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John Whitehead

Inspector, Natal Government Railways – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal – no clasp

John Whitehead was born in Staveley, Derbyshire in 1861 the son of Thomas Whitehead, a Coal Miner, and his wife Susan. At the time of the 1871 census the family were living at Handsworth in Yorkshire. The family comprised the parents together with John, the eldest at age 10, and his siblings Mary (9), William (7) and James (6).

Ten years later, during the 1881 England census Whitehead, now aged 20, was in lodgings with the Walker family in Wood Street, Mexborough, Yorkshire. His trade was that of an Engine Cleaner, more than likely with the railways.

Sometime thereafter he met and married Sarah Jane in Mexborough before deciding to take the plunge and emigrate to South Africa where they settled in the town of Ladysmith in Northern Natal.

From the outset Whitehead took employment with what was familiar to him, the Railways, joining the Natal Government Railways as a Guard. July 1893 was to be a watershed year for him as he was central to an enquiry by the authorities. The case in point gives us a wonderful insight into the thinking of the times. Although seemingly innocuous the incident could have had serious implications for the Colony of Natal and her inhabitants.

Briefly the matter was that a small pox patient was found to be travelling by N.G.R. train from Harrismith in the Orange Free State to Ladysmith in Natal. This was a serious health risk and a deposition was taken from Whitehead as to how this came about. This deposition was taken by the Resident Magistrate at Ladysmith, G.M. Rudolph Esquire, C.M.G., on 24 July 1893 and read as follows:

“I am a Guard on the Natal Government Railway s and I am quartered at Ladysmith. I was guard of the Harrismith down train no. 91 arriving at Ladysmith at 7.32 on Friday evening the 21st July 1893.

I took charge of it at Harrismith at 3.30 on the afternoon of that day. After I had completed the shunting I walked up the platform and so far as I can recollect the Driver G. Anderson walking down towards the guard van remarked to me that there was a native in the train who had all the appearances of small pox. I walked up to the third class compartments and I there found the District Superintendent Mr. Salmon standing at one of these compartments with several of the Harrismith Native Police.

They were discussing the question of passes. I asked Mr. Salmon what was the matter. He said that there was a “boy” there who had the appearances of small pox. I said “are you going to let the boy go by train”. He replied that the boy said he had seen a Doctor who had said that the disease from which he (the native) was suffering was not small pox. That the native said that the rash he had on him had come out between Johannesburg and Harrismith and which was very slight there.

At that time the compartment was occupied as follows: In one half divided only by the back against which the passengers lean was the sick young man and his father. On the other were four other natives who were then due away. The Dist. Supt. said I was to bring them forward and he would ask the N.M.P at Van Reenen to examine them on their arrival there. When we arrived at Van Reenen a Trooper of the N.M.P. whose name I have since ascertained to be Woolly came up and asked where the suspected small pox native was. I took him up to the man and he looked at the man and said he had no authority to move him as they had had no instructions on the subject.

The Station Master at Van Reenen Mr. Hay wired to Ladysmith on his own responsibility informing the Dist. Supt. of the matter. Immediately upon arrival at Ladysmith Inspector Matterson came and told me to lock all third class carriage doors on the offside which I did. The Magistrate and District Surgeon came up to the carriage at once and I pointed out the suspected native.

We took him out of the compartment and walked him down to an empty goods shed against the river bridge. I looked at the man in the shed under the light of my lamp and I observed that the eruption was very much more marked. I spoke of the matter to all the Station Masters along the line.

The sick man was given a pass to enter Natal by the District Superintendent’s office. All the other natives who were in the other portion of the compartment were subsequently removed from the carriage and taken down to the shed by the Magistrate’s order.

Upon arrival at Ladysmith I found several natives to be in the compartment. Upon enquiry I ascertained that the seventh native entered the train at Bester at which station I was very busy loading and had no opportunity of noticing him.”

The incident recounted above led to a barrage of “Minutes” and “Memorandums” between high ranking Government officials and the General Manager of the N.G.R. the upshot of which was that there “appeared to be gross carelessness on the part of the District Superintendent at Harrismith in issuing passes to natives” This was the prevailing view until it was pointed out that this was arranged by the government at the instance of the Supt. of Native Affairs. After this broadside the matter was allowed to die down.

On 4 March 1899 Whitehead completed his Last Will and Testament at Ladysmith. He was still a Guard with the N.G.R. and appointed William Ward of Dundee Coalfields, Inspector of Coal for the Natal Government Railways; as his executor. This, as shall be seen, was a questionable move. In the meanwhile he and Sarah Jane had brought Elsie (1896), Beatrice (1888) and Ethel Maud (1889) into the world.

War clouds had been gathering over South Africa in the same year that the Will was drawn up and, ere long in mid October 1899 they erupted into the Anglo Boer War. First in the firing line was Dundee followed by the flight of Sir George White’s forces into Ladysmith where they and the town’s populace were besieged from the beginning of November until the end of February 1900.

As an employee of the N.G.R. Whitehead was caught up in the fracas and saw out the Siege in the capacity of Inspector in the Engineer’s Department. For his efforts he was awarded the Queens Medal but not the Siege of Ladysmith clasp.

With the war a thing of the past he resumed his civilian occupation but, either as a result of the privations suffered during the Siege or of other health reasons, he passed away at the age of 45 years 8 months on 11 February 1906 at his house in Alexandra Street, Ladysmith, Klip River. His estate left household effects to the value of £50 as well as a “cow and calf” valued at £10. There was also a Life Assurance policy with Star Life which provided a tidy sum of £235.

The drama alluded to earlier now began to unfold. On May 4th 1909 an Amy Barber wrote to the Master of the Supreme Court as follows, “Dear Sir, Will you kindly let me have a copy of Inventory for Death Duties, taken at my brother in laws death February 1906 in Alexanderia (sic) Street, Ladysmith. Failing a copy can you give me a list shares mentioned in that inventory.”
On 17 May 1909 this letter was followed by another, lengthier one:

“In my earlier letter I had been trying to find out exactly what shares my brother in law had. But it seems only one man can, if he is honest enough to do so, and that is Mr. Ward (it will be remembered here that Ward was made executor of the estate in 1899), the sole executor (as Mr Scott the other executor predeceased Mr Whitehead)

For Mr Ward bought and held Mr Whitehead’s shares for years, so that at his death Mr. Ward held all his shares, and was with Mr. Whitehead a few days before he died, and at his death took charge of funeral arrangements and everything else.

I wrote to Mr. Ward last week asking for an appointment for Saturday last, at which I wanted my sister in law to be present. But he did not even acknowledge my letter. I told him that it was time someone other than himself interested themselves in her affairs as she cannot read or write only to sign her signature and seeing that no shares were mentioned in inventory signed by him.

I told him there was nothing to stop him in future turning round and saying that he never held a share, or rather that her husband never had a share, or it would have been on inventory. My brother in law must have held or had an interest in shares to over £1000 as a few years previous to this he told me he had over £1200 worth of script and I knew he invested another £600, so allowing for the drop in shares you can see he must have held script for a large amount.

My sister in law had perfect trust in Mr. Ward so had my brother in law, but that trust is lost and I think the sooner you get someone in to get her interests safeguarded the better. As she told me this morning that she did not know where she was and feels that if she moves in the matter all is lost to her.

I think from what I heard this morning that Mr. Ward wants to put the blame on Mr. W.H. Miller who I believe acted as Trustee. But Mr Miller knew nothing of these shares and if Mr Ward tries to blame Mr Miller it is because he knows Mr Miller has left this town and cannot speak for himself.

Mr Ward held all script signed inventory and stopped Mrs Whitehead until there was nothing else for anyone else to do and he being the only executor, others could only look on and think things were alright.

I trust you will move on this matter at once for Mrs Whitehead’s sake as she has worked hard for years and her husband also, to put all their doings into Mr Ward’s hands.”

What eventually became of this “share mystery” is unknown.

In a photo sourced from the Siege Museum in Ladysmith, Mrs Whitehead can be seen at one of her daughter’s weddings together with her other daughters – Sadly John Whitehead was unable to give her away.

Very Interesting and a Fantastic Story Rory.....

Reminded me about this......

Mike

Thanks Mike

I must say that badge would look good along with his medal.

Is it on its way to me already or do you need me to confirm my address details first?

Regards

Rory

Hi

I noticed that the statement was recorded by a certain GM Rudolph CMG -

I have the CMG and documents to Mr Rudolph and i thought the story told about this award may be interesting (although not boer war)

"Gerhardus Marthinus Rudolph was award his CMG for an act of bravery (so it is told) in 1879 notice was received that Ceteswayo, had instructed his soldiers to destroy Utrecht. Rudolph managed to muster 67 volunteers to stop the attach. The next morning only 7 presented themselves. On approaching the Zulus, Rudolph instructed the 7 volunteers to remain behind while he and his black assistant confronted the Zulu commanders. Disregarding his own safety he convinced them to ignore Ceteswayos command. One pif the Zulus attacked him with a spear, Rudolph grabbed his knobkerrie of his assistant and crushed the head of the Zulu. He intended to use his revolver but the commanders shouted to him not to shoot. The Zulus then directed their attack on the fallen Zulu with their spears. The attack on Utrecht had been thwarted because of the high esteem that Rudolph enjoyed among the Zulu Commanders"

This is the story given when I purchased the medal a long time ago. I do know that Rudolph was on the boundary commission that started the whole Zulu war of 1879.

Nice story I think.

Munroe

Munroe,

Absolutely fantastic.

Thank you for posting this superb picture and write up.

Regards
Adrian

What a thread!