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This is undoubtedly the finest ABW-related figure that emanated from Continental Europe.

Nearly 70 cm high, this imposing polychrome terracotta statuette was modelled by Joseph Le Guluche, in collaboration with Alphonse Louis Hanne, Manufacture de l'Isle-Adam, Val d'Oise, Northern France.

Title to base: "Boër". Signed "J. Le Guluche", and with maker's mark "A. Hanne".





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The Coalport ‘Acock's Green’ tyg.

Inscribed:

"A / MEMENTO / OF THE / SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN / 1899 - 1900. / IN RECOGNITION OF / SERVICES RENDERED / BY THE / SOLDIERS OF THE QUEEN / FROM THE / ACOCK GREEN DISTRICT."

"OFFICERS / Walter B Child, President / Robert Coles, Vice President / John Evans, Treasurer / George Turner, Secretary / James Ashwell, Assistant Secretary / Fred Biggin".

"COMMITTEE / Frank Bagnall / George Jackson / Robert Buswell / James J Lester / J E Pratt / J B Moreton / John A Wall / George Savage / W R Vincent / Thomas Kent / Job Smith / Henry S Franklin".

Base with maker's mark: "COALPORT / ENGLAND".












Unfortunately, these tygs are only inscribed with the names of the members of the Committee, and not with those of the recipients.

The President of the Committee, Walter Busby Child (b. 1869, Balsall Heath, Birmingham) was a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society. In 1889 he is listed as a nurseryman & florist, living at Shamrock Cottage, Greenwood Road, Acock's Green. The 1901 & 1911 Censuses show him living with his mother at "Edelweiss", Westley Road, Acock's Green, Yardley, Worcestershire. Again he is listed as a nurseryman & florist with his own business.

There are many newspaper reports relating to Walter Child's horticultural work, but I have been unable to find anything about the presentation of these unusual mementoes. One article notes that Child was chairman of the fund set up for the relief of the wives and families of Acock's Green Reservists during the ABW. The same piece indicates that the fund's secretary was George Turner. As these two men appear on the tyg with the same posts, it appears that the loving cups were purchased with money from the Reservists' Fund.



Birmingham Mail, 10th November 1899

ACOCK’S GREEN.

Mr George Turner writes to inform us that a fund has been opened in Acock’s Green for the relief of the wives and families of Reservists. All applications for relief should be addressed to Mr Walter Child (the Chairman), The Avenue, Acock’s Green. We wish to add that we wrote to our district representative at Acock’s Green yesterday, and requested him to let the committee have the names of the cases which were being relieved by the 'Mail' Fund, so that there might be no overlapping.



In 1927 Walter B. Child published “Vegetables for the million, and how to grow them”. He also had a tufted pansy named after him: the “Walter B. Child”.

Tufted Pansy Walter B. Child. — The variety under notice is one of the best miniature-flowered kinds, and the blossoms are very effective. Little scraps placed out in the open border in March last are just now blossoming profusely, the dainty little blossoms on stout, erect footstalks and of good length being very showy. The flowers are rayless, broadly margined lavender-blue on a white ground. Small plants arranged about 6 inches apart have already filled in the intervening spaces.



Acocks Green History Society

In addition, on the north side of the road, a large nursery had opened, covering the land from Hazelwood Road through to Westley Road, east of number 25, Hazelwood House. The owner, Walter B. Child, had been at Shamrock Cottage, later 118 Greenwood Road, (or March/Marsh Lane as it was known before). Walter Child was listed at Hazelwood Nurseries from the 1898 directory, although he had been at a house called Edelweiss for a couple of years and was operating as a nurseryman. Greenwood Road later became part of Olton Boulevard East. The earlier map from 1888 showed the Westley Brook flowing through the area that became the nursery. By 1904 the stream had been culverted and the course was no longer visible, and around this time Mr Child sold some of the nursery site. The new owner of Hazelwood Nurseries was Charles Henry Herbert.



.. Boer war pottery, Boer war china, boer war ceramics, boer war porcelain

Below are a few pieces from potteries in Devon and Wales.

The two grotesque-ware jugs were made at William Baron's pottery, Barnstaple. Given the similarities between these and the signed 'Cronje' vase (shown for comparison), the jugs are almost certainly the work of Blanche Georgiana Vulliamy, a potter known to have collaborated with Baron.

An advertisement for Baron Pottery in the Western Times, 23 May 1900, notes that "novelties include Kruger (the old 'Boar') in match stands, jugs, etc."

Both jugs signed: "Baron / Barnstaple".













And a vase and dish, made by Evan Jones, who worked at Claypits Pottery, Ewenny, Bridgend.

Vase inscribed in graffito: "Mafeking relieved May 17th / 1900 / after a siege of 214 days", and "Nac ymffriostia or dyd y foru" (don’t worry about tomorrow). Signed "Jones, Bridgend, Glam".

Dish inscribed in graffito: "R.S.S. Baden-Powell born Feb 22nd 1857, Mafeking besieged for 217 days, relieved May 16th 1900". Signed "Jones / Bridgend".











Boer war pottery, Boer war china, boer war ceramics, boer war porcelain

The variety and quality of these Boer War Commemorative Ceramics continues to amaze and enthrall me and as to the quality of the illustrations I am left speechless. So many thanks Neville

Regarding the Coalport ‘Acock's Green’ tyg, the decorator definitely did not get it right but the error of the Birmingham Mail reporter is excusable. I quote others more knowledgeable than me on the suburbs of Birmingham:

"Acocks Green is a suburban area and ward of southeast Birmingham, England. It is named after the Acock family, who built a large house there in 1370. It is occasionally spelled 'Acock's Green'."

"1889-1900"? Can we presume the commissioner of the tyg's believed "Bobs" when he lauded it round Pretoria in June 1900?


Boer war pottery, Boer war china, boer war ceramics, boer war porcelain

Boer war pottery, Boer war china, boer war ceramics, boer war porcelain

Commemorative jug by Isaac Hutson, Wellington, New Zealand.

In relief, a colonial soldier with crossed New Zealand flags and the legend "WHAWHAI MO TO KANGA / MO TO KUINI AKE AKE AKE" (Fight For Your Queen Forever).

On the sides are listed the first five New Zealand Contingents and their respective commanding officers.

1ST CONTINGENT / MAJOR-ROBIN
2ND CONTINGENT / MAJOR-CRADOCK
3RD CONTINGENT / MAJOR-JOWSEY
4TH CONTINGENT / MAJOR-SOMERVILLE
5TH CONTINGENT / LIEUT.COL-NEWALL

1ST CONTINGENT OCT 1899 / 5TH CONTINGENT MARCH 1900.

Impressed into the base: "RD 123". Handle cast as a cannon. 212mm high.

The New Zealand History website states that "the jug was made in 1900 at the early Wellington pottery factory of Peter Hutson and Co. Only eight examples are known to exist".

SEE: Boer War Commemorative Jug




Boer war pottery, Boer war china, boer war ceramics, boer war porcelain