Musician Charles Roper, HMS Shah

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Musician Charles Roper was a member of the HMS Shah's Naval Brigade landed during the Zulu War.

On 25 October, 1879 the townsfolk of Portsea and Gosport gave a banquet for the soldiers and sailors who had taken part in the Zulu War. Present were sailors from HMS Active and HMS Shah, as well as some members of the 24th including Corporal Allen of Rorke's Drift.

There was entertainment including a performance by Charles Roper which drew much applause. He performed many of the tunes that the bands played on the march to relieve Fort Eshowe. "The Graphic", November 1, 1879 included a sketch of Roper playing the fiddle. See link below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1879-Zulu-War-Soldiers-Sailors-Banquet-Portsmouth-/180493578236?pt=Art_Prints&hash=item2a06416ffc

Charles Roper entitled to the SAGS Medal with clasp "1879". Confirmed on the Medal Roll.

Petty Officer Tom

Posts : 3387 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

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1879graves,

Thanks for posting the picture. I haven't figured out how to do that yet. scratch

Petty Officer Tom

Posts : 3463 Join date : 2021-01-04

Fiddle made of a bully beef tin. I bet the sound it made was was offal

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Portsmouth Evening News - Thursday 01 September 1938

Posts : 366 Join date : 2017-02-05 Location : Texas, U.S.A.

Kate,

The music may not have been that bad. On 22 December 1886 Musician Charles Roper of HMS Excellent played various selections on his fiddle at the entertainment benefit for the Dockyard Relief Fund held at the “Amphitheatre” in Portsmouth. The "Evening News" of December 23rd reported “Mr. Charles Roper, of H.M.S. Excellent, also played selections upon a fiddle of a novel character. The instrument was made of tin, and was said to have been used by Mr. Roper while marching with the Naval Brigade which took part in the war in Zululand, his own having been destroyed by a shot.”

Tom

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