King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Sergeant Arthur Jones of the 2nd Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, was extra-regimentally employed during the South African War to the Atlantic island of St. Helena to guard Boer Prisoners of War.
These photographs are from an album he owned.

The Island of St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page eight

During the South African 'Boer War' 1899-1902 the Atlantic Island of St. Helena was used as a Prisoner of War camp.  Over five thousand Boer POWs were held on the island, camped on 'Deadwood Plain' and 'Broad Bottom'.  The first 514 POWs landed at St. Helena from the 'SS Milwaukee' on 14th April 1900, including General and Mrs Cronje and his military staff.  The General and his wife were accommodated in 'Kent Cottage'.  Further POWs arrived, 394 on board 'Lake Erie' in April 1900, 1099 on board 'Bavarian' on 1st May 1900, and the last ship was the 'Mongolian' which arrived with 649 Prisoners of War on 3rd February 1901.

More arrived in 1902 with 1050 on board the 'Orient' and others on board the 'Britannia'.  Peace came in June 1902 and this was followed with the return of the POWs, the first of which on board the 'Canada' on 26th June 1902.

Sergeant Arthur Jones, number 4507, of the 2nd Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, was 'extra-regimentally employed' to St. Helena between 20th February 1901 and 3rd November 1902.  He obtained this album of photographs which includes over one hundred images.

Unknown.
Accession Number KO1466/10-071

St. Helena.
Accession Number KO1466/10-072

St. Helena.
Accession Number KO1466/10-073

View of the harbour at Jamestown, St. Helena.
Accession Number KO1466/10-074

Waves breaking at the harbour at Jamestown, St. Helena.
Accession Number KO1466/10-075

Jamestown, St. Helena.
Accession Number KO1466/10-076

    
The large packing case is addressed to 'Chaplain Martin, 4th Gloster Regiment, Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Research indicates that this photograph is of a packing case in which Andries Smorenburg made a crate for himself, marked in 'Curios', 'Handle with Care' and 'This Side Up' and 'mailed' himself from Saint Helena on the Union Castle Mail Ship SS Goth.  He prepared his crate by labelling it with a false address in London and then packed it with clothing, matches, enough food and water for 20 days.  Armed with a rough map of Southampton Dock, he climbed inside and was loaded aboard.  Despite his labels the crate was tossed about and overturned on board Smorenburg was concussed and lost most of his water.  He was discovered by Captain John Attwood on Christmas Day 1901, when the ship was at sea, landed at Ascension, handed over to the authorities and returned to St. Helena.
It is believed that the photograph shows Andries Smorenburg with his crate, back on St. Helena.
Accession Number KO1466/10-077

Indians and others on board a ship.
Accession Number KO1466/10-078

'Jacobs Ladder', Jamestown, St. Helena.
Accession Number KO1466/10-079

British military lines with Longwood House in the distance, St. Helena.


Selective enlargements of the above photograph.
Accession Number KO1466/10-080

St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page one
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page two
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page three
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page four
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page five
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page six
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page seven
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page eight
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page nine
St. Helena and Boer War Prisoners page ten