TOPIC:

David,

I believe "mispah" is a misspelling of "MIZPAH", a Hebrew word used during the Victorian era to mean "May God watch over you". It's true translation is apparently "watchtower".

The Klerksdorp postcards were almost certainly produced by Herbert Melville Guest, the proprietor of the "Klerksdorp Mining Record". Along with postcards, he printed a series of pamphlets covering various aspects of the ABW. SEE: Wikipedia
The cards were printed in various colours.


June 26th /02
Dear Will
We are trekking from Klerksdorp to Johannesburg where we are to hand over our horses, etc. We hear that we sail about the 6th or 8th July and hope to see you soon.
Yours, etc.,
W.H. ????





A copy of the original photograph that was used for the Louis Botha / Schalk Burger card.


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Another set of six cards, printed by Herbert Melville Guest, Klerksdorp, during July 1901.


ANGLO-BOER WAR 1899-1900-01.
COMMEMORATIVE POST CARD.
RULE BRITANNIA!
GOD SAVE THE KING!

H.M. Guest, Printer and Publisher, Klerksdorp, Transvaal, July, 1901.






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In case one is interested:
From left to Right: Major Leggatt, General Botha, General Burger, General Krogh (Swazieland) and van Velden. Picture taken on April 9, 1902 at Klerksdorp Conference.

Neville. At first sight Benjamin using a Hebrew word makes no sense as he was half Irish & half Yorkshire and Amy was totally Yorkshire. However Mizpah has another meaning - "Since that time, the mizpah has come to connote an emotional bond between people who are separated (either physically or by death). Mizpah jewelry is often made in the form of a coin-shaped pendant cut in two with a zig-zag line bearing the words 'The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another'." As Benjamin & Amy had a definite emotional bond and were separated at the time by several thousand miles and a lot of sea, I think you are totally correct.

The mistakes on the cards are also interesting - the one I posted has two, the first of yours one and the second coloured one has no mistakes - making them first, second & third editions?

EFV - thanks for identifying the other 3 gents, I was wondering who they were.

Nevile, Smethwick
The photographs used in the production of these postcards were all taken by the same photographer in the early days of April 1902. Herewith a few outtakes:


Koos DelaRey and Lucas Meyer in a slightly more relaxed pose.


Botha with son.

Everhard,

I'm not sure whether this snapshot of de Wet [ed. State Secretary Reitz; correction provided by Everhard] was taken by the same photographer, but it is pasted into an album next to the Schalk Burger / Louis Botha image.



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