Rory

Thanks for showing a fine pair of medals and a very interesting biography.

Regards
Brett

Rory, I'll echo Brett on this one. Thanks for showing this group! I have a keen interest in the Dartnell Patrol out of Isandlwana having had two relatives on it. One in the Natal Mounted Police and the other with the Natal Carbineers.

Cheers,

Mark

I thought I'd post this chaps story here as well to provide some welcome relief from all the badges that are dominating the Forum of late....

Rory, I agree with your comment above.

An excellent pair of medals with an equally excellent write up.

Regards

Adrian

Rory,
A really superb pair, the Natal Carbineers is a unit that is, to my complete annoyance, not represented in either my general Victorian or Boer War medal collections I must try and do something about that, sooner, rather than later, I think!
Regards Frank.

Hi Rory.....

Great write up and fantastic pair.......

Mike

P.S. Not all badges.....