Lieutenant Standish William Prendergast VEREKER - 2nd Natal Native Contingent

Gent's. I have set myself a little project. This was base on something that was said by Vereker, in the film Zulu Dawn, when he was introduced to the other officers inside the tent.

Chelmsford makes a re-mark with reference to Vereker choosing to fight for the Zulu's or British, Vereker comes back with it was a close call too.

Anyway I'm hoping to research what the relationship was like between Vereker and his father. Going by the film his father was an MP. But I got the feeling something was not quite right. And as the film was based on fact, it got me thinking if some research hadn't been done by Enfield. Anyway it may amount to nothing, but if anyone has or can find some information. It would be appreciated.

Old H. To get you started.

Lieutenant Standish William Prendergast Vereker's Father was.

Standish Prendergast Vereker, 4th Viscount Gort was born on 6 July 1819. He was the son of John Prendergast Vereker, 3rd Viscount Gort and Hon. Maria O'Grady. He married Hon. Caroline Harriet Gage, daughter of Henry Hall Gage, 4th Viscount Gage of Castle Island and Elizabeth Maria Foley, on 4 May 1847.1 He died on 9 January 1900 at age 80.

He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin University, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland, with a Master of Arts (M.A.). He held the office of High Sheriff in 1843.1 He gained the rank of Honorary Colonel in the service of the 4th Brigade, South Irish Division, Royal Artillery. He held the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for County Galway. He succeeded to the title of 4th Viscount Gort, co. Galway 1816 on 20 October 1865.1 He succeeded to the title of 4th Baron Kiltarton of Gort, co. Galway 1810 on 20 October 1865.

Lieutenant Standish William Prendergast VEREKER'S Uncle....

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Thanks Littlehand.

Doe's anyone know where the Verekers's lived, (Familey Home) was it in England.

Early in 2009, Vereker's Zulu War medal was offered for sale in, of all places, the Phillipines. It was bought by a British collector, who has thoroughly researched Vereker.

Regards
Brett

Hi Old H

RYDE, SATURDAY. JAN. 13th, 1900 .
Isle of Wight Observer Saturday, January 13, 1900

DEATH of LORD GORT:

Viscount Gort, who was well-known in the isle of Wight, where he had a residence, died at his London residence of bronchitis at the age of 81. he was the son of the third Viscount by his first wife, and was born in Dublin in 1819. He is succeeded in the title by his son the Honourable John Gage Prendergast Vereker, who was born in 1849 and married in 1886.


RYDE, SATURDAY, MARCH 9TH, 1895 .
Isle of Wight Observer Saturday, March 09, 1895; pg. 4

The Hon. Mr. & Mrs. Prendergast Vereker have arrived at their residence, "The Pitts", Binstead. It is rumoured that they will now reside permanently in the Island, as the Hon. Mr. Vereker has retired from the important post of Consul at Cherburg.

Hi All
The home on the Isle of Wight, The Pitts at Binstead still exists,
Also i saw Vereker's Zulu War Medal earlier this year, the medal is the real thing?
Rai
Keynshamlighthorse

Hi all.
If I'm not mistaken and no names no pack drill . The Vereker ' Zulu War Medal ' is currently in the ownership
of a RDVC Forum member .
cheers 90th.

Hi 90th

You are correct

I read somewhere that a castle on the I O W was owned by the familey.
Don't know which on.

Hi John

I am lead to believe that it was the 6th Viscount Gort that lived in East Cowes Castle

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Thanks 1879Graves. I wasn't sure which one. Nice Building... Wonder if its still liveable today.

They had two residencies. One in London Warwick Square, and one on the Isle of Wight as 1879Graves as posted.

Found this on a family tree website. Odd as there is no mention of Lieutenant Standish William Prendergast VEREKER

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Is it possible that he was disowned as a son. Does anyone know what happen to Lieutenant Standish William Prendergast Vereker's personal effects after his death.

Hi John

The castle was lent to the British Army during the Second World War, under whose use the condition of the building suffered greatly and due to subsequent neglect and detoration, the castle was finally demolished in 1960. The lodge and an original icehouse survives and the castle's clock remains on display at the Carisbrooke Castle Museum.

Hi John

A little more info on the Castle

By 1906 the house had been bought by John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort (also more famously known as Field Marshal John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MVO, MC (b.10 July 1886 - d.31 March 1946) commander of the British Expeditionary Force who defended France against the German invasion in 1940). Interestingly, the Gort title and estates were centred around Lough Cutra in Ireland. The 1st Viscount Gort had seen East Cowes Castle and been sufficiently impressed that he commissioned Nash to build something very similar. Subsequent financial difficulties meant that the Gort family had to sell Lough Cutra in the late 1840s.

East Cowes Castle became Lord Gort's retreat during his illustrious military career. Appropriately, during WWII, the house was requisitioned by the Army. Further information has been provided by someone who lived locally and had met Lord Gort.

"There was little doubt that the requisitioning of East Cowes Castle by the army for the duration of the war wrought the most horrendous damage upon it, despite it being unscathed - as far as I am aware - by enemy action. It was in a pitiful state after the war and, upon returning home from evacuation elsewhere, I used to wander through the ruins, some rooms floorless and most with smashed windows. I recall in particular the magnificent Conservatory was a ruin with broken glass, making walking very tricky, although most of the stone work and the tiled floor survived the British Army onslaught!

Later on when it was clear the Vereker family had no intention of attempting its rehabilitation, after much local controversy - bearing in mind this was before Listed Building status came into force - the Council gave consent for the current housing development to take place over most of the Park, so it was demolished. After all, it did help provide affordable homes, at the expense of our heritage, of course. I think the Council may have taken the view that East Cowes had more than enough examples of Nash villas along York Avenue to justify sacrificing the Castle for the greater good. You may find help from archived copies of the Isle of Wight County Press of that post-war period to confirm the substance of the arguments that were raged over the Castle's fate. I can recall reading about it at the time.
The house was demolished in 1960 and the site is now covered by a housing estate though the ice house and Lodge remain.


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Hello All, Standish William Vereker is an interesting subject in himself, about whom little is really known. Yet he died at such a young age at 24 that perhaps he might have made more impression on history had he survived longer? As regards his personal effects, I can say that I have his personal Bible, presented to him by E.M.C. (or E.M.G.) in 1866, when he was 12 years old. It is a very rare Bible in fact, being the only known copy (in 2 large leatherbound volumes) of SO Beeton's Bible. Both volumes have Standish William's full name in neat hand-written (ink), 1866 from EMC/EMG. The Bible may have been given by Elizabeth Maria Foley, a family member, yet the initials do not appear to match exactly.

The Elizabeth Maria Foley i have connected with the Vereker familey
died 13th June 1857. Before he was presented with the bible.

Any chance of a photo of the bible.

William Vereker - a fantastic, selfless young man who should have been awarded the VC.

I am the great great great grandson of caroline gage and foley Prendergast vereker. my family goes back through the prendegast and vereker family, I am 15 and working on a family tree project. if you have any questions, ask me!

Overeker Welcome to the forum. Do you have any photographs of Standish William Vereker, or any items of Military interest that was owned by him.

tasker224, seems a very intelligent chap, i see
he now posts in another place..what a shame!

littlehand wrote:

Overeker Welcome to the forum. Do you have any photographs of Standish William Vereker, or any items of Military interest that was owned by him.

Yes I do have some, I will try and see if I can download them

You can photograph them.