TOPIC:

Frank Price was exonerated on all charges levelled against him by what one assumes was a jealous subordinate. Here is his story:

Frank James Price

1st Class Trooper, South African Constabulary – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & 1902

Frank was born in Caerlon, Monmouthshire, Wales on 4 October 1873 the son of Joshua Charles Price and his wife Emma.

At the time of the 1881 Wales census 8 year old Frank was resident with his family in Backhall Street, Newport. His father, a 31 year old Grocer, his mother, siblings Ezit (10), Agnes (7), Mary Maud (5) and Raymond (1) completed the picture of domestic bliss. Brother Raymond, passed away sadly, a mere four years later when Frank was 12.

What became of the Price family at and around the time of the 1891 census is a mystery as it has not been possible to establish their whereabouts. This was to change by the time the 1901 Wales census came round. The family had relocated and were now living at 90 Windsor Road, Penarth in County Glamorgan. A few other notable changes had taken place as well; Mr. Price had abandoned the role of Grocer and was now the Assistant Superintendent of an Assurance Company. 27 year old Frank was a Ship Store Clerk and probably bored out of his wits.

It must be remembered that the Anglo Boer War had been raging for almost eighteen months by this time and the patriotic fervour it engendered had more than likely reached far away Penarth.

Frank Price lost no more time and set sail for South Africa where he enlisted for service with the South African Constabulary on 3 June 1901. Assigned no. 564 and the rank of 3rd Class Trooper, Price was attached to B Division which was based in the Northern Transvaal under Colonel Sam Steele.

The S.A.C. were essentially a paramilitary police force – in times of war they were to be deployed in a military capacity whilst maintaining vestiges of the duties a normal police force would be required to execute. In times of peace they would revert to a wholly policing function. The fact that the Boer War still raged answers the question as to how Price and his colleagues would have been put to use.

His superiors must have been impressed by his abilities because, in a matter of three weeks, Price rose to rank of 1st Class Trooper in which rank he served out the remainder of the war.

With peace being declared in May 1902 most of the S.A.C. chaps either purchased their discharge. In Price’s case he elected to stay on in the force. For his efforts he was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with clasps to the Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal and South Africa 1901 & 1902.

Peace now reigning Price continued with the normal duties associated with that of a policeman. He reverted back to the rank of 3rd Class Trooper on 13 January 1903 but, again, this was of short duration, he being promoted back to 1st Class on 13 March of the same year. With the rank designations changing Price was made a Constable on 1 January 1905. A promotion to Corporal followed on 1 August 1905.
Price, along with all remaining members of the South African Constabulary, was transferred to the Transvaal Police when that outfit came into being on 1 July 1908. At that point in time he was earning an average of £150 per annum and had service of 7 years and 28 days and had been posted to the Pretoria Division.

This move coincided with an incident which had the potential, dependant on the outcome, to end Price’s career.

A S.A.C. Secret Documents folder contained a number of statements all pertaining to the Alleged Assault on Native Prisoners by H818 (Price’s force no. had changed), Corporal F.J. Price

The following statements were made:

By Native George who states:-

‘I work for Mr.(illegible) at Zandfontein. I was down there when Corporal Price saw the natives on 18 April.

I have seen the Corporal hit them. I was in the room off the office and .... I must have seen ..... that went on. I was also .... on Sunday morning the 19th, and nothing happened.

It is true what I say.’

Next up was a statement by Native John:-

‘The Corporal has never hit me; he has just punched me with a stick.’

Native Lucas followed:-

‘I was at Craig Hall Police Station afternoon of April 18.

I followed into the office after January and John had been in.

I made a statement to the Corporal who did not tell me that I was telling lies. The Corporal never hit me. I am telling the truth.

When the Corporal was away, ........... in his face told me to say I was beaten with a stick.

.....before the Magistrate ... to swear that this statement is true’

Native January stated:-

‘Constable France told me to say if I was asked that the Corporal hit me.

The Corporal had me before him on Saturday, April 18..... concerning Jim who had his feet burned the .... me and told me to shut up or he would take a stick to me, but he never hit me, just prodded me. I am prepared to swear to this.
Constable France told me if I said the Corporal hit me I could go about the country like a ......

France.. ....said if I could say this he could bring the Corporal into court.

I only made this statement because the Constable told me.’

It what was fast becoming, to the casual observer at any event, a farcical situation where, on the strength of the statements made thus far, Constable France was intent on getting Price into court and into trouble on trumped up charges.

Mr H.J. Wentworth, who was some sort of Magistrate, was next:-

‘Van Staden came over on April 20 with certain Natives who gave affidavits as to having been assaulted by Corporal Price at the police station.

Corporal Price was absent on duty when I went down to the station and Constable France took down the sworn statements for me – he brought them to my house afterwards to be sworn. I believe it was January I saw in the cells there. I should recognise him again, he was very much kicked about at the time.

He told me that he had been kicked about by the Corporal, the police with the stripes as he explained it. There have been complaints made to me previously of the police kicking natives about, Van der Linde, Van Staden etc.

January showed distinct signs of bad treatment and he showed me the stick marks.
I always have known Corporal Price to be a zealous, conscientious man.

I told Van Staden I did not believe him at first until I saw him shout at the boys.’


Two further statements from persons unknown were included in the dossier:-

‘Corporal Price was .... arrived by me after being duly warned by me that he might have to appear before the Resident Magistrate at Kaalfontein for assault. He admits having banged the head of Lucas against the desk.
..........................
He denies having beaten the other two.
...........................
Questioned Constable France concerning what he knew of this affair.
The same with Constable Burger.’


The second statement read:-

'I had a conversation in Dutch with Mr Van Staden, he is not anxious to bring the case before the Magistrate as he has no horse to go to Kaalfontein with. I told him it would probably have to be done.

He had to take his two natives on to Mr. Wentworth who would take them to the camp and find the other native Lucas in the cells – he appeared to be slightly kicked about and had a bruise on his eye.’


All told a very strange case which was to lead where? The Resident Magistrate supplied the answer thereby restoring sanity to the proceedings and absolving Price from almost all blame in the matter.

He stated as follows:-

‘Attended Periodical Court Kaalfontein yesterday 15th instant – Mr Carstens Assistant Resident Magistrate sitting.
2. Corporal Price tried on 3 counts of assault and found not guilty on all counts and his character fully cleared. There is undoubtedly something behind it all.
3. I have ordered Constable France to be transferred at once to the Depot and I advise his being warned that you do not consider his conduct at all satisfactory with respect to the assault case concerning Corporal Price and that he had better learn a lesson from what has been said to him by the AG.
4. Constable France to remain at the Depot until the end of the month on Pretorius strength and then be transferred to the Ermelo District.


The nebulous France, his attempts at besmirching Price’s character lying in tatters, took himself from the scene.

No doubt shaken by the incident Price didn’t allow it to faze him and he continued on in the service of what had now become the South African Police. His exploits from this moment on were unknown and he was next seen aboard the Edinburgh Castle hastening to Southampton on 21 June 1920. The ships manifest records him as being a 45 year old policeman who sailed from Cape Town. There is further evidence to suggest that, in the intervening years, Price had taken a posting to the Western Cape Division of the S.A.P.

Having returned to the Cape he retired from the force on 29 January 1924. The Final Distribution Account in respect of Price dated at Somerset West on 24 December 1927 informs us that he had passed away in Stepney, London sometime that year.

It would appear from his bequests which are to surviving siblings, that he never married.

Rory,
A fascinating read, very well researched, thank you for posting the events.

Paul

Hello Rory,
What a strange incident to have taken place, regarding his death, a look in the England and Wales index of Deaths for the first quarter of 1926 does show a Frank J Price who did die in Stepney that year, so I would take this as correct, however, his age here is shown as 51 years old, so I would take that as incorrect as it would indicate a year of birth as 1875, this was not unusual as there may have been good cause to believe he was actually 51 years old.
Regards Frank

You are right Frank - his dates of birth are given as either 4/10/1873 or 4/10/1875 depending on which of his files one is looking at.

This happened all too frequently.

Regards

Rory

Rory,

I echo Paul's comments, a very interesting write up and a great read.

Regards
Adrian